Here's everything you need to know if you are given a parking ticket on the University campus
Park correctly - new University Car Parking rules do apply to you!
The University's parking enforcement scheme is managed by District Enforcement Ltd.
The Union's advice to students and staff is: follow the parking instructions on the car park signs when parking on University property.
The enforceability of private parking charges depends upon the decision of a court, but our practical advice is: Don't Be A Test Case – park properly! Some years ago, it was fairly easy to challenge private parking 'fines', but the law has changed in favour of the parking enforcement agencies.
If you get a parking charge notice ("ticket")
If you do get a ticket, and do not want to argue about how you were parked, remember that the charge is reduced for prompt payment. In this case, paying the charge as soon as possible may be advisable. See the ticket or on-campus signs for details.
If you get a parking charge notice that is incorrect
Do not just "hope it will go away". It won't. Read on for ideas on what to do.
If you feel that you have been wrongly charged for parking
Take immediate action. Begin by taking photographs of your parked car and getting contact details for any witnesses who can support your statements. Then contact District Enforcement: you cannot access independent arbitration until your case has been considered by the company. There is a link to the District Enforcement online appeals form at http://www.district-enforcement.co.uk/appeals.html Make sure you quote the reference number on the ticket and send the company copies of any evidence you want considered.
If District Enforcement rejects your appeal, you can appeal to the arbitration service "The Independent Parking Committee" (see http://www.theipc.info/#!independent-appeals-service/citr). The usual deadline by which an appeal must be made is 21 days from the date on which District Enforcement rejected your representations.
If you need advice on making an appeal case, speak with the Student Advice Centre.
If you are in hardship or have other issues with the ticket
Speak with the Student Advice Centre team so we can advise you individually.
Hardship will not get you out of the parking charge, but we might find other ways to help you; such as advising on payment by instalment or applying for extra income.
If you want to challenge the enforceability of the parking scheme
If you would like a free expert opinion on your case, contact us about how best to access your local Trading Standards service.
Further reading
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets has a lot of general useful information on private parking schemes.
Please note: some of the comments on this page date back to how things were before law changed.