Hello all,

Thanks for allowing me here to post.

I have just received today in the post a forwarded letter from DRP Debt recovery Plus ltd. I have been living permanantly in France for over 6 months. The letter refers to a

Notice of Intended Court Action re an alleged unpaid parking fine on 2/2/18 at Roadchef Rownhams South (the motorway services in Southampton). Apparently, the driver remembers he stayed more than the free 2 hrs - just didnt think to get a ticket or mention it to me. GGGRRR.

The vehicle was registered to me, but not driven by me on this date, and I had no knowledge of anything till this letter arrived today.

They (DRP) state they sent me a letter on 10/4/18 (to my old address in UK) where I ceased to live since September. (forgot to tell DVLA).

They want me to pay £120.

Do I have to pay it?

Should I contact them?

Should I send them a letter at all?

Did have a look on Money Saving Expert but its very complicated and I didnt really understand. getting old, you know.

Hello and welcome to CAG. I doubt if we're going to tell you to pay this, don't worry.

Could you post up the questions from the forum sticky with your answers please? It will help us to advise you.

https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?462118-Have-you-received-a-Parking-Ticket

Best, HB

read it properly

doesn't say FINE anywhere..if you are this far down the line

it might be better to simply continue to ignore them

until/unless you get a solicitors letter of claim

Never pay a dca, especially when they ask for more money than the contractual sum they are supposed to collect.

We would need to see the NTK they sent originally to determine whether the the PARKING CO stand a cat in hell's chance of chasing you for the money.

Once we know the full detaisl we will probably suggest that you give them your address in France and suggest that they will lose a fortune dragging you back across the channel for this because they will lose anyway.

We keep advising people to make sure they update addresses, use post forwarding etc but still we see a large number of posts that are complcated by these things. The parking co's take advantage of the situation once they get one of their letters sent back RTS and that then takes time and money to undo their wickedness

hello both, thanks for replies - I had to go lie down for a while, my heart was thumping and Ive had an awful day and came home to this letter.

The offence took place in the Roadchef carpark at Rownhams South services in Southampton on 2/2/18.

The Parking Company is CP Plus Ltd, and the debt recovery letter is from DRP Ltd.

My husband was driving a vehicle registered in my name and meeting the prospective new purchaser.

The vehicle was sold and the logbook changed that day.

Ive never received any earlier correspondence regarding this matter, as I no longer live in the UK registered address.

So - no Notice to keeper letter has been received.

Ive entered into NO correspondence with them.

The people who bought our house passed this unopened letter to our then solicitors who posted it onto me here in France.

I have no idea what was on the NTK letter (if there was one) or what evidence they have.

They say in this letter they sent a letter on 10/4/18, but I have no knowledge of such a letter.

This letter certainly makes no mention of the PoFA Act or Data Protection or GDPR or anything.

They want me to pay the unpaid parking charge of £120 by 9/5/18 or else they will pass their file back to their client with a recommendation to take further action against me.

Hello there.

This letter really isn't worth getting upset about, you're going to be OK. Just do what the guys here suggest.

HB

Thank you all. Didnt sleep a wink last night.

So, because of daftie's stupidity Im going to curtail his beer activity for a week as punishment. Thanks guys.

now write one short simple letter informing CP+ of your current address

WHAT!

Really?

Everyone said forget about it. Now Im confused....

you need to protect again a backdoor CCJ to the old address.

So, How would I word a letter to them then. What information do I include?

post 8

that's all

inc the PCN ref no.

nothing more

Sorry, Im obviously incredibly stupid.

Do you mean there is a template on POST 8 (8th post down in the list) or sticky?

Sorry, looked again at the 8th post in the list and on the stickies (no 8).

Baffled.

dx is suggesting a short letter, I imagine something along the lines of..

Dear xxx

[Heading] - their reference

I wish to advise you that my address with immediate effect is

[your current address]

Yours faithfully/sincerely

I expect dx will advise if he thinks anything else should go in.

HB

Thank you. I apologise again for my failure to comprehend.

I know what dx100uk is getting at here. And it's for you to have a bit of a giggle at CP+'s expense.

As you both now live in France, you can, with impunity, tell them your address and even who was driving if you wanted to (as he lives in France as well).

CP+ would have the right (if they wanted) to take you to County Court, but that would be a bit of a problem for them.

Normally, any case brought against you would be transferred to your local court. But that's not going to happen because you live in France. So, CP+, if they have your current French address, can issue proceedings in their local court, but you have the right to defend yourself in any case brought against you.

If they decided to go down the court route and lost (which is far more likely than they like to admit) they would then be lumbered with a bill for ALL of your reasonable expenses. Which could include air or tunnel fares, fuel, hotel accommodation etc etc. And there's not a chance in hell that they're going to take that risk.

Here's the letter I'd send to call their bluff.

Dear CP+

Ref PCN No: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Since XX/XX/XXXX I have been living in France, the vehicle was only in the UK as the driver was visiting friends.

Here is my current address for any further correspondence.

French Address

Any further communication regarding this matter should be addressed to me at the above address.

If you want to proceed beyond empty threats and take me to court, you should be aware that I will be claiming for all of my expenses incurred with regards my travel to the UK to fully defend the matter.

Signed

Keeper.

Thank you!

Ill keep you posted.

aw someone sussed me....dx

So, I have had a response.

Letter says

"Thank you for your communication regarding the PCN.

The time to challenge the charge has now expired and therefore access to an Independent Appeals Service is no longer available.

However, if you would like to discuss your communication with one of our operatives, please telephone XXXXXX.

Alternatively, the outstanding balance of £120.00 can be paid using the options on the bck of this letter.

Please note that any correspondence that does not provide further evidence will be noted and retained. I cannot guarantee that we will provide a response"

So, ignore?

good so they've now physically written to your address in france?

Please note that any correspondence that does not provide further evidence will be noted and retained. I cannot guarantee that we will provide a response"

I'd write back once more and say...

Ref: PCN #######

Dear CP+

Thank you for your letter dated XX/XX/XXXX saying that any further comment would be noted.

I would therefore refer you to the response given in Arkell v Pressdram.

No name, no signature, no nothing

So, yes, they have physically written to me in France.

And do I answer, and if so, ?

nope nothing more needs to be done. post 17 applies