The letter arrived weeks after I supposedly parked
A charge for a day you barely remember, arriving a month or more later, addressed to you as "the registered keeper"? The law that lets operators pursue keepers instead of drivers only works if their paperwork hit strict deadlines — and late notices break it.
Phrases to look for on your letter: “notice to keeper” · “as the registered keeper you are liable”
Why this is an appealable position
Under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, an operator can only hold the KEEPER liable if the Notice to Keeper arrived within strict windows: for postal/ANPR charges, within 14 days of the event; for windscreen tickets, between days 29 and 56. Miss the window, or omit the prescribed wording, and keeper liability fails — and if you don't name the driver (you are never obliged to), there may be nobody they can lawfully pursue.
Your position is strongest when
- ANPR notice arrived 15+ days after the event date
- Windscreen ticket's follow-up NtK arrived before day 29 or after day 56
- Notice omits POFA-prescribed information
Evidence to gather now
- The envelope (keep it — the postmark matters)
- The NtK itself showing issue and event dates
- A note of the date it actually arrived
Your first move
Count the days, keep the envelope, and appeal as the keeper WITHOUT identifying the driver. State that POFA conditions are not met and keeper liability does not arise.
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Common questions
Do I have to say who was driving?
No. There is no legal obligation to name the driver for a private parking charge, and keeper-liability failures only help you if you don't.
Is this the same for council tickets?
No — council PCNs are statutory, not contractual, with different rules and deadlines. Check who issued yours; our guides cover both routes.
Who issued your ticket?
Private operators and councils run entirely different appeal routes. Find your operator to see whether your independent appeal goes to POPLA or the IAS — or read the council PCN route if your letter says “Penalty Charge Notice”.