Parking ticket appeals

Parking ticket appeals
Fight unfair parking tickets

This comprehensive guide walks you through the process of contesting unjust parking fines issued by local councils, the police, and Transport for London. It features free template letters to assist you. Recent statistics for England and Wales reveal a paradox: although the number of fines issued has risen, there has been a 14% yearly decrease in the number of drivers who pursue their case to the independent adjudicator. Nevertheless, the data also indicates that 56% of those who take their case to this level are successful.

If your ticket is from a private firm rather than a council, the police or Transport for London, see the Fight unfair private parking tickets guide.

Parking ticket need-to-knows

1 – Spot the difference: one of these tickets is official, the other isn’t

Parking tickets can originate from official authorities like local councils or law enforcement, as well as from private firms. It’s important to identify the source of your ticket, as they can appear quite similar; in fact, private company tickets often make a more convincing impression than a performance by Alistair McGowan.

Examine these two tickets:

To verify the authenticity of your ticket, look for the terms “Penalty Charge Notice,” “Excess Charge Notice,” or “Fixed Penalty Notice” on it, along with the name of the authority that issued it. If your ticket lacks these details (even if it uses similar terminology), it’s likely a private parking ticket rather than one issued by a council, Transport for London, or the police.

If you were ticketed on private land, read Fight unfair private parking tickets.

2 – Remember this is about fighting UNFAIR tickets

Parking regulations are designed to enhance safety and improve traffic management, benefiting everyone. However, errors can occur, whether due to ambiguous signage, technological glitches, overly stringent parking enforcement, or simple mistakes. This guide is crafted to help you avoid financial penalties when a parking ticket seems unreasonable to most fair-minded individuals.

However, if you’ve obstructed a school entrance, parked on zig-zag lines, or created a significant traffic jam by stopping on a red route, this guide won’t offer much assistance, nor would it likely be effective in those situations.

3 – Gather evidence if you plan to appeal

If you’re still at the location, gather as much evidence as you can. If you’re reading this later, it’s still beneficial to collect whatever evidence remains, as it could be crucial for your case.

Ideally, your evidence should be ‘contemporaneous’ (i.e., created at the time of the incident) to accurately represent the circumstances when you received the ticket, so take action as soon as possible.

For example. He received a ticket at 6:35 p.m. but had taken a photo of a sign indicating that parking was permitted after 6:30 p.m. – check out his Parking fines blog for more details on how you might be able to contest them.

Here’s what to collect:

• Photographs. Snap any unclear signs, bay markings or lines, and areas where you believe they should be. Also take pics of where your car was, the meter and your ticket, plus anything else that might be relevant.
• Correspondence. Keep everything you’ve been sent from the company, and copies of any information you’ve sent off.
• Proof of mitigating circumstances. Keep anything relevant, such as receipts from a recovery company if you were broken down.
• Witness statements. If anyone will corroborate your story, get their details and ask them to sign a statement, eg, if it was impossible to see the signs or you were loading or unloading goods from your car and you stayed within the rules.

4 – Never pay a fine if you plan on appealing

Paying the fine can be seen as accepting responsibility for the infraction, so if you wish to contest a ticket, refrain from making any payment. Ignoring the ticket is not advisable, as the amount due will escalate. Instead, follow our detailed guide on how to file an appeal.

In cases where your vehicle has been clamped or towed, you must first pay to have it released before you can proceed with an appeal. For information on your rights in these situations, refer to the section on understanding your rights if your vehicle is clamped or towed.

5 – You shouldn’t be fined within 10 minutes of your ticket expiring

Councils provide a grace period during which you won’t receive a parking ticket if you pay within 10 minutes of the expiration of your meter, pay-and-display, pay-by-phone, or voucher parking session, provided your vehicle is parked in a designated council bay.

6 – Don’t assume the driver’s liable for the ticket

In the UK, parking tickets are typically the responsibility of the vehicle’s registered owner, rather than the driver, except in cases involving hire cars.

If you receive a parking ticket while driving a hire car, the rental company has two options: they can either forward the payment request to you or settle the fine themselves and then bill you along with an administrative fee. If you wish to contest a ticket received in a hire vehicle, it is important to notify the rental company before proceeding with an appeal.

