Help Needed Please - Mistaken Identity

Dan11

Hi,

Sorry if this has been posted in the wrong place, I wasn't sure where to log it. I'm hoping for some help or advice, hopefully from someone that has been in a similar situation and managed to sort it out.

This will be quite a long post, please bear with me.

I recently received a letter from Merseyside magistrates court, this was a 'further steps notice' saying that I need to pay almost £600 or further steps will be taken. I initially thought this could be a scam as the letter was on poor quality paper and didn't detail what this fine was for, only the steps that would be taken if I didn't pay. I compared the contact details given to those online and the letter seems genuine so I called the court to find out what this refers to. It's worth mentioning that this was the first communication I have received on this matter.

When I spoke to a lady at the court she explained the only detail she could give me is that this refers to a vehicle with unpaid tax from 2015 and gave me the registration and explained it was a Ford transit van. The worrying thing is, I've never owned a vehicle with that registration, I've never even owned a van! The lady advised me to contact another number to dispute this claim, a number I've called 35 times over 4 days, each time to be told 'the operator is busy, please call again later'.

Meanwhile, I called the DVLA to explain the situation, they confirmed that the vehicle has never been registered at my address (where I've lived since 2012), but wouldn't give any more information i.e. confirming if the owner has an identical or similar name to me perhaps. The DVLA explained I would need to take the matter up with the court.

As the court weren't answering after numerous calls over 4 days, I emailed their contact box explaining the situation. My response was simply "This has been passed to us by the DVLA so the fine stands, you need to make payment"!

I'm not really sure where to go next. This vehicle is, or hasn't been, anything to do with me. I'm worried I could have bailiffs chasing me for a fine that is nothing to do with me and possibly a bad mark on my credit score.

Annoyingly, this is the first I've heard on this matter so hasn't given me chance to try and sort it out before receiving these threatening warnings. I cannot seem to get hold of anyone to explain and hopefully offer to investigate further.

Any help or advice would be appreciated

Thank you

Candyapple

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5574696
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2929078

Maybe follow the advice in those threads about making a statutory declaration?

Also make sure to check your credit files to see if you have a CCJ against you for this:
The free versions to check your credit files are below:
Experian: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/creditclub
Equifax: https://www.clearscore.com
Call Credit: https://www.noddle.co.uk

National_Debtline

Hi Dan11

This certainly seems a confusing situation if it relates to a van you’ve never owned. If you want to dispute a magistrates’ court fine you have 21 days from finding about the fine to file a statutory declaration under Section 14 of the Magistrates’ Court Act 1980. You do need legal advice on how to do this, and bear in mind as a new hearing will be held where you could be sentenced if found guilty. You can check online for places where you may be able get free legal advice in your local area such as www.lawcentres.org.uk. I hope you can get it sorted out.

Susie
@natdebtline

sourcrates

You've already been given a course of action to follow, if you need further clarification, go to Legal Beagles who offer free legal advice.

The site was set up by two solicitors so you can rely on any advice given :

http://legalbeagles.info/

Geoff1963

a lady at the court she explained the only detail she could give me is that this refers to a vehicle with unpaid tax from 2015

I called the DVLA to explain the situation, they confirmed that the vehicle has never been registered at my address (where I've lived since 2012), but wouldn't give any more information

So the DVLA : want you fined, because you owned the van ; and won't give you any more details, because you didn't. Sounds like one for the MP to look into.