Toll bridge fines WARNING this is long

liamwhite

Ok i know there has probably been many of toll bridge threads come up, but i think you might find this one a LITTLE bit different

It all started last year, i was set up on direct debit with eflow, had my tag and was paying my way THEN.. i decided to get a new car!! when i dont that i took (foolishly but out of pure innocence) my tag from my old car and put it on my new car. anyways i got my new car and moved out of my moms apartment and so did she. i was using the toll bridge over a period of time, while all the time thinking that the couple of euro was comming out of my account it wasnt.. it was clocking up fines.... the fines were going to my old address and the old tag clearly wasnt picking up my travel.

I got statments every month from eflow via email, after i set it up i could never remember my password, even though it was a phone call away i wasnt bothered checking my statments as id notice if they were taking big money from my account.. so as the statments came the fines and warnings were going to my old address over the months.

one day i seen the occupant of my new address and they told me they had a huge pile of letters for me in the apartment, i went to collect them to find they were from eflow... i rang eflow straight away but they told me that the matter was now out of there hands, but that it was for there solisitors... two weeks or so passed and a registered letter came (i had diverted any post that came to my old address to new one now) the registered letter was summonse to court to pay 2800 euro for toll fines.. i rang the solisitor straight away to find that it was actualy 8000 euro in total for 150euro worth toll bridge passes, i tried to explain to the girl that im a part time worker that money is out of my league and she suggested that i borrow at least 2800 before the court date wich was to be in febuary at the very least! KEEP IN MIND THIS IS ALL HAPPENING TWO DAYS CHRISTMAS EVE!!

i was swetting, i felt like fainting... i tried to explain that i earn 250 euro a week, i have a child and a fammily to support. welfare pay me 90 euro a week.. i am struggeling as it is! i told them i could send them financial staments ect to prove my income! another girl phoned me back the next day (day before xmas eve) after a whole night without sleep the night before thinking about it!
she told me to try not to worry that it would be ok, that we could come to an arrangment after xmas.
my mind eased a little but my christmas was still ruined with this comming up after and not knowing what they will want after christmas and the toughts of going to court!

after a horrible christmas thinking about it the girl phoned, she was very intimidating... she told me that i would have to pay 2800 euro instead of 8000 euro... but it had to be paid there and then.. i tried to explain AGAIN my situation and she said that she understood but that i had to take full responsability (which i agree of course to take some, not all) she said we didnt have to go to court if i paid 2800 euro, then she said that i could pay it monthly.. i accepted because i didnt want court.. she told me if it went to court id have to pay the 8000 euro plus legal fee's! she told me to get back to her that day with a figure that i can pay.. i got back and offered 50 euro a month and she told me it wasnt acceptable.. i told her i could not possibly pay anymore... so she agreed for the next 4 years for me to pay 50 euro a month in fines for toll passes that are worth 150 euro !!

she then phoned me back to tell me that i had to pay 96 euro to eflow for most of the toll passes... along with the fines...

I feel like i have been realy robbed and bullied! i am sitting here with the standing order form woundering what to do! as soon as they get that, then thats it! 4 years paying 50 euro a month for something that was truly not done intentionaly! i asked her why wasnt the old tag stil picking up the journeys and takin them out on direct debit i had set up for that tag. she told me she didnt know! i just feel like im being taken advantage of! dont get me wrong i know i was stupid but it was pure innocence it wasnt like i was driving through the toll all the time lauphing and thinking i wouldnt get caught!

Victor

You need to check out the terms and conditions of what you signed up for. Was the tag actually charged? Why wasn't it charged?

Talk to a solicitor (it will cost much less than €2,800). You may be entitled to free legal aid given the amount of the fines*. Its possible the matter could be put back to another hearing until things are clarified.



* It will need to be checked are they fines or charges.

liamwhite

Victor wrote: »

You need to check out the terms and conditions of what you signed up for. Was the tag actually charged? Why wasn't it charged?

Talk to a solicitor (it will cost much less than €2,800). You may be entitled to free legal aid given the amount of the fines*. Its possible the matter could be put back to another hearing until things are clarified.



* It will need to be checked are they fines or charges.

they are asking me to pay 2800 euro in fines and 96 euro in charges, i will see a solisitor. but seen as ive already agreed with there solisitors to pay the 2800 euro, i think ive messed any chances up on myself for not going down to a solisitor at the very start. im not looking for a poor me response at all, after ll i am to blame for being so lazy as to not ringing them to get my password to check my statments, had i have checked even one i would have copped that the toll wasnt taken out of my account and queried it. But i think to make 2800 euro in fines is a bot O.T.T

Erbium

Oh noes indeed....
You've contracted with them now, ie accepted that you owe them money...Whatever the amount.
Do defend yourself...because they will try & squeeze all they can get out of you & will if you let them.

Good luck to you!

myxi

When you sign up for the tag it says in the terms and conditions that you agree to that you must notify eflow of any change of registered vehicle and also any change to name and address. Because you didn't give them your new car registration number and also your new address they are entitled to pursue you for the money.

https://csc.eflow.ie/Content/Terms%20and%20conditions.html

Section 4.

I know myself because my cousin used to borrow her dad's tag if she was using the toll and they realised straight away because she got the first warning letter a week later.

Gallagher5

I ran into the same problem in the past, I didn't realise that my tag was only associated with my car and so non-transferable! I got a new car, continued using my old tag until I realised this and was obviously fined.

However I have to say that I have since changed my car again and moved house so got straight on to eflow, gave them all my new details and got all sorted out pretty easily, wish I had done this in the first place. Spoke to a guy in their call centre who was nice and sorted all for me quite simply and I haven't had any problems since - think being registered is the only way to go! Anyway, I hope you get all sorted.