Fine for driving off without paying for fuel

[Sparklesea]

I filled my car up with fuel (£50) in July, went into the shop and used my phone to pay. It didn't go through but neither I nor the attendant noticed and I drove away.

I have received a letter from a company called VARS technology asking for £90, then a few weeks later another letter asking for £120. Now I've received a letter from a different company called Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd asking for £200. I was away from home and so didn't receive these letters until recently.

While I fully accept it is my responsibility to ensure payment is made properly, I did attempt to pay and assumed that I had. Obviously I didn't intend to drive away on purpose. I have been into the garage, spoken with the manager and offered to make the payment. He said he wasn't able to take any money because the fuel had gone from their log and the matter had been passed on to VARS.

It seems such a huge amount for one tank of fuel. Can I challenge the amount that DCBL is asking for, and should I do this with them directly, or with VARS? I can't afford to pay £200 but I don't want the heavies coming round and ending up with a CCJ against me. What can I do?

I'd contact Citizens Advice ASAP and get some advice. Many places run a drop in service who will make an appointment if appropriate. You can also talk to someone online: Chat with an advisor online

Some info on bailiffs

I'd write back and offer to pay the original fuel amount only, as it was a misunderstanding that could have been resolved by the store phoning you and asking you to pay, and you have not received any previous correspondence.

VARS Technology has a terrible reputation, by the way.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/dec/20/fuel-theft-row-banned-petrol-stations-cash

Angela Binns says she was issued with a fuel theft debt this summer after allegedly not paying for fuel at an Esso petrol station in Leeds in May – despite having a bank statement proving she had paid.

The 59-year-old’s husband, Mark King, sent VARS Technology copies of her bank statement to appeal against the debt but the company did not discontinue it.

Reminds me of a parking company I had a dispute with.

The OP will still owe them for the cost of the fuel. The issue is the fees and the OPs contention they did not receive letters asking for payment.

they aren’t accusing the OP of deliberately evading payment in the garage. They told her the payment didn’t go through and asked her to pay. When she didn’t they added on fees. It’s the fees that are the issue.

It is a pain in the foot but I think I'd just pay.

Not a garage, but years ago I had an internet dongle, it was about €8 per month. I did not notice the money was not going out. I eventually got a letter like yours. They said they had contacted me on numerous occasions by text and attempted to call. They had been texting and calling the dongle number! I was blacklisted by the company.

Most banking apps don't let you take screenshots. You're best taking a photo of your screen with someone else's phone.

Just pay up…

Phyllis1 lol what are you saying? Just give up! 🤣

Seen that happen a few times.

About a year ago, this one lady had 3 bottles of wine, and paid via her debit card - and she had no receipt! About 30 seconds later, she was being chased down the street by the security guard on the door yelling 'YOU HAVEN'T PAID FOR THAT!' So humiliating and is suggesting she has STOLEN it. Had to go back in the store, and have a quick look at her transactions in her banking app, and confirmed no payment had been taken. (So she paid.) Was also a small Asda! (I wonder if it was you!) 😵

.

You are being naive. People PRETEND to scan their card and pretend to pay. Fact.

OP clearly isn’t in that position. Anyway I have learned something here because I had no idea not ‘budgeting down to the last penny’ meant not checking accounts and realising things don’t add up. It sounds very nice tbh.

Or course the amount of "checking" one has to do will depend on the person and their circumstances. I would say it is unusual to cross check every payment you make with your bank balance, but I'm not in your position so I don't know why you may need to do that.

I don’t cross check evening but I would notice if I had £50 more then I thought.

If they tried to contact you several times and you didn't reply then that's why the charges mounted up. If the money was repaid quickly then there wouldn't be a problem.

Same happened to me - not the missing letters cos I was away, but thinking I had paid and didn't. You have no choice but to pay the fine. There is no way around it. Very frustrating, though maybe a lesson learnt to always get a receipt (something I told myself I would do following it happening six months ago....have totally forgotten every time though. Doh!)

Same here. Family members have missed important appointments due to letters not being delivered properly. Some late, some didn't arrive at all.

I also wouldn't notice that money hadn't been taken from my account for fuel to be honest.

Rarely. There is no need to, is there?

I'm not a lawyer but isn't the contract, buying and paying for fuel, with the garage not who they sub contract to do their recovery dirty work ? So go higher up the petrol station management chain ? Innocent until proven guilty still ? If the camera footage of you going in to pay is still available surely the onus is on the petrol station to prove you deliberately tried to avoid paying ..and it doesn't seem like you did.
I personally always wait for the audible " ping" of the card machine before I exit the premises .

I had something similar where I’d filled up with petrol and bought a few things in the shop as well. I’d said which petrol pump was mine, but they didn’t add it and I only paid for the additional items.

This was a few years ago so didn’t have banking app showing amount immediately.

I had the police turn up at my house that evening. Ended up escorting me back to the forecourt to pay the missing amount.

Pay the £200. You have missed the window to appeal and the longer you wait the higher it will go.

Unless you have plenty money there is every need.

Leaving without paying is a crime, which the police can prosecute you for, but that’s not what is happening here.

Instead, this seems to be a civil matter, being dealt with as a breach of contract perhaps. If that is the case, it’s the terms of the contract that matter, and I don’t think it automatically means that the petrol station can make you liable for them deciding to use a debt collection agency (a bit like the Parking companies and they often advertise their terms). What you owe them is for the petrol. Not the mad costs they have racked up since, presumably through their own fault and faulty card payment equipment.

I think they would need to start civil proceedings against you, to prove you owe the money, and then try to claim their costs from you. the threats of the debt collectors is horrible though. Or you could sue them for harassment, to get a decision more quickly (small claims court).

if you have access to a citizens advice, or the time to risk it going to court, or could get swim free legal advice, you could test it and push them to argue it out in court.

Sick of these exploitative bastards with their "payday loan" business mentality who like to cos-play as faux police/enforcement agencies "upholding the law and protecting businesses" - whether that be the parking, fuel, water or energy cartels.

Nothing but utter shysters wearing a corporate brand, who use any opportunity to add extortionate costs because of having to write letters etc. Except, they usually have very smart and smarmy lawyers writing these contracts of enforcement that take on a life of their own once the ball starts rolling in their favour.

Saying that, ignoring demands of accidental non-payment of fuel for several months is probably not the wisest decision in this now pseudo-criminal country, where these debt-enforcement organisations have been allowed to proliferate under a "free market economy".

It's hugely unfair, but at this point, its financial damage control - unless you can reach out to the current debt agency and talk some sense into them walking their current demand closer back towards the original value of the fuel.

Really? There is no need to?