Advice - can I still appeal?

[Guest]

Hello,

I've received a final letter from a debt recovery company asking to pay £170 within 14 days. I forgot to update the vehicle address so all the original tickets were sent to my old address so this is the first I heard of the offence. I understand that this is my fault for forgetting to do this. I want to appeal because the signage isn't very visible where I parked (I've taken photos), but the recovery company said it's too late to do this, I had to do it within 28 days from the original ticket. Is this true? Am I just better off paying?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

FYI - I live in Wales, UK.

[ostell]

Sounds like private parking. It's not an offence, it's failure to pay an invoice.

So tell the debt recovery company that this is the first you have heard of this alleged debt and refer it back to their client.

SAR to the parking company demanding all the paperwork that they hold about you and the VRM of your car.

Has the driver been identified, simple yes or no.

If no then dont hint at the identity of the driver

[nathanwyer]

Hi Ostell. Thanks for your advice. Yes it was private parking.

The letter says if I don't pay within 14 days then further recovery action will take place and additional costs may be incurred. If I do an SAR should that postpone the 14 days? Also if I ask for it to be referred back to the client, what does this mean exactly? and can the debt collection company say no to this?

Thanks again.

Nath

[ostell]

The normal advice is to just ignore debt collectors but as this is the first you have heard about this then you write to them and tell them to refer back. They can do nothing but threaten you and hope you will pay.

You are doing a SAR to the parking company, not the debt collectors. They are allowed 30 days to respond. The debt collectors don't have the information.

Who are the parking company?

Why pay when you may not be liable.

[nathanwyer]

The company is Smart Parking ltd. Can they not take me to court? Also, will it not go against me that I haven't registered my car to the correct address? (FYI I always update my licence with the correct address).

Thanks

[ostell]

Licence and V5 are 2 seperate items. Update it now. Smart can take you to court but that's a long way off, and not for the V5

But you need details of why they issued a Notice to Keeper. Smart frequently get it wrong and don't comply with the requirements of POFA to be able to hold the keeper liable instead of the unknown driver.