Petrol Forecourt
Author
Discussion

leedslulu

Original Poster:

5 posts

42 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
Hi, I filled up a petrol station and their card machine wouldn't work (and neither did the outside ATM as there was a complete network breakdown in the area) so they made me fill in a no means of payment form but said that since it was their fault, they would give me a couple of weeks grace to come back and pay it.

However when I went back in 2 weeks later, they had sent the form off and its now out of their hands and in the hands of solicitor calling in the debt.

I have had the letter back from the solicitor demanding almost twice the price of the original fuel purchase, however the number plate is not correct on the letter.

Can I appeal this on the grounds that they have a number plate that has nothing to do with me (it isn't even close to the number plate registered to me)

Cheers

parabolica

7,017 posts

214 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
Do you have a copy of the form you filled in in the station? And does the form state the penalty for non-payment within the grace period? And how different is your reg number to the one on the solicitor’s letter?

Shaw Tarse

31,897 posts

233 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
leedslulu said:
Hi, I filled up a petrol station and their card machine wouldn't work (and neither did the outside ATM as there was a complete network breakdown in the area) so they made me fill in a no means of payment form but said that since it was their fault, they would give me a couple of weeks grace to come back and pay it.

However when I went back in 2 weeks later, they had sent the form off and its now out of their hands and in the hands of solicitor calling in the debt.

I have had the letter back from the solicitor demanding almost twice the price of the original fuel purchase, however the number plate is not correct on the letter.

Can I appeal this on the grounds that they have a number plate that has nothing to do with me (it isn't even close to the number plate registered to me)

Cheers
I'm not sure how to help without more details, but does https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... help?

TonyRPH

13,546 posts

198 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
leedslulu said:
<snip>

However when I went back in 2 weeks later, they had sent the form off and its now out of their hands and in the hands of solicitor calling in the debt.

<snip>
Why would you wait 2 weeks to go back? I would have gone back ASAP.

They probably (and reasonably) thought you were never returning.


leedslulu

Original Poster:

5 posts

42 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
The car in question isn't actually mine, and it isn't registered at this address.
So I don't see how they can pin this on me (or even on the real owner of the car) since the number plate doesn't reflect the plate of the car I was in (it's wrong by one digit)

The form did state 1 week, but the manager promised me 3 weeks

Decky_Q

2,095 posts

207 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
Pay the station, or else get evidence that they have refused payment. If it goes to court you have been reasonable and they have not, despite the problem being their network issue. They instructed the solicitor not you, so liable for their own costs at small claims.

leedslulu

Original Poster:

5 posts

42 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
TonyRPH said:
Why would you wait 2 weeks to go back? I would have gone back ASAP.

They probably (and reasonably) thought you were never returning.
I was busy ! working away, don't forget I had the means to pay at the time, as did the people with me. it was just their machine didn't work

ZiggyNiva

1,215 posts

216 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
leedslulu said:
The car in question isn't actually mine, and it isn't registered at this address.
So I don't see how they can pin this on me (or even on the real owner of the car) since the number plate doesn't reflect the plate of the car I was in (it's wrong by one digit)

The form did state 1 week, but the manager promised me 3 weeks
If the numberplate is incorrect and it wasn't your car anyway how have they tracked you down?

leedslulu

Original Poster:

5 posts

42 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
parabolica said:
Do you have a copy of the form you filled in in the station? And does the form state the penalty for non-payment within the grace period? And how different is your reg number to the one on the solicitor’s letter?
yes it was £ 18 so i didn't want to use the online payment method

leedslulu

Original Poster:

5 posts

42 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
ZiggyNiva said:
If the numberplate is incorrect and it wasn't your car anyway how have they tracked you down?
I gave them my address on the No means of payment form

Silverage

2,426 posts

160 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
ZiggyNiva said:
If the numberplate is incorrect and it wasn't your car anyway how have they tracked you down?
I imagine the can’t pay form would have asked for name and address.

