PCN Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to Common PCN Questions

Please read through the information below before contacting us with any questions. Please note that we cannot process appeals over the telephone.

  • Pay over the telephone using our automated system on: 0330 088 9564.
  • Call us on 01604 625 655 if you have any queries not answered below.
  • Pay or appeal a PCN online.
  • Post a cheque or postal order, or submit an appeal to: Open Parking, PO BOX 1049, Northampton, NN4 4DZ.

Open Parking is a member of the International Parking Community (IPC), an accredited trade association. Please see the IPC code of practice and its frequently asked questions.

Find an Answer

Making a Payment

How do I pay for my Parking Charge Notice?

Use our secure online payment service, phone the automated payment line on 0330 088 9564 or post a cheque to Open Parking, PO BOX 1049, Northampton, NN4 4DZ. Please note on the cheque the PCN number from your letter and your Vehicle Registration Mark (number plate). 

What will I need when using the online system?

You will need your PCN number (e.g. NG12345678) and your Vehicle Registration Mark (number plate).

If you are submitting an appeal, your supporting evidence should be in JPG or PDF file formats.

Can I pay for my Parking Charge Notice in instalments?

Unfortunately we cannot accept instalment payments for Parking Charge Notices. For further information regarding the timescales for payment, please refer to your original PCN.

Appealing a PCN

How do I appeal my Parking Charge Notice?

If you feel that your Parking Charge Notice (PCN) was issued incorrectly or you have mitigating circumstances, you can appeal the PCN by writing to us explaining the details.

You can submit your appeal online or by post to: Open Parking, PO Box 1049, Northampton, NN4 4DZ.

Please note that appeals cannot be processed over the phone.

Your PCN will be placed on hold at its current charge as soon as your appeal is received. Charges will not increase whilst we assess your appeal and we will aim to respond to you with our decision within 14 days.

What will I need?

Please provide your PCN number, which you can find on the letter you were sent (e.g. NG12345678), your Vehicle Registration Mark (number plate) and any photographs or documents to support your appeal. These should be saved in PDF or JPG format.

What reasons can I appeal for?

If you think there has been an error, the signs were unclear or there was no payment facility available, or if you would like to explain any mitigating circumstances, please write to us with details.

What can I do if I feel my appeal has been unfairly rejected?

If your appeal is unsuccessful we will provide details on how to appeal to the Independent Appeals Service (IAS).

The IAS enables people who believe that a charge has been improperly issued to them to appeal against it. The IAS does not charge the motorist for submitting an appeal. Before you can consider appealing to the IAS, you must first exhaust the operator’s own internal appeals procedure. Appeals must be received by the IAS within 21 days of the operator rejecting your initial appeal.

Appeals will only be accepted from the driver or from the registered keeper of the vehicle. Third parties cannot appeal on behalf of the keeper or driver.

Whilst the Appeals system is administered by the IPC, each appeal is dealt with by a qualified and practising solicitor or barrister appointed under a contract of self-employment and it is an express term of their appointment that they must retain complete impartiality. They are not allowed to be influenced by the IPC and must not exercise any bias towards either the parking operator or the motorist.

The IAS provides an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme for disputes. We may engage with the IAS ADR service at our discretion should further dispute arise over this charge in the future. 

Common Questions

Why is car park management needed?

Effective car park management procedures can help prevent serious health and safety concerns that can occur as a consequence of indiscriminate parking.

Open Parking works with landowners to:

  • Manage their parking effectively
  • Keep car parks safe
  • Prevent obstruction caused by indiscriminately parked cars
  • Protect spaces for residents or particular groups like disabled people or parents with children
  • Enable servicing and deliveries to take place in retail parks that would otherwise become congested.

We understand that the issue of parking management is often an emotive topic. We pride ourselves on providing a transparent, efficient and fair management service for both landowners and motorists.

Are notices issued by Open Parking enforceable?

The decision in the Parking Eye v Beavis case was handed down by the Supreme Court on the 4th November 2015. The judgment confirms that parking regimes which impose charges where motorists overstay or breach the terms of their contractual licence to park are enforceable charges.

Parking Charge Notices are issued to vehicles in privately owned car parks where such vehicles are parked in breach of the displayed terms and conditions. Examples of such breaches may include:

  • Vehicles parked without displaying the correct payment or permit.
  • Vehicles parked in a disabled bay without displaying a valid blue badge.
  • Vehicles parked in such a way as to cause a danger or an obstruction.

See the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

What will happen if I just ignore my Parking Charge Notice?

Contrary to the advice given on various ‘ticket fighter’ websites, ignoring a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) issued on private land is not the best course of action.

If you feel you have been incorrectly issued with a PCN, the best thing to do is to contact us as we will happily consider your appeal. See the information above or the back of your PCN for more information on how to submit your appeal.

When we receive your appeal, the case is placed on hold and charges will not increase whilst we investigate and respond.

Do not just ignore your PCN, get in touch with us.