Equita Baliffs Dart Charge

JMac3Turbo · 4 September 2017 at 6:34PM

Good evening,

First thing to say is I know I have mucked up here, but I'm wondering whether I can make this bad situation any less bad.

- I moved house last August and didn't change the address on my V5 (never thought to).
- I crossed the Dartford Crossing on 10/02/2017
- I received a letter from my tenant (living in the property, which belongs to me, I vacated last August) containing a hand delivered ENFORCEMENT NOTICE from Equita baliffs, dated 29/08/2017 demanding £425.50 (CLient debt: £115.50, Compliance Fee: £75 and a whopping £235.00 "Enforcement fee from Equita).

This is the first I heard of the failure to pay. I have used the Dartford Crossing several times since February and have paid up every time without issue. My tenant says he has thrown away "junk" mail and only kept any mail that "looked important".

- Is there any way of getting this fee reduced (I accept that I have messed up and will have to pay something)?
- If I contest the fees based on my defense of not having received any notifications, am i just setting myself up for prosecution for withholding information from the DVLA? Will there be further fines?

Anyone had any experience with this?

Thanks guys :]

Dr_Crypto · 5 September 2017 at 1:06PM

Have you tried speaking to the Dart Charge people? I had something similar with my Council Tax and London Congestion Charge once and I spoke to the authorities involved and got most of the charges removed.

macman · 5 September 2017 at 1:58PM

You don't have to receive the notice. It is deemed sufficient that they sent it to the address registered with the DVLA. The onus is on you to report a change of address, not for them to trace you.
Assuming you notified your insurer of an address change, how come this didn't trigger you to also change the V5C record and your driving licence record?

wgl2014 · 5 September 2017 at 4:46PM

Have a look here http://bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/index/dart-charge-and-tfl-congestion-charge/dart-charge
If you are going to do an OOT statement get advice on how to do it correctly.

Guest101 · 5 September 2017 at 5:13PM

JMac3Turbo wrote: »

Good evening,

First thing to say is I know I have mucked up here, but I'm wondering whether I can make this bad situation any less bad.

- I moved house last August and didn't change the address on my V5 (never thought to).
- I crossed the Dartford Crossing on 10/02/2017
- I received a letter from my tenant (living in the property, which belongs to me, I vacated last August) containing a hand delivered ENFORCEMENT NOTICE from Equita baliffs, dated 29/08/2017 demanding £425.50 (CLient debt: £115.50, Compliance Fee: £75 and a whopping £235.00 "Enforcement fee from Equita).

This is the first I heard of the failure to pay. I have used the Dartford Crossing several times since February and have paid up every time without issue. My tenant says he has thrown away "junk" mail and only kept any mail that "looked important".

- Is there any way of getting this fee reduced (I accept that I have messed up and will have to pay something)?
- If I contest the fees based on my defense of not having received any notifications, am i just setting myself up for prosecution for withholding information from the DVLA? Will there be further fines?

Anyone had any experience with this?

Thanks guys :]

I'd of thrown everything away after the first month. He's your tenant not your postman. Take responsibility for your own documents.

missile · 5 September 2017 at 9:17PM

Arrange mail forwarding

JMac3Turbo · 5 September 2017 at 9:55PM

"First thing to say is I know I have mucked up here, but I'm wondering whether I can make this bad situation any less bad."

Did you read this bit macman, Guest101, missile? As much as I enjoy being told how much of an idiot I am, I have already realised my mistake and am now simply asking for your help.

Thank you Dr Crypto and particularly wgl2014, I will check out that site :]

Guest101 · 6 September 2017 at 9:57AM

JMac3Turbo wrote: »

"First thing to say is I know I have mucked up here, but I'm wondering whether I can make this bad situation any less bad."

Did you read this bit macman, Guest101, missile? As much as I enjoy being told how much of an idiot I am, I have already realised my mistake and am now simply asking for your help.

Thank you Dr Crypto and particularly wgl2014, I will check out that site :]

I'm not sure why you even mentioned your tenant.... and used "quotation marks" on "junk". Like it's your tenants fault.

That immediately pointed out that this was someone else's fault in your eyes.

macman · 6 September 2017 at 11:22AM

JMac3Turbo wrote: »

"First thing to say is I know I have mucked up here, but I'm wondering whether I can make this bad situation any less bad."

Did you read this bit macman, Guest101, missile? As much as I enjoy being told how much of an idiot I am, I have already realised my mistake and am now simply asking for your help.

Thank you Dr Crypto and particularly wgl2014, I will check out that site :]

Yes, I read all of your post. None of us called you 'an idiot'. You asked if you had any defence and were then told 'no'. It's up to you if you want to accept that advice or contest it-if the latter, then any solicitor will be happy to advise you of the same for about £300 per hour.
I then asked you how you had managed to forget to do 3 address changes relating to your car (if you did), and others correctly suggested that relying on your tenant to forward your 'important' mail was bound to end in tears.
Your definition of 'help' appears to be telling you just what you want to hear, rather than the reality.

Equita Baliffs Dart Charge

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