Sebring440

3,234 posts

126 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
leedslulu said:
So I don't see how they can pin this on me (or even on the real owner of the car) since the number plate doesn't reflect the plate of the car I was in (it's wrong by one digit)
They can pin it you because it was you that bought the petrol. And you voluntarily supplied your name and address. Therefore it's down to you.

The reg number of the car has nothing whatsoever to do with the transaction, you could have put petrol in a jerry-can.

Fady

460 posts

234 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
TonyRPH said:
leedslulu said:
<snip>

However when I went back in 2 weeks later, they had sent the form off and its now out of their hands and in the hands of solicitor calling in the debt.

<snip>
Why would you wait 2 weeks to go back? I would have gone back ASAP.

They probably (and reasonably) thought you were never returning.
You also say in your original post that they said that they would give you a couple of week's grace.

In the same situation, I would personally just pay for the fuel, confirm that they fully understand the background to the situation and then let them do their worst. Either some crossed wires or chancers at play here.

dhutch

17,876 posts

227 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
leedslulu said:
... i didn't want to use the online payment method
So you bought fuel, couldn't pay by card, got two weeks grace, did nothing for two weeks, then they reported you for non-payment, then you tried to pay?

If you cottage paid online and didn't that surely stupid.

And while it's a pita, busy, whatever, especially if it's local two weeks is loads of time. Even if it's not local, surely drive to the next nearest ATM and make payment.

I don't know what you're after from this thread. You didn't pay, they reported it.

BoRED S2upid

21,070 posts

270 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
TonyRPH said:
leedslulu said:
<snip>

However when I went back in 2 weeks later, they had sent the form off and its now out of their hands and in the hands of solicitor calling in the debt.

<snip>
Why would you wait 2 weeks to go back? I would have gone back ASAP.

They probably (and reasonably) thought you were never returning.
This or sent someone in with the cash or phoned them and paid it over the phone.

Nomme de Plum

7,050 posts

46 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
leedslulu said:
The car in question isn't actually mine, and it isn't registered at this address.
So I don't see how they can pin this on me (or even on the real owner of the car) since the number plate doesn't reflect the plate of the car I was in (it's wrong by one digit)

The form did state 1 week, but the manager promised me 3 weeks
In your OP you stated a couple of weeks now you are staying the manager promised 3 weeks. Promised, really, doesn't sound very likely to me.

The form says 1 week and common sense should have dictated you get it paid within that one week.

Unless you wish the bill to increase i suggest you contact them and try and settle.

A claim against you may end up with all sorts of credit score issues later.



Riley Blue

23,205 posts

256 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
leedslulu said:
The car in question isn't actually mine, and it isn't registered at this address.
So I don't see how they can pin this on me (or even on the real owner of the car) since the number plate doesn't reflect the plate of the car I was in (it's wrong by one digit)

The form did state 1 week, but the manager promised me 3 weeks
You knew you had bought the petrol. You knew it had to be paid for but you made no effort to do so and your negligence has now come back to bite you. Pay up.

Nomme de Plum

7,050 posts

46 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all
Riley Blue said:
You knew you had bought the petrol. You knew it had to be paid for but you made no effort to do so and your negligence has now come back to bite you. Pay up.
If he is foolish enough to let this get to a CC judgement the original fuel cost will seem like pocket change.



Cliftonite

8,748 posts

168 months

Friday 28th April 2023
quotequote all

All these strange stories we hear from folk posting for the first time! Odd, that! smile



AlexRS2782

8,529 posts

243 months

Saturday 29th April 2023
quotequote all
Cliftonite said:
All these strange stories we hear from folk posting for the first time! Odd, that! smile
Nearly always on a Friday afternoon too - just in time for the weekend. Even better if it's a Bank Holiday as it allows an extra day to try and rack up the page count in the hope the mods don't close it down too soon.

Bonus points for starting a thread, as referenced by a poster earlier, that pretty much follows along the same lines of an existing one running in SP&L (that they can't post on).