Being chased by debt recovery for parking notices I never received

SheShah

I received a letter recently from a debt recovery agency for a supposed parking charge from the local train station. I was never issued a parking ticket at the train station and I have never received a notice through the post by whoever was supposed to issue the ticket. 

The letter from the debt recovery company says I have not "responded to previous letters". I rang them last week to try to explain I have never received any letters to notify me of a ticket and the lady stated only 1 letter had been sent to me, when I questioned why they had stated multiple letters had been sent, she became increasingly aggressive and I was advised that the letter from the debt recovery company is generic and if I don't pay the charge I will be taken to court and then hung up on me.

I have subsequently started receiving texts from the debt recovery company telling me to pay and rang citizens advice today to ask what I should do. Citizens advice suggested I ring the debt recovery company and get the details of their client and to then contact the parking notice issuing company and explain I've never received any charge notice from them and appeal the ticket. So I rang the debt recovery company again, this time I spoke to a man, who kept talking over me very loudly so I couldn't even speak. I was told they would not give me the information of their client, if I didn't pay the charge they would take me to court, their client is not obliged to speak to me and then hung up on me.

I'm a little lost, stressed and upset as I really don't know what to do next. I don't have any detail of what the issue is and I can't get any answers from anyone. Is anyone on here able to advise me?

Zbubuman

Read the Newbie Thread on debt collection letters (just file these, and you can ignore them).  

Le_Kirk

SheShah said:

..........she became increasingly aggressive and I was advised that the letter from the debt recovery company is generic and if I don't pay the charge I will be taken to court and then hung up on me.

I have subsequently started receiving texts from the debt recovery company telling me to pay and rang citizens advice today to ask what I should do. Citizens advice suggested I ring the debt recovery company and get the details of their client and to then contact the parking notice issuing company and explain I've never received any charge notice from them and appeal the ticket. So I rang the debt recovery company again, this time I spoke to a man, who kept talking over me very loudly so I couldn't even speak. I was told they would not give me the information of their client, if I didn't pay the charge they would take me to court, their client is not obliged to speak to me and then hung up on me.

.... and that is why the advice in the NEWBIE sticky is to NEVER phone a debt collector.  They can do nothing to you.  Have you read the NEWBIE sticky yet particularly the fourth post?  Whilst Citizens Advice are good for some stuff, they fall sadly down on their knowledge of parking companies.  You are now in the best place for advice but time for you to do some reading,

LDast

Is the address on your V5C vehicle logbook top to date and correct? Did you change address and update your drivers licence address with the DVLA but forgot to update the V5C?

Please read the Newbies/FAQ thread. If you had done so, you would not be wasting your time communicating with powerless debt collectors. On the DRA letters you have received, it should mention in them on whose behalf they are chasing you. They cannot do so without mentioning that fact.

So, based on the above advice, which PPC is the creditor. Which train station? DO NOT, under any circumstances give away the identity of the driver. You have been contacted only as the registered keeper. No one but you knows who the driver was and there is no legal obligation to reveal the identity of the driver.

If the PCN is for an alleged breach of contract for parking at a railway station, it is highly likely that it is a "golden ticket" as long as the drivers identity is not revealed.

Coupon-mad

I suspect the first letters went to your old address. Why is that? Is your V5C address still showing a previous address? That's the one the DVLA give out to the scammers; whatever was on your logbook.

Nellymoser

You may wish to support this once you've checked address on V5C.
So many people don't receive 1st/2nd pcn but the £170 payment due letter often manages to drop through letter boxes. PPCs always claim discounted/full rate pcn/court claim letters were sent though offer no evidence to prove this. A letter's issue date is not it's sending date nor does it prove the letter was sent.

Since PPCs CHOOSE NOT to provide evidence of their posting date and delivery we must continue to press gov to ensure they do. Please sign/share these petitions.

Require communications from Private Parking companies to be traceable/trackable. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/652355

Immediately Reintroduce Private Parking Code of Practice. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/660922

Thanks and good luck.