The ticket's details are just wrong
Wrong street, wrong time, a car model you've never owned: charges with defective details are more common than you'd think — ANPR mismatches and template errors produce them daily.
Phrases to look for on your letter: “location” · “date/time of event” · “vehicle details”
Why this is an appealable position
A notice is supposed to identify the parking event it charges for. Materially wrong details — location you can prove you never visited, timestamps that contradict your day, another vehicle's description — undermine both the operator's evidence and, for keeper liability, POFA's prescribed-information requirements. Cloned plates also surface this way; a police report turns that from suspicion into a defence.
Your position is strongest when
- You can evidence being elsewhere (receipts, phone location, witnesses)
- The photographed vehicle isn't yours
- Dates/times are internally inconsistent on the notice itself
Evidence to gather now
- Anything placing you/the vehicle elsewhere
- The notice's own photos — compare against your vehicle closely
- Crime reference if cloning is suspected
Your first move
List every discrepancy precisely, attach your counter-evidence, and demand the operator's full ANPR/photo evidence for the event they allege.
Build my appeal letter — £9.99Answer 8 questions about what happened and get a ready-to-send appeal letter in minutes.
Common questions
The photo shows my plate but not my car. What is that?
Possibly a cloned plate, possibly ANPR misread. Report suspected cloning to the police and put the crime reference in your appeal — operators cancel these when confronted properly.
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”.