fine abroad in Hungary EPC euro parking /Contractum Collections sent me fine

[Ford Transit]

I was driving in Hungary last summer and paid to drive on the motorway like i did the year before,

 

i then received a letter from Euro Carparks EPC stating that i had been fine £54

but it was not clear what it was for

 

 

t hey sent me picture photos,

I tried to telephone them put after several attempts gave up because no one answered

 

i email them and they took a couple for weeks to reply

they said I had not paid the correct toll for my vehicle,

 

I paid the fine and then received a letter stating that it had gone up to £185.

 

because i had paid the fine i ignored

 

one month late I get another letter stating that I had paid no fine

 

and owed £185 and that it had to be paid by the 28th March,

 

I emailed them and sent a recorded letter as advised to do by CAB.

 

and again I waited a week until I received an email stating that I now owe £127.

 

and I quote on this email it said

 

''Please note that any further communication which does not contain new pertinent information

or evidence will not be entertained or replied to.

 

Where do I stand do I pay it and put it down to experience or where do I stand if i don't pay it.

[citizenB]

Hi, I have moved your thread to the correct forum, where I am sure there will be someone who can help you.

 

This is purely an administrative move and you will still be able to find and post on your thread.

[FTMDave]

I live in another EU country and as far as I know there is no mechanism in place to make the keeper of a British-registered car, for example, pay a fine for driving in Hungary, for example, once you've left Hungary.

 

At least I've always operated on that basis.

 

I don't want to be rude, but given you had paid for the motorway, why did you pay the fine?

 

Is the car a British-registered vehicle? Are you British yourself?

 

And how did they get your address? Last time I paid for the motorway in Hungary I simply stated my registration number, nothing else.

 

I'm not an expert on this forum but I have some experience, albeit some time ago, of similar problems to yours.

[dx100uk]

I think you will find it is not a FINE

and nowhere do theyuse thay word?

its a motorway toll levied by a private company

 

but even if it is a 'fine'

there is nowt they can do to you .

ignore

 

just been away to read their website

so these are 'offences' and they I think rather cleverly use the words penalty and fines

but if you read the small print carefully

 

it says that even if it were legally enforceable & judged against in the country it was 'committed' in

it doesn't mean its legally enforceable in another until it has been judged their!

very clever wording

 

https://cse.google.co.uk/cse?cx=partner-pub-0964707606882478:652l7hswbgv&ie=UTF-8&q=EPC+euro+parking+company+&sa=Search+CAG#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=EPC%20euro%20parking%20company&gsc.page=1

 

I see we've dealt with them before too

its a company [private] that 'buys' fines/penalties

or more importantly

is allowed access to the data.

 

urm..like in 2009

I smell a rat.

 

dx

[FTMDave]

Over the years I've had a few fines in other EU countries with a British-registered car, not because I think it's OK to act like an idiot abroad, but due to ignorance and on one occasion because of incredibly-misleading signs.

 

I never paid any of them.

 

Nothing whatsoever happened to me.

 

but even if it is a 'fine'

there is nowt they can do to you .

 

dx

 

Spot on.

[FTMDave]

As an aside, are you sure that the original fine by Hungarian motorways was issued correctly? It's easy to check here http://toll-charge.hu/articles/article/pricing if you purchased the vignette for the correct period and for the correct category of vehicle.

 

But this is an aside, EPC can do nothing anyway, and it's a pity you paid the original £54.

[renegadeimp]

It wasnt a fine

[Ford Transit]

Thanks for the advice the letter off Euro Parking Collection PLC states that it is a fine and that they are acting on the behalf of national toll payment services of Hungary. and that i have paid for the wring category of vehicle.

 

 

it as penalty charge notice on the letter.

 

 

the new letter as Contractum Collections on it and is the same address as Euro Parking Collection plc.

 

 

It is a uk registered van.

 

 

so EPC must have got my details form DVLA.

[renegadeimp]

It can state whatever it wants. Its not a fine. If it does state its a fine, then it could be reported

[Ford Transit]

..

[ericsbrother]

Under eu law you can be sued for the money in a Hungarin court and you then get the matter transferred to your local county court.

 

 

EPC cannot represent whoever in Hungary as the debt cannot be assigned and they cant sue in their own name either.

 

Do you think that they are going to spend an absolute fortune on this?

 

 

You have paid the original amount and an unlwful admin charge already

so they see you as a mug who is likely to pay up again.

 

Do you intend to travel there again?

If not then nothing whatsoever to think about. If yes, dont go in that van.

 

Complaint to the DVLA about releasing your details when there is no cause to do so.

[Ford Transit]

Thanks for the advice

 

 

just worried that I might have bailiffs knocking on the door.

 

 

But i will just ignore the letters now i feel that i have done enough with paying the original amount they asked for.

 

But thanks again to for all the advice I have received.

[ericsbrother]

then you dont understand the difference between a bailiff and a dca.

 

 

This is quite common, you wont see a bailiff until you have been taken to court,

lost the case

and then failed to pay any debt

and then ignored another letter saying the matter was being taken back to court for enforcement.

 

dca's send out letters because they are paid to.

They make the letters look very scary by hinting that something nasty will happen if you dont pay.

 

 

Itinerant fortune tellers sometimes do the same so just lump the 2 together in your mind and leave it at that.

[AndyKos]

Im curious?

 

 

Did EPC actually try to follow this up and pursue their nonsense?

 

 

I know someone in a similar predicament and Im wondering what to advise them.

 

 

My gut feeling is to suggest they ignore the letters, but they are written in a threatening manner.

[dx100uk]

you tell them to totally ignore it

 

 

dx