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Providing evidence for challenges and representations
You should submit your challenge or representation through Manage My PCN. You can attach up to six files with a maximum size of 10 megabites each.
Have all the evidence you need to support your case at hand. You can upload up to six files, but please note especially if you are uploading photographs we can only accept JPEG/JPG, BMP or PDF files of 10MB or less.
Write your case in a text editor, such as Microsoft Word, Wordpad or Notepad then paste it into the form or upload it as evidence because the online form will time out after 60 minutes for security reasons and you will lose any data.
When you contact us about the PCN please include any supporting evidence. Please ensure that you provide the following details:
- the PCN number,
- the vehicle registration and
- your name and full postal address and email address if you have one.
When making an appeal, challenge or representation, we will consider the circumstances and any supporting evidence that you can supply.
As an example, if there are mitigating circumstances such as a medical emergency, then we would need a letter from the hospital or your GP confirming the emergency. We would not accept an appointment card detailing a routine appointment or examination, as these would not generally be an emergency.
Other mitigating circumstances may include incidences such as vehicle breakdown. in this case the driver would be expected to remove the vehicle within 24 hours and we would require appropriate evidence, such as vehicle recovery documentation.
We can only make decisions based on the evidence presented to us. If you have documentary evidence which supports your case, such as a photographs, please provide us with a copy.
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If you need reasonable adjustment or further assistance, please call our Customer Service Team on 020 7371 5678 between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and select the option 0 to speak to a Customer Service Officer
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I tried to pay and display or pay by phone
If you purchased a pay and display ticket but it was not on display correctly at the time of the contravention, you will need to provide a copy of your pay and display ticket, and explain why it was not shown.
If you tried to purchase a pay and display ticket but the machine was out of order, you must supply the machine number, the location of the machine and the approximate time you tried to purchase the ticket.
If you tried to use RingGo and you were unable to do activate time due to a system failure, you should contact RingGo at and request information on the session you tried to book.
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If your vehicle broke down in the street, you will need to provide proof from a garage, breakdown company or a store where you purchased parts.
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If you had to park on the street because of a medical emergency, you will need to provide a letter of confirmation from a medical professional.
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If you were loading/unloading, you will need to provide a copy of the delivery note or invoice.
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The vehicle was on hire at the time the PCN was issued
If the vehicle was on hire at the time of the contravention, you will need to provide a copy of the valid hire agreement.
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Hire vehicle penalty charge notice administration charges
When hiring a vehicle, individuals sign a contract with a hire company confirming that in case of a PCN being issued they would be liable to pay the same together with an admin fee. This fee usually consists of administration work in identifying who the driver was at the time a contravention occurred and providing the information to the council.
Where the council has refunded a hire company for a PCN, and an administration fee has been levied on the hirer for the processing of those details, the hirer should liaise with the hire company regarding the refunding of costs.
In instances where the council receives a complaint regarding the administration charge not being refunded by the hire company, the hirer should provide:
- evidence of the administration fee paid,
- the charge refusal by the hire companies to pay the administration fee
- a copy of the hire contract,
A judgement can then be made as to whether a reimbursement should be paid by the council to the hirer. It is important to note that any reimbursement of fees by the council is not a legal requirement and is made at the discretion of the council on a case by case basis. -
I sold this vehicle before the PCN was issued
If you did not own the vehicle when the Penalty Charge Notice was given, you will need to provide us with proof of purchase or sale.
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A parking PCN can be issued to you by a civil enforcement officer (CEO):
- by being fixed to the vehicle or
- by being handed to the person in charge of the vehicle
A parking PCN can also be sent to you by post if the PCN was issued by CCTV
The PCN appeals process has three stages:
- Informal challenge
- Formal representation
- Independent parking adjudicator (London Tribunals)
You can submit a challenge or representation online using our Manage my PCN facility.
Make sure you have your PCN reference number (beginning with HZ) and your vehicle registration number to hand.
Once we receive your challenge, we will aim to reply to you within 10 working days of receiving it. All actions on the notice will be suspended until a full reply has been sent. We are currently experiencing delays to challenges. All backlog cases have been identified and held, and during this time charges will not increase. We are giving responses as quickly as possible. During this time please do not resubmit your challenge.
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I want to make an informal challenge
If you have received a PCN from a civil enforcement officer, you can make an informal challenge if you do so within 14 days of the contravention.
Once you have submitted your challenge, your PCN will be put on hold until you receive the council's decision.
If your challenge is successful, the PCN is cancelled and no further action is taken.
If your challenge is unsuccessful and rejected, you have another opportunity to pay at the discounted rate.
If you are not satisfied with the decision, you can make a formal representation.
At this stage, representations are made against the full PCN charge. The discounted rate will no longer be available.
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When can I make a formal representation?
If your informal challenge is unsuccessful, we will send you a Notice to Owner. Once you receive this in the post, you can make a formal representation.
You can also make a formal representation to a PCN or Enforcement Notice sent by post.
In both these cases, the documents we send you include details about the specific grounds on which representations can be made.