7 – Beware tickets that come through the post – the rules are different

Regulations introduced in 2008 mean that in England and Wales, you might receive a parking ticket by mail if you’re caught on CCTV. This can complicate the process of gathering evidence for an appeal since the infraction may have occurred days prior. However, there is a benefit: if you are caught on camera, you have 21 days to pay at the discounted rate, compared to the usual 14 days.

If you choose to challenge a ticket, there is no informal appeal process available; you must proceed directly to a formal appeal with the council. It’s crucial to read the information provided by the council carefully, as some councils may still allow payment at the discounted rate even after a formal appeal is lodged, while others may not.

8 – If it’s an ‘Excess Charge Notice’ or ‘Fixed Penalty Notice’ the rules are different

In some instances, your parking citation could be classified as an Excess Charge Notice, which a few local authorities still issue for violations on public roads, like high streets. Alternatively, it might be a Fixed Penalty Notice, typically issued by the police for infractions on red routes or white zig-zags.

These types of notices fall under criminal law instead of civil law, meaning the appeal process differs from that of regular parking fines.

What should I do if I get an Excess Charge Notice from a council?

If you find yourself with an Excess Charge Notice from a council that hasn’t yet implemented a civil regime, you’ll need to follow a three-stage process. However, it’s worth noting that if you succeed in resolving the issue at an earlier stage, you won’t need to complete the entire process.

Stage 1. Make an informal appeal

The timeframe for appealing a ticket varies by council, so it’s important to examine your ticket thoroughly. If you file your appeal within the allowed period, many councils will still permit you to pay the reduced fine if your appeal is unsuccessful.

Typically, there’s no specific form required (though it’s advisable to visit the council’s website to confirm), so you’ll need to submit a letter. Here’s a template to guide you:

FREE template letter: Make an informal council parking ticket appeal 

Make sure you submit all supporting evidence – include an address, your vehicle registration number and the ticket number.

Take it any further than this, and you’ll probably lose your chance to pay a reduced fee. Double-check with the council – even if you believe in the justice of your case, it’s worth balancing what you’ll gain by winning with the time and cost of losing.

Stage 2. Appeal to a more senior parking official

Certain councils might offer a chance to appeal to a higher-ranking parking official. This option will be detailed in your rejection letter, so be sure to review it carefully. Additionally, checking the council’s website for further information could be beneficial.

If this opportunity is not provided, proceed to the next step. Keep in mind that appealing again may not allow you to pay the fine at a reduced rate.

Stage 3. Appeal to the Ombudsman

At this stage, the council will issue a letter requesting payment. You have the opportunity to appeal to the appropriate Ombudsman service at no cost—this allows you to request an investigation if you believe the council made an error or did not consider mitigating circumstances appropriately.

Typically, an Ombudsman can intervene only in cases of procedural mistakes. However, since many situations are not straightforward, it’s advisable to reach out to the Ombudsman for advice.

There are four relevant services, depending on where the fine was issued:

• In England: Use the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman.
• In Wales: Use the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
• In Scotland: Use the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
• In Northern Ireland: Use the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.

You also have the option of taking legal action against your council if it has misapplied the law. However, pursuing this route could be financially risky if the outcome is not in your favor. It’s crucial to consult with a legal expert before considering this drastic measure.

What if I’ve got a Fixed Penalty Notice from the police?

Typically, this process involves either one or two stages. Regrettably, if you have a ticket issued by the police, your likelihood of success is generally lower compared to a ticket issued by the council.

Stage 1. If allowed, make an informal appeal

Formally, contesting police tickets is generally restricted to court proceedings, though some police departments might accept informal challenges. The notice or vehicle release document might specify if an informal appeal is permitted. If this isn’t clear, reach out to the issuing police department or any contact number provided on the ticket for clarification.

Typically, appeals are directed to a department known as the ‘Central Ticket Office,’ which handles various police fines. There’s no need to complete specific forms; simply draft and send a letter. To enhance your chances of success, include all relevant evidence and ensure your letter contains your address, vehicle registration number, and the ticket number. You can use this template as a guide:

FREE template letter: Make an informal police parking ticket appeal

If the police department denies your appeal, they will notify you in writing. Should you succeed, that’s excellent news. If not, proceed to the next step.

