Letter from police received

[Manxman in exile]

It's almost certainly one of three things:

 

1.  a straight-forward mistake such as a transposition error on the paperwork by the police, or a simple misread of the numberplate by a witness;

 

2.  the person responsible for the accident falsely gave your daughter's name and details, although (a) that might suggest someone who knew your daughter, and (b) why has it taken 2 years to get to your daughter; and 

 

3.  perhaps the vehicle involved in the accident has been falsely registered with the DVLA with your daughter as the registered keeper, but again if this were the case why has it taken two years.

 

The first is probably most likely.

 

If I were your daughter I wouldn't get stressed out about this.  As others have said she simply needs to contact the police*, state that she knows nothing whatsoever about the car in question, and that she has never had any connection with it or to any other vehicle with that reg. number.  I would also ask them why they have contacted her, as she is now concerned that she might be the victim of identity theft.  She should also ask them to double check the details they have about the alleged accident and car to ensure there hasn't been some error or other confusion on their part that has caused them to come to her when she knows nothing about it. 

 

If she's the sort of person to get easily stressed or a bit anxious, it might be helpful if you could be present when she calls just to make sure she covers everything.  You might need to make sure she gets satisfactory answers to all her questions so that isn't left up in the air not knowing where she stands.  If you can't be with her at the time then agree with her beforehand the questions to ask, get her to write them down so as not to forget them, and tell her to write down the answers.  Keep a note of the date and time and who she spoke to.  Tell her to stay calm and collected and not get flustered.  These sorts of things happeneveryday and the police won't be trying to trick her.

 

By the way, does the "letter" from the police require a formal written response?  Is it a "letter" or is it a s172 request to name the driver?  It's not clear from your post what it is.  If it's a s172 request asking her to identify who the driver was then she MUST reply to it** within the timescale.  I'd suggest that she could reply along the lines that she can't identify the driver of the vehicle at the time and place in question because she does not and never has had any connection with that car or any other car with that reg. number.  [Edit:  If true she could also add she has never been to that location.  Not sure if you are saying that or not... ]

 

If it is just a letter, she could ask them when she calls them whether it needs a written response.  (If it were me I'd probably do a written reply anyway just to be on the safe side.  Best to keep stuff like this on paper with a proper trail... )

 

* Presumably there are contact details as I suspect most people who receive a communication like this from the police would be likely to have lots of questions.

 

** If it is a s172 request a lot of people don't realise that not replying to it is a serious offence.  Mandatory 6 points, big fine, extortionate insurance premiums for 5 years.

 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2022 by Manxman in exile

[Manxman in exile]

2 hours ago, Sirbob00 said:

Hi

 

Yes it’s a S172 so she’ll complete and get it posted off.  The registration number is absolutely nothing like hers was at the time.  Not 1 letter/number matches her car at the time.

She has left a message on the police website under contact an officer.

Which address is best to return to, the return address on the envelope or the address on the s172 letter.

 

Thank you

 

Make sure she still has that conversation with the police, but if she can't or if they never get back to her she still MUST reply to the s172 before the deadline expires no matter what.

 

If there isn't space on the form, or if there isn't a tick-box that fits her circumstances, I think the usual advice is to write "See attached" and to attach a signed letter explaining the circumstances along the lines I suggested in my previous post.  

 

Keep a copy and send first class* from a post office counter making sure to get a free proof of posting certificate.

 

Good luck

 

*There is a presumption in law that a letter sent first class is delivered two working days later, unless the addressee can prove they did not receive it. 

 

(Purely out of interest, is the s172 request in the form of a standard pre-printed pro-forma, or does it look like e one-off indivual letter signed by a real person?  It doesn't make a difference, just curious)

 

 

[Manxman in exile]

I would keep trying to 'phone them to ask what is going on, but she must ensure she responds to the s172 request.

[Manxman in exile]

Have DVLA provided a transcript of the online chat with your daughter?  

 

If they have, she might want to send a copy of it now to the named police contact in support of her s172 response that she had no connection with the vehicle at all.  Might be worth contacting the police anyway to tell them of the converstaion even if she does not have a transcript.

 

I say that because she might not hear back from the police for weeks or even a couple of months yet, and it might be best to just get this sorted quickly rather than having it hang over her.  Also you never know how long it will take DVLA to produce written confirmation.

 

On a general note, I'd have to say I'm a bit concerned that registered keeper details on the police national database seem to be inconsistent with the same information held by DVLA.

 

That can't (or shouldn't!) be right...

[Manxman in exile]

If I were your daughter I'd send the police a copy of the transcript (referencing her earlier s172 response) as evidence that DVLA have confirmed by 'phone that she is not connected in any way to the vehicle in question.  Still write to DVLA for written confrimation of the same.

 

She can then sit back and relax confident in the knowledge that she's done everything she can to establish that she is not involved in this.  She can put it to the back of her mind and forget it until the police get back to her and tell her no further action against her. (Hopefully!)

 

She can make a formal complaint if she wants to, but I'm sure the most it will get her is an apology - which of course she is owed and I'm sure she will be happy with.  I suspect that this has all been caused by somebody (a witness, police or DVLA) making a simple typo or transcription error when writing down a number or inputting it on a keyboard.  I do it all the time and have done it above with "confrimation".  I often type "contrcat" too.

 

Having said that, it might be worthwhile asking for an explanation as to how a discrepancy has arisen between Registered Keeper details on the police national computer and on the DVLA database.  That shouldn't have happened...

 

Your daughter might want also to ask DVLA to confirm that she is not linked to any more vehicles other than the one she is meant to be linked to.  If it has happened once could it happenagain?  Not sure if it can be done or how you would ask.  Possibly a SAR?  I'm sure somebody here would know.  

 

Good luck!

 

NB 1  -  Make sure your daughter keeps copies of all her correspondence.  Who knows.  She might get letters from other people (eg private parking companies and local authority parking enforcement) who mistakenly think it's her car.  She will have evidence ready to demonstrate it isn't.

 

NB 2  -  Unless the police have already confirmed receipt of her s172 response, it might be a good idea to check they have received it.  It would be a pity for all her hard work to be for nothing if it got lost in the post!

 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by Manxman in exile

[Manxman in exile]

We shred the names, house number, road name, city name and even county name (if there is one) on all correspondence that we don't keep.

 

I find it a bit difficult to believe that identity thieves would need to go to the trouble and inconvenience of going through bins to gather personal details, and then perhaps need to put shredded details back together*.  Are the police seriously suggesting they be burnt?**

 

In the first place, I could walk down our road or neighbouring roads right now and collect those personal details without going through bins.  I'm always amazed at the number of people who put delivery packaging out for recycling without removing their names and addresses.  The information is left out there for any passerby to see.

 

Second, if you wanted to collect names and addresses, wouldn't it just be more efficient all round to have a look at a copy of the local current electoral register?  You can usually find it in a local library.  You could collect 100s of names and addresses at one go without the uncertainty of not knowing what is or isn't in a bin - and without getting your hands dirty...  The electoral register and the 'open register': View the electoral register - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

 

*Didn't it take the Ayatollahs years and years to do that with American embassy documents?  I doubt identity thieves have - or even need - their level of patience.

 

**Probably easier to turn it into papier mache rather than burn it.  I've done that when our shredder broke.  (The police do talk utter rubbish sometimes)

Edited October 7, 2022 by Manxman in exile