Wheel clamping on private land was made a criminal offence on 1 October 2012, through the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. It was outlawed to stop rogue clampers from maximising profits on vehicles, through alleged manpower, time and hardware costs. This change has also impacted how private parking tickets are issued and enforced.
With clamping no longer an option for most private locations (with the exception of some railway stations, airports and local authority housing under local by-laws, as well as public bodies including the police and DVLA) – landowners were left trying to figure out how they would be able to stop people parking on their land. There is still a need for landowners and private car park operators to be able to control those who park, but the enforcement must be fair and reasonable when it comes to issuing private parking tickets.
Private parking tickets and the law
The laws of contract and trespass still allow for landowners – or their parking enforcement contractors – to issue parking charge notices to people who park on private land, providing there are clear private parking signs in place and private parking tickets are issued clearly and legitimately. The International Parking Community (IPC) have a new code of practice which stipulates the process that members need to comply with in order to issue parking tickets and as a result access DVLA so a company can enforce keeper liability under Schedule 4, Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.
as developed a new system of private parking tickets and an approved operator scheme that sets controls over the parking enforcement companies to ensure that they eschew the cowboy, cavalier and aggressive reputation that certain rogue wheel clampers had given the previous enforcement system.
Regulation and appeals
The IPC has devised a strong system of control over how private parking tickets can be issued, requiring their approved members to issue notices that provide options for credit or debit card payments, as well as fair and clear means for appeal if the person who has received the parking charge notice wants to challenge it. The IPC code of practice states the normal maximum sum its members are allowed to demand from a ticket is £100, which must be discounted by up to 40 per cent for prompt payment. Any amount in excess of this must be fully justified by the parking enforcement company, for example, if the parking has caused substantial consequential losses.
Private Parking solutions.
Combined Parking Solutions offers landowners (and any person authorised to manage private land) a new solution to preventing unauthorised parking on their property, through a system of issuing – and enforcing – private parking tickets.
The private land parking enforcement system provided by Combined Parking Solutions is an easy-to-use parking service that serves as an effective deterrent to thoughtless parkers. Users set up an account with Combined Parking Solutions and are sent official signs to be displayed in visible locations around the area of enforcement. The landowners then take pictures of any offending vehicle, in accordance with strict guidelines set out by Combined Parking Solutions, they upload them to their account and the contravening vehicle is sent a private parking ticket in the post. Combined Parking Solutions, as a member of the IPC approved operator scheme is able to obtain the details of owners and keepers of cars from the DVLA
Process for setting up for issuing private parking tickets.
The process to set the system is quick and easy – simply call our team on 0871 266 4606 or visit the contact us page and we will be happy to explain the process.
Do I have to enter into a long contract ?
Combined Parking Solutions believe you should not be tied into long term contracts to use any service, although we would like you to be a customer for as long as you have a need.
We do not tie customers into contracts and should you be unhappy with our service you can simply give us 7 days notice.
Other companies offer similar services why should we use you ?
We comply with the IPC (Approved Operator Scheme) codes of practice.
We use a proven enforcement model.
We are fully computerised, meaning all tickets are processed quickly and efficiently.
We have in-house qualified legal staff who follow the collection process from start to end.
We pay more compensation per ticket completed to YOU than any other company.
We boast a large client base, from the smallest carpark to ones with thousands of spaces.
We do not use external debt collection agencies, therefore ensuring consistency of service
What are the costs for this service ?.
If your site is suitable to have our standard CPS permit signage and no entrance sign is needed then the site setup cost is free.
If you require custom made signage then this is charged at cost price or you can make your own signs based on the approved template and there is no cost from ourselves to set you up.
If the IPC requires your site to have an entrance sign then a charge is made of £15 or £25 depending on the requirement – again this is something defined in the code of practice and all parking companies are bound by this requirement.
The IPC require all self ticketers to be approved and they make a charge of £15 for a 2yr approval – this is a cost for ALL ticketing companies in the UK and is outside our control.