Stage 2. The formal appeal process – you’ll have to go to court

If your appeal is denied or you can’t make an informal appeal, you’ll receive a Notice to Owner form. This form will offer you several options: pay the fine, name a different driver (which is mostly relevant for hire companies where the owner is accountable), or request a hearing at a magistrates’ court. Failure to act within 28 days will result in the fine increasing by 50% and a court summons being issued.

If you choose to contest the fine, you can request a hearing. However, this process can be challenging, and unless you are particularly determined or knowledgeable about the law, it may be simpler to accept the fine.

Should you decide to proceed, seeking legal advice could be beneficial, as you’ll need to present your case at the hearing. Additionally, if you are unsuccessful, you might also be responsible for court costs.

What are the grounds for appealing?

When filing an appeal with a council or, if necessary, an independent adjudicator, you must adhere to a specific set of official grounds for contesting a ticket. These grounds provide the basis for declaring the ticket unjust.

Both the local authority and the adjudicator will also take into account any mitigating circumstances. These are more subjective factors, which might lead them to rule in your favor even if you don’t have a strong legal case, such as in the event of a recent personal loss.

It’s important to note that appealing based on official grounds gives you a relatively good chance of success, provided you can substantiate your claim. On the other hand, while presenting mitigating circumstances can also be effective, the outcome is less predictable even if you believe your situation is compelling.

Official grounds for appeal

• The signs were wrong. This is the one most people fall into, for example if the sign gave the wrong info or wasn’t visible.
• The traffic warden or council got it wrong. This one is if they simply shouldn’t have given you a ticket, eg, if your blue badge was displayed.
• You’ve already paid the fine. If you paid in time the fine shouldn’t have increased. Gather evidence to show you paid, or attempted to, such as bank statements, cheque stubs or receipts.
• The council made an error on the ticket or letter. This situation arises when councils do not provide all the necessary details, whether on their tickets or ‘Notice to Owner’ correspondence. Below is the essential information that should be included on ‘Notice to Owner’ letters (note that the required details differ slightly for tickets placed on vehicles).
• The traffic rules are wrong. For example, it might have added a new restriction, eg, a yellow line, and didn’t follow proper procedures for the ‘Traffic Regulation Order’ in doing so. You can check orders with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal or your council.
• You didn’t own the vehicle at the time. You must demonstrate that you were not the vehicle’s owner at the time in question. This can be shown through your log book or dealer/showroom receipt. If you sold the car before the issuance of the ticket, provide copies of the sale receipt along with evidence that you notified the DVLA of the transaction.
• They wrongly claimed the warden was stopped from giving a ticket. If they had the opportunity to put a ticket on a vehicle, they can’t then decide to send one via post.
• Your car was stolen. If the thief parks illegally, the ticket can be waived if you can prove it was stolen, eg, you’d reported it to the police.
• You were overcharged. The cost should be no more than the standard charges. These depend on the type of enforcement system used, but the table in the following dropdown shows typical fines.

What are typical fines?

You can also claim there were mitigating circumstances

There are various additional factors that might lead to an unfair ticket being issued, although these reasons are not officially recognized grounds for dismissal and are instead considered mitigating circumstances. Essentially, this means you’ve violated the rules, but you had a valid reason for doing so. While there is no guarantee that you won’t receive a ticket in these situations, many local councils may take these circumstances into consideration.

There are no strict guidelines, but possible mitigating circumstances might encompass:

• Getting a ticket while broken down.
• Tending to an emergency or clearing an obstruction from the road.
• Dropping an ill patient off at hospital.
• You were too ill to move your car.
• You’ve had a recent bereavement.
• You needed to park to attend a funeral or were unable to move your car because you were attending a funeral.
• You were on holiday when the bay you were in became suspended (temporarily stopping parking there) and the warning was erected while you were away.
• You bought a ticket/had a permit but it fell off the window or was not visible to the warden (technically it’s your responsibility to display the ticket correctly, so prepare for possible defeat, but it’s worth appealing).
• It’s a first offence within that council’s boundaries. Councils say this in itself is not a valid reason to waive the charge, but it’s worth a go.
• You’re a law-abiding citizen who made an honest mistake, and you’re now fully aware of the parking restrictions. Again, councils don’t have to refund you on that basis, but there’s no harm in asking.

