Minor Keying Error — No Charge Permitted

The Single Code of Practice expressly prohibits operators from pursuing parking charges where a PCN was triggered by a minor keying error in the registration entered at a payment machine or app — for example 'O' instead of '0', a single transposed letter, or a missing/extra character — provided the driver paid for the stay.

Legal basis

Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice (BPA/IPC) — Appeals Charter; Consumer Rights Act 2015 ss 49-50

How to identify this in your case

Driver paid and has a receipt/app confirmation but the entered VRM differs from the actual VRM by a small number of characters.

Sample appeal wording

Dear [Operator Name], Re: PCN [PCN_NUMBER] — Vehicle [VRM] — [SITE_NAME] — [DATE] I paid for my parking on the date of issue. The receipt/transaction reference is [RECEIPT_ID] for the period [PAID_FROM] to [PAID_TO], showing the registration entered as '[ENTERED_VRM]'. My actual registration is '[ACTUAL_VRM]'. The discrepancy is a minor keying error of [DESCRIBE]. The Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice 2024 expressly states that operators MUST NOT pursue parking charges where the cause is a minor keying error and parking was paid. Evidence of payment enclosed. This PCN must be cancelled. Refusal will be reported to your Accredited Trade Association (BPA/IPC) and appealed to POPLA/IAS as a breach of the Code's Appeals Charter. Yours faithfully, [Driver Name]

Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.

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Sources

Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice (BPA/IPC, 27 June 2024)
https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/new-private-parking-code-of-practice-comes-into-force-amEPQ4x3t1ek