Evidence and documents
Parking machine not working — parking fine?
If a pay-and-display machine was broken and you received a charge, photograph the fault, note the time, try alternative payment if possible, and appeal with evidence that you could not complete payment on site.
Appeal a private parking charge when pay machines were out of order, would not accept cards or failed to issue tickets.
The screen was blank, the card reader showed an error, or the ticket jammed. Retail and hospital sites still enforce by ANPR hours later. Your appeal should prove the machine fault and what you did next — whether you tried another machine, used the app, or could not pay before leaving.
On-site evidence to collect
- Photo of the out-of-order screen or error code
- Wide shot showing machine ID or bay location
- Timestamp visible, with the phone clock in the photo if needed
- Photo of an alternative machine if you walked to one
- Receipt from an app payment attempt on the same visit
NCP and pay-on-foot sites
Hospital and station NCP sites often rely on pay stations before exit. Machine failure at exit is a distinct ground — explain that you could not obtain a valid paid ticket before the barrier. See our NCP appeal guide if your letter names NCP.
If you left without paying
Leaving without payment is not automatically fatal if machines were demonstrably broken and you tried reasonable alternatives. It is much weaker if you made no attempt. Explain what a reasonable driver would do in the same situation and what you actually did.
I left without paying — is that an automatic loss?
Not always, if machines were demonstrably broken and you tried alternatives. It is much weaker if you made no attempt to pay.
I have no photo of the machine — can I still appeal?
It is harder. Return photos if safe, witness statements, or contemporaneous texts about the fault can still help.
The machine took my money but gave no ticket
Bank line plus photo of jammed machine — payment-made ground with machine failure context.
Ready to check your charge?
Enter your notice details free — ParkingPack builds a formal appeal letter, evidence checklist and appeal points for £4.99 before you send it.