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It began with an honest mistake.

A driver parked in a private car park, paid more than was necessary for her stay, but entered only part of her registration number at the pay machine.

There was no attempt to avoid payment.

No overstay.

No damage or obstruction.

Just a small typo — the kind of thing any of us could do.

But that small error was all a private parking company needed to issue a “Parking Charge Notice” demanding £100, escalating to threats of court action and debt collection.

Her appeal was denied.

The so-called independent body POPLA backed the company, despite her clear evidence of payment.

Her “breach”?

A partial registration plate entry — a technicality.

Welcome to the wild west of UK private parking, where paying doesn’t always mean you’re safe — and where regulation has failed.

The cost of a typo

This isn’t a one-off.

Across the UK, millions are being hit with fines for minor and often irrelevant infractions.

We’re not talking about blocking emergency bays or refusing to pay.

We’re talking about:

• Taking longer than five minutes to pay at a hospital (Rosey Hudson: £1,906)

• Delays due to poor mobile signal (Hannah Robinson: £11,390)

• Missed characters in a number plate despite valid payment (this case, and thousands more)

In 2024–25 alone, parking firms paid the DVLA for 12.8 million keeper details — a 673 per cent increase since 2012.

Most of those are used to issue fines that enrich private firms, and do not support public services or improve access.

The government admits the problem

Finally, the government appears to be listening.

Earlier this month, ministers launched a consultation on a new Private Parking Code of Practice, explicitly aimed at stopping “unfair penalties” caused by:

“payment machine errors, accidental typos, or poor mobile signal.”

The new code — if passed and enforced — would limit charges, prevent exploitative practices, and potentially block abusive firms from accessing DVLA data.

Alex Norris MP, the Local Growth Minister, put it plainly:

“Too many people are being unfairly penalised… our code will tackle misleading tactics and confusing processes.”

The AA went further, calling many private operators “shark-like businesses” and warning that the consultation doesn’t go far enough.

Why reform can’t wait

This driver’s case — and the millions like it — show the need for immediate regulation.

A previous code was published in 2022, only to be withdrawn after legal challenges by parking firms.

That left the industry regulating itself — with predictable results.

As things stand:

• Operators are free to exploit grey areas

• Appeals are often handled by bodies funded by the industry

• Firms can access DVLA data with no real oversight

• The public has little protection unless they’re willing (and able) to fight in court

It’s a system built to punish the law-abiding — not the dishonest.

What you can do

If this has happened to you, or someone you know, here’s what you can do right now:

1. Respond to the consultation – share your experience before it closes on 5 September:
   👉 https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/private-parking-code-of-practice

2. Report abusive firms to the Information Commissioner’s Office – if your data has been used unfairly, they may have broken the law:
   👉 https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

3. Don’t pay without a fight – many “fines” are unenforceable. Make them take you to court. Many judges reject these claims as disproportionate or unfair.

4. Share your story – online, in the media, and with your MP. Public pressure is the only reason reform is even on the table.

This is not about dodging payment. It’s about fairness.

When someone pays for their stay, they should not be fined for failing to type a full plate number into a worn-out keypad — and certainly not threatened with court over it.

Predatory parking enforcement isn’t about order or justice — it’s about profit. And it must end.

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