How Can I Challenge A Park Maven PCN?

This blog post serves to answer the question “How Can I Challenge A Park Maven PCN?” You can only write down a Park Maven PCN challenge online on the Park Maven website and so you also need to have evidence available with you on your computer to attach with the appeal. This blog also explains how you can further challenge your PCN with POPLA if your PCN appeal with Park Maven is rejected.

How Can I Challenge A Park Maven PCN?

Your Park Maven PCN challenge should be focused on the contravention code on your parking PCN. If you have a PCN that has the code 86 on it, you need to show that you have actually parked your vehicle correctly within its parking space and that the traffic violation never happened. This kind of parking contravention does not allow you to mention any mitigating circumstances, as your vehicle can only be incorrectly shown to be parked within its parking space if it is actually improperly and casually left there.

Similarly if your parking contravention code is 73, you can also only prove that the traffic violation didn’t occur because if you didn’t purchase parking for your parking spot, you can’t park there (legally). So if you have a PCN with the contravention code 73 and have not paid your required parking charge, you can only challenge the PCN by showing a paid parking permit or pay and display ticket for that specific parking spot.

Once again no mitigating circumstances can apply to a parking PCN with the contravention code 73 as you could not have any special circumstances which can exempt you from purchasing parking for your required duration and parking spot before parking your vehicle there. If you didn’t purchase parking, you obviously intended to use the parking spot for free or did not know that you were parking inside a Park Maven parking lot, which is even worse.

The evidence you will need to attach with most kinds of PCN challenges such as that for a PCN with the contravention code 86, is a video clip of your vehicle clearly avoiding breaching the relevant traffic violation. This is essential to prove that the allegations being made against you by Park Maven are false and that your traffic violation didn’t actually happen. You should regularly film videos of your vehicle driving into Park Maven car parks and parking spaces and also record the details of your stay over there to use as evidence for challenging parking PCN’s.

In many cases, PCNs are not enforceable and you may be able to win your case and avoid having to pay your fine.

You could begin the process by speaking to an online solicitor for as little as £5. 

Can I Only Challenge My Park Maven PCN online?

Yes, you can only challenge your Park Maven PCN online on the Park Maven Limited website. 

You can challenge a PCN issued in a Park Maven car park, by filling in the online PCN challenge form on the Parking Management Company’s official website. You need to brainstorm reasons for challenging a Park Maven PCN from the day of the incident and list them down in word processing software or on paper. It is essential to have some authentic evidence to attach with your PCN appeal in the form of video footage of the traffic violation, medical certificates explaining your mitigating circumstances, or pay and display tickets. 

The evidence must be matched with the grounds for your appeal before describing the incident from your point of view. Your rough formal representation can be edited for clarity multiple times before it is ready to attach to your online appeal to Park Maven Limited. You need to visit the Park Maven Limited website to challenge your PCN. 

After this you need to enter your PCN Number and your Vehicle Registration Number on this webpage (if your PCN Number starts with PMH). If your PCN Number does not start with PMH and is just a normal PCN number, you have to click here to challenge your PCN. Once you have entered these details you can view your Park Maven PCN details before filling in the online appeals form.

It is essential to upload authentic evidence material with your Park Maven Parking PCN challenge to describe your mitigating circumstances to the Parking Services company and for explaining your point of view of the events which took place at the traffic violation scene.  If you made a video clip of your traffic contravention, you should save snapshots from it by using a video player or video editing software. Mitigating circumstances are usually not considered but if you can prove that you didn’t commit the parking contravention, it will be a better argument for challenging your Park Maven PCN.

Most video players such as VLC player allow you to slow down your video frame by frame and thus take ( a collection of) snapshots to attach with your Park Maven PCN challenge.The text of your appeal must state the relevant contravention code on your PCN and explain how you attempted to avoid the error (supported by photos or video footage). You can just simply attach your paid parking permit or pay and display ticket to prove that you had adequately paid for parking your vehicle in the car park, if that was the case

Once you have proofread your appeal to eliminate any reasons for your challenge which might convey a disregard for parking contravention codes enforced in Park Maven Limited’s car parks (by mixing up the contraventions) or reasons which involve forgetfulness to justify your actions, you can submit the formal representation.

What is a Penalty Charge Notice?

