About Debt Recovery Plus
Debt Recovery Plus Limited, often called DRP, collects unpaid private parking charges for car park operators. It has been registered at Companies House since 2008 under company number 06774150, with its registered office at 78 York Street, London. Its website gives PO Box 219, Manchester, M34 0DG as the address to write to.
DRP says private parking is not a regulated industry, and it is not on the FCA register. It is a member of the British Parking Association and an approved service provider of the International Parking Community, and it says it follows the Private Parking Single Code of Practice. It has been part of the Bristow & Sutor Group since 2018.
A letter from DRP means a parking company has passed an unpaid charge to it to collect. The parking company is still the creditor, and a letter from DRP is not a court order. If the charge stays unpaid, the parking company can choose to take court action. Reply in writing if you dispute the charge or want to agree a way to pay.
Group Structure
Bristow & Sutor Group
The group DRP belongs to. DRP says the group bought it in 2018. The group complaints policy says the group is Bristow & Sutor, Debt Recovery Plus Ltd and Credit Style Ltd.
Bristow & Sutor
Sister firm, established in 1977, that recovers debts for councils and other public bodies. Companies House lists the same two persons with significant control for it as for DRP's parent company.
Company number: 01431688
Dr Plus Limited
Company that owns 75% or more of Debt Recovery Plus Limited, according to Companies House.
Company number: 10223254
CST Law
Sister company that DRP says handles legal action for its parking clients, including defended claims.
Parking company (varies per case)
The car park operator that issued the parking charge and passed it to DRP. It is still the creditor and would bring any court claim.
What a Debt Recovery Plus Letter Typically Looks Like
- A letter or email about an unpaid private parking charge. DRP says the reason for the charge is on the letter.
- An 8-digit Case Reference at the top, which you use to pay online at debtrecoveryplus.co.uk/pay or by phone.
- The phone number 0208 234 6775, open 8am to 6pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 5.30pm on Friday.
- An amount that may be higher than the original charge, if debt recovery fees have been added.
- Letters sent by Royal Mail. DRP says it usually sends them within 48 hours of receiving the case.
Your Rights
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (Schedule 4)
In England and Wales, a parking company can recover an unpaid charge from the registered keeper only if the conditions in Schedule 4 are met (paragraph 4(2)). The most it can recover from the keeper under that Schedule is the amount in the notice to keeper, less anything paid after it (paragraph 4(5)).
Debt recovery fees
On 19 October 2026 the government said it will consult next year on private parking debt recovery fees, including whether to cut the existing £70 cap or scrap the fees. A new Private Parking Code of Practice was laid in Parliament on 20 October 2026 and is not yet in force.
Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims
Before a court claim, the parking company or its solicitors should send a Letter of Claim with a Reply Form. You have 30 days from the date at the top of the letter to reply. Once you reply, they should wait at least 30 days from receiving your Reply Form before starting court action.
Limitation Act 1980 (section 5)
A claim founded on a simple contract cannot be brought more than six years after the cause of action accrued. DRP's own FAQs say a creditor can take court action for up to 6 years, or 5 years in Scotland.
Complaints
Email complaints@drpl.co.uk or write to PO Box 219, Manchester, M34 0DG. DRP aims to give a full response within ten days at each of its three stages and puts the case on hold while it investigates. After that, you can go to the British Parking Association or the International Parking Community, depending on which one the parking company belongs to.
Common Debt Recovery Plus Scenarios
A DRP letter about a charge you dispute
Write to DRP saying why you dispute the charge, for example unclear signs, a valid ticket or permit, or that you were not the driver, and ask for the evidence. Ask it to pass your dispute to the parking company. DRP says that when someone complains about its client, it passes this on and puts the case on hold.
You are told it is too late to appeal
DRP says that once a charge reaches debt recovery, you can no longer appeal it unless you have evidence of exceptional circumstances that stopped you appealing in time. If that applies, send the evidence. Either way, you can still say in writing that you dispute the charge and why.
You were the keeper, not the driver
In England and Wales, a parking company can only pursue the registered keeper if the conditions in Schedule 4 to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 are met. DRP says that if the charge was not issued under that Act, it may be able to transfer the charge to the driver. Ask it in writing whether your charge was issued under the Act.
The amount has gone up
Debt recovery fees may have been added to the original charge. The government says these fees are currently capped at £70, and it plans to consult next year on cutting or scrapping them. Ask DRP in writing for a breakdown of every sum it is asking for.
You think you have already paid, or the letter is not for you
DRP says it can check a payment if you send the date, the amount and how you paid. If the letter names someone who does not live at your address, tell DRP so it can update its records.
You cannot pay in full
DRP says it can discuss payment by instalments. It also says that if you pay part of the debt without agreeing a plan, recovery action will continue until the full balance is cleared. Free debt advice is available from Citizens Advice, National Debtline on 0808 808 4000 and StepChange.
A Letter of Claim arrives
A Letter of Claim is the formal step before a court claim. Under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims, you have 30 days from the date at the top of the letter to reply using the Reply Form. You can dispute the debt, ask for documents or ask for time to get debt advice.
Dispute the Debt by Post
Our parking charge dispute letter is written from your answers in the letter builder. In its debt collector mode, it says you dispute the charge and why, says whether you were the driver or the registered keeper, challenges any fees added to the original charge, and asks Debt Recovery Plus to pass your dispute to the parking company and put collection on hold. Check the finished letter before you pay, then we print it and post it by Royal Mail.
- Says you dispute the charge and gives your reasons
- Says whether you were the driver or the registered keeper
- Challenges fees added to the original charge
- Asks them to pass your dispute to the parking company
- Asks them to confirm within 14 days that collection is on hold
- Asks for contact in writing only
Dispute This Debt
- Guided step by step in the letter builder
- See the finished letter before you pay
- Printed and posted by Royal Mail
- Tracked delivery available
From £2.49 including printing and postage