DCBL unpaid parking charge

mellyworm

Hi all, hoping I can get some clarification. I’ve read older posts on this and just wanted to see whether anything has changed since these. I woke up to receive this unsettling letter this morning. Back in 2015 when I lived up in Hertfordshire I got a ticket at my flat, despite having a permit in my windscreen. They stated that I was ‘not parked correctly within the markings of the bay/space’. This was nonsense as I appealed to them (reading the forums afterwards I realise I probably shouldn’t have even acknowledged).
Eventually my local council got involved and advised they couldn’t help.
6 years later I get this letter. They’ve found me down in Bognor Regis. How do they access my details? Am I legally required to pay this? The letter just seems like a scaremongering technique. Any guidance would be gratefully received.

Umkomaas

Debt collector letter. They're scraping the bottom of the barrel of parking firm's catalogue of unpaid speculative parking invoices before the 6 year deadline imposed by the Limitations Act 1980 kicks in. This letter has no legal standing and imposes no legal obligation on you.  They will have traced you via a tracing agency - quite normal, quite legal, they just follow the snail trail each of us leaves whenever we interact with the outside world. 

A few important questions:

1. Actual date of the parking event in 2015?
2. The name of the parking firm involved?
3. Did you own the flat by freehold or lease, or was it rented?
4. Do you still have the legal documents associated with your occupation of the property?

While this letter is from DCB Limited, they do have another arm, DCB Legal and should you receive any correspondence from the latter, come back for more advice please. 

D_P_Dance

The extra £60 is very likely to be unlawful, read this and complain to your MP

Excel v Wilkinson

At the Bradford County Court, District Judge Claire Jackson (now HHJ Jackson, a Specialist Civil Circuit Judge) decided to hear a 'test case' a few months ago, where £60 had been added to a parking charge despite Judges up and down the country repeatedly disallowing that sum and warning parking firms not to waste court time with such spurious claims.   That case was Excel v Wilkinson: G4QZ465V, heard in July 2020 and leave to appeal was refused and that route was not pursued.  The Judge concluded that such claims are proceedings with 'an improper collateral purpose'.   This Judge - and others who have since copied her words and struck dozens of cases out in late 2020 and into 2021 - went into significant detail and concluded that parking operators (such as this Claimant) are seeking to circumvent CPR 27.14 as well as breaching the Consumer Rights Act 2015.   DJ Hickinbottom has recently struck more cases out in that court area, stating: ''I find that striking out this claim is the only appropriate manner in which the disapproval of the court can be shown''.

Half_way

They stated that I was ‘not parked correctly within the markings of the bay/space’. This was nonsense as I appealed to them (reading the forums afterwards I realise I probably shouldn’t have even acknowledged).
Eventually my local council got involved and advised they couldn’t help.

If this relates to a private parking ticket, its nothing to do with the council

As for the shouldn't have acknowledged, this all depends on circumstances , in your case it ( ignoring)  was probably a mistake.

With residential cases its important to be pro active in refuting these things, usually you have a right to the space in the lease/freehold etc, and a private company can not override any rights you already have , hence why it is important to see what the lease/freehold/rental/AST says about parking - or doesn't say.

 you should then use that to start complaints against the managemetn company (or whatever entity hired the parking company)

 you should also make it clear that displaying a permit is only as a courtesy and not as an obligation.

So here are a few important questions, asked by Umkomaas  without knowing that any further help will be severely limited

A few important questions:

1. Actual date of the parking event in 2015?
2. The name of the parking firm involved?
3. Did you own the flat by freehold or lease, or was it rented?
4. Do you still have the legal documents associated with your occupation of the property?

beamerguy

Another load of junk from DCBL

It's now 2021 so when in 2015 was the ticket dated

DCBL letters ... forum group thread
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6237177/dcbl-letters-forum-group-thread#latest

KeithP

Is UKPC the parking company?

Is this your earlier (now closed) thread about this issue?...
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5430578/help-popla-appeal-rejected-threat-of-court/p1

mellyworm

Hi all, @KeithP yes that was my post! I’d actually forgotten I’d posted that up! So the parking ticket was issued on 24/08/2015. UKPC were the parking company. I think I still have the ticket and photos of the signage - I can certainly try and find the popla appeal. I should have the rental paperwork somewhere, however UKPC started operating after we moved in- and you’ll note from my thread that the managing agent wouldn’t get involved. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5430578/help-popla-appeal-rejected-threat-of-court/p1

I’m in a much better/stronger position now and all of your help is hugely appreciated.
It makes me really angry- there will be people who will just pay these fines or debt collectors with no questions asked! 

mellyworm

@Umkomaas thank you. Sorry I’m not great at these responses on forums: 
Hi all, @KeithP yes that was my post! I’d actually forgotten I’d posted that up! So the parking ticket was issued on 24/08/2015. UKPC were the parking company. I think I still have the ticket and photos of the signage - I can certainly try and find the popla appeal. I should have the rental paperwork somewhere, however UKPC started operating after we moved in- and you’ll note from my thread that the managing agent wouldn’t get involved. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5430578/help-popla-appeal-rejected-threat-of-court/p1

I’m in a much better/stronger position now and all of your help is hugely appreciated.
It makes me really angry- there will be people who will just pay these fines or debt collectors with no questions asked! 

nosferatu1001

IGNORE debt collectors, however you must update the PARKING COMPANY DPO with your current address for service
You must do so.

mellyworm

@nosferatu1001 if I make contact then they have my details - I believe I am not liable for this debt. It was such a long time ago- I’m assuming they have my address now since they instructed the DCA to act on their behalf?
if I must update my address with them then I assume the ball will start rolling for them to commence legal/court?

Coupon-mad

I’m assuming they have my address now since they instructed the DCA to act on their behalf?

Nope, the 'Debt Recovery' impersonators have done a trace if they are writing to a new address.  Never assume the PPC has the same address. 

You MUST rectify your data with the PPC data protection officer.  That makes no difference to the ball rolling towards a meritless court claim.  It already is.