Forgot to update V5C, worried about unknown parking fines

Okinaw

Hi all,

I've tried to find similar examples to mine for advice but haven't found anything.

I recently found out I had not updated my V5C...in over a year (I was taken very ill last year and moved back to my parents, I had updated everything else except my V5C for some reason!). Needless to say I called the DVLA in a panic and updated my address immediately.

I asked if they had any record of any outstanding fines, such as parking tickets and they said they did not hold that information.

I am now panicking wondering if I have any outstanding parking fines. I know I overstayed by approx 30mins on a private car park (free parking for max 1.5hr stay) a few months ago, but obviously I have not recieved anything as it would have gone to my old address (I did have Royal Mail forwaring in place, but that was only for a month and I moved over a year ago!). Here was I thinking I've gotten away with it!

I checked my drivers licence on the government website and see there are no points on my lience or anything related to speeding, so I dont think ive been caught speeding anywhere (I dont think I have been speeding anywhere).

I checked my credit report and I dont have any CCJs. If I did have unpaid parking fines for a private company how long would it take for them to escalate for a CCJ to appear?

My question is, what now? I have updated my details with the DVLA - IF i do have any unpaid parking fines and if the parking companies try to contact me again will they still use my old address, or will they contact the DVLA again and then be given my new address?

Should I be proactive and try and find out if there is anything outstanding against me? Or do I just wait and see if anything comes though the post...or worse, the bailiffs!?

Any help appreciated

Umkomaas

Simply do a SAR request to the DVLA. 

DVLA SUBJECT ACCESS REQUESTS 

You should email the DVLA and ask which organisations (when and for what reason) accessed the registered keeper's data from them between a range of dates you wish to check out. You need to provide the registered keeper's full name and address, the address on the V5C logbook and the Vehicle Registration Mark of the vehicle you are checking. 

SubjectAccess.Requests@dvla.gov.uk

This service is free of charge. 

Even though you email your request, the DVLA will respond via Royal Mail.

That should give you some idea as to whether anything might jump out of the shadows - private parking firms, local authorities or Plod. 

Okinaw

Hi Umkomaas,
Thank you, I will do that now. If that does bring anything up what should I do then? Assuming it comes back with the company names should I contact them directly? Or do I just wait in agony for them to contact me (or hope they just drop it)? 

Umkomaas

Rather than respond to a list of what ifs, just come back with any substantive information. Hypothesising now is wasteful of effort - have you seen the workload a very small number of regulars are dealing with?  

Have you read every one of (literally) the 200 threads that have appeared here for advice over just the past 7 days, some very complicated, (we have) and contributed to any one of those (as most of us have)?

Coupon-mad

AND - CALLING ALL NEWBIES!

Please now make a real difference because not enough people have yet, and time is running out.

An urgent task – deadline approaching in about ten days:

The Government is consulting for just a few more days, about a new statutory code of practice (CoP) and framework to rein in the rogue parking firms.  Read and comment on the draft CoP proposal and the enforcement framework consultation, and get everyone you know to do the same.

You will need to register then log in, to comment on the CoP and enter an occupation even if you are retired or a homemaker.  Submit comments as soon as you are happy with them.

https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2020-00193#/section

You do not need to register to comment on the enforcement framework which can be found here. It has a link on page 5 to make comments.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/913272/Code_Enforcement_Framework_consultation.pdf

HOW TO DO THE SUBMISSIONS:

1. Read the cover letter

2. Read the cover letter again and note the suggested extra questions...and if you agree that, say, the 'loading/unloading and dropping off, asking for directions, and disabled people parking on double yellows as they can on street' activities listed should be exempt (not parking events, what do you think?) then please go to the Annexes at the end of the PAS Code and find the one about Exempt Vehicles and state what other activity you think should be added to the exempt list.  

 

If you do nothing else, please comment on:

- the amount of the parking charge levels

- the annexes at the end of the PAS (reading through the whole thing takes hours so if you have nothing to say about the definitions, for example, then skip to more vital points and the annex tables at the end.

