Alleged unpaid DART charge

pangit58

On Saturday, when I returned home in the early evening, I had received a letter from a company called Bristow & Suter. It is a demand for payment for money they claim I owe to National Highways. It would appear that it is for an unpaid DART charge. As far as I am aware, the last, and maybe the only time I can remember using the Dartford Crossing was when I went to an ex colleague's funeral in Essex in January 2024. This is the first time I have received any communication whatsoever about an outstanding charge, for what might have been an issue 10 months ago. I specifically remember paying the charge, as I had problems doing it on line, so had to do it over the phone. I will of course be contacting Bristow & Suter, and going through my bank records to find the payment. However, the issue I have is do I have any rights given that this is the first notification I have had, 10 months later, and more importantly, the due date for the payment was 9/11/2024, the date I received the letter. I did change the registered address for my vehicle earlier this year as we had moved, but this was in early April, 8 months ago.

Nellymoser

Interesting article 
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/m25-dartford-crossing-drivers-slapped-9702120

Gr1pr

On various news sources today 

https://metro.co.uk/2024/11/11/drivers-handed-4-000-000-worth-fines-mistake-dartford-crossing-21964603/

I also read it on sky news this morning too

Umkomaas

Calling the Dart crossing operators and explain the situation has previously been a successful strategy. 

Coupon-mad

pangit58 said:

On Saturday, when I returned home in the early evening, I had received a letter from a company called Bristow & Suter. It is a demand for payment for money they claim I owe to National Highways. It would appear that it is for an unpaid DART charge. As far as I am aware, the last, and maybe the only time I can remember using the Dartford Crossing was when I went to an ex colleague's funeral in Essex in January 2024. This is the first time I have received any communication whatsoever about an outstanding charge, for what might have been an issue 10 months ago. I specifically remember paying the charge, as I had problems doing it on line, so had to do it over the phone. I will of course be contacting Bristow & Suter, and going through my bank records to find the payment. However, the issue I have is do I have any rights given that this is the first notification I have had, 10 months later, and more importantly, the due date for the payment was 9/11/2024, the date I received the letter. I did change the registered address for my vehicle earlier this year as we had moved, but this was in early April, 8 months ago.

But had you moved before the event in January? In whicb case everything went to your old house.