Free Traffic Legal Advice
General discussion => The Flame Pit => Topic started by: Kellyjp10@hotmail.com on December 16, 2024, 02:59:30 pm
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You may want to have a read of this thread, where EPC have asked the utter incompetents at Moorside Legal to issue a Letter of Claim (LoC) for an identical case.
Moorside Legal LoC Foreign Road Toll (EPC) (https://www.ftla.uk/private-parking-tickets/moorside-legal-loc-foreign-road-toll-(epc)/)
Just because Trace have not responded does not mean that they have forgotten about you. Not that anything can actually be done, but they will still be trying to shake the gullible tree to see what low-hanging fruit is ready for picking.
Your efforts with Trace are a complete waste of time as they are powerless to do anything except to try and scare recipients of there letters into paying out of ignorance and fear. Your warning should be directed at EPC. They are the entity that has breached your GDPR.
Have a read of the linked thread and make your DVLA complaint today.
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Saw this and I know its an old thread, but could help some people down the track.
A few months ago I got the standard Trace Hungary Fine letter and I decided to respond and put an end to the nonsense. Here is the letter I used. After I sent this letter they stopped responding. Never heard a peep from them after the this. ;D
Letter to TRACE Debt Recovery
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, Postcode]
[Email Address – optional]
[Date]
Collections Department
TRACE Debt Recovery UK Limited
PO Box 1449
Northampton, NN2 1DW
Subject: Request for Evidence and Clarification – Case ID [Insert Case ID]
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing in response to your letter dated [insert date on the letter] regarding an alleged outstanding Hungarian toll penalty charge notice (PCN) associated with my vehicle [Vehicle Registration Number: [insert number]].
Lack of Prior Awareness
I would like to note that I have been unaware of any prior correspondence regarding this matter. I was only recently informed of this claim through your most recent letter, which I am now addressing.
Request for Proof of Debt
I do not acknowledge this debt and require you to provide the following before I consider this matter further:
A copy of the original fine issued by the Hungarian authority, including the date, time, and location of the alleged toll infraction.
Evidence that this fine was issued in accordance with Hungarian law, including compliance with any relevant timeframes for notification.
Confirmation of your legal authority to act on behalf of the Hungarian toll authority or Euro Parking Collection (EPC).
Details of any legal agreements or authorisation that allow TRACE to pursue this matter in the UK.
Clarification of Legal Standing
As TRACE is acting as a third-party debt recovery agent, I would appreciate clarification as to whether you own the debt or are merely representing another party. If you do not own the debt, I will not engage further until such time as you or the original authority issue a valid Letter Before Action (LBA) that complies with UK pre-action protocols.
Dispute of the Claim
Should you fail to provide the requested evidence or clarification, I will consider the matter closed and view further correspondence as harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
Please treat this letter as a formal request for evidence. I expect a full written response, with supporting documents, within 14 days of the date of this letter. If you fail to comply with this request, I will consider reporting your practices to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and other relevant regulatory bodies for investigation.
I look forward to your prompt response.
Yours faithfully,
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Do not confuse Trace = Trace Debt Recovery Service
with the London Councils' scheme for locating towed cars
https://archive.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/parking-services/trace-towed-vehicle-tracing-service
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Please don't tell us you actually contacted Trace. They are a bunch of simpleton debt collectors with no powers to anything.
Ignore and get on with your life. Trace cannot do anything about this except to try and persuade you to cough up and pay into their scam.
They rely on the low-hanging fruit on the gullible tree to pay up out of ignorance of the law and their rights. Trace cannot initiate any litigation as they are not a party to any contract that is being disputed.
Aside from the jurisdiction issues, what do you imagine they can do? What do you think the Hungarian authorities (assuming this is a traffic penalty issue and not a simple contractual issue) can do about this? Nothing. Zero. Zilch.
Use Trace's letters as kindling or to line the bottom of a litter tray. Never, ever, EVER, communicate with a useless debt collector.
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I have received a letter from Trace Debt Recovery with two unpaid toll infractions from Hungary taking place on July 29th and July 30th, 2023. The demand of this posting is 30th October and 29th November 2024.
The charges for the debt recovery are 290.71 GBP and 290.75 GBP. Firstly, I'm not sure if I even committed these toll infractions to start as this allegedly happened nearly 18 months ago. I was in Hungary with my car at the time, but I do no remember the roads I was driving on so long ago. Perhaps it could have happened, but maybe it did not. Because I don't speak Hungarian, I'm not sure.
Moreover, the main reason for writing today is, this is the first notification in 18 months that I have received and it is coming from a Debt Recovery Group. I was completely unaware these two toll infractions even occurred.
Trace Debt Recovery acted as if I knew and insisted I pay nearly 600 GBP in fees immediately which I said I would not pay without further information. They simply said it would go to court.
I'm seeking advice what I should do as a next step. If I had received letters from the Hungarian Officials that a toll infraction took place in the Summer of 2023, I would have responded to it or at least made an appeal or asked for more information.
Did they not contact me because they (Hungarian Officials) do not have access to the DVLA data-base? If so, then this is flawed from the start as I wasn't given any information in the Summer of 2023.
Thank you for any information or advice.