DCBL letters ..... forum group thread

Jen19

Jen19 said:

Hello,

Didn't want to start a new thread but hoping to get some advice. I've been receiving letters every month this year from DCBL regarding a UKPC parking charge received in 2018. It was a hospital car park where I was given a permit to park for several weeks but the day the charge was issued, the permit had slipped from the dashboard and I hadn't noticed. I spoke to people on site who advised me to appeal and the charge would be cancelled as I had a right to be there so I sent an image of the permit and explained what had happened but I received a response from UKPC stating the charge was correctly issued as I did not display the permit.

I spoke to staff at the hospital and the trust and they all advised I was known to the hospital and had a right to be there but my letter to UKPC attaching all correspondence (along with a scan of the permit itself) went ignored. The hospital suggested I get in touch with the company that handled the contract with UKPC and they said there wasn't much else they could do and that they suggested I pay the charge as it would only go higher the longer I left it - they were not helpful at all. Any further corresponce to them has been ignored.

Today I received a letter that states "NOTICE OF INTENDED LEGAL ACTION. UNPAID PARKING CHARGE OF £160." It's from Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd (not Legal) but I'm still concerned as they've been absolutely relentless this year.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hello again,

Hope it's okay to post a follow up to the above.

Last week I received a letter of claim. I sent a SAR request to UKPC and received a response (pictures, original charge form and the letter I wrote to them years ago about getting it cancelled) I also got in touch with DCBL for the case to be placed on hold. I received a response confirming that the balance must be paid in 30 days.

I just wanted to double check, since I've received a response from both, what happens now? I've read the Newbies thread and I'm just a little confused, do I need to do the AOS or is that only when the court claim comes through. Thank you!

Umkomaas

DCB Limited = ignore. 

DCB Legal (Letter Of/Before Claim) must be responded to using the advice in the NEWBIES FAQ Announcement, second post (which you seem to have done).  

Only a Court Claim needs an acknowledgment of service (AOS). 

Jen19

Thank you so much Umkomaas. I just wanted to make sure.

Travel1819

I've received a letter of claim from DCBLegal. I've requested an SAR from the original parking firm. Is there a specific method I should use to request an extension due to seeking debt advice?

Should I use the online defendant response form or is there a proper email like I had to use for the DPO?

2nd question, how long should I wait to get a response from UKPC DPO. It's been 2 weeks.

Coupon-mad

A SAR reply may take up to 30 days.

Is there a specific method I should use to request an extension due to seeking debt advice?

Just a couple of lines email to DCBLegal that you write yourself saying exactly that.

paul@ works for DCBLegal because Paul Gorman often replies. Choose an employee.  You could even copy in jamie@ and make (ex-Gladstones) Jamie Ashford read it too.

You can add some more robust stuff too such as setting out why you are not liable and that their client can 'put up or shut up'.

Travel1819

Thanks I sent the email to those names a week ago. I haven't heard back yet, but hopefully will before the original 30 days expire next week.

Travel1819

Is there anything I should now do after not receiving a response from DCBL for my case to be put on hold?

Just prepare for defense and assume they'll continue with going to court?

Umkomaas

Travel1819 said:

Is there anything I should now do after not receiving a response from DCBL for my case to be put on hold?

Just prepare for defense and assume they'll continue with going to court?

They may not respond - I don't think there's any requirement for them to do so - but if you hear nothing for the next 30 days, then assume it's been on hold. Use those 30 days wisely to prepare, it's a not an extended period to place your head under your pillow!

Coupon-mad

Travel1819 said:

Is there anything I should now do after not receiving a response from DCBL for my case to be put on hold?

Just prepare for defense and assume they'll continue with going to court?

Depends if it's a 2016 parking event and you are close to the 6 years in which case you obviously play email tennis with them till you get past the 6 year line.

If it's a slightly more recent event then you can still play email tennis with DCBLegal to put them in a box for a bit longer.

How to respond more robustly to a LBC has been in loads of threads this year.

Travel1819

Thanks guys. Yeah I'm definitely preparing. I had sent them my address, along with 2 forms of ID a year ago and they confirmed they had updated it. But they still got the wrong house number which meant the LoC was late to me, and they have not been able to yet confirm my request to be put on hold because my address does not match their file...