Overdue APCOA parking charges

SquiddyPud

Hi all,

Hoping to get some advice on some parking charges I’ve received through APCOA please.

In summary, I’ve moved address in the last year and only by chance was able to get hold of post sent to my former address when I discovered I had received multiple PCN letters through the post.

These were sent to my old address as I initially didn’t update my V5 certificate to my new address – this has now been done.

I have received in total three individual PCN’s for failure to pay parking on three separate occasions at the same venue, and as (I assume) all previous attempts to contact me were via my old address with no response, the charges are now with Debt Recovery Plus and are months overdue.

All three charges are from late 2024/early 2025.

I had discovered the initial letter in March, and as I hadn’t read through the advice posted on here, I panicked and paid up the £140 charge.

Again, without looking at advice here, I did write to APCOA at the time explaining I didn’t receive the initial letters due to the address change and wanted to pay the initial fines, but they just responded that it was with the debt collection agency now, and to speak directly to them – I now understand from this forum reaching out to APCOA wouldn’t have been advised

I went back to my old address in the past month to get a package that was incorrectly redirected and have two extra charges and wanted to get advice with how to proceed.

All address information is now updated, and I’ve also set up a redirect from my old address to the current so any additional post isn’t missed.

I’ve since been chased this week by Debt Recovery Plus (redirected from my previous address) for one of the outstanding parking charges, with a “deadline” of later this week to avoid court action and 8 contact attempts made.

I’m expecting the other outstanding charge to come through also this week with similar.

To confirm, I’ve checked and did forget to pay parking on these three occasions (I know, it’s an expensive lesson) and it was my responsibility to update the V5 address (I only initially updated my driving licence address).

I’ve had a look through the NEWBIES thread, and appreciate the advice is to ignore the debt collection letters, but needed some additional advice if possible please with how to proceed.

As it was my mistake, I’m not sure if I have much of a case if it got to court? There is photo evidence of my car entering and leaving the premises, but the images are dark at night.

I didn’t receive the initial warnings or correspondence from APCOA or Debt Recovery Plus with the lower charges and don’t have proof these were sent, as this would have been to my old address and so I only have the more recent DRP warning letters asking for the £140 per charge as it’s the “7th” or “8th” time they have attempted contact.

I would be happy to pay the initial charges received as it was a genuine mistake on my behalf, but I’m not sure how realistic this is at this stage.

The premises is somewhere I attend often and so usually pay without issue, but it’s these three occasions where I mistakenly didn’t.

Are APCOA likely to take these two charges to court if it gets sent back from the debt collectors? Is there any appeal process after it’s back to them at all before a court hearing?

Will the fact I paid the initial charge also have any influence on the latter outstanding two?

Could I argue that I didn’t personally receive the initial fines in the post which I would have been happy to pay (appreciate this is my own responsibility due to the change in address)? I only found out these charges existed as I happened to go to my old address for other post.

 Hope this all makes sense, thanks in advance.

Gr1pr

Apcoa are not known for issuing court claims 

They dont issue fines, it's either Parking Charge s, or Penalty Notices, so which is it  ?

Name the location or locations too

Ignore the powerless debt collectors letters 

No , there is no appeal process for old claims

Email the DPO at Apcoa with a Data Rectification Notice,  telling them the correct address for the service of papers and that they MUST ERASEall previous addresses  ( ou do not want paperwork going astray 

No admissions,  no paying either,  especially dont pay powerless debt collectors  like dcbl 

kryten3000

Since APCOA are highly unlikely to have issued POFA compliant charges, you need to stop calling them and offering to pay anything.  They cannot hold the keeper liable and don't know who the driver was UNLESS YOU TELL THEM, so SHHHHH!

I would make a single reply to DRP's Data Protection Officer to confirm your address for service as well as writing to APCOA with the same.  You need to leave them no excuse to "accidentally" issue a claim to the wrong address just in case APCOA decide to start doing court.

SquiddyPud

Gr1pr said:

Apcoa are not known for issuing court claims 

They dont issue fines, it's either Parking Charge s, or Penalty Notices, so which is it  ?

Name the location or locations too

Ignore the powerless debt collectors letters 

No , there is no appeal process for old claims

Email the DPO at Apcoa with a Data Rectification Notice,  telling them the correct address for the service of papers and that they MUST ERASEall previous addresses  ( ou do not want paperwork going astray 

No admissions,  no paying either,  especially dont pay powerless debt collectors  like dcbl 

It's a parking charge.

Location is a sports centre at a university.

The only mention of possible court action has been from DRP, and it's just the standard template letter from them saying they've tried to contact me so many times, etc etc.

SquiddyPud

Thanks for the response both, much appreciated. 

I did tell Apcoa my change in address when I wrote to them initially, but I'll email both them and DRP just to be sure.

Guessing not refer to the charges at all? Just my name and the updated details?

Gr1pr

Thats correct,  concentrate on ensuring that the data is up to date 

The rest is " no comment  " say nothing 

Le_Kirk

Make sure you tell the DPO of the PPC (and all their agents and subcontractors) to ERASE your old data.

ChirpyChicken

Le_Kirk said:

Make sure you tell the DPO of the PPC (and all their agents and subcontractors) to ERASE your old data.

This is one company that absolutely refuses to update driver details when told to do so.
They tell people to inform the dvla !!
The mind boggles.(and thats from their data protection officer)

Le_Kirk

Then they should be reported to the ICO who will carry out an in-depth audit and do ............. nothing.

Coupon-mad

I’ve had a look through the NEWBIES thread, and appreciate the advice is to ignore the debt collection letters, but needed some additional advice if possible please with how to proceed.

Your case is no different!

As it was my mistake, I’m not sure if I have much of a case if it got to court?

APCOA never ever do court. NEVER.

They run most of their contracts as service agreements where they are paid by landowners I think, acting merely as agents. In my view, their approach - as a service - is a breath of fresh air. It means they are not dependent on PCN income and they do not have the standing nor inclination for court.

ChirpyChicken

Coupon-mad said:

I’ve had a look through the NEWBIES thread, and appreciate the advice is to ignore the debt collection letters, but needed some additional advice if possible please with how to proceed.

Your case is no different!

As it was my mistake, I’m not sure if I have much of a case if it got to court?

APCOA never ever do court. NEVER.

They run most of their contracts as service agreements where they are paid by landowners I think, acting merely as agents. In my view, their approach - as a service - is a breath of fresh air. It means they are not dependent on PCN income and they do not have the standing nor inclination for court.

Hence why no need to bother with POFA