Blackpool Resident Targeted by Bailiffs Over Stranger’s ULEZ Fines

A Blackpool resident identified only as CW received four enforcement notices from CDER Group for unpaid Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) fines that pertained to a vehicle he has never owned. The notices triggered bailiff visits to his home, despite CW’s submission of a DVLA confirmation that the vehicle was never registered to him or his address. CDER proceeded with enforcement after Transport for London (TfL) rejected the DVLA evidence, stating it could not be considered valid.

The Guardian

The original penalty charge notices were sent to the address of the actual offending driver. When those notices were ignored, CDER’s tracing agents used credit-search data to locate a person with the same name. The credit reference agency TransUnion had previously merged a stranger’s credit report with CW’s, a mistake that had happened three times in three years. Over the past 25 years, CW has repeatedly been confused with another individual sharing his name, leading to debt-collection actions from multiple creditors.

The Guardian

A TfL spokesperson explained that its contracted enforcement agents rely on credit searches to identify liable parties, and that the search incorrectly linked CW to the vehicle. Following CW’s intervention, TfL apologized and cancelled the enforcement action. CDER Group subsequently paid CW £500 in compensation for the “anguish” caused. TransUnion declined to comment, while the Financial Ombudsman Service is investigating CW’s complaint about the credit-reporting error.

The Guardian

The resolution halted bailiff activity and provided a modest monetary settlement, but the case highlights systemic flaws in how enforcement agencies verify identity before pursuing debt collection. The Financial Ombudsman Service’s investigation into TransUnion’s handling of credit data may lead to broader scrutiny of credit-search practices used by public-sector enforcement bodies.

The Guardian