County Claim action by Vehicle Control Services

Hullablue

Good afternoon, in August I received a Charge Notice from Vehicle Control Services, appealed against it because it was wrong.
I have not heard a single thing going from this firm u til this week when I got a court services claim forms.

I have checked the faqs and stuff, but cannot find any mention of the parking firm ghosting someone then whacking them with court action.

Any help on what to do next would be appreciated.

beamerguy

Hullablue wrote: »

Good afternoon, in August I received a Charge Notice from Vehicle Control Services, appealed against it because it was wrong.
I have not heard a single thing going from this firm u til this week when I got a court services claim forms.

I have checked the faqs and stuff, but cannot find any mention of the parking firm ghosting someone then whacking them with court action.

Any help on what to do next would be appreciated.

Read the newbies thread first

What do you mean by ghosting in your case ??

Did you not receive a Letter before claim from them

pogofish

Hullablue wrote: »

I have checked the faqs and stuff, but cannot find any mention of the parking firm ghosting someone then whacking them with court action.

Post 1 2:2 of the Newbies Sticky covers your situation exactly. The rest follows-on from there.

KeithP

What is the Issue Date on your Claim Form?

The_Deep

It is the will of Parliament that these scammers be put out of business.

Hopefully that will take place in the near future. The Bill has passed through the HOC without hitch, and goes to the Lords soon. In the meantime involve your MP, the poor dears are buckling under the weight of complaints about these scammers.

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of alleged contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors. Is has been suggested by an MP that some of these companies may have connections to organised crime.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, (especially Smart}, and others have already been named and shamed in the House of Commons as have Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each week), hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned. They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

The problem has become so widespread that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers.

Sir Greg Knight's Private Members Bill to curb the excesses, and perhaps close down, some of these companies passed its Third Reading in late November, and, with a fair wind, will become Law next year.

All three readings are available to watch on the internet, (some 6-7 hours), and published in Hansard. MPs have an extremely low opinion of the industry. Many are complaining that they are becoming overwhelmed by complaints from members of the public. Add to their burden, complain in the most robust terms about the scammers.

Hullablue

Sorry by ghosting I meant not responding to my appeal and not sending any letter before this one, so no, no letter before claim.

I read the newbie thread and other stuff before posting but only found mention if what pattern they follow, nothing on wsntvto do when they don't follow those rules.

Sorry if you or others feel my Q has been covered elsewhere as I cannot see it.
Thanks for your time.

Hullablue

January 5, I think. Or January 3. Will check when next near paperwork.

KeithP

Hullablue wrote: »

January 5, I think. Or January 3. Will check when next near paperwork.

Yes, please do. Will that be some time this week?

I'll then respond again.

Hullablue

KeithP wrote: »

Yes, please do. Will that be some time this week?

I'll then respond again.

03 Jan 2019.

To repeat this is the first correspondence I have had since I appealed. So no letter before claim.

Parkingfines

Well that makes no difference now.
So just follow the previous advice given about following the newbies thread

KeithP

Hullablue wrote: »

03 Jan 2019.

With a Claim Issue Date of 3rd January, you have until Tuesday 22nd January to do the Acknowledgement of Service, but there is nothing to be gained by delaying it. To do the AoS, follow the guidance offered in a Dropbox link from post #2 of the NEWBIES FAQ sticky thread.

Having done the AoS, you then have until 4pm on Tuesday 5th February 2019 to file your Defence.

That's over three weeks away. Loads of time to produce a perfect Defence, but don't leave it to the very last minute.


When you are happy with the content, your Defence should be filed via email as suggested here:

Print your Defence.
1. Sign it and date it.
   
2. Scan the signed document back in and save it as a pdf.
   
3. Send that pdf as an email attachment to CCBCAQ@Justice.gov.uk
   
4. Just put the claim number and the word Defence in the email title, and in the body of the email something like 'Please find my Defence attached'.
   
5. Log into MCOL after a few days to see if the Claim is marked "defended". If not chase the CCBC until it is.
   
6. Do not be surprised to receive a copy of the Claimant's Directions Questionnaire, they are just trying to put you under pressure.
   
7. Wait for your DQ from the CCBC, or download one from the internet, and then re-read post #2 of the NEWBIES FAQ sticky thread to find out exactly what to do with it.