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Can a Parking Charge Increase to £170?

If you have received a letter demanding £170 for a private parking charge that was originally £60 to £100, you are not alone. This is one of the most common questions motorists ask, and the answer matters.

The Short Answer

Yes, private parking companies routinely increase charges to £170 or more by adding a debt recovery fee, typically £70. However, courts have increasingly questioned whether this additional fee is lawful, and there are strong arguments to challenge it.

Why Parking Charges Increase

The typical pattern looks like this:

  • 1.Initial charge: You receive a parking charge notice for £60 to £100
  • 2.Reduced rate expires: After 14 or 28 days, the reduced payment window closes
  • 3.Reminders: The company sends escalating reminder letters at the full charge amount
  • 4.Debt collector involvement: The charge is passed to a debt collection agency or solicitor
  • 5.Added fees: The debt collector adds a "debt recovery fee" of around £70

    • The result is that a charge originally issued at £60 now stands at £170.

    The £70 Debt Recovery Fee Explained

    The £70 fee is added by debt collectors such as DCB Legal, Debt Recovery Plus, and Gladstones Solicitors. They claim this fee covers the cost of pursuing the debt on behalf of the parking company.

    The fee is not a fine, not a court-imposed penalty, and not backed by any statute. It is a contractual charge that the debt collector claims you owe on top of the original parking charge.

    Legal Challenges to the Fee

    There are several reasons why the £70 increase may not be enforceable:

  • Disproportionate costs: Courts have questioned whether a £70 fee is a genuine pre-estimate of the cost of sending a letter
  • Penalty argument: If the fee is designed to punish rather than compensate for actual loss, it may be an unenforceable penalty
  • No contractual basis: The debt collector is a third party with no direct contractual relationship with you
  • POFA compliance: If the original charge was issued in breach of POFA 2012 requirements, the entire claim (including the added fee) may fail

    • What You Should Do

    If you have received a demand for £170:

  • Do not panic: The increased amount is designed to pressure you into paying quickly
  • Check the original charge: Was the Notice to Keeper sent within 14 days? Was the signage adequate? Is the charge proportionate?
  • Do not assume you must pay the full amount: Many of these charges are reduced or dropped entirely when challenged
  • Assess your case: Use our AI defence assessment to identify whether you have grounds to challenge the charge

    • If the original parking charge is flawed, the added £70 fee falls with it. Focus on the fundamentals of the case rather than the inflated demand.

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