3. Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on "wrong" number
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Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on "wrong" number
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We (two people at the same address using a car) presumably received a PCN from APCOA for accidentally not paying a Stansted parking charge in time. However, the address on the V5C was wrong back then (now updated) so we never received the PCN in post. We have now received a SMS message from PayDRP talking about an overdue parking charge, which cites APCOA and correctly names our car's reg plate, so presume it is not spam.

However, the SMS did not go to the registered keeper but to the other person, so not sure how to handle this. Had the keeper received the SMS, we would have used one of the templates to send a complaint to APCOA to drop the PCN and refrain from further contact, but not sure this is the way to proceed since we may accidentally reveal more than necessary.
While the SMS does not mention names, it is not clear how they got this particular number, and not the keeper's number.

How should we proceed in this case?

Thanks in advance!
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Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on "wrong" number
« Reply #1 on: »
Send a data rectification notice to APCOA stating the Registered Keeper's new address and also explicitly demand they erase your previous address and notify you when that is done.

Furthermore, do not interact with Debt Recovery Plus, they are debt collectors who have no powers. The advice is to block and await a letter of/before claim. The general consensus is that "APCOA don't do court", so that may just never happen.

As a note, Stansted Airport is not relevant land, so the parking operator only has the power to pursue the driver. Never identify who the driver was. Only respond as the Registered Keeper.


Email: dpo@apcoa.com

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Subject: Data Rectification and Erasure Notice – PCN Reference: [PCN Number]

To the Data Protection Officer,

I am issuing this notice to require the immediate rectification and erasure of my personal data in line with Article 16 and Article 17 of the UK GDPR.

Please amend your records to reflect my current address for service:

[Your New Address]

I further require that you erase all records containing my previous address from your system and databases.

Additionally, you must notify any third parties to whom my personal data has been shared, including debt collection agencies, legal representatives, or other associated entities, instructing them to update my address and erase any reference to my previous address.

For verification, I enclose a copy of my V5C document showing my updated address. No further evidence is required.

You are required to confirm in writing within one month that this rectification and erasure have been completed, including the names of all third parties notified.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Full Name]
« Last Edit: April 01, 2026, 02:16:44 pm by Mustek »
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Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on "wrong" number
« Reply #2 on: »
Thanks for the response.

So the only way forward is to give them the correct details so that they can re-issue the PCN, despite the fact that we hope to have them drop it anyway, and despite it is already overdue? Is that not counterintuitive as it gives them more information? Or is it the only way to formally get rid of the whole thing?

Nevertheless, this still does not really address the issue of the "wrong" number. How did they get the number, why did they get the "wrong" one, and would we not make ourselves worse off by sending an email from the registered keeper when it was not the keeper who received the SMS?
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Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on "wrong" number
« Reply #3 on: »
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Is that not counterintuitive as it gives them more information?

They already have the registered keeper's details from their initial DVLA query against the vehicle's reg.
The person who owns the vehicle needs to get the records updated as APCOA currently holds 2 addresses, if they ever decide to go to court, you'd want them to have the correct address to prevent a judgement in default.

So it's in the keeper's best interest to have those details amended. As for re-serving the PCN, they may do that, or you can specifically request that in the GDPR request as well.



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How did they get the number

They've likely used a tracing agency, or if the APCOA app was ever used to pay for parking, they may have simply obtained it from that, as it would've been linked to the vehicle's reg. And it clearly was successful as they were able to contact the right household.
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Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on "wrong" number
« Reply #4 on: »
They are unlikely to re-issue any PCN.

They will simply tell you that a PCN was issued on date xx/xx/xxxx - they may provide a copy.

They will say that it is the keeper's legal responsibility to maintain their correct details with the DVLA.

Once details are updated, there is little APCOA can do in terms of either making the keeper pay or supplying driver details.
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Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on "wrong" number
« Reply #5 on: »
Thank you both.

So to summarise, we should send that template to update the address in their systems to avoid any defaults against us.

Since that still leaves the question of how to get the PCN dropped, should we do this within the same message despite us not having the PCN reference? Or do I first need to somehow ask them for the PCN reference before trying to get it dropped?

In effect, is it possible to sending the message below at once (additions in bold)?

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Subject: Data Rectification and Erasure Notice – PCN

To APCOA,

I am issuing this notice to require the immediate rectification and erasure of my personal data in line with Article 16 and Article 17 of the UK GDPR.

Please amend your records to reflect my current address for service:

[Your New Address]

I further require that you erase all records containing my previous address from your system and databases.

Additionally, you must notify any third parties to whom my personal data has been shared, including debt collection agencies, legal representatives, or other associated entities, instructing them to update my address and erase any reference to my previous address.

For verification, I enclose a copy of my V5C document showing my updated address. No further evidence is required.

You are required to confirm in writing within one month that this rectification and erasure have been completed, including the names of all third parties notified.

I understand I have received a PCN, sent to me as the registered keeper of vehicle XXXXXX.

As I am sure you are aware, the land at Stansted Airport where the alleged incident occurred is covered by Bylaws, therefore it is not relevant land for the purposes of the Protection of Freedom Act 2012. As a result, you can only hold the driver liable.

As the registered keeper, I am under no obligation to identify the driver, and I will not be doing so.

Please advise that you have closed the file on this case, and I will be receiving no further correspondence from you or third parties.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Full Name]
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Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on "wrong" number
« Reply #6 on: »
I would not put an appeal in a GDPR request, as the department that handles these requests is likely to not be the same as those who handle appeals. It's also unlikely to be accepted as the PCN has already passed the appeals stage.

If you would like a copy of the PCN, I'd simply ask to provide a copy of all previous correspondence sent to you.

Keep any defences for if and when you receive the letter of/before claim and then come back here so a suitable response can be drafted. They have 6 years from the date of the alleged contravention to do so, so please keep copies of any correspondence, just in case.

If you want to have a look for previous threads with similar situations, you can use this search query. That should hopefully put your mind at ease a bit. I could not find any that resulted in anything beyond the threatening debt recovery agencies.
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Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on "wrong" number
« Reply #7 on: »
Thank you, that makes sense, we'll just do the GDPR message for now then.

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It's also unlikely to be accepted as the PCN has already passed the appeals stage.

Sorry for retreading here, but this makes it sound that we are not likely to have APCOA drop the PCN since it is past the appeals stage - would this mean the process is more likely to escalate?
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