linked to NPPR - but slightly off topic; for reasons I won't go into; for a few years I was unable to pay the NPPR - Property when sold was then hit with the huge unpaid nppr fees. I am currently appealing those - and will update on the outcome. starting locally and will escalate to Europe if need be.
How can you get around paying NPPR penalties? It's impossible. As you said yourself you knew about it and didn't pay it. We debated this on here and as far as I'm aware the conclusion is there was no lee way.