Keep getting letters for a car I wasn’t driving!

Nodnol88

Hi all, 

Ive read the Newbie threads but I don’t think I saw anything relating to this scenario; apologies if it’s there somewhere. 

I keep receiving letters for a parking charge for a vehicle I wasn’t driving or even the hirer at the time. It’s now progressed to receiving a letter from Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd.

The original PCN came from UK Parking Control. When I saw the first letter, I took one look at the reg and the location and binned it. 

Second letter I checked with my company’s fleet team to see who the reg was meant to be assigned to. The vehicle in question was delivered to me in August, and the following day handed over to someone else. The charge in question is for 16/10/24, months after I’d be transferred into two different fleet vehicles.

My company chased the lease company to A) make sure they had the correct driver to the correct vehicle, and request that they contact the issuer of the PCN about the correct person to send correspondence to. 

I thought this would resolve it.

Third letter and I go online and fill in their appeal form and state that they need to check with the lease company because they’ve confirmed to me and the fleet team that they’ve confirmed to the fine issuer that they need to contact someone else. I have this email trail saved. 

Fourth letter states I can’t appeal anymore, and I’ve just received a letter form the above debt recovery firm. 

Now I understand because it’s a private company, I’m not having bailiffs knocking at my door, but this is so infuriatingly frustrating that they haven’t just applied common sense. I can prove where I was, what car I was driving on the day in question, what car my fuel card has been used on, and I’ve email correspondence going back months between me, the fleet team and the lease company confirming that they’ve confirmed notice should have gone to someone else and I didn’t have that car anymore.

i became a first time father two days; my pregnant wife didn’t appreciate the letters arriving (she’s quick to panic when the letters are so manipulative) and now we are first time parents, i really can’t be doing with this nonsense! 

What’s my next steps? So far it’s impossible to talk to a human being.

Gr1pr

Ignore DCBL,  powerless debt collectors 

Go to the BPA AOS members list and look up UKPC 

Complain about the saga to UKPC direct and tell them to recheck the facts,  plus stop harassing you,  to call off the dogs too,  and to go chase the correct actual driver , because you were neither the keeper or the driver 

Inform them that you have no liability in law,  so will rigorously defend any future court claim plus will add a counter claim of no less than £300 or £500 

Lastly,  tell UKPC to tell their DPO they must erase your details from their records 

Nodnol88

Thank you. I had signed up this board prior to the birth of my son and the last few days have been a whirlwind, so it was only today when the next letter came that I jumped on here; apologies for missing stuff in the Newbies thread, that’ll be the sleep deprivation! 

Gr1pr

Your first error was last year,  when you read the UKPC letter and binned it 

Had you come here back then you would have been told to appeal it based on no liability,  Pofa2012 not complied with by UKPC,  plus not the hirer or lessee or keeper or driver , it would have been concluded last year with advice from here 

Binning letters never solves these matters 

Hence why you tell UKPC in your written complaint,  before any legal action starts

Bazarius

Get copies of all correspondences your company has written to  the lease company and keep that safe . 

Write to UKPC’s data controller requesting them to cease and desist from any further communications requesting payment of a debt not owed by yourself .  You are not in any way responsible for the vehicle in question whether as Keeper , driver or hirer .  This is causing unwarranted distress upon yourself for a debt not owed .

Demand a full erasure of your data held on  system in accordance with Article 17 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018. 

Failure to cease communication or confirming your data has been erased ,   you will seek legal advice to start action against UKPC ,and its debt recovery agencies involved, for any  damages and financial loss caused. 

Coupon-mad

And ask your MP to write for you. That'll work.

Nodnol88

Thanks all; I was flippant in binning the first letter because I knew it someone else’s car on my team and thought between our fleet team and the lease company it would get sorted. It was only after a google months later I found this invaluable resource and the amazing support and guidance you all offer.

I’ve emailed them a complaint including the points shared in the first reply and I also have saved the email trail where the lease company confirms they’ve contacted UKPC, which was last year! I’ll await their response but it does say it can take up to 28 days. 

Nodnol88

Hi all,

Received a final reminder from DCBL, but I haven’t heard back from the complaint email to UKPC (it’s still within their supposed 28 day timeframe for replies).

Should I sit tight and wait for the 28 days to expire to give them time to respond, or should I take further action? 

Umkomaas

Ignore the 'final reminder'.  If you don't get a reply to your complaint email, escalate the complaint to the BPA (via their website) and tell them they need to sort this out, or you will involve your MP and the national press!