Free Traffic Legal Advice

Thanks so much for the advice. Is there any chance it could turn in to a costly court / legal battle?

I’m loathed to pay them a penny but also don’t want to spend a fortune trying to beat them.

• Go to:

GOV.UK - DVLA

contact.dvla.gov.uk

• Select: “Making a complaint or compliment about the Vehicles service you have received”
• Enter your personal details, contact details, and vehicle details
• Use the text box to summarise your complaint or insert a covering note
• You will then be able to upload a file (up to 19.5 MB) — this can be your full complaint or supporting evidence
That’s it.

I am submitting a formal complaint against MET Parking Services, a BPA Approved Operator Scheme (AOS) member with DVLA KADOE access, for breaching the BPA/IPC Private Parking Single Code of Practice (PPSCoP) after obtaining my personal data.

While the Operator may have had reasonable cause at the time of their KADOE request, their subsequent misuse of my data—through conduct that contravenes the PPSCoP—renders that use unlawful. The PPSCoP forms an integral part of the DVLA’s governance framework for data access by private parking firms. Continued access is conditional on compliance.

The DVLA, as data controller, is obliged under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 to investigate and take enforcement action when data is misused following release. This complaint is not about whether the data was obtained lawfully at the outset, but whether its subsequent use breached the terms under which it was provided.

I have prepared a supporting statement and included an official airport boundary map annotated to show that the location of the alleged contravention is under statutory control and not relevant land for the purposes of PoFA. I request a full investigation and confirmation of receipt with a reference number.

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Complaint to DVLA – Breach of KADOE Contract and PPSCoP

Operator name: MET Parking Services
Date of PCN issue: 07/04/2025
Date of alleged contravention: 01/04/2025
Vehicle registration: [INSERT VRM]

I am submitting this complaint to report a misuse of my personal data by MET Parking Services, who obtained my keeper details from the DVLA under the KADOE (Keeper At Date Of Event) contract.

Although MET Parking Services may have had reasonable cause to request my data initially, their use of that data afterwards amounts to unlawful processing. This is because they have acted in breach of the BPA/IPC Private Parking Single Code of Practice (PPSCoP), which is a mandatory requirement for access to DVLA keeper data. The PPSCoP forms part of the framework that regulates how parking companies must behave once they have received keeper data from the DVLA.

The KADOE contract makes clear that keeper data may only be used to pursue an unpaid parking charge in line with the Code of Practice. If a parking company fails to comply with the PPSCoP after receiving DVLA data, their use of that data becomes unlawful, as they are no longer using it for a permitted purpose.

In this case, MET Parking Services has breached the PPSCoP as follows:

• They claimed keeper liability despite the location of the alleged contravention (Southgate Park, Stansted Airport) falling within the boundaries of land under statutory control and therefore not qualifying as “relevant land” under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

This directly contravenes PPSCoP Section 8.1.1(d), which prohibits operators from stating or implying that a keeper is liable under PoFA when the land is not relevant land.

This is not a minor or technical oversight. It is a clear misrepresentation of legal liability and a breach of the terms under which DVLA data is provided. It follows that MET Parking Services is now using my data unlawfully because their purpose (to pursue the keeper under PoFA) is not a valid one.

I have attached:

• A copy of the official Stansted Airport boundary map showing that the alleged contravention location lies within the airport’s statutory boundary
• A copy of the Notice to Keeper issued claiming Keeper liability where it is not lawful to do so
• This supporting statement

The DVLA remains the Data Controller for the data it releases under KADOE and is therefore responsible for ensuring that personal data is not misused. I am requesting the DVLA to investigate this breach and to take appropriate enforcement action. This may include:

• Confirming that a breach has occurred
• Taking enforcement action against the operator
• Suspending or terminating their KADOE access if warranted

Please confirm receipt and provide a reference number for this complaint. I am happy to provide further details if needed.

Name: [INSERT YOUR NAME]
Date: [INSERT DATE]

I have now received a debt recovery letter (see attached). Should I just ignore it?

Thanks again for everyone’s help to defeat these crooks!