Free Traffic Legal Advice

As others have experienced, I recently received communication from Trace Debt Recovery requesting I pay £170 for a parking contravention they claim was made on 3 January 2023.

Unfortunately I did not see the advice not to engage with Debt Collectors in time, and I did respond, but only to say:

"This is the first time I have heard about this matter. Please can you provide full details of the parking charges you have written to me about.
Please include any previous correspondence Alliance Parking say has taken place.
Please also provide details of your (Trace Group) and Alliance Parking’s privacy and data protection policies illustrating the legitimacy of how my details have been shared in this case."

They replied by email with a copy of the NTK and a certificate of posting.
 
I received another letter dated 3/11/2025 stating I have 14 days to settle or "our client can choose to start legal proceedings against you at any time."

Yesterday I received a text message from TRACE saying "FINAL DEMAND - Please contact TRACE...to prevent your case being passed to our legal department".

All the above comms from Trace can be viewed here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/162i9fzk7ag4w5jehu2a8/AE5Z5EYBJ5zajbOhEJA6ARg?rlkey=heavsguqil1opkk9qp1gnm84w&st=vbbut6se&dl=0

Do I respond or ignore? We have no recollection of using the car park (we don't live there - it would have been during a holiday visit) but, had we done so, would have expected to pay for parking at the machine.

Advice much appreciated.

Can you confirm that the copy of the NtK they sent has the correct address where the Keeper resided at the time of the alleged contravention?
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Thank you for responding so quickly. Happy to ignore them and wait for the next letter. Impossible to recall who the driver might have been that long ago.
Yes the NtK address is correct - though I don't recall ever seeing/receiving it.

Will probably be back here when I get the next scary letter...

The advice in the previous post remains.

If you use a template them you'll need to use one which mentions that you deny keeper liability due to the out of time NtK.

Alternatively, you could send something short and too the point along the lines of;


Thank you for your letter of claim - I have noted contents etc

I am the vehicle keeper.

Unfortunately your client's NtK was issued too late for there to be any transfer of liability to myself and as such I dispute your claim that I 'owe you £170' - Your letter fails to explain how liability has been transferred to me when the driver is unknown to your client.

For the purposes of clarity; there is no legal requirement for me to reveal the driver and I will not be doing so.

I am sorry that I am unable to help you further with this matter.


Best wishes,

xxxx xxxxxxx