Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hi gang,

Another private Parking Charge Notice. As a family we dropped into the local Table Table venue after a family day out. There is signage about the carpark which the driver hadn't notice because they had been to the venue before (albeit years ago). There is a terminal within the entrance of the restaurant, but the driver had been distracted by a joking quip by the staff on our entrance. The place was completely empty and when we asked for a table, the staff frowned and asked if we had made a reservation. Not blaming them for deliberately distracting the driver but consequently we all completely missed the terminal.
There were 2 cars in our party and both have received a parking charged notice.

My plan is to just send proof that I was a patron of the venue by evidencing the debit from my account, but I wondered if there was a procedural or admin matter that may make the charge nulled. Particularly on page 3 where the 3rd paragraph has details about contesting the Parking Charge is obscured by a random QR-type code.

Any advice appreciated as always. Images and signage below. Thanks.

What date did you receive the notice?

Only received the notice on Thursday 23rd April. This is why I feel rushed about it. I worked on Friday and yesterday so my earliest opportunity to get images of the signage was today.

For context, the 3rd was Good Friday with the 6th being Bank Holiday Monday. The earliest they could have processed it was 7th, but it still took a fortnight to get to us.

For transfer of liability it needs to get to you within 14 days, so it was out of time. If PI don't play ball and you appeal to Horizon you can include this in your appeal and ask them to provide proof they posted it in the required time frame.

Thanks for this, Richard. I was under the impression that it only needs to issued within 14 days of the incident, and that it is deemed to have been received the next working day..?

The envelopes are no longer date stamped.

Quote from: RichardW on April 26, 2026, 07:50:04 pm

For transfer of liability it needs to get to you within 14 days, so it was out of time. If PI don't play ball and you appeal to Horizon you can include this in your appeal and ask them to provide proof they posted it in the required time frame.

Thanks for this, Richard. I was under the impression that it only needs to issued within 14 days of the incident, and that it is deemed to have been received the next working day..?

The envelopes are no longer date stamped.

Well typically, Premier Inn/Table Table/Whitbread has no interest in cancelling the charge and have told me (verbally) to appeal to Horizon with proof of debit from a bank statement.

I plan to supply a bank statement proving patronage at the site and I'll cite that the notice only arrived on the 23rd. I'll also cite the strangely obscured guidance notice on page 3. What other potential non-compliances of POFA are on the PCN so I can be as compelling as possible in the first instance? Thanks.

Ok, your thoughts please on this first draft for a representation:


"Dear Sirs,
I write to make representation in regard to Parking Charge Number: HP4906820 received to my registered address in an envelope without a date stamp on 23rd April 2026.


The driver of the vehicle in question was a customer in my party at the Table Table restaurant venue - Willow Farm for an Easter Lunch. The driver had every intention to register the vehicle but had been distracted by some jovial welcome comments made by the staff and accidentally neglected to register the vehicle on the terminal within the entrance of the restaurant.
The lead of our party can prove that we, as a party, were customers at the Table Table and they offer a screenshot (from part of their bank statement) of payment made to Table Table of £67.40 which was subsequently processed by the banks on the 7th April 2026 following the bank holiday.

I am disappointed to receive the Parking Charge Notice 19 days after the alleged breach and a full 7 days after the alleged Parking Charge Issue Date of the 16th April 2026.
I also find it unfair that the time limited fee of £25 is only applicable if received within 14 days of the issue date, when the notification has already taken 7 days to arrive.


On further review of your letter, there are several breeches to the Protections of Freedom Act 2012 (POFA). Most notably, Paragraph 9 of Schedule 4 of POFA stipulates that:


“(5) The relevant period for the purposes of sub-paragraph (4) is the period of 14 days beginning with the day after that on which the specified period of parking ended.
(6) A notice sent by post is to be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, to have been delivered (and so “given” for the purposes of sub-paragraph (4)) on the second working day after the day on which it is posted; and for this purpose “working day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday in England and Wales.”

I therefore request that you either cancel the charge with immediate effect or supply evidence that the Parking Charge Notification letter was posted in a timely manner in compliance with sub-paragraphs 5 and 6 of paragraph 9 within Schedule 4 of the POFA.
I look forward to hearing from you in due course."[/br]

Breeches are clothes, I think you mean breaches.

Noted... And you think that this typo might have a material (yes, the pun is intended) impact on my representation?