My next-door-neighbour is 91 and has lived on his own for the past few years since his wife passed away. Over the summer he started receiving letters about a parking fine, sent to another man’s name but at his address. The company is adamant that the DVLA records this vehicle as registered at his address. It won’t accept there is no such person living there.
It is being handled by a firm of solicitors called QDR, with the threat of bailiffs being called in if this person doesn’t pay. My neighbour is very nervous he will get bailiffs on his doorstep.
MB, Falmouth
You need to reassure him that there is nothing QDR can do to him because he is not the owner of the vehicle or named on the letters. In the unlikely event that they secured a county court judgment, and a bailiff turned up, they would have to leave as soon as he, or you, explained that the person on the document has never lived there.
I asked QDR to check the electoral roll and respond to your letter, but it sent a stock email. It is not helped by the fact that your neighbour is not the person they are trying to find.
You could write to the DVLA; however, your letter will join the backlog probably building up at its Swansea HQ. If you had a response in six months I would be amazed.
If you/he has notified QDR that this person doesn’t live at his address, there is not much more you can do. Tell him to pass all letters from the solicitors to you and just chuck them in the bin. They will probably get bored with this soon and give up.
We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at consumer.champions@theguardian.com or write to Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a daytime phone number. Submission and publication of all letters is subject to our terms and conditions.
