DCB legal - Letter of claim

helpadviseneeded

Hi all, I hope someone can assist.
Just received a letter from DCB legal titled 'letter of claim'
Incident was 24th December 2022.
Reason: parked in a permit area without displaying a ticket.

My husband worked for Boots, had a valid permit which may have blown off the windscreen when he shut the door as it was on the car seat when he got back to the car. All evidence was provided to them in 2016/2017. 
He also contacted the department who were responsible for the shopping centre who confirmed he was an employee with a valid permit. We did not hear back for years and today have received this letter.

I believe they can purse up to 6 years which it will be in December this year.

They have asked that the reply form is completed along with a financial statement - nothing is included other than this one a4 letter and they ask that he go online and visit their websiteaddress/response and fill this out.

All the evidence was provided to them from the onset and as we did not hear back until now we thought it was accepted and the matter closed.

Please advise how we should proceed.

Thanks in advance. 

helpadviseneeded

I have started a thread on this previously but cannot seem to link this post to that one - apologies!
The last time I posted on that one was 2017 so it seems they have taken 5 years to pursue this again. 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5644374/ukpc-drp-resolver-popla/p1

KeithP

The first few paragraphs of the second post of the NEWBIES thread explains exactly how to react to receiving a Letter of Claim.

Coupon-mad

helpadviseneeded said:

I have started a thread on this previously but cannot seem to link this post to that one - apologies!
The last time I posted on that one was 2017 so it seems they have taken 5 years to pursue this again. 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5644374/ukpc-drp-resolver-popla/p1

Are you saying the incident was in December 2016?

If you drag this out and respond slowly each time you might be able to get it past the 6 years without a claim arriving. This means responding slowly on the last day each time, asking for evidence.

Then something else. Whatever you want to ask.

Then something else...more photo evidence.

NEVER let it go quiet or leave the ball in their court, but no fast replies!

AND DON'T USE THE 'I'M SEEKING DEBT ADVICE' TACTIC UNTIL NOVEMBER.  Despite what the NEWBIES thread says, keep that one in your back pocket till the final month to get you over the line.

Exact same as this one:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6370082/letter-of-claim#latest

And this one:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6370095/dcblegal-ukpc-letter-of-claim-from-5-years-ago#latest

A whole batch of old UKPC ones have clearly just gone out. Advice is the same for all of you. No paying!

Slow replies.  Tie them up for 5 months. Job done.


 

helpadviseneeded

Coupon-mad

I am so sorry I missed your reply - I thought I had notifications on.

I have made no contact with them at all since the 'letter of claim'

A claim form has arrived today stating :

amount claimed £240.76
court fee £35
solicitor fee £50
Total: £325.76


The date of the PCN is 24th December 2016 so we are nearing the 6 year mark!

Can anyone please kindly advise how to best proceed as we will pursue/fight the matter on the basis that my husband was employed at the centre and had a valid permit.

We have all the emails and proof that he was employed by Boots and that we did try to cooperate and prove he had every right to park there.

I have the valid permit and it was emailed to the claimant every time I communicated with them. 

Thanks in advance.

helpadviseneeded

I have bookmarked the threads going forward as per a recommendation on another page.

KeithP

helpadviseneeded said:

A claim form has arrived today...

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

helpadviseneeded said:

The date of the PCN is 24th December 2016 so we are nearing the 6 year mark!

Now a Claim has been issued the 'six years' point no longer has any relevance.

helpadviseneeded

The issue date is 03 Aug 2022.

Oh no! so the 6 years is no longer relevant.

KeithP said:

helpadviseneeded said:

A claim form has arrived today...

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

helpadviseneeded said:

The date of the PCN is 24th December 2016 so we are nearing the 6 year mark!

Now a Claim has been issued the 'six years' point no longer has any relevance.

KeithP

helpadviseneeded said:

The issue date is 03 Aug 2022.

KeithP said:

helpadviseneeded said:

A claim form has arrived today...

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

helpadviseneeded said:

The date of the PCN is 24th December 2016 so we are nearing the 6 year mark!

Now a Claim has been issued the 'six years' point no longer has any relevance.

With a Claim Issue Date of 3rd August, you have until Monday 22nd August to file an Acknowledgment of Service but there is nothing to be gained by delaying it. 

To file an Acknowledgment of Service, follow the guidance in the Dropbox file linked from the second post in the NEWBIES thread.

Having filed an Acknowledgment of Service in a timely manner, you have until 4pm on Monday 5th September 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 again at the second post on the NEWBIES thread - immediately following where you found the Acknowledgment of Service instructions.

Don't miss the deadline for filing an Acknowledgment of Service, nor that 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'.

Le_Kirk

I think you will find that if there were any signs, it would say on there that if you parked without payment/permit/authorisation you agree to pay £100 in 28 days, that is the contract.

KeithP

Who is the named Defendant?

Everything from this point on needs to be done in the name of the named Defendant.