UK Government Limits Private Parking Firms to Charge Above £50

UK Government Limits Private Parking Firms to Charge Above £50

The UK authorities have set new regulations for private parking companies that forbid them to release Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) of more than £££.

Furthermore, the Parking Code of Practice, which came into effect two years ago through approval from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, undergoes another change. The code bans parking debt collectors from asking extra charges from people who fail to pay their Penalty Charge Notices.

The law pertaining to private auto parks in England (except London) and Wales also gives drivers a mandatory 10-minute extra time to come back to their vehicles after the parking time is over.

In addition, the new regulation provides motorists a five-minute cooling-off time to come to an auto park and discuss its regulations before determining whether they want to purchase a parking ticket or not.

Authorities have also bound the private parking lots to abide by the amended signage requirements that should clearly mention the conditions of parking and payment criteria. The government will be strict on companies using fake-legal words to threaten motorists while delivering PCNs.

The government’s new rules for PCNs are gathering lots of accolades. The RAC's roads policy head Nicholas Lyes said it will “undoubtedly improve the experiences for drivers and create a much more level playing field, reducing hassle and stress while at the same time forcing rogue operators to clean up their acts.”

Lyes further stated, “Since clamping was banned on private land, there has been a shift to ticketing instead, with the number of parking charge notices being issued rising year-on-year at alarming levels.”

"While some of these are justified, others are not, and sadly in many cases, drivers simply pay up in fear of the consequences, particularly given that follow-up letters can use threatening and intimidating language. RAC research found that nearly three-quarters of drivers wanted the sector to be brought under some form of regulation."

The updated Parking Code of Practice would be a sigh of relief for UK motorists who have long been seeking a fair parking deal at private park lots.

Source and Image: AutoExpress