Disputes — UK 2026
You Paid the Fine. Why Are They Still Chasing You?
A receipt in your inbox doesn't always close the case in the parking firm's system. If you've paid a PCN and now have a Notice to Keeper, Final Notification, or debt recovery letter for what feels like the same event, this page explains what's actually happening — and what to do about it.
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1. They're chasing a different PCN reference than the one you paid
You compare your receipt and the chasing letter — the PCN reference numbers don't match. The firm has issued two records for what (probably) was one visit. This commonly happens when a windscreen ticket and an ANPR Notice to Keeper are processed in parallel. Your single payment closes one record but the other stays open.
Legal angle: Schedule 4 paragraph 8 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 only permits ONE parking charge per parking event. If both references relate to the same visit, the firm must reconcile.
2. You've been double-charged for one parking event
ANPR cameras occasionally produce two snapshots — entry-only and exit-only — and the back-office mistakenly creates two PCNs. You parked once. Two charges arrive. You pay one, get chased for the other.
Legal angle: the same PoFA paragraph applies, plus BPA Code of Practice section 19 requires the operator to consolidate ANPR data before issuing charges.
3. You paid in full but the system never caught up
Payment went through. You have the receipt. But the firm's books are out of sync — common when paid via RingGo, PayByPhone, or where the PCN reference was mistyped during entry. They've escalated to debt recovery while their books are wrong.
Legal angle: BPA Code of Practice section 22 requires that any matched payment closes the case immediately. Continued enforcement after evidence of payment can cross into harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
4. You submitted an appeal — they ignored it and escalated anyway
You sent an internal appeal within the deadline, never got a response, and now there's a Final Notification or debt recovery letter as if no appeal happened.
Legal angle: BPA Code of Practice section 22 requires the operator to acknowledge an appeal within 14 days and substantively respond within 35 days. Failing to do so before escalating is a procedural failure that materially prejudices your right to escalate to POPLA.
What to do next
- Don't pay the new amount. Paying can be treated as accepting liability and weakens the dispute.
- Gather your evidence: original receipt, PCN reference numbers (both), payment date, payment method, and any email correspondence.
- Send a formal dispute letter by email AND recorded delivery, citing the specific scenario and the legislation that applies.
- If they reject or ignore the dispute, escalate to POPLA (free, independent, 28-day window) for BPA-member operators.
Frequently asked questions
I paid my PCN — why am I still receiving letters demanding payment?
There are four common reasons: (1) the firm is chasing a different PCN reference than the one you paid — often because the same parking event got two records (a windscreen ticket and an ANPR Notice to Keeper); (2) you've been double-billed for one visit because their ANPR captured entry and exit as separate events; (3) your payment hasn't been reconciled in their system, often when paid via a third-party app like RingGo; (4) you submitted an appeal that they ignored and they've escalated as if no appeal happened. Each is disputable under different parts of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the BPA Code of Practice.
What's the difference between an appeal and a dispute?
An appeal is for a fresh fine — you're contesting whether you should pay at all. A dispute is for when you've already paid (or been double-charged, or had an appeal ignored) and the firm is still chasing you. They use different legal grounds: appeals lean on the original contravention; disputes lean on consumer rights, payment evidence, and the firm's procedural failures.
Can the parking firm legally charge me twice for the same parking event?
No. Paragraph 8 of Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 limits the keeper's liability to ONE parking charge per parking event. If the firm has issued two PCN references for the same single visit (single entry and exit, single vehicle, single timeframe), the second is a procedural failure under the BPA Code of Practice section 19 and must be cancelled.
I paid via RingGo / PayByPhone but they say they have no record. What do I do?
Get the receipt from the third-party app showing the PCN reference, payment date, and amount. Send it to the parking firm by email and recorded delivery, citing British Parking Association Code of Practice section 22 which requires immediate reconciliation when matched payment evidence is provided. If they continue to escalate after seeing your evidence, that crosses into harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
Should I pay the new amount they're chasing me for?
Not until you've disputed it. Paying can be treated as accepting liability for the new charge and undermines your position. Dispute first — by recorded delivery email or post — and only consider paying if your dispute is rejected after a substantive review.
How long do I have to dispute before they escalate to debt recovery?
Final Notification letters typically state 28 days from the date of the letter. After that, the firm can refer the matter to a debt recovery agency (DCBL or similar), and an additional fee of around £70 is added. Court proceedings can follow if the dispute is not addressed at debt recovery stage. Disputing in writing — even with a basic letter — usually pauses the escalation while they review.
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