There’s a specific type of request (Subject Access Request) that the companies must respond to in 30 Days.
On the Money Saving Expert forums, they have people (just forum volunteers) who guide you through the process, review your appeal, update the pro-forma correspondence, assist and review your defence etc… They’re absolutely brilliant
The key with the SAR, is understanding what info they have, before you try to appeal. For example, in this case, they may have photo evidence that the driver went nowhere near the ticket machine (so perhaps an alternate ‘excuse’ might be more apt)… That said, unless 100% necessary, admitting to being the driver at all is probably not the best idea…(which is why it pays to take the advice on that forum, before entering into any correspondence with the Parking companies)
The other thing to bear in mind is that the additional charges which these companies add on for so called “administration costs” in order to try and pressure people to pay are not enforceable and may well compromise their claim.
They’re absolute shysters Mex… most of these companies have been borne out of dodgy security firms or clamping companies and they operate on the fringes of legality and frequently cross the line…
In one case I had a locally based parking company that had completely falsified documents when requesting my details from the DVLA…