cliam for unpaid petrol

tyco99

My bank statement shows the date the money was removed from my account ie 2 days after the receipt so no way to match up date and time  

Mildly_Miffed

tyco99 said:

My bank statement shows the date the money was removed from my account ie 2 days after the receipt so no way to match up date and time  

And the ONLY evidence of any payment to that petrol station is £7? No sign of a £30 payment...?

So...
1. Are you happy that it really was you at that pump on that day?
2. Is it even remotely likely that you'd have stopped at the M25 services and put less than five litres in the tank?
3. Is it likely that you would have got £7 worth of other stuff from the shop?

Because unless you're saying it wasn't you, or that £7 on fuel is far more likely than a simple human error drive-off after getting stuff from the shop but not paying for the fuel, you have to accept that the original fuel was not paid for.

So are we all in agreement that the £30 debt is genuine?

If so, then we're simply arguing about £120 in costs after four years. The debt is not time-barred.

If your employer are happy to argue over principle rather than just pay the £120, I'd start looking for a new job, because their cost control is ridiculous. Mind you, if they really are actually buying their company car fleet rather than leasing...

TooManyPoints

^^^ All that is by the way.

What TDR are alleging is a criminal offence ("Making off without payment"). Nobody other than the person who "made off" can be responsible for that. TDR don't know who that is and they have no way of finding out.

Their business model depends on persuading gullible people or organisations that they, as the vehicle's Registered Keeper (if indeed they are in this case) are  responsible for making good the payment for their clients' losses. They are not.

They are only able to see civil proceedings instigated (unless they'd care to launch a private prosecution, which I'm sure they would not). With the information they have at the moment, the only people they could act against would be the OP's employers. To recover the alleged debt from them in the civil court they would have to show some connection between the employer and the alleged drive off, to show they either permitted or encouraged it or were in some way party to it.

They should respond by saying they are not responsible for this alleged debt. If they are feeling particularly benevolent they could offer to pay £30 as a gesture of goodwill in order to help their client recover the loss they incurred because of the mistake made by their petrol station staff. 

...there is a receipt for £30 that shows drive off, this is what they are claiming is the evidence I didn't pay.

That is not evidence that you didn't pay. It's not even evidence that nobody paid. All it shows is that the till operator has entered "drive off" where the amount tendered should be shown. The customer could have paid in cash and the £30 trousered  by the till operator.. There is no link to you (or anybody else) or to any vehicle from that receipt.

For it to be of any value, the person who produced it would have to be traced and asked to state that it was produced as a result of the drive-off he witnessed four years ago and that the drive-off involved the car mentioned in this dispute. It should not be too difficult to cast doubt on testimony recalling such an event from four years ago.

But in all honesty that is neither here nor there. The issue is who TDR have decided is responsible for the alleged debt and their extortionate fee.

HillStreetBlues

tyco99 said:

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.

Is it likely you put £30 of petrol in what would be a very expensive filling station  or £7ish to get you to a cheaper one?
Do you tend to round when paying by card? can see why if paying in cash.
Is it likely post Lockdown the M25 will be dead between A1(M) & M11 at 4.30 in the afternoon?

TooManyPoints

Is it likely post Lockdown the M25 will be dead between A1(M) & M11 at 4.30 in the afternoon?

Possibly.

But those two roads join the M25 at Junctions 23 and 27 respectively and the OP was at Cobham services which are between Junctions 9 and 10.

HillStreetBlues

TooManyPoints said:

Is it likely post Lockdown the M25 will be dead between A1(M) & M11 at 4.30 in the afternoon?

Possibly.

But those two roads join the M25 at Junctions 23 and 27 respectively and the OP was at Cobham services which are between Junctions 9 and 10.

Brain freeze, for some reason had it in my head it was South Mimms

Grey_Critic

I have known people use a motorway petrol station and just put a gallon in then pulled off at the next junction and find one where they did not have to take out a mortgage so a Gallon plus a bottle of water sound right at £7.00

QrizB

Grey_Critic said:

I have known people use a motorway petrol station and just put a gallon in then pulled off at the next junction and find one where they did not have to take out a mortgage so a Gallon plus a bottle of water sound right at £7.00

I was wondering something similar.

OP, are you the sort of person who would intentionally put exactly £30 of fuel into your vehicle? Or are you the sort that's happy to stop on whatever number it says?

HillStreetBlues

QrizB said:

Grey_Critic said:

I have known people use a motorway petrol station and just put a gallon in then pulled off at the next junction and find one where they did not have to take out a mortgage so a Gallon plus a bottle of water sound right at £7.00

I was wondering something similar.

OP, are you the sort of person who would intentionally put exactly £30 of fuel into your vehicle? Or are you the sort that's happy to stop on whatever number it says?

Still waiting for the OP to answer those questions (asked a couple of days ago).

tim9966

Or has the cashier selected the wrong pump number? I had that the other week where I said the correct pump number but noticed the amount I was being asked to pay wasn't the same amount as on the pump. 

It turned out the cashier had selected the wrong pump and if I haven't noticed then I would have ended up paying for someone else's fuel instead of my own.