Advice on debt collectors for 6 PCN's - England

longday1999

Advice on next steps following debt collectors for 6 PCNs - England

Afternoon everyone,

I was hoping for some advice on an issue that I’m facing. Essentially I forgot to update my V5C for the past few years despite moving. I realise now this was a big mistake and that there is a different system for driving licences and the V5C. 

 Upon realising this last week, I changed the v5c and reached out to the nearby car parks that I frequently park at (I typically buy 14 or 30 day permits there) to see if there were any PCNs that I have acquired. Both replied saying there were outstanding PCNs that had gone to debt collectors (6! From one of the car parks and 1 from the other). Most of these would have arisen as a result of a few hours overlap between subsequent 14/30 day permits.

I realise this was a mistake on my part and it is technically illegal to not update the V5C. Essentially, what do I do? I haven’t had any letters from the debt collectors to my new address- do I reach out to them? Do I try and settle everything with them? If it’s going to be £170 per ticket and I have 6 then it’s going to be an expensive lesson but I’m concerned about being extorted by these agencies.

Anyone have any advice on next steps? I’d be very grateful

Gr1pr

Ensure that your V5c log book and driving licence are up to date,  check, dont assume 

See post 4 in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum,  ignore the powerless debt collectors letters,  no contact,  no paying either 

longday1999

Gr1pr said:

Ensure that your V5c log book and driving licence are up to date,  check, dont assume 

See post 4 in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum,  ignore the powerless debt collectors letters,  no contact,  no paying either 

I have updated both. Do I not need to let them know my new address/ inform the companies that issued the PCN of my new address?

ChirpyChicken

Yes definitely 
Which parking firm 

Coupon-mad

longday1999 said:

Gr1pr said:

Ensure that your V5c log book and driving licence are up to date,  check, dont assume 

See post 4 in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum,  ignore the powerless debt collectors letters,  no contact,  no paying either 

I have updated both. Do I not need to let them know my new address/ inform the companies that issued the PCN of my new address?

Yes you must. Which PPC?

Umkomaas

If your V5C is hopelessly out of date, you need to find out who else, other than poxy private parking firms, has been accessing your (out of date) address details. Far more 'dangerous' outfits than PPCs would use that old data for traffic/parking contraventions, like the police and local authorities. You need to know that asap as, potentially, you could be driving with (unknown to you) points on your driving licence and/or outstanding penalty charges. This is advice I give from time to time to get to know who has been accessing your DVLA data. 

You should email the DVLA and ask which organisations (when and for what reason) accessed the registered keeper's data from them between a range of dates starting at the point when you were at the address when you should have first updated your V5C. You need to provide the registered keeper's full name and current address, the address currently shown on the V5C logbook and the Vehicle Registration Mark of the vehicle. 

SubjectAccess.Requests@dvla.gov.uk

This service is free of charge. 

Even though you email your request, the DVLA will respond via Royal Mail.

longday1999

Coupon-mad said:

longday1999 said:

Gr1pr said:

Ensure that your V5c log book and driving licence are up to date,  check, dont assume 

See post 4 in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum,  ignore the powerless debt collectors letters,  no contact,  no paying either 

I have updated both. Do I not need to let them know my new address/ inform the companies that issued the PCN of my new address?

Yes you must. Which PPC?

Bank Park and RCP

Gr1pr

Update the DPO at every company involved,  especially the private parking companies,  by email,  with proof of the new address,  ideally using a picture of the updated V5c 

longday1999

Gr1pr said:

Update the DPO at every company involved,  especially the private parking companies,  by email,  with proof of the new address,  ideally using a picture of the updated V5c 

Great thank you. Does this include the debt collection agencies or just the PPC?

Gr1pr

longday1999 said:

Gr1pr said:

Update the DPO at every company involved,  especially the private parking companies,  by email,  with proof of the new address,  ideally using a picture of the updated V5c 

Great thank you. Does this include the debt collection agencies or just the PPC?

Definitely each and every PPC, you mentioned 2 so far but there could be more like Umkomaas said,  so at least 2, possibly 22  !

Personally I would also do the same with the DPO at each powerless debt collector company too, and any legal company writing to you as well , any and all, because you dont want anything that can affect you going to old addresses, especially court claims 

Its called a Data Rectification Notice and comes under the GDPR,  Data Protection 2018,  you have the right to rectify incorrect data held by companies etc

longday1999

Gr1pr said:

longday1999 said:

Gr1pr said:

Update the DPO at every company involved,  especially the private parking companies,  by email,  with proof of the new address,  ideally using a picture of the updated V5c 

Great thank you. Does this include the debt collection agencies or just the PPC?

Definitely each and every PPC, you mentioned 2 so far but there could be more like Umkomaas said,  so at least 2, possibly 22  !

Personally I would also do the same with the DPO at each powerless debt collector company too, and any legal company writing to you as well , any and all, because you dont want anything that can affect you going to old addresses, especially court claims 

Its called a Data Rectification Notice and comes under the GDPR,  Data Protection 2018,  you have the right to rectify incorrect data held by companies etc

Will do that thank you for your advice. Hypothetically if there were 22 (which hopefully I will find out soon as I have submitted a SAR), would I end up having to pay all these tickets? As it was obviously my fault for not updating the V5C