Further to the comments from Paul Sutton and Paul Moorman (Letters, December 1 and 11), sorry folks but, from my experience, appealing against parking tickets does not work.

I am a motor engineer trying to run a business in Zone M, Hove. Unfortunately for me, I have customers from far and wide - that is, outside Zone M - and so regularly receive parking tickets on my customers' cars.

I fill in an appeal form, receive an acknowledgement saying the fine is not being increased while they - whoever that is - consider the appeal.

The next time I hear anything is when my customers ring me to inform me they have received bills from the council for £60 and if they are not paid they will send the bailiffs round.

When I confronted the parking office about this, it was casually and flippantly attended to. When I asked what I should do about tickets, the person actually suggested I put the cost of the fine on the customer's bill.

If I did that, I would end up without any customers and Brighton and Hove City Council would end up losing more than £100 a month it takes off me for business rates - for which I receive nothing in return.

-C J Naish, Brunswick Street East, Hove