Letter Before Court Claim

Lizzi13

Hi
I recieved a CPN from Civil Enforcement Ltd back in July. I responded to the initial notice and stupidly admitted I was the driver. (One hour free parking but no spaces so I waited for a space, parked and thought that was when my time started). I then tried to use POPLA but I was informed by them that I needed to get all my evidence before submitting an appeal to them. I couldn't do that in time as the person who was writing a witness statement was on holiday and it took me some time to make contact with her. I have recieved a number of subsequent letters from Civil Enforcement Ltd, then, ZZPS and now Civil Enforcement Ltd again. As yet I haven't responded to any of these but I am getting scared now. In this last letter they write:
" In accordance with Pre Action Conduct and Protocol for debt claims, we wish to give you a final opportunity to settle your debt or agree a payment plan with us"
Letter was dated 9/2/18.

Is this the same as the Final Letter Before Court? Other than the reference above it does not state that anywhere.
Today I received a County Court Claim Form. .

Please could you advise as to next steps. I have read the Newbies thread but I am not sure where to go next.

I am sorry if I am asking you to go over things again but I am feeling a bit overwhelmed (which is what they want, I guess) and need a little reassurance.
Thank you.

The_Deep

Your time starts when you park

http://parking-prankster.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/waiting-for-space-is-not-parking.html

Anything else should be a matter for Trading Standards

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for alleged breaches of contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, and another company have already been named and shamed, as has Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each year). They nearly always lose, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P.

Hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned.

The problem has become so rampant that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. Watch the video of the Second Reading in the HofC recently.

http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2f0384f2-eba5-4fff-ab07-cf24b6a22918?in=12:49:41

and complain in the most robust terms to your MP. With a fair wind most of these companies may well be put out of business by Christmas.ypU

Lizzi13

Thank you so much. The link above is very helpful. I will send a robust response to Civil Enforcement now I feel reassured that I have grounds to fight them in court.

Coupon-mad

Lizzi13 wrote: »

Thank you so much. The link above is very helpful. I will send a robust response to Civil Enforcement now I feel reassured that I have grounds to fight them in court.

See what happens by reading all the other CEL cases here, there are at least 3 on the front page right now! Why not go back TEN pages, take your time, and read all CEL claim cases and you will know how this ends up with a win, and what to expect along the way.

New tactic being a distracting ''witness statement'' letter to confuse people at DQ stage.

Lizzi13

Just a quick question.
I will acknowledge service of the claim and then plan my defence using info from threads mentioned.
1. Do I still request copies of the evidence CEL will be using if this goes to court even though I did not respond to their previous letter within the 30 days or is it better to add the fact that I have not had this info at the time of receiving the claim form as part of my defence? (I had so many inferring a last chance to settle I didn't respond to this last one by requesting info as I now know I should have.)

Coupon-mad

As in every case you read here, your hearing would be in Devon at your local court. Northampton CCBC is the central processing court for MCOL cases.

Yes you can email and ask for evidence.

You are not hand writing a defence on the N9B form, of course, nor are you sending that off by post to acknowledge. NEWBIES thread tells you how to do the AOS online in MCOL, first, and then to send the defence as an email attachment.

Lizzi13

Thanks Coupn-mad. I will follow the info on the thread and post my draft defence up here for someone to kindly check over for me once I have tweaked one of those already shared. Thanks again.

Coupon-mad

And be aware that there will be no hearing anyway.

Latest discontinuance confirmed by Northerner_lad in his thread today is what always happens - scam over soon!

Lizzi13

Just a quick update. I responded, as directed, using a relevant template from this site and emailing to CCBC. I received an acknowledgement from them yesterday saying a copy has been sent to the claimant and that if they wish to proceed they must contact the court withing 28 days of receipt.

Thank you for all your guidance and reassurance so far, I wouldn't have been brave enough to do this alone. I will need to ask for help again when I hear anything back.

nosferatu1001

Book mark and refer back to post 2 of the newbies thread. Has EVERythinG you need

Coupon-mad

I will need to ask for help again when I hear anything back.

No, you won't need specific help just yet because the forum tells you what to do next. At DQ stage you just tick the boxes bargepole tells you to, in the link about DQ stage in post #2 of the NEWBIES thread.

And we hope you are reading lots of other CEL claim threads and are ready to ignore the offer to settle for a discount*, the letter they send out before they (later on) discontinue and give you a full 100% discount?


*Please don't post and tell us about that letter.