VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice

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Wed 31 Aug 2022 19:05
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Roger Leek

Hi I need some advice!

Driving back from Cornwall 2nd August, I stopped at a petrol station to fill up, paid and have a receipt for £40. Last week I got a Drive Off Notice From VARS for £16.99 of fuel (total penalty charge £46.99 in there admin fee to be paid in 14 days). I immediately appealed and provided a copy of my receipt.

Today I received an email from VARS... "We are aware that payment of £40.01 was made on the date, the staff informed us that due to a pump mix-up, the wrong amount was paid for, and the driver actually dispensed £57 worth of fuel, therefore, the remaining fuel balance is £16.99. To avoid further escalation you must pay the £46.99 originally requested.

I intend to further appeal this as I specifically remember buying £40 of fuel as I had that amount in cash in my wallet, but decided to use my debit card instead.

Any idea how I stand legally? I live in Staffordshire so I can't pop back to the garage.

Any advice would be appreciated

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Wed 31 Aug 2022 20:56
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Crickleymal

Was it pay at the pump or pay the attendant?

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Wed 31 Aug 2022 21:35
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Adampr

I think you probably have three options

1. Pay it. A relatively small amount of money is not worth the grief

2. Refuse to pay it. It's a civil case, they know it's nonsense and are they really going to take you to court?

3. Bombard the oil company with complaints on social media, go to the local paper, write to your MP etc. In the meantime, you may pay it just to be rid of the debt collectors.

Personally, I would go for the third option. Pay it, raise a complaint with the oil company then take it from there. If you take away the stress of the potential CCJ you can have a bit if fun berating people and accusing them if extortion etc.

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Thu 1 Sep 2022 08:57
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Bromptonaut

I think you probably have three options

1. Pay it. A relatively small amount of money is not worth the grief

2. Refuse to pay it. It's a civil case, they know it's nonsense and are they really going to take you to court?

3. Bombard the oil company with complaints on social media, go to the local paper, write to your MP etc. In the meantime, you may pay it just to be rid of the debt collectors.

Personally, I would go for the third option. Pay it, raise a complaint with the oil company then take it from there. If you take away the stress of the potential CCJ you can have a bit if fun berating people and accusing them if extortion etc.

I'd go with option 2. It's a civil case and it's up to them to prove the pump mix story in court. That's a tall order.

I think once it gets to somebody approving the issue of proceedings they'll bin it as not having even a 50/50 chance of a successful recovery.

In the meantime their debt collectors might add to the charges and escalate the threat level. Stand your ground and pay attention to your post just in case it gets as far as a summons. At that point you cannot ignore it any longer and will need to file a defence.

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Thu 1 Sep 2022 09:46
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - daveyjp

Don't pay it, ask them for further details of the mix up. What pump did you fill up at, what pump did they charge you for.

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Thu 1 Sep 2022 11:54
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Andrew-T

Are there any known scams using this approach ? Seems quite feasible to me ? Could provide a steady income of small amounts which many people would just pay to prevent hassle ?

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Thu 1 Sep 2022 13:26
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Bromptonaut

Are there any known scams using this approach ? Seems quite feasible to me ? Could provide a steady income of small amounts which many people would just pay to prevent hassle ?

Given the details and the fact the demand tallies with an actual purchase I doubt this is a scam in the sense of organised extraction of cash. Whether it's a forecourt worker or manager trying to cover up for a mistake is another question.

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Thu 1 Sep 2022 14:14
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - 72 dudes

As someone who works p/t in a petrol station, I deal with drive offs and pump mix ups several times per week.

It's not a scam but I think you'd be right to question the pump mix up story.

They will have CCTV footage which is how they've traced you this far.

Although they can only give CCTV footage to the police or the collection agency, they would have to be on fairly strong ground to insist on payment, as it's unlikely the CCTV extends to the till screen showing the actual pump mix up.

My main concern is are you absolutely certain you put £40 in and not £57. It's amazing how often customers swear blind one thing when they've done another!

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Thu 1 Sep 2022 16:18
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Crickleymal

.

My main concern is are you absolutely certain you put £40 in and not £57. It's amazing how often customers swear blind one thing when they've done another!

