Fines

Fines and penalties incurred are issued directly to LeasePlan as we are the registered keeper of the vehicle (as a result of the authority obtaining this information from the DVLA). We hold a record of all fines received for each vehicle.

If you have received notification of a fine, you must ensure that you pay the relevant charge. If you believe that you have grounds for appeal, you should follow the appeals process provided by the body that issued the fine.

Frequently asked questions:

I have received a fine or PCN. What should I do?

If you have received a fine this means that LeasePlan has transferred liability to you as the driver/customer in possession of the vehicle at the time the offence was committed.

In general, you have two options.

If you believe the fine/PCN was fair, then go ahead and pay the amount charged. There will be details of how to do this on the notice.
If you feel that you have grounds for appeal and you wish to contest the charge the details on how to appeal will be on the notice. If the notice is not in your name, please contact us to request a 3^rd party authorisation letter to send with your appeal. Please make your appeal directly to the authority.

When does LeasePlan pay a fine/PCN?

LeasePlan will pay a fine/PCN and send you an invoice in two situations:

There are some fines where legislation dictates that the registered keeper (in this case LeasePlan UK Ltd) must pay. (For example, LeasePlan is obliged to pay all congestion charge fines, some bus lane fines and second notification of private parking charge notices).
Your employer has taken the decision to request that LeasePlan pay all fines/PCNs. If in doubt, please speak to your Fleet Manager/HR Department in the first instance. If LeasePlan has paid a fine/PCN there may be an admin fee applied as agreed in the terms and conditions of your/your employer's contract with LeasePlan.

I have received a Congestion Charge/Bus Lane fine recharge. Why was this paid on my behalf?

Congestion charge fines and some bus lane fines (depending on the authority) must be paid by the registered keeper (LeasePlan) and recharged to the customer. The issuing authorities do not allow us to transfer liability. If this has happened for a different fine it may be due to your company's policy. If you would like to talk to someone about this, please contact your customer services team.

Why have I been charged an administration fee on top of the fine?

We charge an administration fee for processing your fine as stated in the Terms and Conditions of your contract.

Why have you charged me an administration fee?

From 1^st August 2017, LeasePlan will charge an administration fee when processing any fine. We have held our administration fees at the same level for the last 10 years but the volume of fines we receive has risen by almost 50% in the last 3 years and we are no longer able to continue processing fines without passing some of the cost of this management on to customers.

I’ve received a refund but you have not credited back my administration fee?

LeasePlan is no longer able to credit the admin fee if a refund is received. We do recognise that the fine is not chargeable, however we are required to manage the fine twice – both the original fine and the refund.

I would like to contest a fine (even if it has already been paid) - what do I need to do?

We can supply a third party authorisation letter to allow you to do this. Some authorities also allow you to contest a fine online. You should check the relevant authority's web pages to see if this is available. If you would like to pursue this, please contact your customer service team. If you do not know your DriverLine number, please call 0344 493 7644.

I need to get a copy of a fine. What should I do?

Please contact your customer service team and they will be able to send this to you. Please note that we are legally unable to send you a copy of a speeding fine, but we can provide you with the details of the offence.

How long does a Police authority have to issue a speeding fine to the registered keeper?

The Police have 14 days in which to issue a speeding fine notification to the registered keeper. Outside of this time it is unenforceable. For further information please visit: www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q557.htm

I have paid a speeding fine. Do I have to notify LeasePlan?

No. You do not have to inform LeasePlan if you have paid a speeding fine. But if as a result of points you become disqualified from driving it is a criminal offence to carry on driving the vehicle and your insurance cover will be invalid. Having no insurance is a breach of your contract with LeasePlan. If you are concerned, you should contact your fleet manager or call your DriverLine number. If you do not know your DriverLine number, please call 0344 493 7644.

I was not in charge of the vehicle at the time the Fine/PCN was issued. What do I do?

If you know who the driver was, you should either pass the details of the driver on to the authority or get the driver to pay it. If you don't know who the driver was, you need to pay the charge or appeal against it. If you don't do this then the authority will chase you for payment and ultimately you may end up being taken to court with a judgement against you costing significantly more than the initial charge. You may also be issued with a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against your name.

I have been incorrectly charged for a Congestion Charge penalty - how can I contest this?

If you wish to appeal and contest the fine, please contact your customer service team to obtain a third party authorisation letter to contest the fine directly with TFL and then visit the Transport for London website for details on appealing the congestion charge: www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/.Please note you must appeal to Transport for London within 28 days of the date of issue of the fine for them to review it.

I have contested a Congestion Charge penalty with Transport for London (TFL) and they have agreed to cancel the fine. What should I do?

Once we have received official confirmation from TFL and the refund has been received we will issue the credit via your customer account. If you have not received this after 6 weeks, please contact your customer services team.

What is a PCN?

PCNs are Parking Charge Notices for private parking. Please note that they are distinct from the Penalty Charge Notices that are issued by local authorities. A PCN is the document issued by the car park owner or operator for breaching the terms of the contract agreed by parking in the car park, or for trespassing. PCNs ask for payment of parking charges.

Is a Parking Charge Notice a fine?

No. Parking charges are a charge arising when a driver breaches the terms and conditions of parking on private land. By parking on private land the driver enters into a contract with the car park owner as stipulated on signage located in easily visible positions in the car park.

How do I appeal against a PCN?

When you receive the PCN from the private parking company, there will be instructions as to how to appeal the charge. Please follow these instructions and appeal directly.

What happens if I ignore a PCN?

Much of the advice on the internet is to ignore the private parking company as there is little/nothing that they can do. LeasePlan strongly advises against this. The Protection of Freedoms Act has given the private parking companies increased power to pursue the registered keeper of the vehicle for payment. LeasePlan also believes that private parking companies should be treated with the same integrity as any local authority. It is LeasePlan's belief that if a driver does not comply with the terms and conditions set in place by the private parking company then the driver is responsible for any charges incurred. Ultimately you may end up being taken to court with a judgement against you costing significantly more than the initial charge. You can also be issued with a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against your name. If you feel you have a right to contest it then please appeal to the private parking company as per the instructions provided on the PCN. Any costs incurred by LeasePlan for private parking charges will be passed onto the customer, along with an administration fee.

LeasePlan have given the Private Parking Company my details. Why are you now saying you are going to pay on my behalf?

The Protection of Freedom Act (2012) allows the private parking company to return the PCN to LeasePlan as they have been unable to contact you and LeasePlan are held liable under Keeper Liability. If this happens then LeasePlan will pay the PCN and recharge this on to you, along with an administration fee.

I have received a recharge from LeasePlan for a fixed penalty notice as a result of an Insurance Advisory Letter. What should I do?

You need to contact your insurance provider or third party who manages the Motor Insurance Database for you immediately. Failure to do so or delay could result in further fines and penalties. Under your customer agreement with us failure to provide proof of insurance could result in LeasePlan taking further action. Pay this as a normal invoice. The fixed penalty notice is only issued if, as the result of the Insurance Advisory Letter, the vehicle still does not show on the Motor Insurance Database (MID). LeasePlan, on receipt of the fixed penalty notice are required to pay and recharge the fine as new legislation does not allow the registered keeper to transfer liability. An administration fee is charged for this as per the terms and conditions of your contract.

Which offences are Endorsable?

Speeding and traffic offences are endorsable.

Which offences are Non Endorsable?