Parking fine help, claim form received from DCB Legal

Le_Kirk

Just leave in the signage point, it is relevant to all cases.

Kayteeheych

Just to update on my case, after submitting my defence I have received notification that the claimant intends to proceed with their claim. I have completed and returned the directions questionnaire (via email as unfortunately due to the raft of bank holidays recently I’ll have missed the deadline to post this) to both the county court and the claimant as per advice in other similar threads on this forum. 

I know I need to now start working on my witness statement, I will post drafts on here once I feel I have enough prepared. I just wondered what the typical timeframe is before I would need to have this ready to submit? 

Also, I’m not holding out much hope for this as I seem to be in a run of bad luck at the moment, but do cases ever get dropped by the scammers beyond this point or am I most likely in it til the bitter end now? My son has just been diagnosed with autism and I’ve got so much on my plate at the moment, this claim is really the last thing I need right now but I don’t want to risk getting a CCJ. 

Thanks in advance 

Coupon-mad

This is the exact period when PPCs sometimes discontinue cases, between WS stage and hearing date.  Any hearing will likely only be a phone call anyway.

You haven't got a hearing date yet?

Has the case been allocated to your local court yet?

Kayteeheych

Not yet as I’ve only just submitted the DQ. 

Coupon-mad

Does it show as received on MCOL?  If so then relax. it will be months before the hearing.

Carry on with your more important family life.  Come back when you get a hearing date and need to work on the WS.

Ignore daft template letters from the Claimant's solicitors telling you they are continuing and that your defence is not from your own knowledge as you dared to use an online forum.

go-on-then

I'm sure UKPC took over 'parking control' at this site in March 2016.  I'm not 100% certain but I think it was unlimited parking before that.   There was a big outcry at the time over the covenant that the council had on the carpark lease but that's another story.

You say your pcn is April 2016.  It may be worth checking google street view to see if you can see any signs at either entrance to the car park to see if visitors are notified of any changes. 

Ask for photographic proof of when signage was actually erected and that it was there on the day in question.   Put the claimant to strict proof of signage in and around the car park,  was it visible from all parked vehicles etc etc.

patient_dream

Kayteeheych said:

Also, I’m not holding out much hope for this as I seem to be in a run of bad luck at the moment, but do cases ever get dropped by the scammers beyond this point or am I most likely in it til the bitter end now? 

Thanks in advance 

Your luck has changed now you are here 

This little game these nasties play is like musical chairs ?
Because it's the standard UKPC rubbish, you will probably sit in the last chair because they act as a chicken and discontinue or ..... a judge gives them a good spanking

Coupon-mad

go-on-then said:

I'm sure UKPC took over 'parking control' at this site in March 2016.  I'm not 100% certain but I think it was unlimited parking before that.   There was a big outcry at the time over the covenant that the council had on the carpark lease but that's another story.

You say your pcn is April 2016.  It may be worth checking google street view to see if you can see any signs at either entrance to the car park to see if visitors are notified of any changes. 

Ask for photographic proof of when signage was actually erected and that it was there on the day in question.   Put the claimant to strict proof of signage in and around the car park,  was it visible from all parked vehicles etc etc.

Sounds like this OP can also append exhibits in his favour at WS stage, showing the public outcry in the local paper (?) and also using the BPA Code of Practice version from 2016 where it says any change in restrictions or new enforcement requires additional signage. The Government agrees because that's repeated in stronger terms - requiring more than one conspicuous extra sign -  in the draft new 2022 statutory Code of Practice, coming in across the UK soon as part of a new law designed to end poor practice such as private parking firms' typical high, illegible/unnoticeable signs.

go-on-then

Have you contacted the local MP ??

( sorry DP 😁)

Kayteeheych

Panicked update coming in now.

Have just arrived home from work to a letter from the local county court confirming they have allocated a hearing date of 31st March. The letter states the claim will be struck out if court fee not paid by the claimant by 4PM on 3rd March and I am to provide copies of all documents on which I intend to rely by no later than 28 days before the hearing. Which gives me only one week to sort this out.

I was under the impression I would have a lot more notice than this to prepare my witness statement. I haven't the first idea where to start with all of this. Is there a typical template I can use for guidance? 

I'm absolutely dreading this