In your first defence point you say, ' I stopped in the layby for a very brief period of time. I did not see any nearby signage prohibiting this.' Yet in your first post you say that it was your wife who was driving? It is recommended that you always refer to 'the driver', without identifying same. It just creates an extra hurdle for the PPC

Nobody said you cannot unload for 5 minutes, you can park all day if thats how long it takes but sadly with Council parking the onus is on you to prove thats what you were doing. The Council will probably reject your representation, most have an unofficial policy of rejecting all informal representations so you may have to keep going to the formal appeal stage. Write in the first instance with proof of residency for the house owner and a letter explaining why it took the time it did to unload bearing in mind loading has to be continual so don't say anything stupid like you stopped for a cuppa or anything other th

OB2 most parking companies operate to take as much money off motorists as they can regardless of the legality of how they do it. We help motorists to avoid paying them any money at all. You say that you have been trawling forums looking for guidance-well done for that. However there are so many things that parking companies get wrong whilst carrying out their work of parting our money from us so you have to thing wider than just overstaying. To help us could you please send us photgraphs of the signs and notices in the car park. Often they do not comply with the Law which means they have no right to even demand money. In addition