Your car broke down when the ticket was issued

If your car broke down at the time and place you were ticketed, this counts as an automatic mitigating circumstance under the rules that govern private car parks. If you have dated proof of the breakdown — such as a recovery callout record, garage repair invoice, or a tyre or battery receipt — the parking charge must be reduced to £20 for 14 days.

Legal basis

Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice v1.1 (17 February 2025), Annex F clause F.3 case type (c) — where the vehicle has broken down. Conditions: appropriate evidence; first charge for that vehicle for that contravention; payment within 14 days; no independent appeal lodged.

How to identify this in your case

Driver has recovery breakdown documentation, garage repair invoice, tyre/battery receipt, or similar dated proof from on or near the contravention time/place.

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

Deadline. A late submission can be turned down without your argument being read. Check your notice for the deadline and how it is counted.
Paying may end it. Paying can count as accepting the notice and can close a challenge already under way. Part-paying or acknowledging an old debt can also revive a time limit that had expired.
The amount can change. Check what happens to the sum if you challenge — it may be held, re-offered lower, or keep rising, and fees or enforcement can continue meanwhile.
Use the official route. Use the method, recipient and form your notice specifies, with any reference, evidence and signature it asks for. Sent elsewhere, it may not count.
Only say what is true. Do not copy any statement of fact unless it is true for you, and check the legal point still applies. Delete what does not fit. It may be treated as your statement.
Careful what you volunteer. Avoid unnecessary admissions — naming the driver or accepting responsibility can remove arguments. But answer anything you are legally required to answer, and do include the evidence your ground needs.
Keep the record. Keep what you sent, the attachments, any receipt, and the reply. Note the next deadline.

Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at. Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details; leave any case citation as it is.

Dear [Operator Name], Re: PCN [PCN_NUMBER] — Vehicle [VRM] — [DATE] My vehicle broke down on [DATE] at [TIME] while at/near [LOCATION]. I attach [breakdown callout reference / repair invoice / tow receipt] from [PROVIDER] dated [DATE]. Under the Mitigating Circumstances provisions of the Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice v1.1 (in force 17 February 2025), vehicle breakdown is an automatic ground for reducing the charge to £20. I request cancellation. Yours faithfully, [Driver Name]

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Sources

Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice v1.1 (BPA/IPC), in force 17 February 2025 — Annex F, clause F.3, case type (c)
https://www.britishparking.co.uk/write/Documents/AOS/Sector%20Code%20Templates/sectorsingleCodeofPracticeVersion1.1130225.pdf