Help - Parking charges

sdk2023

Hi all,

I hope this is the right section to post this in.

I have just received 2 parking charges for overstaying in an Iceland car park.

The dates of the overstays are 2018 and 2019!!! I have only just received notification of the charges.

Do I still have to pay considering it has taken the company Debt Recovery Plus almost 5 tears to send me a letter? 

How can I get out of this as it amounts to £320 which I can't afford. They want payment in 30 days

Any advice very gratefully received.

Stephen 

Car_54

There is a sub-forum entitled 'Parking Tickets Fines and Parking'. My guess is that would be a better place to post.

sdk2023

Thanks Car_54 unfortunately i don't know how to move my post, I'm not very internet savvy. Can you help? Many thanks again stephen

CliveOfIndia

One of the mods can move the post for you, but it may be simpler to just start a new post over there.

In the meantime, a couple of questions.  Firstly, how come you've received a communication from a debt collector - have you not previously received the original PCN?  If you did receive the PCN, what action did you take?

Secondly, where did this take place (England/Wales/Scotland)?  Scotland has slightly different rules to the rest of the UK, so knowing the location may influence the advice you're given.

sdk2023

No communication has been previously received, I knew nothing about this until today,

it's all rather strange that after nearly 5 years I receive a letter. Also the letter seems quite polite, not particularly threatening. Just requesting payment and if no payment is made then they will refer back to their client.

This happened in England.

Thanks Clive

DE_612183

Hi Clive - here is the source of the info you need:
**NEWBIES!! PRIVATE PARKING TICKET? OLD OR NEW? **READ THESE FAQS FIRST!** Thankyou! — MoneySavingExpert Forum

First Rule - don't agree to anything, and appear to the landowner first.

Grizebeck

Ignore Debt recovery plus
Your letters were for excel parking ltd
As long as they have the correct address then do nothing further
Do not write or phone drp. They are harmless

Le_Kirk

The usual reason for receiving debt collector letters and no PCN is because your address is not up-to-date (or wasn't at the time of the event).  The PPC can only get your address from the DVLA and that is the one on your V5C, debt management companies often do a soft-search (costing 29p) to find a correct/current address.  Make sure your V5C is up-to-date and if it isn't/wasn't send a data rectification notice to the DPO of the PPC.  Acronyms are to be found in the NEWBIE sticky and I see you have been pointed there by @DE_612183

Coupon-mad

You do just need to do one thing.

Same advice as here earlier today:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80087691#Comment_80087691

And the stage you are at, and what to expect in the end (when you'll win, if they try a court claim with 6 years) is all covered in the NEWBIES thread posts 4 and 2 (in that order).