I was wondering about that. I've gone to pay before now and discovered that I'd put 40 litres in not £40. But given recent fuel prices 40L would be £72ish.

The other thing is to offer to pay the balance not the penalty charge as that is what you (may) owe.

Edited by Crickleymal on 01/09/2022 at 16:22

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Fri 2 Sep 2022 15:13
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Roger Leek

You make a good point... but as mentioned, I know I had £40 (2x £20) in my wallet which I intended to use for fuel... I only changed my mind as my wife had gone into shop... I guess the time delay is also a factor. However, if the garage had got my details from the DVLA (as they are advised to do), and admitted to me that a mistake had happened, rather than pass on to the heavies, I would have probably paid. Its the fact that they want me to pay an additional £30 'admin' fee with threats that I object too.

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Fri 2 Sep 2022 14:54
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Roger Leek

Thanks every one for the support and good advice...

I have put in a further appear, "As I dispute this charge, because it does not match with my recollection of events, I request full details of the proof you believe you have that I dispensed £57 worth of fuel into my car. All I have is a low res photograph, on a document that does not give the correct facts, and an email from yourselves (31-08-2022), implying that due to a pump mix-up, the wrong amount was paid. "

I'll see what they come back with

Thanks again to you all

Tip: always take and keep your petrol receipts for at least a month.

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Fri 2 Sep 2022 21:27
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Crickleymal

I have to say that I do find it odd that they put this much effort and money into tracking you down etc for what is a relatively small amount of money. The original sum they think might be owed, that is, not the additional cost that they've lumped on top.

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Fri 2 Sep 2022 14:47
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Roger Leek

to the addenant

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Fri 2 Sep 2022 16:00
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Steve Marsh

Does your receipt state the pump number?

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Mon 19 Feb 2024 19:25
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Paul Hoston

Sorry to jump in on this But I have received a notice saying that I drove off without paying for £19.55 of fuel. The basic fact is that they have sent me a notice with a clear picture of my Vehicle at pump 2, which I agree with and remember being at, I went into the garage and payed the £37 for fuel that I did put in my vehicle, this clearly shows on my bank statement on the date the transaction took place. Upon me replying to this notice to VARS stating the odvious they have now come back and said the outstanding amount is for pump 9, BUT now here’s the funny bit they still want me to pay for the outstanding fuel & £30 admin fee.

iam staggered, anybody could be so stupid given that they have sent me a picture at the different pump not at pump 9, how is this possible.

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Mon 19 Feb 2024 19:36
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - leaseman

I think that before anyone could suggest a course of action, we would need to know more details, and in particular- Who has written to you?

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Mon 19 Feb 2024 19:56
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Paul Hoston

VARS Ltd sent me a drive off notice for £19.55 at pump 2. The picture clearly shows my vehicle at pump 2. I went into the garage and payed £37 for the fuel I had put in my vehicle, no question, it shows on my bank statement for the amount and the day in question. I responded to there notice via email, they responded 2 days saying that the amount still outstanding is 19.55 at pump 9 and they say they also want there admin fee. Please make some sense of this. I might just add that Iam 10 months post triple heart bypass I don’t need this s*** in my life.

can somebody please help.

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Mon 19 Feb 2024 20:02
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - leaseman

Reply stating that they are clearly harassing you and demanding that they Cease and Desist this action immediately, or you will report this harassment to the police.

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Mon 19 Feb 2024 21:07
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Middleman

How do they know you were the person involved?

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Mon 19 Feb 2024 21:17
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Paul Hoston

But that’s not the argument, they say I drove off, I didn’t, I payed and have proof for the fuel I put in on my bank statement. They say now the fuel was at a different pump for a different amount lower than what I payed and from the one they sent me in there notice.

it makes no sense

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Mon 19 Feb 2024 21:52
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Middleman

But that’s not the argument,...

Unless they know it was you, it doesn't matter what they said.

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Thu 22 Feb 2024 20:36
VW Troc - Drive Off Fuel Notice - Terry W

Send any letters recorded delivery - that way they cannot deny having received them. I would also suggest making it clear that any further time you have to spend resolving their spurious claim will be the subject of a claim by you upon them.

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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?