- the bit about debt collectors and whether you think PPCs should be allowed to add 'costs' a second time, for the letters that are already within the rationale of the 'parking charge' sum...hmmm...

Responses into the PAS 232 and MHCLG framework documents are not completely straightforward:

On the MHCLG response, you have to answer the questions on a 1-5 scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree, and then put some commentary. No way to upload documents or alternatives but this doesn't take long.

 

 On the PAS 232, you have to click on each clause and sub-clause to put your comments, and a suggested rewording of their draft.  You can see comments which other people have written!   But, when you click ‘submit’, a message pops up to say your comments have been received, but that only applies to the particular clause you have just addressed.  

You have to go back up and find the next section, then the next...

You have to click ‘submit’ separately for each individual clause response.  Some people will be caught out by this but can revisit it and add further responses up to 12 October.

 

Things to think about:

A Speeding fine is £100.  A Local Authority lower rate parking penalty is £50.  Which do you think a private PCN should be like or do you think it should be something different?  

Do you think if all payment methods are not functioning that PPC can 'fine' you?

 

Do you think the examples mentioned in the cover letter are right and need adding to the Annex?

 

etc. etc.

 

 

Le_Kirk

Okinaw said:

Thank you, I will do that now. If that does bring anything up what should I do then? Assuming it comes back with the company names should I contact them directly? Or do I just wait in agony for them to contact me (or hope they just drop it)? 

Not by phone, everything in writing. BUT as @Umkomaas says, why pre-empt.  Wait and then if you do receive something, come here for specific bespoke advice.
Of course, if you do receive anything, send a Data Rectification Notice to the DPO of whichever PPC contacts you and advise them of your new address for service and tell them you require them to ERASE your old data.

Okinaw

Le_Kirk said:

Okinaw said:

Thank you, I will do that now. If that does bring anything up what should I do then? Assuming it comes back with the company names should I contact them directly? Or do I just wait in agony for them to contact me (or hope they just drop it)? 

Not by phone, everything in writing. BUT as @Umkomaas says, why pre-empt.  Wait and then if you do receive something, come here for specific bespoke advice.
Of course, if you do receive anything, send a Data Rectification Notice to the DPO of whichever PPC contacts you and advise them of your new address for service and tell them you require them to ERASE your old data.

Hi Le Kirk, thank you for your advice.
I made a SAR to the DVLA and found that Euro Cark Parks and Ranger Services had requested my information (July 2019 for the former and September 2020 for the later).

I made a SAR to Ranger Services and received that back this week -  I have received copies of two notices sent by HighView Parking to my old address, one being the initial charge notice sent on the 14th Sept demanding payment of £55 (if paid in 14 days, etc etc), followed by a reminder notice send on the 1st Oct, demanding payment of £95 (with debt recovery charge to be incurred if not paid in 14 days from then).

What is the next step I should take? Would you recommend I put in a Right to Rectification and then just see what happens? Or just bite the bullet and pay the fee? (there is no question that I was at fault at all). What is the likelihood they will take matters further?

Thank you very much.

Umkomaas

While neither HV nor ECP are currently litigious, they have 6 years to issue court proceedings. You really don't want those being served at a former address, otherwise a judgment in default is bound to follow, you only likely to find out when you discover your credit rating has been trashed. 

Even though the ECP charge is relatively old, I think I'd still be informing them of your new address. At worst it might trigger them into pestering you again for a little while. Of itself, it won't cause them to issue proceedings, not unless you become their first court case from the hundreds of thousands of motorists with outstanding charges. 

nosferatu1001

Tell both your current address, and instruct them this is your address for service and they must erase your previous address as it is no longer valid. No questioning of this further, youve been told this more than once now.

Fruitcake

Send the correction notice as advised above to the DPO of the scammers. Retain proof of sending. Use the exact words in bold used by Umkomaas.

Umkomaas

Fruitcake said:

Send the correction notice as advised above to the DPO of the scammers. Retain proof of sending. Use the exact words in bold used by Umkomaas.

@nosferatu1001