Weird PCN Notice Situation - need advice!

TeachThrifty23

Hi all,

Bit of a complicated one.

I’ve received a letter from a debt collection agency asking for £155 to clear a Parking Charge Notice from back in July. 

In July I went for an end of term drink with a number of colleagues in a pub next to our workplace. I parked in the car park, scanned the sign and saw that customers were exempt from parking charges. Win! I had one drink and left. I was there for about 30 minutes. 

My problem has arisen because at the time I had recently moved house and didn’t realise I had to change my address on my drivers license (idiot, I know!). I think because my address wasn’t up to date, I didn’t receive the original letter from the car park operator informing me of the charge and notifying me of my right to appeal. We did ask the new owners to forward post, but either they haven’t done so or the post has been mislaid. 

The first I heard about any of this was when I got the letter from the debt collection agency telling me they’d gotten my new address from the DVLA (I updated it mid August) and that I’d lost the right to appeal and have to pay them £155. 

I know I should have had an up to date address on my license back in July, but I feel that being asked to pay so much tor a parking charge I wasn’t eligible for in the first place (and being told I now can’t appeal at all) is really unfair. 

Does anyone have any advice about what I could do? I’ve not been in touch with the debt collection agency yet - If I go to court, will I be deemed liable because I should have updated my address on moving house day? Am I screwed here because of my own lack of knowledge?

Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

UncleThomasCobley

First of all, your drivers licence details have absolutely nothing to do with why you never received correspondence. It is the address on your V5C that is used. You obviously have still not changed that and you must do so immediately or you could get a real "fine" of up to £1,000 from the DVLA. Just go online and do it now.

You should also have a very careful read of the Newbies/FAQ thread on what to do and when. Ignore completely debt collector letters. They are powerless.

Have you tried Plan A? Did you complain to the landowner/pub and ask them to get their scamming agents to cancel the PCN? Have ou emailed your MP and asked for their intervention?

You're probably too late for Plans B and C and may have to rely on Plan D, a court claim, to get this out of your life.

Newbies/FAQ tells all.

You need to email the DPO of the PPC and instruct them to  rectify your details by erasing your old address and use your current address for all future correspondence and service of any documents. (Words highlighted for a reason)

KeithP

This has nothing to do with the address on your Driving Licence.

They got details of your vehicle's registered keeper from the DVLA using the Vehicle's Registration Mark.

You need to update the address on your vehicle's Registration Document(V5c) whenever you move.
Can be done online.

Coupon-mad

Change the address on your logbook online.

Not that it solves this issue but you MUST change your V5C not just the driving licence, which is irrelevant to PCNs.

If you still haven't changed the address in your V5C you are in breach of the law right now.  It's an offence not to.

The first I heard about any of this was when I got the letter from the debt collection agency telling me they’d gotten my new address from the DVLA 

No they certainly didn't tell you that.  They didn't ask the DVLA.  They traced your new address by doing a 29 pence soft trace.

You just need to respond and tell them and the PPC to ERASE THE OLD ADDRESS and confirm the correct address for service.  

You can't appeal but that's no loss because it's considered bent (due to be replaced by the Government stepping in) and you won't be paying anything anyway. Of course no paying!

Your situation is far from unusual.  Pretty much half the cases here are exactly like yours and obviously 'PLAN A' is how to get it cancelled which is why the NEWBIES thread says that.