When can’t I appeal?

There are also some reasons, that although might sound like good excuses, simply don’t count – for example:

• If you were getting change to put in a meter. If you were on the way to pay for parking you do have grounds for appeal, but not if you were just going to get change.
• If you disagree with the parking regulations.
• If you only parked illegally for a few minutes.
• If you agree you were blocking the road or footpath.
• If there was nowhere else to park.

Is it worth appealing?

Typically, if you settle a fine within 14 days of receiving a ticket, you can pay just half the amount—so it’s wise to consider the potential risks before deciding to appeal.

Importantly, many councils allow you to file an informal appeal and still benefit from the reduced rate if the appeal is unsuccessful. Therefore, pursuing an informal appeal is a risk-free opportunity if you believe the ticket is unjust.

However, as illustrated in the chart below, the stakes increase significantly if you opt for a formal appeal. At this point, if the appeal fails, you will be required to pay the full fine. Nevertheless, if you’re already committed to appealing formally, you might as well see it through to the end, since you’ll end up paying the full amount if you don’t succeed.

How to appeal against parking fines

Here’s a comprehensive guide to contesting tickets in England and Wales. Ideally, you’ll resolve the issue quickly, but if you find yourself needing to escalate the matter to an adjudicator, the most recent statistics (from 2017-2018) reveal that 56% of individuals who proceed to this stage are successful.

Are the rules the same for Scotland and Northern Ireland?

We’ve focused on the rules in England and Wales below, although it’s pretty similar in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with only minor differences. For precise info, go to the Parking and Bus Lane Tribunal for Scotland site or the Northern Ireland Traffic Penalty Tribunal site.

Step 1: Make an informal challenge

This initial step is relevant only for individuals who have received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) affixed to their vehicle’s windscreen. If your notice arrived by mail, you will need to skip this informal appeal phase and proceed directly to a formal appeal.

If a PCN was placed on your car, consider making an informal challenge first—ensure this is done within 14 days. Should your challenge be unsuccessful, many councils and Transport for London will still permit you to settle the fine at the reduced rate, so you won’t incur any additional cost.

Look for an address or email on the reverse side of the notice for submitting your challenge. Since this is an informal appeal, there are no specific grounds or forms required—simply write a letter. Additionally, check your council’s website as some offer the option to submit informal appeals through an online form. If you need assistance with what to include in your letter, here is a template to guide you:

FREE template letter: Make an Informal parking fine appeal

To increase your likelihood of winning, make sure to submit all relevant evidence. Provide your address, vehicle registration number, and the ticket (PCN) number. Additionally, some councils offer the option to view any photographic evidence they may have against you on their websites.

Step 2: Make a formal appeal

The next step involves submitting a formal appeal. At this point, you should have received a Notice to Owner (NTO), which requires full payment and includes a formal appeals form (refer to the comprehensive details on what an NTO should contain). There are three possible reasons for this:

• You didn’t make an informal appeal. If you overlooked the ticket for the initial 28 days and have received a Notice to Owner (NTO), it’s no longer possible to make an informal appeal. Although NTOs may take some time to arrive, you can still proceed with a formal appeal.
• Your informal appeal was turned down. At this stage, the council will issue an NTO (Notice to Owner) form to the registered owner. Upon receipt, you have 28 days to either pay the fine or submit an appeal. Failing to do so within this period may result in the penalty increasing by an additional 50%, and you will forfeit the opportunity to appeal.
• Posted tickets. Upon receiving a Notice to Owner (NTO), it will be issued to you immediately. Should you choose to appeal within 14 days—or within 21 days if the violation was captured on CCTV—you’ll generally be eligible to pay a reduced fine if your appeal is denied. The parking ticket you receive by mail should contain all the necessary information. Furthermore, if your infraction was recorded by CCTV, you have the right to request any photographs or other evidence the council relies on against you.

This is the key decision point. If you believe the ticket is unfair, remember that the latest figures, for 2017-2018, show that 56% of people who go all the way win. There’s no reason to stop after this step – the fine will stay the same amount, so you may as well go all the way.

