cliam for unpaid petrol

tyco99

Hi

 

Sorry if this is covered elsewhere, I have searched the forum but can't find anything.

 

My work has received a letter from Trace Debt Recovery, saying on the 28th April 2021, my company car was identified as having taken fuel without paying for it, and they need to pay £150

My work originally replied asking for proof and questioning why it's taken them 4 years to write to us.  

 

They sent 3 pictures: 1 of my car at the pump, one of me putting petrol in the car, and one of a receipt for £30. I have checked my bank and I was at that petrol station on the day and have a payment for £7 taken from my card.

 

Work then replied, saying as they had not been contacted in 4 years, the £150 charge was excessive and they would be happy to pay the £30.

 

Trace has confirmed no other letters have been sent and just came back saying they want £150 in 14 days or will pass to their legal team

 

Does anybody know where I stand? My work wants me to pay the £150. It does look like I was there on the day, and it's more than likely I put £30 of petrol in my car. It's possible that when I paid, they didn’t add the petrol to my bill, and I never checked this was just after lockdown, and from memory, the petrol station was empty, so I doubt they could claim they were busy.

 

I’m happy to pay the £30 back and possibly a small fee, but £150 just seems excessive.

Glad

what vehicle were you driving? £150 seems a large amount of fuel 

MattMattMattUK

Glad said:

what vehicle were you driving? £150 seems a large amount of fuel 

The OP stated that the amount of unpaid fuel was £30, the charge demanded by the vultures is £150, that will include their "fees" and some claimed "fine".

Umkomaas

Ignore Trace, they have no standing in this other than to send silly letters. Defend a court claim if a solicitor - DCB Legal, BW Legal, Moorside (or their ilk) - issues one. 

But we deal with private parking tickets, so you really need to post this on a more appropriate MSE sub forum - hit the red 'Report' button and ask a forum admin member to move the thread there. Good luck. 

Car1980

If you're under pressure from work send them a cheque for £30 marked in full and final settlement.

How can you take the fuel and a random amount be deducted from your account?

That's one of many hurdles if they were daft enough to make a court claim. But the biggest would be that you paid the £30. There would be no legal legitimate interest on their part and they'd be reduced to attempting to claim self-inflicted costs.

Coupon-mad

I think you must hook it away from your workplace. Get them to name you and your address and tell Trace to take the matter up with you, the driver.

Then you IGNORE THEM until you get a LBC from Moorside Legal. Then come back here.

Baldytyke88

tyco99 said:

They sent 3 pictures: 1 of my car at the pump, one of me putting petrol in the car, and one of a receipt for £30. I have checked my bank and I was at that petrol station on the day and have a payment for £7 taken from my card.

So it's likely that you bought food etc and you were not charged for the petrol.

That could be their fault, but you should have checked.

There should be a time restriction on fines such as this, how can anyone remember if they also paid £30 in cash!

DullGreyGuy

Baldytyke88 said:

There should be a time restriction on fines such as this, how can anyone remember if they also paid £30 in cash!

There is, its 6 years 

Grey_Critic

This was I assume your company vehicle hence them contacting your employer - were you reimbursed by your employer via expenses?

How do you record/claim them - Did you claim £7 - £30 or £37 pounds. It does seem to have taken an inordinate amount of time. Are you sure that you did not pay? Yes you filled up but have they mixed you up with someone else?

 Is/was it a petrol station you used on a regular basis or a one-off?

HillStreetBlues

tyco99 said:

  They sent 3 pictures: 1 of my car at the pump, one of me putting petrol in the car, and one of a receipt for £30. I have checked my bank and I was at that petrol station on the day and have a payment for £7 taken from my card.

How is there a receipt if it wasn't paid?

tyco99

Due to how long ago it was I cant really remember exactly what happened. there is a picture with my car with the hose in it so I probably did put petrol in my car so I'm not really disputing that. I don't believe I would have bought food but more than likely I bought a bottle of water. so unsure exactly what the £7.08 charged to my card would have been for.

Yes I should have checked but my only defence was this was just after lockdown so I wouldn't have requested a receipt I would have just tapped with my phone and left. 

The petrol station was on the M25 and I was traveling back from Southampton to Essex.

I did text somebody a work on the day to say the M25 was dead and the service station was deserted, This is what has confused me as my only memory is being the only person there so just don't understand why the petrol wasn't charged.

Yes it was my company car but petrol is my responsibility and any claim back would have been via number of business miles driven. 

looking at the above advice I believe the best course of action is to tell work to just pass on my details as the driver and wait for contact.