A notice from a car park company - supermarket, retail park, hospital, private land - is not a fine. It's a parking charge for breaching the terms on the signs: a civil contract claim. You can appeal it, and many succeed.
Who can be asked to pay
The operator can pursue the driver. If they don't know who drove, they can pursue the registered keeper - but only if they follow Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012: the notice must arrive within set time limits (e.g. 14 days for a postal notice when no ticket was put on the car) and contain the required information. Check the dates on your notice.
Step 1: appeal to the operator
Use the appeal route on the notice, within its deadline (often 28 days). Be factual. If you're the keeper, you don't have to name the driver.
Step 2: independent appeal
If the operator rejects your appeal, it must tell you how to appeal independently:
- POPLA for members of the British Parking Association (BPA),
- IAS for members of the International Parking Community (IPC).
Grounds that work
- Unclear signs - small print, not visible at the entrance, terms not displayed where you parked.
- Grace periods - drivers must have time to read the terms and leave; operators' codes include grace periods.
- You paid or had a permit, and the system failed (keep app screenshots and bank records).
- Machine or app failure with no alternative way to pay.
- Keeper liability not established (late notice, missing information).
- Charge excessive for the circumstances.
Don't ignore it
Ignoring leads to debt collector letters (which have no extra legal power) and possibly a County Court claim. If you receive court papers, respond by the deadline - a defence can still succeed.
Draft your appeal to the operator or POPLA/IAS.