A Penalty Charge Notice is a monetary penalty issued to drivers or motorists for committing certain traffic contraventions including violating Parking, Bus Lane, and Moving Traffic restrictions. A PCN is issued for failing to follow Parking zone, bus lane enforcement, and moving traffic restrictions mentioned in the Road Traffic Act 1984 and the Traffic Management Act 2004.

A penalty charge notice can be handed to you by a Civil Enforcement Officer or dispatched to your (DVLA) residential address by post. Traffic contraventions are observed by CCTV cameras and Civil Enforcement Officers before a violation is detected and the vehicle is charged with a PCN.

A PCN might also be issued for failing to pay road charges on time. You have 28 days to decide how and if you would like to challenge your Penalty Charge Notice. After 28 days if you have neither paid nor challenged your PCN, your unpaid PCN amount will be registered as debt at the Traffic Enforcement Centre at the Northampton County Court.

Which parking contravention codes are enforced in Park Maven Limited managed car parks?

The following parking contravention codes are enforced in Park Maven Limited managed car parks:

• Contravention Code 71 parked within an electric vehicle’s charging space without being charged (in restricted hours)

• Contravention Code 73 parked without paying the required parking charge.  (with a 10-minute observation time)

• Contravention Code 80 parked in a parking space for a duration longer than that allowed by the car park.  (with a 10-minute observation time)

• Contravention Code 82 parked after the expiry of the time limit mentioned on the parking permit or pay and display ticket (with a 10-minute observation time)

• Contravention code 83. Parked in a Park Maven managed car park without clearly showing the parking permit or pay and display ticket on its windscreen  (with a 10-minute observation time)

• Contravention code 84. Parked in a Park Maven run car park with payment made to extend(parking) beyond the original time limit first paid for. You can only buy parking for your vehicle once when you bring your vehicle to the Park Maven parking lot and this amount (time duration) should be enough for your visit.

• Contravention code 86. A vehicle that is shown not to be clearly parked within its designated parking space.

• Contravention code 90. A vehicle that has been re-parked within the same car park within one hour of leaving the zone

• Contravention code 93. A vehicle has been left parked inside a car park, while the Park Maven Limited parking lot was closed.

• Contravention code 94. A vehicle that has been left parked inside a pay-and-display car park without properly displaying 2 pay and display tickets where required.

• Contravention code 95. A vehicle that has been left parked within a Park Maven run parking lot for a different purpose than that which the car park is meant for.

• Contravention code 96. A vehicle that has been left parked in a Park Maven Limited managed car park with its engine on (where prohibited)

How Can I Pay A Park Maven Limited PCN?

It is best to make your Park Maven PCN fine payment online on the Park Maven Parking Management website using Visa Card, Master Card, Direct Debit or Maestro Card. This method saves time and is also more precise. 

You have to first select whether your PCN number begins with the letters “PMH” or is just an ordinary PCN number.You need to enter your PCN Charge Number and your vehicle registration number after opening this webpage to pay your Park Maven Parking PCN by using a credit card if your PCN number starts with PMH.

If you have an ordinary PCN number that does not begin with PMH, you can click here instead to enter your PCN Number and Vehicle Registration Number. To complete your fine submission online you also have to enter your payment card details in the next window after clicking “Submit” You must remember to wait for 24 hours after your PCN is issued before attempting to pay it.

What happens if I don’t pay my Park Maven PCN within 28 days?

You should not consider a private car park PCN any less than a regular PCN issued by your local council. The higher level parking contravention codes enforced by Park Maven Limited make you legally bound to respect them while using the company’s parking zones.

If you neither pay your Park Maven PCN within 28 days nor decide to appeal against it, you will be sent a letter from the car park company to pay your PCN in full within 14 days. If you donot pay the PCN within the next 14 days, your (nonpayment) case will be passed on to an Enforcement Agent or bailiff. Your actions will also result in the filing of a court order (for recovery of debts) against you by Park Maven Limited.

Your unpaid Parking PCN amount will be treated as a debt with the Traffic Enforcement Centre at the Northampton County Court.

The court order for debt recovery enforces that the charge certificate amount must be paid in full within 21 days the county court will have to use additional powers to recover the money from your possession which means employing Enforcement Agents, to (contact you or) visit your personal premises.

