Debt Too Old to Be Enforced in Court
A private parking charge must be taken to court within 6 years of the date it was due. The charge is normally due 28 days after the notice was issued, so the 6-year clock starts from that point. If no court claim was issued within that 6-year window, the debt is legally 'statute barred' — meaning it cannot lawfully be pursued through the courts. Continuing to chase you for a statute-barred debt may also break consumer protection rules.
Legal basis
Limitation Act 1980 s.5 (6-year limitation for simple contract); FCA Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC) rules on statute-barred debt
How to identify this in your case
More than 6 years have passed since the PCN was issued without any court claim being issued. Calculate: PCN date + 28 days (payment deadline) + 6 years = statute bar date. If today is after this date and no CCJ has been obtained, the debt is statute barred.
Beat It is not using this argument right now
We do not put this argument in appeal letters: it depends on dates and court steps an appeal does not cover. Scan your ticket — the engine looks for every other ground that fits.
Scan my ticketSources
- Limitation Act 1980 s.5
- FCA CONC 7.15.8
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/58
Related appeal grounds
- Aberdeen LEZ: Special Vehicle Local Exemption
- Advisory bay has no legal force behind it
- Airport Land Isn't "Relevant Land" — They Can't Pin the Driver's Charge on You as Keeper
- Appeal to an Independent Tribunal
- Bath Clean Air Zone discount not applied to your charge
- Beavis [2015] UKSC 67 — distinguish on the facts