Forgot to pay dartford crossing after buying car

[kelevraz]

So, what happens if you buy a car, and before the new V5 is with you (or the change has even been made on the DVLA system) you go over the dartford crossing and forget to pay? The dealer i bought the car off sent the v5 by post, and my understanding is that it can take up to 6 weeks to receive it when its done this way, and i'm guessing the changes aren't made on the DVLA system 'as quickly' when stuff is received by post

I imagine the 2x tickets for £35 will go to the previous owner at first - what i want to know is, by the time the tickets eventually make their way to me... will i have the chance to pay the £35 penalty? And if not, is there a way i can get out ahead of any issues? I don't mind paying the fine, as i did just completely forget, but i don't want a situation where the tickets come to me as full blown 'you've missed any chance to pay' sort of tickets

[OzzyR1]

Just try phoning them and asking.

I forgot to change my card details when my card logged with the account was replaced (new expiry date etc) so the payment was rejected. I didn't see the email for a couple of weeks as I was on holiday shortly after but gave them a ring, explained and they just told me to update my details and the payment would be taken with no fines for lateness etc.

Copy of the email I got below with a phone number if it helps:

Account Name:
Account Number:

IMPORTANT - CREDIT CARD FAILURE

Thank you for choosing Auto-Top-Up for your Dart Charge Account.

Unfortunately we could not process your recent Credit Card payment. Please check your payment details either by accessing your account at https://www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge, or by contacting Dart Charge Customer Services.

Please note that if your account balance goes below £0.00 it will be suspended and you will not be able to use your account to pay for further crossings. You will therefore not benefit from a discount.

If you would like to talk to us about your account, please contact Dart Charge Customer Services using the information below.

Yours sincerely,

Christian Copin
Dart Charge Service Delivery Manager
www.gov.uk/dart-charge
Dart Charge
PO Box 842
Leeds
LS1 9QF
Phone [phone]

[hoegaardenruls]

Not the Dartford Crossing, but I received a couple of penalties addressed to me following the sale of a car.

Both sent back with some proof of sale - never heard anything else..

[QuickQuack]

I forgot to pay the London congestion charge and suddenly remembered a couple of days later. I hadn't received anything but I rang up TFL and paid the fine on the phone even though it hadn't even been sent out yet as it was already on their system. This was several years ago so even if telephone support has been changed such that you can't make a payment, I'm sure there'll be someone on the end of the phone who can tell you what exactly will happen.

[Pica-Pica]

OzzyR1 said:

Just try phoning them and asking.

I forgot to change my card details when my card logged with the account was replaced (new expiry date etc) so the payment was rejected. I didn't see the email for a couple of weeks as I was on holiday shortly after but gave them a ring, explained and they just told me to update my details and the payment would be taken with no fines for lateness etc.

Copy of the email I got below with a phone number if it helps:

Account Name:
Account Number:

IMPORTANT - CREDIT CARD FAILURE

Thank you for choosing Auto-Top-Up for your Dart Charge Account.

Unfortunately we could not process your recent Credit Card payment. Please check your payment details either by accessing your account at https://www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge, or by contacting Dart Charge Customer Services.

Please note that if your account balance goes below £0.00 it will be suspended and you will not be able to use your account to pay for further crossings. You will therefore not benefit from a discount.

If you would like to talk to us about your account, please contact Dart Charge Customer Services using the information below.

Yours sincerely,

Christian Copin
Dart Charge Service Delivery Manager
www.gov.uk/dart-charge
Dart Charge
PO Box 842
Leeds
LS1 9QF
Phone [phone]

But that is only the auto top-up, which activates when account falls below a set amount (minimum is £10).
The account will still have the crossing charge deducted.

[Riley Blue]

OzzyR1 said:

Just try phoning them and asking.

Do this today and explain the circumstances. Unlike many toll / penalty charge collecting agencies they are very understanding and helpful.

[spikeyhead]

Riley Blue said:

OzzyR1 said:

Just try phoning them and asking.

Do this today and explain the circumstances. Unlike many toll / penalty charge collecting agencies they are very understanding and helpful.

They were very good with me last year,no fine despite only paying a week late.

[CanAm]

spikeyhead said:

Riley Blue said:

OzzyR1 said:

Just try phoning them and asking.

Do this today and explain the circumstances. Unlike many toll / penalty charge collecting agencies they are very understanding and helpful.

They were very good with me last year,no fine despite only paying a week late.

Me too. Suddenly remembered 4 days later that I'd not paid. I got the fine a week or so later, with an accompanying letter saying that as it was apparently my first cock-up I could pay online within 24 hours.

[GreatGranny]

I did the same thing last year when driving home after picking up the wife's new car.

The charge went to the previous owner and I just transferred him the £35 to pay it.

[wiggy001]

Thanks OP for this thread, which has just reminded me to remove my car from my account that I sold a couple of months ago!

[Pica-Pica]

Maybe we were a bit sad, but I remember my dad driving us from SE Kent to go through the tunnel when it opened! Having lived in Essex, with my (late) parents living in Kent, I have used the single tunnel, dual tunnels, and now QE2 bridge, and found the system after the toll booths went, much better. Now for the lower Thames Crossing. It seems to me the more you effect to ease traffic, the more traffic is sucked into the system.

[wiggy001]

Pica-Pica said:

Maybe we were a bit sad, but I remember my dad driving us from SE Kent to go through the tunnel when it opened! Having lived in Essex, with my (late) parents living in Kent, I have used the single tunnel, dual tunnels, and now QE2 bridge, and found the system after the toll booths went, much better. Now for the lower Thames Crossing. It seems to me the more you effect to ease traffic, the more traffic is sucked into the system.

Traffic going into the tunnels has got much worse since the toll booths were removed causing traffic issues in local towns.

Developers are trying to redevelop local towns with the promise of easing congestion (though no details on how).

A cynic might think this has all been planned this way...