Can I dispute my Notice of Rejection with POPLA if Park Maven Limited dismisses my appeal?

You can dispute your Notice of Rejection of Representations from Park Maven with the Parking on Private Land Appeals service (POPLA). Your challenge can be sent in 2 different ways, the first method is to download the POPLA Appeals Form, print it out and send it to the Parking On Private Land Appeals service postal address:

POPLA,

PO Box 1270,

Warrington,

WA4 9RL

The letter must mention the 10 digit reference number contained in your Notice of Rejection from Park Maven Limited. You need to remember that the appeal to POPLA is just like a regular Parking PCN challenge. You can upload evidence such as video clips of your traffic violation scenes (taken from inside your vehicle), medical certificates from a certified General Practitioner, and scanned copies of “pay and display” tickets.

The evidence is necessary to convince the Parking on Private Land Appeals service that you did not breach the relevant Parking contravention code. You should preferably memorise all these codes before using Park Maven car parks, so that you know how to challenge a PCN and can do your best to avoid getting one.

If you have mentioned mitigating circumstances in your POPLA appeal, you must be able to explain the cause and effect relationship between the condition which led you to commit the traffic violation (such as leaving your vehicle parked for an extended period of time owing to a medical emergency). The evidence material to be sent with your written representation needs to be a document or photographs from the scene of the incident. You can convert a video clip into photographs by using a video player or video editing software by simply taking snapshots of the relevant frames showing your claim.

A first class mail letter takes between 1 to 2 days to reach POPLA and second class mail takes between 3 to 5 days. So you need to send in your challenge by the 20th day at the latest for it to be considered side by side with the Park Maven Limited legal proposition.

You also need to remember that you must submit a challenge to your Notice of Rejection from Park Mavens to POPLA within 28 days of receiving your Notice of Rejection.

How can I submit my challenge to the Notice of Rejection of Representations from Park Mavens by using the online form?

In order to submit your challenge to the Notice of Rejection of Representations from Park Maven online, you need to visit the POPLA website. On this page you need to first agree to the terms and tick each one off and enter your 10 digit verification number stated on the Notice of Rejection from Park Maven Limited. You need to click on “I Confirm that the operator is correct” and click on “Start Appeal” after that. On the next page you will be asked for your Park Maven PCN Number, Vehicle Registration Number, the reasons for your challenge and the evidence material to support your case (which can be uploaded onto the POPLA system).

Here you can easily attach evidence material such as video clips and scanned copies of your medical certificates (for supporting your mitigating circumstances) through your computer. It is also an advantage to be able to first edit the text of your formal representation in a word processing software and then transfer it onto the online appeals form on the POPLA website. A better worded parking contravention challenge which mentions the legal technicalities stated in the Road Traffic Act 1988 or the Traffic Management Act 2004 regarding your parking contravention code to put forward your challenge will be considered as a strong formal representation.

The evidence attached with your challenge should also be correctly matched with the grounds of your appeal and not seem out of place. The document or video clip needs to clearly prove your mitigating circumstances or show that the traffic contravention didn’t occur, and convince POPLA to accept your evidence over that provided by Park Maven Limited.

Once POPLA is satisfied that the Park Mavens Limited case has been refuted outright by your representation of the matter, the adjudicator (or assessor) of your case will probably make the final decision in your case.

This decision will be sent to both you and to Park Mavens Limited via email simultaneously. If the decision by POPLA is made in your favour the Park Mavens PCN will immediately be cancelled.

If your appeal is rejected by Parking on Private Land Appeals service, you will have to pay the fine within the next 28 days to avoid your case being taken to the debt collection stage by Park Maven Limited.

At POPLA “assessors” or adjudicators of your case will make their final decision based on :

• The act of legislation your case (traffic contravention) refers to such as the Traffic Management Act 2004

• The Code of Practice used by The British Parking Association

• The articles of evidence put forward by Park Maven Limited and you which are representing opposing viewpoints of the situation.

Conclusion

This blog post addressed the question “How Can I Challenge A Park Maven PCN?” You need to have your evidence supporting the contents of your PCN challenge properly arranged and taken from genuine sources to ensure that it gets accepted by the Park Maven authorities. The main focus of your PCN challenge will depend on whether the traffic violation was actually breached by you or not, and this needs to be correctly recalled from your memory of the day of the incident.