MET Parking Services parking charge: how to appeal
Updated 20 September 2026 · By the AppealGo team
Short answer
A MET Parking Services Parking Charge Notice is an invoice, not a fine. Appeal to MET within 28 days and then to POPLA within 28 days of a rejection. MET enforces short free limits at fast-food and small retail sites, so the usual winning evidence is receipts showing two separate visits that the cameras merged, a receipt proving you were a customer (the restaurant can ask MET to cancel), and the 10-minute grace period.
| What it is | An invoice for an alleged breach of contract, not a fine. Only a court can order payment. |
|---|---|
| Usual amount | £100 maximum under the sector code, reduced by at least 40% (to £60) if paid within 14 days |
| Appeal to the operator | Within 28 days of the notice |
| Independent appeal | POPLA, within 28 days of the rejection, using the code on the letter; free |
| Discount after a failed appeal | Must be re-offered for 14 days (British Parking Association rule) |
| Notice to Keeper deadline | Delivered within 14 days of a camera-recorded visit, or 28 to 56 days after a windscreen ticket, or the keeper cannot be held liable (England and Wales) |
| Grace periods | At least 10 minutes after the permitted time ends and at least 5 minutes on arrival |
MET Parking Services is a camera-only operator best known for enforcing fast-food restaurant car parks and small retail sites with short free parking limits, sometimes as little as 60 or 90 minutes. Drivers who eat in, then visit an adjacent shop, are a common source of charges, as are drivers who leave and return the same day.
Charges are typically £100, reduced to £60 within 14 days, and MET is a British Parking Association member.
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Check my noticeWhere MET charges go wrong
- Two visits recorded as one, which is especially common at drive-through sites visited twice in a day. Receipts from both visits are strong evidence.
- Customers of the restaurant overstaying briefly. Restaurants can and frequently do instruct cancellation for genuine customers.
- Grace period not applied on short overstays.
- Signs that are small, few, or state a limit different from the one on the entrance sign.
- Late or defective Notice to Keeper.
To hold the registered keeper liable rather than the driver, the operator must comply with Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012: a camera-issued Notice to Keeper must be delivered within 14 days of the parking event, and a windscreen ticket must be followed by a Notice to Keeper between 28 and 56 days later, with the prescribed wording. If it misses any of this, it can only pursue the driver, and you are never obliged to say who that was. Keeper liability does not apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
How to appeal a MET Parking Services charge
- Appeal to MET Parking Services within 28 days of the date on the notice, using the online appeal link or the postal address printed on it. Quote the reference and registration, state your ground, attach evidence, and do not name the driver unless you choose to.
- If rejected, appeal to POPLA within 28 days. MET Parking Services is a British Parking Association member, so its rejection letter will contain a ten-digit POPLA verification code. The POPLA assessor decides on the documents; it is free and independent.
- Only a court can make you pay. After that the operator may use a debt recovery agency and may issue a county court claim. Recovery letters carry no legal force, but a claim form does: respond to it or a default judgment will follow.
British Parking Association rules require the operator to re-offer the discounted amount for 14 days if it rejects your first appeal, so appealing to the operator does not cost you the discount.
Common questions
Is a MET Parking Services parking charge a fine?
No. MET Parking Services is a private company and cannot issue fines. The notice is a claim that you owe money for breaching the terms on the signs. It is only enforceable if a court agrees, which requires the operator to prove a contract was formed and that it followed the Protection of Freedoms Act to pursue the keeper.
I ate at the restaurant and then went to the shop next door. Can MET charge me?
If the signs limit parking to restaurant customers for a set period and you stayed beyond it, MET will say yes. But the restaurant usually does not want its customers charged, the grace period may cover part of the overstay, and the signage must have made the limit clear. Appeal with your receipt and contact the restaurant.
What happens if I ignore a MET Parking Services charge?
You will receive reminder letters, then letters from a debt recovery firm adding fees, and MET Parking Services may issue a county court claim. Ignoring the claim form leads to a default judgment and a County Court Judgment on your credit file. Appealing is a better course than ignoring; if the charge is defective, say so on the record.
Sources
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This guide is general information about UK motoring penalties, not legal advice. Deadlines, amounts and procedures are set by the issuer and the regulations in force, and the notice you were sent is always the authoritative source for your own dates. See our disclaimer.
