'I was sent nine parking tickets for someone else's car thanks to black tape but police weren't interested'

'I was sent nine parking tickets for someone else's car thanks to black tape but police weren't interested' Pensioner Eric says he lives in fear of the same thing happening again A pensioner claims he was hit with a series of tickets - despite never having set foot in the car park concerned. Eric, who did not give his last name, said he was issued nine penalty charge notices (PCNs) by Horizon Parking over a seven-month period. Eric, 78, insists he was not liable for any of the penalties, but they continued to arrive despite his appeals. He claims that photographs included in the charges sent to him reveal that a trick involving tape was behind the PCNs. He maintains that someone in a different part of the country was using black tape to alter an L into an E, causing it to match Eric's registration plate. The PCNs began arriving in March 2025 and only ceased in October of that year after he contacted the police, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Horizon Parking, and his own insurance provider. Eric claims he has yet to receive an apology from Horizon Parking, who were 'just unavailable'. He now lives in fear of something similar occurring again. Eric told Consumer Group Which?: "(I felt) frustration and disbelief that, in this day and age, I couldn't get the police or the DVLA interested enough to carry out action in a timely manner. Horizon Parking were just unavailable. I sent letters, emails, contested the PCNs, and yet they kept on coming. "I was even more frustrated because I thought, 'well, if it's that simple, this is going to carry on for a long, long time'. After I received the second PCN, I realised that this was going to continue, so I made sure that the police, the DVLA, and my car insurance were aware. "Having done that, the PCNs continued unabated, so it went from March until November to have this resolved. I received nine PCNS in seven months. "That is the frustration - where do you go to? I've never had full closure on it. I've never had an apology from Horizon Parking, I've never had the police say, 'yeah, it is closed, we may prosecute the person'. I don't think they are. So it's still left a little bit in the air, I'm still not sure if they could repeat this." What if this happens to you? The MoneySavingExpert website advises against automatically settling an unjust parking fine in a private car park, noting that such penalties are typically merely 'invoices' that cannot be enforced. Rather, motorists should collect as much evidence as possible, including photographs, correspondence, proof of mitigating circumstances and witness statements, before attempting to complain directly to the landlord. This is often a large corporation that may be prepared to step in on your behalf. You can also challenge the penalty notice directly with the company, though you should avoid identifying the driver at all costs, as there is no legal requirement to do so — and doing so could significantly weaken your position. Should all other options be exhausted, you have the right to escalate your case to either the Parking on Private Land Appeals or the Independent Appeals Service. Bear in mind that by entering into this process, you are acknowledging the legitimacy of the appeals system, which is operated by the parking industry. Horizon Parking has been approached for comment.