Can a private parking company call it a fine?
Spot the mistake in 3 seconds: read the very first line of this parking ticket.
Read the notice as text
- Heading
- PARKING FINE
- From
- Sampleford Parking Ltd (fictional)
- Vehicle
- AB12 IDE
- Land
- Anytown Business Park, Unit 4 customer spaces
- Date and time
- Fri 9 Oct 2026, 16:18
- Reason
- Parked in a customer-only bay without visiting Unit 4
- Amount
- £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days
- Appeals
- Appeal to us within 28 days
What is wrong with it?
Tap the one you think is the mistake.
The heading on the notice
Yes, that is the mistake.
The £60 early rate
Not this one. Try another.
The 28-day appeal window
Not this one. Try another.
The customer-only reason
Not this one. Try another.
Show the answer
The mistake: The heading on the notice
A fine is a punishment handed down by the state. A private car park company is asking for money under the terms on its signs, which makes this a parking charge, a claim it would have to prove. The Code bars members from using a set list of words on their notices, and “fine or penalty” is on that list, alongside words like offence and bailiff. A heading of PARKING FINE breaks the Code and can push people into paying out of fear. Quote the clause in your appeal and ask the operator to explain why its notice used a banned word.
The rule it breaks
uses prohibited terminology as set out in Annex E
The private parking sector single Code of Practice, version 1.1 (BPA and IPC), Clause 8.1.1(c), read 19 October 2026; quoted word for word.
Also in the text
Operators must not inappropriately use the following terms:
Annex E, E.2, read 19 October 2026; quoted word for word.
fine or penalty
Annex E, E.2, list item, read 19 October 2026; quoted word for word.
The dates, worked out
| Notice issued | Fri 9 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Early rate window | 14 days from issue, to Fri 23 Oct 2026 |
| Appeal window | 28 days from issue, to Fri 6 Nov 2026 |