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This is the reminder email for my permit to issue visitor permits, that I mistook for my residents permit. It has the same subject as the reminder for the residents permit.

Thank you

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Thank you very much for your response.

It was day surgery under IV sedation and local anaesthetic. I was off work for the rest of the week recovering and then working from home for the second week, still recovering.

I have been a permit holder for over 3 years and had no previous penalties or tickets of any kind with Newham.

Thank you! Is the best course of action to just contact them and outline my case? If so, please could you let me know if you think the below is appropriate:

I am writing to challenge four Parking Charge Notices (PCNs) recently issued to my vehicle MJ11 ONW. The PCNs are dated 19th April, 23rd April, 24th April, and 25th April.

The reason for the issue of these PCNs is that my residents’ parking permit expired on 14th April 2025. However, I mistakenly believed that my permit was valid until 18th May 2025. I would like to explain the circumstances that led to this misunderstanding:
   • On 15th March 2025, I received an email reminder regarding the upcoming expiry of my residents’ permit. Unfortunately, I was away on holiday at the time and missed this communication.
   • On 18th April 2025, I received another email titled "Virtual Permit Expiry Reminder," stating an expiry date of 18th May 2025. I saw this email and, in good faith, recorded 18th May as my permit expiry date. I now realise that this reminder referred to my visitor permit access, not my residents’ permit, which was not clear from the email subject line.
   • Additionally, due to recovering from surgery on 8th April, I had not used my vehicle and was unaware that PCNs had been issued until my partner noticed them yesterday. I have since renewed my residents’ permit immediately upon becoming aware of the situation.

I would also like to highlight that:
   • All four PCNs have been issued under the higher-level Code 12, rather than the lower-level Code 19, which I understand is usually recommended under London Councils' guidance when a permit has expired.
   • There was only a short gap of five days between my permit expiry (14th April) and the first PCN being issued (19th April), offering very little grace period, despite the absence of any intention to park unlawfully.
   
While I accept responsibility for the confusion over dates, I respectfully request that the Council considers the genuine misunderstanding and mitigating circumstances. Receiving four higher-level PCNs in these circumstances feels disproportionately harsh, especially given that my car had remained parked in the same place throughout and there was no deliberate attempt to avoid compliance. I have also now renewed my permit, within 24 hours of receiving the last PCN.

I kindly ask that you consider cancelling these PCNs, or at least reducing the charges, in light of the honest mistake, the confusing permit renewal communications, my health circumstances at the time, and the quick renewal of my permit once I became aware.

Thank you for considering my challenge. I look forward to hearing from you.

Hi,

I posted previously about receiving 4 PCNs from Newham Council for parking without a valid permit because my residents permit expired: https://www.ftla.uk/civil-penalty-charge-notices-(councils-tfl-and-so-on)/newham-expired-residents-permit-jupp-road-(os-hse-31)/

I have since received two 'Notice to Owner' letters as it turns out I received another 2 PCNs that somehow were not on my car by the time I found all these tickets, meaning I didn't know they existed until after the 14 day (and 28 day) payment period had elapsed and I received this letter. There could even be more tickets that I don't know about as there just seems to be know way to check!

My total fine is now up to £600 and the council have rejected my informal challenge for the 4 PCNs I knew about. For the 2 I didn't know about until now, I am past the time of being able to make an informal challenge and can only do a formal representation.

The 2 new PCNs are:
1. PN22298899 dated 17/04/25
2. PN22292327 dated 16/04/25

I have included my original post below explaining the circumstances. I appreciate if you boil it down I did make a mistake, so I'm not saying I shouldn't have to pay anything, but £600 seems really excessive and I am feeling overwhelmed as it seems to just keep going up!

I wondered if anyone has any advice on how best to proceed at this stage? Am I out of options...




Previous post:


I have recently received 4 PCNs from Newham council for parking without a valid permit. This is because my residents permit expired on the 14th April, but I mistakenly thought it expired on the 18th May.

They sent me a reminder via email on the 15th March that my residents permit was going to expire on the 14th April, but I was on holiday at this time so fell behind with my emails and didn't see this (my mistake of course).

I then got another virtual permit expiry reminder email on the 18th April with an expiry date of 18th May 2025. This email I did see and I diligently added the 18th May to my calendar as I thought this was the expiry date. I found this email very confusing as it is titled 'Virtual Permit Expiry Reminder', which to me I automatically understood to be my residents permit. But having read it again after getting all the PCNs I realise it is for 'visitor permit access', i.e. My permit to be able to give out visitor permits. I have included a picture of this email for context.

I haven't used my car for the last couple of weeks as I've been recovering from a surgery I had on the 8th April, hence I have not noticed the PCNs. My partner happened to walk past the car yesterday and saw it had 4 PCNs on it.

These are dated 19th April, 23th April, 24th April, 25th April. The last one is less than 24 hours ago and I have now renewed my permit.

I do appreciate I have made a mistake here getting confused over the expiry date, but four PCNs seems quite harsh and very expensive for me. Please could I ask for advise on how best to proceed?

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Would you present the account with a change in emphasis pl.

I haven't used my car for the last couple of weeks as I've been recovering from a surgery I had on the 8th April, hence I have not noticed the PCNs. My partner happened to walk past the car yesterday and saw it had 4 PCNs on it.

These are dated 19th April, 23th April, 24th April, 25th April.

So...

Surgery... hospital as day patient or admitted..
Driving..why did this affect your ability to drive..
Movement of vehicle...did it remain stationary throughout the period in question..
Finding the PCNs..circumstances e.g. 2 enveloped found on the windscreen, these were for consecutive contraventions etc?

Evidence for later PCN received (23 APril) showing there is no longer a yellow pouch under wipers on drivers side.

Car has been unmoved throughout this period

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