How to write your appeal

Just complete the form by providing all necessary details. Although the form includes a section for stating your reasons for appeal, it’s often more effective to draft a separate letter to fully articulate your appeal. This way, you can ensure you cover all your points comprehensively. To assist you, here’s a sample template you can use:

FREE template letter: Make a formal parking fine appeal

If you submitted an informal appeal, make sure to resend all relevant information, as it could be reviewed by a different person who might not have the original details. Some councils offer the option to view any photographic evidence they have against you on their websites.

For a formal appeal, the council has a maximum of 56 days to provide a response; otherwise, you win by default.

Step 3: Final appeal to the independent adjudicator

If your formal appeal has been unsuccessful, you will receive a ‘Notice of Rejection of Representations’ along with a ‘Notice of Appeal’ form. This form allows you to challenge the ticket at an independent tribunal, should you choose to pursue that option.

At this stage, the opportunity to pay at the reduced rate has already passed, so there’s no disadvantage in proceeding to the next phase. However, be aware that in very rare cases, the independent tribunal might award costs to the council if it deems your appeal “frivolous, vexatious, or wholly unreasonable”—for instance, if you obstructed a hospital entrance and still chose to appeal.

You must return the form within 30 days from its issue date.

Don’t let the prospect of presenting your case to an adjudicator deter you. Remember, the adjudicator is independent and appointed by the Government, not by any council or authority. Most importantly, to clarify any concerns…

It’s free, it’s not like a court hearing and you DON’T have to attend. It can be done by post, phone or online.

You have the choice to attend a personal hearing, or in certain situations, a telephone hearing, if you wish to present your case in person. However, for the majority of individuals, a written appeal will be adequate, provided that you include the necessary evidence to back up your claim.

Which body carries out the appeal depends on where the incident happened:

• England and Wales (not London): Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
• Scotland: Parking and Bus Lane Tribunal for Scotland.
• Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
• London: Environment and Traffic Adjudicators.

Submit every single piece of relevant evidence again, as the adjudicator will not have seen anything you previously provided. Similar to a formal appeal to a council, it is beneficial to include a separate letter attached to the form that outlines your case. Here’s a template:

FREE template letter: Make an independent tribunal parking fine appeal

What happens if I lose?

You need to pay the penalty within 28 days or the fine can increase by 50%.

In some limited circumstances you may be able to take things further and this will be explained if you lose your appeal.

For more on what happens after the adjudicator’s decision, see the Traffic Penalty Tribunals for England and Wales or Northern Ireland, and the Parking and Bus Lane Tribunal for Scotland.

What if there are mitigating circumstances?

Sometimes, an appeal is dismissed, but the adjudicator may find compelling reasons to recommend that the penalty not be enforced.

Typically, this is due to mitigating circumstances. While the adjudicator cannot mandate the council to waive the penalty, they can request it. The council then has 35 days to inform both you and the adjudicator of its decision. If the council fails to respond within this period, you automatically win.

Know your rights if you’re clamped or towed

In the most severe situations, you might discover that your vehicle has been immobilized or removed. If this is the case, here’s a clear caution…

Don’t try to remove the clamp yourself, as any damage could be considered criminal.

How to get your money back if you’re clamped or towed

If you believe that a local authority has unjustly clamped or towed your vehicle, you can follow a three-step procedure to attempt to reclaim your money.

Step 1: Pay to release your car – but ‘under protest’

If your car’s been towed, the first hurdle is to find which authority has taken it. Try your local council or the police on 101, or in London you can call Tow-away Removal and Clamping Enquires (TRACE) on 0845 206 8602. If you think it might be the DVLA (which sometimes clamps if chasing unpaid tax), call parking management company NSL on 0843 224 1999.

If your car’s been clamped, there should also be a parking ticket so ring whoever issued it.

It’s likely you’ll need to pay a charge first to get your vehicle released. Then if it’s unfair, seek a refund. When you pay, make sure you get a receipt containing:

• The location where the alleged parking incident occurred
• The person’s name and signature
• The date

Step 2: Make a formal appeal to the council

If a council clamps or tows your car, it must also issue a Penalty Charge Notice. The process for appealing this is quite similar to appealing parking tickets, but you can also request a refund for the clamping or towing fees.

Unlike parking tickets, clamping or towing doesn’t offer an informal appeal option. You have 28 days from the release date of your car to submit a formal appeal, often referred to as a formal representation, to the council.

The council is required to respond within 56 days, or it must refund the charges.

