London Tribunals

Preparing for your appeal

• Please submit any photographs or documents that you intend to rely on at your appeal hearing in advance. If the Enforcement Authority has issued you with a verification code evidence can be uploaded via the appellant portal on our website here. If you have not received a verification code, evidence can be sent by post to arrive no later than six working days before your hearing date. We will then be able to forward copies to the Enforcement Authority. If your evidence is late or you bring them with you to the hearing it will be up to the Adjudicator to decide whether you can rely on this evidence. The Adjudicator may decide to adjourn the hearing for the evidence to be sent to the Enforcement Authority.
• The Adjudicator will consider the evidence presented by you and the Enforcement Authority. The Adjudicator will not obtain evidence or contact witnesses on your behalf. Any witness you seek to rely on should file a statement and ideally attend the hearing to given evidence in person.
• The Enforcement Authority should send you a copy of its evidence at least three days before the hearing.

Coming to the hearing centre

• Bring your appointment letter and all your paperwork with you.
• The hearing rooms are open to the public. You may bring a friend or family member with you if you wish. Children cannot be left unattended at the hearing centre.
• The hearing centre is wheelchair accessible. If you require a signer or interpreter, you may bring a relative or friend to assist you. Information on other reasonable adjustments that may be available to you can be found on our website here.
• No dogs are permitted in the hearing centre except for guide dogs and assistance dogs.
• You should arrive in good time and telephone the hearing centre if you are going to be late. View contact details.  We aim to start your hearing within 15 minutes of the scheduled time however the length of hearings is unpredictable. Please be aware that if someone arriving after you is called into a hearing room before you it may be that they are attending a different type of appeal.
• The Hearing Centre is located at Chancery Exchange, 10 Furnival St, London EC4A 1AB.  More detailed information on how to find us can be found on our website. View location details.

If you are unable to attend your hearing

• If you are unable to attend your personal hearing for any reason please contact us by telephone as soon as possible. View contact details. 
• To avoid any delay in considering your request, please do not e-mail or post it to us.
• Unless you have spoken to somebody or received written or e-mail confirmation that your hearing has been rescheduled, please do not assume that you will automatically be granted an adjournment.

Your hearing

• The Adjudicator is a lawyer, impartial and independent of the motorist and the Enforcement Authorities. The hearing is informal but is nevertheless a judicial hearing like a court.
• The Enforcement Authority usually relies on written evidence only but may send a representative to the hearing.  All the evidence will be made available for viewing by the Adjudicator on our electronic Case Management System during the hearing. The Adjudicator will not usually have previewed the evidence.
• The Adjudicator will conduct the hearing. Do tell the Adjudicator if you have any specific needs or if you have difficulty understanding the proceedings for any reason.
• You will not be asked to take an oath when giving evidence, but you must tell the truth. If you do not, you could be prosecuted.
• Witnesses may be asked to wait in the reception area until the Adjudicator calls them in.
• All hearings are digitally recorded for reference purposes. You may not record, film or photograph the hearing. All telephones and devices must be turned to silent whilst in the hearing centre.
• Security officers are in attendance.

The decision

• If you come to a personal hearing the Adjudicator will usually tell you the outcome of the appeal at the end of the hearing.  However, a copy of the decision will also be sent to you. If you do not attend the hearing of your personal appeal, it will be considered by the Adjudicator in your absence.  If you have opted for a postal decision, it will be sent to you on the first working day after the Adjudicator has considered your case.  The decision is binding on you and the Enforcement Authority. All decisions are available for viewing on our statutory register online at www.londontribunals.gov.uk or by visiting the hearing centre.
• There is no right of appeal from an Adjudicator’s decision, but the decision may be further challenged by the following procedures:

1. An application for review. Under paragraph 12 of Schedule 1 to the Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Representations and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2022 and Regulation 11 of the Road Traffic (Parking Adjudicators) (London) Regulations 1993, a review may only be granted if a ground for review is established namely:
    
   1. The decision was wrongly made as the result of an administrative error.
   2. You failed to appear or be represented at a hearing for some good reason.
   3. There is new evidence, and the existence of that evidence could not have been reasonably known or foreseen before the decision.
   4. The interests of justice require a review.

2. Judicial Review. If an Adjudicator interprets the law incorrectly, he can be corrected by the High Court in a procedure called Judicial Review. If you wish to use this procedure you would be wise to seek legal advice.  You must file the claim in the High Court promptly and normally not later than 3 months after the date of the decision that you wish to challenge.  

Costs

• Under paragraph 13 of Schedule 1 to the 2022 Regulations or Regulation 12 of the 1993 Regulations above, either party may apply for costs. Although the Adjudicator shall not normally award costs, they may if the other party to the appeal has acted ‘frivolously, vexatiously or wholly unreasonably’.
• If an Adjudicator is considering making an order for costs, the other party has the right to give their view before any order is made. An award would be to cover the costs and expenses involved in conducting the appeal – it does not include compensation for distress or inconvenience.  If you wish to make an application for costs, you must write to us promptly, setting out why you think an award should be made and providing details of the costs you have incurred with evidence such as receipts or invoices. If you want to make your application to the Adjudicator in person, please make that clear so that a costs hearing can be scheduled.