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#Post#: 115021--------------------------------------------------
Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on
"wrong" number
DIR By: rigidily
Date: April 1, 2026, 7:41 am
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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!
#Post#: 115022--------------------------------------------------
Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on
"wrong" number
DIR By: Mustek
Date: April 1, 2026, 8:13 am
---------------------------------------------------------
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
--- Quote ---
> 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]
--- End Quote ---
#Post#: 115024--------------------------------------------------
Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on
"wrong" number
DIR By: rigidily
Date: April 1, 2026, 8:27 am
---------------------------------------------------------
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?
#Post#: 115025--------------------------------------------------
Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on
"wrong" number
DIR By: Mustek
Date: April 1, 2026, 8:35 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote ---
> Is that not counterintuitive as it gives them more
information?
--- End Quote ---
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.
--- Quote ---
> How did they get the number
--- End Quote ---
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.
#Post#: 115030--------------------------------------------------
Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on
"wrong" number
DIR By: InterCity125
Date: April 1, 2026, 8:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
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.
#Post#: 115034--------------------------------------------------
Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on
"wrong" number
DIR By: rigidily
Date: April 1, 2026, 9:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
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)?
--- Quote ---
>
> 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]
>
--- End Quote ---
#Post#: 115038--------------------------------------------------
Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on
"wrong" number
DIR By: Mustek
Date: April 1, 2026, 10:35 am
---------------------------------------------------------
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
HTML https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aftla.uk+v5c+apcoa.
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.
#Post#: 115045--------------------------------------------------
Re: Presumed PCN from Stansted but received SMS from PayDRP on
"wrong" number
DIR By: rigidily
Date: April 1, 2026, 11:02 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Thank you, that makes sense, we'll just do the GDPR message for
now then.
--- Quote ---
> It's also unlikely to be accepted as the PCN has already
passed the appeals stage.
--- End Quote ---
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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