Birmingham man who can't drive sent over 100 motoring fines

Rob Richards said he was disappointed but not surprised to receive the letters

A man who cannot drive has been sent more than 100 fines to his home, addressed to another motorist.

Rob Richards said he was being chased by bailiffs over the penalties despite never holding a licence.

Parking charges, speeding fines and Dartford Crossing charges are among the demands sent to his home in Quinton, near Birmingham.

He is among several who contacted the BBC after Barry, who also does not have a licence, received £23,000 in fines.

The government urges victims of car registration fraud to contact the DVLA.

"It is annoying and it's a nuisance," said Mr Richards, an NHS admin worker.

He said the volume of letters from organisations including Sandwell Council, car rental company Hertz and Thames Valley Police had become "meaningless" to him.

People have received multiple letters from councils, police and other organisations like hire car companies

"If these companies put as much effort as chasing me into resolving the issues, it would be sorted in a few days," he added.

Mr Richards' story follows that of 74-year-old Barry, who said he was suffering "inner turmoil" after 200 fines were sent to him addressed to two different drivers he had never heard of.

Stewart Gardner, a teacher from Erdington, Birmingham, told the BBC he too had received dozens of demands including Clean Air Zone charges and parking fines for a car he does not own.

Since October, around 30 letters have arrived through his door.

"It's alarming to think how common it is and it's frustrating that people can get away with it," he said.

Mr Gardner said he had contacted the DVLA to remove the vehicle registration from his home address to try to resolve it.

"It makes them feel invincible as they've addressed the letters to someone else," he said.

"It's so easy to not be accountable for your driving and it's frustrating that people can get away with it."

Debt collectors have been at Barry's door as well

Emma Rogers, of Birmingham, told the BBC she had received multiple emails a week with car fines addressed to a driver never associated at her address.

She said the issue had been "seemingly resolved" by sending the company involved evidence of all residents living at her home.

Christine Hutchings said she had recently received a registration document for a car and driver that did not live at her address.

"What I find concerning is what checks were made to prove any of this information?" she said.

The DVLA is looking into the complaints and advises people who are sent fines for vehicles they do not own to return them to the organisation that has contacted them.

Motorists are also advised to notify the DVLA straight away if they are contacted about a vehicle they have never owned.

Bosses will then send a letter to the person who contacted them, confirming they are not the vehicle keeper and, if necessary, advise the person about how to contact Action Fraud, the national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre.