Puzzle 2 of 10

Does a notice to keeper have to warn you about the 28 days?

Spot the mistake in 3 seconds: one sentence the law requires is missing from this letter.

SPECIMEN. A fictional Notice to Keeper from Sampleford Parking Ltd for 5 October 2026, listing what the keeper is asked to do. — SPECIMEN. Fictional notice made for a puzzle. Not a real charge, operator or council. The notice is shortened to the lines that matter. The mistake is in a line you can see, or is missing from one of them.

Read the notice as text

Heading: NOTICE TO KEEPER
From: Sampleford Parking Ltd (fictional)
Vehicle: AB12 IDE
Land: Sampleford Leisure Centre car park
Period of parking: Mon 5 Oct 2026, 07:50 to 10:12
Reason: No valid pay-on-exit payment found for this visit
Amount unpaid: £90 as at 23:59 on Mon 5 Oct 2026
Discount: £54 if paid within 14 days
What we ask: We do not know the driver's name and address. Please pay, or tell us who was driving and pass this notice to them.
Appeals: Appeal to us first. If we reject it, you can go to the independent appeals service.
Date sent: Tue 6 Oct 2026, first class post

What is wrong with it?

Tap the one you think is the mistake.

It was sent too late
Not this one. Try another.
The £54 discount is too small
Not this one. Try another.
It never warns that the keeper becomes liable after 28 days
Yes, that is the mistake.

Show the answer

The mistake: It never warns that the keeper becomes liable after 28 days

Timing is fine here: posted on 6 October, treated as given on 8 October, well inside the 14 days. The discount is also fine, since £54 is exactly 40% off £90. What is missing is one sentence. The keeper rules only work if the letter warns the keeper that, once 28 days pass without payment and without the driver being named, the company can come after the keeper for the money. This letter asks who was driving but never gives that warning. Without it the notice is not a valid keeper notice, so the keeper can say so in an appeal.

The rule it breaks

warn the keeper that if, after the period of 28 days beginning with the day after that on which the notice is given

Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4, Sch 4 para 9(2)(f), read 19 October 2026; quoted word for word.

Also in the text

the creditor will (if all the applicable conditions under this Schedule are met) have the right to recover from the keeper so much of that amount as remains unpaid

Sch 4 para 9(2)(f), closing words, read 19 October 2026; quoted word for word.

The dates, worked out

Parking ended	Mon 5 Oct 2026
Posted	Tue 6 Oct 2026
Counts as given	Thu 8 Oct 2026, inside the window that closes Mon 19 Oct 2026
Where the missing warning would point	28 days from Fri 9 Oct 2026 end on Thu 5 Nov 2026

Sources named above: The Independent Appeals Service (IAS)