Multiple tickets to an old address after failure to renew season ticket

StillNotMyRealName

Hi All,

Whilst I think the majority of this query is covered within the other threads on the site, there are a couple of nuances which make me unsure of what steps to take first.

I moved house three years ago and changed the address on my driving licence.  I only recently discovered that needed to update my log book seperately so my car was still registered at my old address.

Soon after moving, I bought a season ticket for a local council car park, operated by Euro car parks.  At the expiry of the season ticket, the council sent a reminder saying that the renewal was due, including my current address.  At the last renewal I believed I had renewed but something went wrong and there is no record of the renewal (I don't have an email confirmation, I have not been charged and having checked with the council they can't see any information regarding an attempted renewal).

Recently the current resident of my old house got in touch and said that they were concerned at some of the post they had started receiving and forwarded them on, which I just received.  They contain a number of notices of legal action - I don't have any of the original communications (given how long it is since we moved, the current residents must have thrown away the original letters but started keeping the ones which had "legal update" or similar on the envelope.  It looks like this is the latest stage they have got to but I'm guessing there are others out there as well.

So there are two issues which I believe are my responsibility - I did not update my logbook correctly (which I am not rectifying) and I didn't check on the season ticket renewal.  I'm guessing that I have probably parked in the car park in question around 20 times since my previous season ticket expired.

During this time it had not occurred to me that the season ticket was not up-to-date and I had no reason to think otherwise.  

-Does the fact that the council in question, who issued my season ticket, had my correct address affect my ability to defend the charges even though I failed to update the DVLA correctly.

-Does the fact I had a season ticket for a period and did not change my parking habits when the previous once expired give any evidence of the fact I was unaware there was an issue.

-How should I find out the number of charges are out there which are outstanding?  

-Do I contact Euro car parks to ask them to update their records and ask them to reissue any outstanding claims or do I just go straight to the council and ask them to resolve?  They have already said they cannot intervene unless there is evidence of a purchased season ticket which I do not have but I think the correct course of action is the raise the issue with them further, once I have more advice on here.

-I am going to get a new season ticket to ensure I do not have any future issues - is there any reason I should not do this or anything I should bear in mind when doing this?

-Is there anything else I should consider?

I've seen the amount of content that has built up on here over the years but couldn't find anything with this specific situation - I get that the process is similar but I'm not sure if the volume of charges (and therefore the likely combined value) changes anything.

Appreciate any advice - I'm already amazed by the help that people give on here :-)

Thanks

StillNotMyRealName

I am *now* rectifying the issue with DVLA - not *not* rectifying!

Gr1pr

Ecp Don't contract council car parks,  so although I believe some of the above,  i don't believe that ECP are working for the council 

If ECP issued parking charge notices, ensure that you email the DPO at ECP with a Data Rectification Notice giving them the correct address for the service of papers 

Then wait for any Letter of Claim or Money Claim 

Coupon-mad

Agreed. ECP don't act for councils.

ECP court claims are a cinch to see off though. But you MUST rectify your address with them and with DCB Ltd or DCB Legal if it has now reached them. You cannot risk that old address staying on their database. It was a terrible oversight not to update your V5C.

StillNotMyRealName

Hi Gr1pr - thanks for the quick response - I have been deliberately vague at points, as advised elsewhere on the forums - the car park in question is definitely run by ECP - it is a car park attached to a council owned park, if that makes more sense.  Thanks for the advice on DPO - I will do that now, presumably notifying them that I am the keeper of the vehicle rather than with any other specifics.

Coupon-mad

You can admit to driving as it makes no difference. The important word is 'erase'.

Gr1pr

Frankly, I believe that the council story is a red herring,  not involved here even if they are adjacent, or split

Make sure that ECP, DCBL and DCB LEGAL all have your current address,  as the data subject  ( the human being involved. ) , nothing to do with being keeper or owner , just the recipient of the letters, which went to an old registered address due to an oversight by the Registered Keeper 

StillNotMyRealName

Hi All - this took three months but I have had 10 of the 11 parking tickets cancelled and agreed to pay the other one. Whilst even paying one of the tickets has a bit of sting, I don't feel it is entirely unreasonable as I (inadvertently) parked there for several months without a ticket. This did require two escalations in the complaints process at Kent County Council (I had parked in Lullingstone Country Park) and the involvement of my MP, but eventually they offered me this "goodwill" gesture (despite denying in the same letter that they were able to do so!)

I received confirmation of the cancellation yesterday - today I received a penalty charge from Gatwick, when I stayed at a hotel onsite and paid for their parking unfortunately the hotel was in the drop-off zone. Ho-hum.

Thanks to @Gr1pr and @Coupon-mad - There was not much input required on this one but you both helped get me on my way!