Forecourt Eye

[Fulmarinepetrel]

An older relative was accused in November 2023 of driving off without paying for petrol. They sent a photo of him simply standing next to the vehicle.
He had bought water at the station with his credit card. He paid the card charges in full. I sent them a copy of the credit card statement and asked them to either provide documentation that he had not paid for petrol or close the case. We heard nothing further from them.

This week, he got a demand for £160 from a debt recovery agency for petrol bought on March 4, 2024. He was not driving on March 4, 2024 as his license was suspended in January 2024 following a seizure-related driving accident. It has not been reinstated, so he has not driven for nearly a year.

There are two problems here - one is the legal/financial one and the other is that the relative has always been very stubborn and now has cognitive impairment.

He may or may not listen to me, but what would be the best way to proceed in this matter? I have financial LPOA for him, but is still deemed to have capacity.

Write to the debt recovery company and petrol agency saying you’ve LPOA and he hasn’t driven since x date due to a seizure and ban so was not able to drive in March. You will need photograph evidence which proves otherwise.

How do you know he wasn’t actually driving that day? Just because he's had his licence taken doesn’t mean he wont have been driving!
Has the LPOA been activated yet? You may find that the debt recovery agency wont speak to you.

Any chance with the second one his plate has been oned, or someone else driving his car?

I have found the phone operatives to be really helpful. I had to phone them yesterday as someone has given my address. I know who it is but he hasn’t lived here for 7 years, so I explained the situation and they’ve agreed not to send bailiffs here but will track him down. Give them a call.

Subject access request for all the relevant information might be a good start