Should I just pay and reclaim from the hire company?

Usually no. Many hire car parking tickets are unenforceable because the operator failed to follow POFA Schedule 4 requirements. Before paying, check whether a proper Notice to Hirer was served with all mandatory elements. If not, you may have no liability at all.

What if the hire company already paid?

If the hire company paid without your consent and charged your card, you may be able to dispute this. The hire company cannot simply assume liability - they should give you the opportunity to appeal first. Check your hire agreement and consider a chargeback if they acted improperly.

Does this work for lease and company cars?

Yes. The same POFA Schedule 4 rules apply to any vehicle where the driver was not the registered keeper at the time. This includes lease cars, company fleet vehicles, courtesy cars, and rental vehicles. The operator must serve a valid Notice to Hirer.

Is POFA optional for parking companies?

No. If a private parking company wants to pursue anyone other than the registered keeper (driver liability), they MUST comply with POFA Schedule 4. Without proper compliance, they cannot pursue the hirer/driver and keeper liability does not transfer properly.

Hire Car Parking Ticket Appeal Guide (2026)

TL;DR Summary

Hire car, rental, and lease vehicle parking tickets have an extra layer of legal protection. Under POFA Schedule 4, operators must serve a valid Notice to Hirer with specific mandatory content. Most fail to do this correctly. If they didn't comply, you likely have no liability - regardless of whether you actually parked there.

What's changed for 2026?

POPLA and IAS are now more familiar with POFA Schedule 4 defences and are upholding valid challenges.
Major hire companies are improving their processes, but many still provide inadequate documentation to parking operators.
Operators continue to fail on Notice to Hirer requirements - this remains a winning defence in 2026.
Some operators are attempting to bypass Schedule 4 by pursuing hire companies directly, who then charge renters without proper process.
Courts have clarified that strict compliance with Schedule 4 is mandatory - "substantial compliance" is not enough.

Why Hire Car Tickets Are Different

When you hire a car, you're not the registered keeper. The hire company (Enterprise, Hertz, Sixt, etc.) is. This creates a legal gap that the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (POFA) Schedule 4 was designed to address.

Under normal circumstances, private parking operators can pursue the registered keeper for unpaid charges using POFA. But when a vehicle is hired out, the operator must follow additional steps to pursue the driver (hirer) instead.

The POFA Schedule 4 Framework

Schedule 4 of POFA 2012 creates "keeper liability" - the ability to pursue the registered keeper even if they weren't driving. But for hire vehicles, it also creates requirements for transferring that liability to the hirer.

What the Operator MUST Do

To pursue a hirer (you) for a parking charge, the operator must serve a Notice to Hirer that contains ALL of the following:

Requirement	What It Means	Common Failures
Copy of Hire Agreement	The actual agreement showing you hired the vehicle	Wrong dates, wrong vehicle, missing entirely
Statement of Liability	Confirming the vehicle was hired and you are responsible	Missing or unsigned by hire company
Mandatory Statutory Wording	Specific paragraphs required by law	Paraphrased, incomplete, or omitted
Served Within Time Limit	Usually within 6 months of the parking event	Late service makes notice invalid
Correct Hirer Details	Your name and address as provided by hire company	Wrong person, wrong address

Common Hire Car PCN Failures

1. No Notice to Hirer at All

Many operators never serve a proper Notice to Hirer. They either pursue the hire company directly (who then charge you) or send you a standard Notice to Keeper (which is invalid for hire vehicles).

2. Missing Hire Agreement Copy

The operator must obtain and include a copy of your actual hire agreement. If it's missing, the Notice to Hirer is invalid.

3. Hire Agreement Doesn't Match

Sometimes operators receive wrong documentation from hire companies - different vehicle, different dates, different hirer. Any mismatch makes the notice challengeable.

4. Missing Mandatory Wording

POFA Schedule 4 requires specific statutory wording. Many operators paraphrase or omit it. If the exact wording isn't there, the notice may be invalid.

5. Late Service

There are time limits for serving Notice to Hirer. If served too late, the operator loses the right to pursue you.

What Hire Companies Get Wrong

Hire companies often make the situation worse by:

Paying tickets automatically and charging your card without giving you chance to appeal
Providing incorrect or incomplete documentation to parking operators
Adding "administration fees" on top of the parking charge
Not forwarding correspondence to you in time

Important:

Check your hire agreement carefully. Most allow the company to charge your card for parking tickets, but this doesn't mean the underlying ticket was valid. You may be able to dispute the charge with your card provider if the PCN itself was unenforceable.

Should You Name the Driver?

Usually no. Unlike council PCNs, you have no legal obligation to name the driver for private parking charges. Doing so can actually work against you:

You're giving them information they may not have
You're confirming you received their correspondence
You're potentially creating liability where none existed

Instead, challenge whether they've properly complied with POFA Schedule 4. If they haven't, you likely have no liability regardless of who was driving.

The Appeal Process for Hire Car Tickets

Step 1: Check What You Received

Is it a Notice to Hirer (specific to hire vehicles)?
Does it include your hire agreement copy?
Does it contain all mandatory statutory wording?
Are the dates and vehicle details correct?

Step 2: Request Evidence

Ask the operator for copies of:

The Notice to Keeper they sent to the hire company
The hire company's response with your details
The complete hire agreement they received
Proof of when they sent the Notice to Hirer

Step 3: Submit Your Appeal

Focus on POFA Schedule 4 non-compliance. Common grounds include:

"No valid Notice to Hirer was served as required by POFA Schedule 4"
"The hire agreement provided does not relate to the vehicle/date in question"
"Mandatory statutory wording was omitted or altered"
"The Notice to Hirer was served outside the statutory time limit"

Step 4: Escalate if Rejected

If the operator rejects your appeal, escalate to POPLA (BPA members) or IAS (IPC members). These independent bodies increasingly recognise POFA Schedule 4 defences.

Council PCNs in Hire Cars

Council Penalty Charge Notices work differently. The hire company is the registered keeper and will receive the Notice to Owner. They typically:

Forward the PCN to you with your details
Provide a statutory declaration transferring liability
Add administration fees

For council PCNs, you generally have the same appeal rights as any motorist. Appeal to the council first, then escalate to London Tribunals or Traffic Penalty Tribunal if rejected.

Evidence to Keep

☐ Your original hire agreement
☐ All correspondence from the parking operator
☐ All correspondence from the hire company
☐ Photos of any signage at the location (if you return)
☐ Payment receipts if you paid for parking
☐ Card statements showing any charges
☐ Emails about the ticket

How PCN Beater Handles Hire Car Tickets

PCN Beater generates professional appeal letters specifically designed for hire car situations:

Automatically includes POFA Schedule 4 legal arguments
Highlights missing or defective Notice to Hirer elements
Requests specific evidence the operator must provide
Works for rental cars, lease vehicles, courtesy cars, and company fleet vehicles

Appeal Your Hire Car Parking Ticket

Upload your ticket. We'll check for POFA Schedule 4 failures. From £6.99.

Start My Appeal →

Disclaimer: PCN Beater is a document-preparation and postal service, not a law firm. This guide provides general information only and is not legal advice.