Please help - county court notice from vehicle control services

KeithP

But if you already have a Judgment against you, why are you writing a Defence?

The letters CCJ stand for County Court Judgment.

Do you have a Judgment against you or not?

Who has sent you a letter saying "they have been awarded a CCJ already"?

Hollyfshaw888

KeithP wrote: »

But if you already have a Judgment against you, why are you writing a Defence?

The letters CCJ stand for County Court Judgment.

Do you have a Judgment against you or not?

Who has sent you a letter saying "they have been awarded a CCJ already"?

Yes I know. I posted couple days ago saying I was sent a letter from Vehicle Control Services saying they were awarded a CCJ. They shouldn’t have been awarded anything because I haven’t reached my defense deadline date - 11th feb 19.

I honestly don’t know if I have a judgement against me or not because I do not know if I can trust this company who are sending me the letter saying I owe them money. Which is why I am asking for your advice as it is all very confusing. I have tried to phone the county court business center but it always says ‘you are position 47 in the queue’ which apparently happens to everyone and you can never get through to them.

Do you have any recommendations for the defense as I still want to follow the process and send this into them today. Thanks

KeithP

You tell us you do the Acknowledgement of Service on 25th January.
Did you do that online?

Can you login to MCOL and see the history of your case?

Does MCOL confirm that the AoS was accepted before 28th January?

Hollyfshaw888

KeithP wrote: »

You tell us you do the Acknowledgement of Service on 25th January.
Did you do that online?

Can you login to MCOL and see the history of your case?

Does MCOL confirm that the AoS was accepted before 28th January?

I now cannot login to my account. It says the claim number/password are incorrect but they are not. I don't know why this has happened by I cannot see the status of the claim.

KeithP

Then first thing Monday, do as Umkomaas said yesterday.

Coupon-mad

I have tried to phone the county court business center but it always says ‘you are position 47 in the queue’

You will have to stay in the queue, like everyone does. You need to insist you did the AOS in time, if you did it on MCOL.

Hope you didn't post the form snail mail?

Hollyfshaw888

Update: called today and they confirmed my defence has been received and the Claimant has not been issued anything.

Now awaiting the questionnaire.

I have also attached the letter they sent to another email to show that the Claimant has not followed process.

Thanks all for your advice.

Hollyfshaw888

Hi, it would be great if you have any advice on my current situation.

I am not experienced with claims/courts so, I opted for the mediation service as I really do not want to go alone to court and defend myself.

I now don’t believe this was the right option as the claimant will still be looking for money to be paid by me during the mediation and I don’t want to pay anywhere near as much as the £160 they want.

I am going to call the local citizens advice this week. Do you have any cases which have gone to mediation and only small amounts have been the result for a settlement e.g. £10?

Or if this does go to court 1) how likely do you think it is that I would win based on my defence plus they sent me a bullying letter saying the were awarded the case when they were not 2) if I lost would I then pay more than the £160?

Any advice would be appreciated. I have read many of the threads and sometimes I get lost in all the detail. My mediation date is 11th April.

Umkomaas

I am not experienced with claims/courts so, I opted for the mediation service as I really do not want to go alone to court and defend myself.

The mediation service won’t accompany you to court or help you defend yourself. They are trying to prevent this getting to court by getting you to pay what VCS are asking.

I am going to call the local citizens advice this week.

Don’t bother, their advice will be to pay up to avoid going to court.

Do you have any cases which have gone to mediation and only small amounts have been the result for a settlement e.g. £10?

None whatsoever. If you think that mediation might get this down to around £10, you are entirely off the planet on understanding this.

Or if this does go to court 1) how likely do you think it is that I would win based on my defence

We help motorists win the majority of court cases, but there’s no defence:win formula - it all depends on one of the country’s thousands of Judges and his/her knowledge of private parking issues and their views on each side’s submissions.

they sent me a bullying letter saying the were awarded the case when they were not

You make sure you copy that letter into your submission to the court, you complain about how misleading this is, and one which has caused you significant distress. Read the following threads, in very much the same circumstances. Follow the advice there about the VCS letter.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/75627147#Comment_75627147

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/75597688#Comment_75597688

My mediation date is 11th April.

Cancel it.

Coupon-mad

I opted for the mediation service as I really do not want to go alone to court and defend myself.

Please don't do mediation, it involves a Mediator pushing YOU to settle...

Do you have any cases which have gone to mediation and only small amounts have been the result for a settlement e.g. £10?

No. Mainly because practically NO-ONE here tries Mediation and of those who do, it's a waste of time and the PPC want 3 figures and the Mediator (unlike a Judge who has the power to dismiss the claim and award you the win!) will WANT you to settle and pay.

DO NOT DO IT.

Cancel the Mediation call.

I am going to call the local citizens advice this week.

Please do NOT do that either, please stop doing everything we tell people not to. The CAB are utterly hopeless re PPC claims and IMHO, they will advise you badly and make you worry about it.

Or if this does go to court 1) how likely do you think it is that I would win based on my defence plus they sent me a bullying letter saying the were awarded the case when they were not 2) if I lost would I then pay more than the £160?

How likely is a win here, 99% likely if you stick around and don't forget the important things like your WS and evidence, and check in before your hearing too.

Why not search the forum for another one bites the dust and read how people like you got on and how they found it in court? NONE of them have done it before either.

If you lost, then you would pay no more than the claim and probably less if you were able to voice properly the reason why they can't add £60.