A Bus Lane Enforcement Notice is issued 28 days after the issue of the PCN if it remains unpaid. A formal representation must be made within 28 days of the enforcement notice being issued.
Formal representations for Moving Traffic contraventions must be made within 28 days and can only be made by the registered keeper of the vehicle upon receipt of a PCN. This notice is issued by virtue of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003.
We will carefully consider the representations and reply to you.
If the representation is successful, the PCN is cancelled and no further action is taken.
If the representation is unsuccessful, a formal Notice of Rejection is sent to you.
This includes payment instructions and a form allowing a further appeal to the independent adjudicator, should you choose not to pay the full charge for the PCN within 28 days.
In certain circumstances you may be requested to provide further evidence at this stage to substantiate the claims made in your representation. Please ensure this evidence is sent back directly to the council, and not to London Tribunals
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I want to appeal to the Independent Adjudicator – London Tribunals
If your formal representations have been rejected and you want to take this matter further, you can lodge an appeal with London Tribunals.
An appeal cannot be made to London Tribunals unless you have received a Notice of Rejection and an appeal form, as you will need the verification number on the Notice of Rejection.
You can refer to London Councils for more information on the appeals process or contact London Tribunals.
The adjudicator can only legally consider appeals on specific grounds.
Once you have submitted your appeal to the adjudicator, a hearing date will be set and the council has the opportunity to defend it's decision to reject the formal representation.
You can choose to receive the adjudicator's decision by post or attend the hearing in person.
The adjudicator's decision is binding on both the council and the person making the appeal.
If an appeal is unsuccessful, the full PCN charge is payable. If the PCN is not paid a charge certificate will be issued.
If your appeal is successful, the PCN is cancelled and no further action will be taken.
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I have received a Charge Certificate or Order for Recovery
The council may issue a Charge Certificate 28 days after:
- a Notice to Owner has been served and the council receives no payment or representation
- representations have been made and rejected and no payment has been received and no appeal has been made
- an appeal to the adjudicator has been refused and no payment has been made.
The council may issue a Charge Certificate after 14 days where an appeal to the adjudicator has been withdrawn.
The Charge Certificate tells the vehicle owner that the penalty charge has increased by 50 per cent and that action will be taken to recover the amount due through the County Court if it is not paid within 14 days.
If the penalty charge has not been paid 14 days after the Charge Certificate has been issued, the council may apply to the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court to recover the charge as if it were payable under a county court order.
Once this has been registered, the council will send you an Order for Recovery.
This notice advises you to either pay the unpaid penalty charge or to complete the enclosed witness statement form. The outstanding PCN amount will increase by £8 at this time for court costs.
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I want to make a witness statement
If you decide not to pay at this stage, you can complete the witness statement and send it to the Traffic Enforcement Centre.
Explain why the penalty charge should not be paid, and ask for the debt registration of the unpaid penalty charge to be revoked.
You must do this within 21 days from the time you receive the Order for Recovery.
Send the witness statement directly to the Traffic Enforcement Centre and not to the council.The witness statement can only be made on the following grounds:
- you did not receive the Notice to Owner in question
- you made formal representations to the council regarding the penalty charge but did not receive a Notice of Rejection
- you appealed to the parking adjudicator against the council's decision to reject your representations but had no response to your appeal
- you have paid in full the penalty charge to which the order relates.
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My PCN debt is with enforcement agents
An enforcement agent is a bailiff; they are an appointed company or person to collect unpaid debts for a creditor.
If the penalty charge remains unpaid, the council will register the PCN as a debt with the Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC) at Northampton County Court. The TEC has authorised the council to issue a warrant of control to an enforcement agent to recover the outstanding debt. The debt now includes the statutory enforcement fees and also the PCN value owed to the council. It is important that you contact the enforcement agent directly as soon as possible, especially if you have any queries regarding the outstanding debt or the recovery process.
The council expects every enforcement agent working on its behalf to act correctly and professionally at all times. Should you wish to make a complaint about any aspect of the enforcement agent's actions, you should first contact the agent's company and ask for details of their complaints procedure. If you are dissatisfied with the response you receive you may send your complaint to:
Marston Group Ltd
Marston customer enquiry form - Marston Holdings
generalenquiries@marstonholdings.co.uk
0333 320 1822
PO Box 12019
Epping CM16 9EBEquita Limited
Equita - Contact Us
info@equita.co.uk
01604 628 360
42-44 Henry Street
Northampton NN1 4BZ -
Don't worry. We can help you. Just email enquiries@lbhfparking.com with as many of these details as you can provide:
- vehicle registration
- location of PCN
- date and time of PCN
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Other useful information to help you when using Manage My PCN
If you wish to challenge more than one PCN using our online service, you will need to submit each challenge separately.
Please make sure your ground for disputing your PCN is appropriate, as listed in Traffic Management Act 2004.
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be completed
Help with your PCN
If you receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) which you feel is unfair, you can challenge it. This page answers the questions often asked when challenging a penalty charge notice.