In your appeal letter, explain why you believe the ticket and the clamping or towing were unjustified. Here are the grounds for appeal in simple terms:

The council got it wrong

This category applies to the majority of people. The official phrase is “the contravention did not occur.” In essence, it means there was a mistake, such as errors in the signs or markings where you parked.

The council shouldn’t have moved the vehicle

Your car should not have been clamped or towed immediately. If the infraction was due to the absence of a pay-and-display ticket or the display of an expired one, the council is required to wait 30 minutes after issuing the Penalty Charge Notice before taking further action. This waiting period is reduced to 15 minutes if you have three or more unpaid parking tickets.

No ticket was served before the vehicle was towed

The council has to hand a ticket to the driver or put one on the vehicle before it’s towed.

There are mitigating circumstances

If there are compelling reasons why you shouldn’t have been charged, the adjudicator can recommend the council cancels the ticket and refunds the charges (but not force it to). Mitigating circumstances could include:

• Getting a ticket while broken down.
• Tending to an emergency or clearing an obstruction from the road.
• Dropping an ill patient off at hospital.
• You were too ill to move your car.
• You’ve had a recent bereavement.
• You needed to park to attend a funeral or were unable to move your car because you were attending a funeral.
• You were on holiday when the bay you were in became suspended (temporarily stopping parking there) and the warning was erected while you were away.
• You bought a ticket/had a permit but it fell off the window or was not visible to the warden (technically it’s your responsibility to display the ticket correctly, so prepare for possible defeat, but it’s worth appealing).
• It’s a first offence within that council’s boundaries. Councils indicate that this alone does not justify waiving the charge, but it’s still worth attempting. A council parking official mentioned they might consider an appeal if it was the driver’s first offence and they were new to an area with stricter parking regulations than they were accustomed to (for example, relocating from a rural area to a major city).
• You’re a law-abiding citizen who made an honest mistake, and you’re now fully aware of the parking restrictions. Again, councils don’t have to refund you on that basis, but there’s no harm in asking.

Other grounds for appeal

That’s not the full list – here are the other official grounds for appeal (with translations into plain English):

• The vehicle was taken without the owner’s consent.8 If your vehicle is stolen and not borrowed by someone, any parking tickets incurred by the thief can be dismissed if you provide proof of the theft. To achieve this, it is essential that you have reported the theft to the police.
• The vehicle was not in a civil enforcement area for parking contraventions. You were immobilized in an area where the council lacked authority. If your vehicle was parked on private property, such as a private car park, where the council had no jurisdiction, they should not have clamped or towed your car.
• The penalty, release or storage charge exceeded the applicable amount. You were overcharged. The cost should be no more than the standard charges.
• There has been a procedural impropriety by the council. The council committed an administrative mistake. According to the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions General Regulations (2007), the individual applying the clamp must also issue a Penalty Charge Notice beforehand and adhere to these three specific requirements:

  – It must indicate you’ve been clamped. This should include a visible warning that no attempt should be made to drive the vehicle until it has been released from that device.

  – It must tell you how to get it unlocked.

  – It must warn you not to touch it. This means it should say that unlawful removal of an immobilisation device is an offence.

Additionally, it is crucial to adhere to the proper procedures for issuing a Penalty Charge Notice. Refer to the comprehensive list of information that must be included on a civil Penalty Charge Notice. (Please note that the requirements for posted tickets may differ slightly.)

• A disabled person’s current badge was displayed on the vehicle (clamping only). This one’s pretty obvious. A disabled valid blue-badge holder can’t be clamped. Cars can be relocated to a safer place but should not be removed to the pound.

Step 3: Final appeal to the independent adjudicator

If the council rejects your formal appeal, you will receive a letter of denial. Your next step is to escalate the matter to an independent adjudicator.

The procedure here mirrors that of receiving an initial parking ticket, so proceed to the Final appeal stage with the adjudicator.

Been clamped or towed illegally? Call the police

If you think you’ve been clamped or towed illegally, the first thing to do is call the police.

Don’t hand over any money. Don’t get into a debate with the clampers. Don’t be scared to call 101, the police non-emergency number, if you don’t feel threatened – or 999 if you do. There are tough penalties for breaking the law, including a £5,000 fine.