Contractor PCN in residential parking

Sagz123

Dear all,

Thank you for reading in advance and I am seeking advice for a colleague.

I've tried to identify themes read in previous posts and I think either ignoring completely maybe an option or initially that a Subject Access Request may be the first step for my colleague to undertake.

My colleague was having some work undertaken at his/her flat. He/She is the owner of the property on a leasehold agreement. He/She arranged for a contractor who parked his/her vehicle into a gated residential property whilst undertaking some renovation work at the premises.

My colleague then contacted his/her managing agents to inform them that there may be a vehicle in a particular parking bay numbered to the premises without a permit. The management agents reassured my colleague (the premises owner) that no parking ticket would be issued and a new permit would be sent out. In that time frame the contractor received a "parking fine" on his/her vehicle despite the managing agents assuring both my colleague and the contractor that no "fine" would be received.

My colleague now, 4 months after the original discussion with the managing agents and having the contractor complete the work, received a notice and demand for payment from a debt recovery team acting on behalf of a parking company. This is the first contact he/she has had after he/she submitted an online appeal explaining that the managing agents had assured both my colleague and contractor that no parking "fine" would be issued.

The demand states that "details were sent to the address provided by the DVLA for the registered keeper.......due to their being no response we have utilised a tracing service which has provided the above new address as your most current address"

My colleague is not the registered keeper nor was he/she the driver of the vehicle. My colleague often has work undertaken by the contractor and would not want the contractor to pay any monies as the contractor was given authority by the property owner to park in the designated area.

Currently, the contractor is abroad and may have received numerous "demand for payments" which my colleague presumes the contractor ignored / hasn't addressed given that he/she is abroad for some time.

Would the collective suggest my colleague ignores this initial letter demanding monies or submits an SAR or something different?

Thanks in advance.