Helping motorists avoid exploitation by unscrupulous, private parking firms
Gullible Tree is a not-for-profit information site set up to expose the exploitative practices of the UK's private parking industry. Every year, millions of drivers are misled, harassed, and financially harmed by private companies issuing misleading parking charge notices that are frequently mistaken for official fines. These companies rely on fear, ignorance, and deliberately confusing language to extract money from the public under the guise of legal enforcement.
Gullible Tree exists to help motorists understand the difference between a genuine penalty and a speculative invoice, and to empower them to fight back. We believe that sunlight is the best disinfectant. The site offers guidance and resources to help individuals challenge unfair charges, understand their legal rights, and push back against an unregulated system that profits from deception.
The name "Gullible Tree" comes from a line often used to describe the public as "low-hanging fruit" — easily picked off by unregulated private parking firms who know how to exploit ignorance, fear and inaction. Our mission is to educate the motoring public on how to not be that fruit that is ripe for the picking by these unscrupulous firms.
Gullible Tree is not a registered charity, nor do we accept corporate sponsorships or commissions. This site was created independently and exists solely to inform and support individuals who have been targeted by private parking operators, especially those who feel overwhelmed or unsure of where to start.
Private parking firms in the UK are not statutory bodies. They are private, profit-driven businesses that enforce parking terms through contractual claims. The notices they issue are not fines, but invoices — and often, not even legally enforceable ones.
Gullible Tree offers advice on:
• Challenging Parking Charge Notices (PCNs) issued by private operators
• Understanding your rights under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (PoFA)
• Identifying non-compliant notices that may not meet legal requirements
• Avoiding common traps, such as naming the driver when you are the registered keeper
• Responding to debt collector letters (tip: you usually don’t have to)
• Dealing with County Court claims, including how to draft a defence and respond to a Letter of Claim
• Raising complaints with the DVLA, BPA/IPC, or your MP
Most parking claims are designed to frighten people into quick payment. But when challenged properly, many of them collapse. At Gullible Tree, we provide straightforward, legally grounded advice, not fear mongering or gimmicks. If you’ve received a parking charge and don’t know what to do, we’re here to help you find a clear, confident path forward.
This is not legal representation, and we are not solicitors. But we can help you understand your position and point you to the right tools, laws, and strategies to fight back. The goal is to make sure you're not picked as the next piece of low-hanging fruit.
Coming soon: Templates, how-to guides, and example defences you can adapt to your own situation. If you’re facing a demand now and need urgent guidance, check the resources section or contact us directly.
My name is Danny Fyne. I’m a retired airline pilot who never expected to become immersed in the world of private parking enforcement — but after helping a close friend contest a Parking Charge Notice issued by an unregulated private company, I quickly realised something was very wrong.
What I uncovered was an unregulated, highly profitable industry operating in a legal grey zone, issuing over 40,000 so-called “parking fines” each day to ordinary motorists — many of whom have no idea these charges are not statutory fines, but speculative invoices issued in the hope they’ll simply pay up out of ignorance, fear or confusion.
That one case turned into dozens, then hundreds. For the past three years, I’ve been helping victims of this system understand their rights, draft appeals, and defend themselves against aggressive debt recovery and abusive county court litigation. I now operate this site — Gullible Tree — to share the knowledge I’ve acquired, because I’ve seen first-hand how this industry exploits legal ignorance to extract money from innocent people.
I’ve spent many hundreds of hours studying case law, legislation, industry codes of practice, and civil procedure rules. I can confidently say that I understand the tactics and weaknesses of these private parking companies better than most solicitors — and certainly better than the average adviser at your local Citizens Advice Bureau, who often do not have the specialist knowledge needed to assist with these cases.
To be clear:
• I only assist with parking charges issued by private parking companies (such as ParkingEye, UKPC, Horizon, MET, NCP, etc.)
• I do not advise on Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued by local councils or Transport for London, which follow a statutory regime under the Traffic Management Act 2004.
• For those cases, I highly recommend the excellent volunteer-run site Free Traffic Legal Advice (ftla.uk), which focuses on council-issued PCNs and statutory appeals.
• The purpose of Gullible Tree is to help people avoid becoming low-hanging fruit for these companies — who rely on you not understanding the difference between a fine and a speculative invoice, and who thrive on ignorance, fear, confusion, and silence. I aim to level the playing field.
I don’t charge for my help, and this is not a business. However, donations are voluntary, especially where the advice has successfully concluded in defeating a Parking Charge Notice. I do this because I believe in fairness, and I know how overwhelming it can be when you’re suddenly faced with threatening letters or a county court claim.
If you're dealing with a private parking charge and you're not sure where to start, you're in the right place.
This site is still under construction. However, if you have a PCN that you would like some advice on, please feel free to complete the form below and we will get back to you within 24 hours with an analysis.