Please help me with my defence

monkeychompy

I recently received a claim form for a parking ticket I got in 2019 in a free car park but I hadn't parked in a recognised bay.
I've done the AoS online and have got the template defence but am wondering how to word paragraph 3 where the template advises you to put something in your own words.
My only defence is that I didn't read the signage at all and thought it would be ok because the vehicle wasn't in anyone's way, it wouldn't even have blocked a fire engine.
I was flabbergasted that I even received a ticket let alone being pursued (and the penalty being gradually raised) for over 2 years.

KeithP

What you need to do is put that in your own words and if you wish, show us and ask for comments. No-one will write for you from scratch. Look at other Defences - you'll soon get the idea.

What is the Issue Date on your County Court Claim Form?

Upon what date did you file an Acknowledgment of Service?
Your MCOL Claim History will have the definitive answer to that.

Le_Kirk

As @KeithP states write exactly that but in the third person.  Do not admit to "not reading the signage" instead "there was no signage to be seen".

D_P_Dance

If there was signage was it legible, was it too high, was the wording to voluminous, to small/  Have you complained to youre MP? 

monkeychompy

KeithP said:

What you need to do is put that in your own words and if you wish, show us and ask for comments. No-one will write for you from scratch. Look at other Defences - you'll soon get the idea.

What is the Issue Date on your County Court Claim Form?

Upon what date did you file an Acknowledgment of Service?
Your MCOL Claim History will have the definitive answer to that.

I'll try to come up with something and post it here. I'm just worried that not noticing the signage isn't an adequate defence.
Issue date is 13-5-22. I filed the AoS this morning.

D_P_Dance

It is perfectly adequate if the signage is not prominent.  or sufficient to commission an nuclear power station.  

monkeychompy

D_P_Dance said:

If there was signage was it legible, was it too high, was the wording to voluminous, to small/  Have you complained to youre MP? 

I took a photo of the signs I could see after I got the ticket. The "No roadway parking" message on it is presumably the bit I fell foul of. The words were pretty small. Should I post a photo of the sign? 
No I haven't written to my MP and don't intend to.

D_P_Dance

Not writing to your MP is not the way to deal with these scammers imo.  The only way to close down these companies is to get Parliament to do so.  

KeithP

monkeychompy said:

KeithP said:

What you need to do is put that in your own words and if you wish, show us and ask for comments. No-one will write for you from scratch. Look at other Defences - you'll soon get the idea.

What is the Issue Date on your County Court Claim Form?

Upon what date did you file an Acknowledgment of Service?
Your MCOL Claim History will have the definitive answer to that.

Issue date is 13-5-22. I filed the AoS this morning.

With a Claim Issue Date of 13th May, and having filed an Acknowledgment of Service in a timely manner, you have until 4pm on Wednesday 15th June 2022 to file your Defence.

That's four weeks away. Plenty of time to produce a Defence, but please don't leave it to the last minute.

To create a Defence, and then file a Defence by email, look at the second post in the NEWBIES thread.

Don't miss the deadline for filing a Defence.

Do not try and file a Defence via the MoneyClaimOnline website. Once an Acknowledgment of Service has been filed, the MCOL website should be treated as 'read only'.

go-on-then

Poor signage plays a very big part in the parking scam game,  just have a read of the countless other threads on this forum to get an idea and the sort of  'signage'  that is used. 

You will easily be able to adapt other  defences to use in yours.

go-on-then

May I ask why you have chosen not to contact your MP ??