Parking charge

[threebean]

Hi,

Any advice appreciated on this.

I have had a debt collection letter from DCBL for an unpaid parking charge which I knew nothing about for a contravention which was entirely legal. I parked for about 10 mins and then left but the camera has me there for 18 hours or so!

Issue is that I didn't receive oroginal charge to appeal and the DCBL are saying I need to pay £170 or will be take to court.

I do not want to pay for a charge I knew nothing about and not even knew about being issued.

They say the charge went to my old address - I moved 2.5 years ago.

Any advice?

Had you updated your address with the DVLA?

When did it happen (the parking I mean)?
Did you update your address with the DVLA when you moved?

My driving licence was updated yes.

December

It is not your driving license, it's the details associated with the car which they would have used.
Did you update the address on your V5C (log book)?

I don't think so.

Then that is why the penalty charge would have been sent to your old address.

They don't know who is driving, they only have the registration plate of the offending car.

You need to make sure you update your V5C.

Others may be able to advice on the charge, but I think you will struggle to appeal because you didn't update your details.

Don't pay it. Go to here and read the FAQs

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/parking-tickets-fines-parking

Yeah! Sorry that's what I meant 🙈

You needed to do both. You could be liable for a fine not having done so. When was the offence if you are beyond appeal and early reduced payment. They can take you to court if you fail to pay.

Can you prove it was only ten minutes or did you return later?

Am I right in thinking this is parking on private land - shopping centre or whatever - and not a Council operated place?

That's right.

I was shopping 40 miles away while o was on the land apparently

To be honest the parking fine is going to be the least of your worries because when you now have to explain that you didn’t update your v5 (meaning it is your fault that you didn’t get the post for this), the fine for not updating that is £1000.

As long as you get on and update your V5C you are unlikely to be fined for that. However, you need to check your driving licence online as it is possible you have been convicted of some offences without knowing about it.

As far as the parking charge is concerned, your choice is to pay or let them take you to court. If you let them take you to court, you will be able to provide your evidence to show that the charge has been issued incorrectly. If you convince the judge that the parking company has got it wrong, you won't have to pay anything.

Not really. The bad thing would be if it were a moving traffic offence like speeding or running a red. This is about an alleged contract to pay for parking on private land; trespass not criminality.

OP needs to update their address ASAP but the parking company won't care about the whys/wherefores of a V5 being wrong.

I'd write to DCBL who, whatever intimidating sales puff is on their letterhead are no more than debt collectors, and tell them what actually happened.

If you can show clearly you were elsewhere for most of the 18 hours then, while they probably won't give up immediately they won't waste money taking as case that will be easily defended to court.