Debt collectors letter with no prior contact

wanders1981

Hi

Hoping someone is able to give me some advice as I'm pulling my hair out today! 

I recieved a letter in the post from a debt collection agency (Trace Debt Recovery) stating that I owe £170 for a PCN that I have had no prior communication about. The alledged incident was on 14th June and I know that I went to the cinema on this day, I have also checked my Google maps timeline which also confirms I only travelled from home to the cinema and back on this day.
The car park that I can only assume is the one where the car parking infringement took place is a barrier operated car park so I would have had to pay to get out! 

I've tried to contact NCP who the debt collectors are acting on behalf of but I was on hold for 55 minutes without answer today. There isn't any way of contacting them either (chat is not working and they're not accepting postal communication).

If for any reason I have breached the rules then I'm happy to pay the original fine but I don't think it's fair to pay £170, it seems a bit of a joke! 

Any advice appreciated

Coupon-mad

But you just ignore Trace.

It is also not a 'fine'.

CERTAINLY stop phoning NCP or Trace!  Please stop.  Do not speak to anyone.  Do not do the daft online Chat thing. Do not talk about who was driving or what happened or that you are "happy to pay a fine".

See the 4th post of the NEWBIES thread.

You need to ask yourself why you didn't receive any earlier letters.

The usual answer is that the Registered Keeper's address in the vehicle's Registration Document(V5c) hasn't been updated following a change of address. Did you perhaps move and overlook that requirement?

Please check your V5c.

The good news is that it's very easy to make that change online at the DVLA website. 

wanders1981

Thanks for your help.
I did check my v5 logbook this morning and it's up to date. I bought the car in July last year and that is the date that I was the registered keeper at my current address so I don't think that's part of the problem.

Any chance you can direct me to the 4th post of the newbie thread (being a total noob) 

Grizebeck

No just spend time looking 
It's a self help forum

Coupon-mad

wanders1981 said:

Thanks for your help.
I did check my v5 logbook this morning and it's up to date. I bought the car in July last year and that is the date that I was the registered keeper at my current address so I don't think that's part of the problem.

Any chance you can direct me to the 4th post of the newbie thread (being a total noob) 

Because we need newbies to use the forum well, we don't link sticky threads that are pinned at the top of the forum all the time.

My signature already tells you where it is and exactly how to click there. I don't know why people never seem to read my signature...!

Brie

Because we need newbies to use the forum well, we don't link sticky threads that are pinned at the top of the forum all the time.

My signature already tells you where it is and exactly how to click there. I don't know why people never seem to read my signature...!

If you want people to pay attention to your signature maybe you could put the link in that like other experts do.  

Coupon-mad

We aren't allowed links in signatures.

KeithP

Coupon-mad said:

We aren't allowed links in signatures.

Yes, I always thought that too, but re-reading the rules just now we can see...

Note the words "or links to any pages within the MSE Forum" in there.
I don't remember seeing that before.

Coupon-mad

Ah that's new.

Maybe I'll try it - but maybe not - because spoon-feeding a link is seriously not at all good for new posters to use the forum properly and learn how to hop around.