Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hello FTLA members

I am hoping someone can help me with a FPN that I received last week (22/09) for parking in a residents parking place/zone without a valid residents permit.

I've lived in this area for over 7 years, and every year I need to renew my resident permit to park on the surrounding streets. Watford Council usually send me a reminder email a couple of weeks before, but this year I did not receive it. I don't know why I didn't receive it, it could be an issue with my Gmail storage, as when I called the council they said they sent it, but I'm still receiving other emails. My permit should have been renewed on 4 September, but I forgot, and received the FPN.

I was planning on appealing the ticket, on the basis I've always paid on time, didn't receive the email this time, and forgot because we're very busy as we've got a newborn, but wondering if someone can help me on if that is the best approach here.

Also, I've been fined £70, which the Watford Council website says is for "serious contraventions", like parking on double yellow lines. Is this really a serious contravention? The website says its £50 for other contraventions (like overstaying), which this feels closer to.

I've copied images below of the front and back of the FPN, and provided a google maps link of the location.

Thank you!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/D6qae4zxJ1ZwDmUr8

Thank you for coming back to me, I really appreciate it.

Watford Council has published a "Cancellation Policy and Guidance Note" at he following link: https://watford.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s4277/Cancellation%20Guidance%20Policy.pdf

Under "Concessions and Exemptions", at page 11, it says:

"Penalty Charge Notices are not instantly issued where an expired permit is observed on display. In the first
instance the Civil Enforcement Officer will leave a note on the vehicle advising that the permit must be
renewed. Reminder letters are sent out to permit holders as a matter of courtesy but it remains the
responsibility of the resident or business proprietor to ensure that their permit is renewed upon its expiry"

Doesn't look like they have updated this guidance since they introduced digital permits, but do you think there is any scope to argue that the Enforcement Officer didn't leave a note on my vehicle to advise I must renew the permit?

Thanks again!

It's a PCN not a FPN.

A shared use or permit only bay attracts a higher level penalty.

The sign just says permit only so the code 12 is not correct - should be code 16 but this isn't a winning card.

And for an expired permit the correct contravention if in a fairly short time from expiration is a lower level code 19.

You can say it should be a lower level penalty and/or ask for discretion. Some councils do operate a grace permit for expired permits but yours expire on 4 Sept and PCN is 22 Sept so that's a generous 2 weeks if they've been checking. 

Thanks stamfordman, appreciate it.

I've added my proposed draft below (I'm not sure what format the council website will ask this for, but assume there will be a free text box I can paste this into):

Dear Watford Council

I'm writing to appeal a penalty charge notice (PCN) that I received on 22 September 2025, for a code 12 violation.

I have lived in this area for seven years and have always renewed and paid for my resident parking permit on time. Unfortunately, this year I did not receive the usual reminder email, which I believe was due to a technical issue with my email provider. As soon as I became aware of the expired permit, which was upon receiving the PCN, I renewed my resident permit immediately.

I also note that Watford Council’s Cancellation Policy and Guidance Note states that, when a Civil Enforcement Officer observes an expired permit, in the first instance they will leave a note on the vehicle advising the permit must be renewed. I did not receive any such notice on my vehicle.

In addition, I am unsure if the penalty applied is correct. From my understanding, an expired resident’s permit attracts a lower-level penalty, whereas the PCN I received appears to have been issued at a higher rate.

In light of the above, I respectfully request that this PCN be cancelled, as the permit has now been renewed and this was an isolated oversight.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Make a polite request for discretion based on their policy.

You can also point out that an expired permit should incur a lower level penalty.

Post a draft here first.

Just circling back to confirm that my appeal was successful and the PCN has been cancelled. Thanks again for all of your help.

Looks good to me.