Letter from DCBL re: UKPC fine. No previous contact

ochilmum

*edited to add - I have just been back on the ‘newbie’ post to try again to figure this out and have discovered there is a bunch of information in the comments/replies bit. I appreciate if you’re on here regularly this is painfully obvious but I read that post about 6 times without realising (I was especially confused as it seemed like the information I needed had been cut off the post by a glitch when things like acronyms are in #4 was mentioned) . Maybe just pop a quick sentence in the opening post for tech dunces like me and save a few new posts. I won’t close this right now but no need to reply* 

First to say I have read the newbie post and several others. 

I came home from holiday to a letter from DCBL regarding a parking fine I’ve never heard of before. They are asking for £170 and say I can’t appeal. There is a reference number for UK Parking Control Limited which I looked up and they have front and back pictures of my car clearly moving (lights on, at a give way line, not in a parking bay). No picture of the sign regarding the parking rules and certainly no picture of a yellow notice on said car. 

I’m very confused by all the advice what to do next, seems to say don’t contact debt collection agency but also don’t ignore it? Because I’ve been away a week I now how just over a week to pay/take other action. I really really don’t want to go to court, that sounds terrifying. 

patient_dream

Firstly, is the letter from DCBL LTD which is bog standard debt collector letter which can be ignored or is it a LETTER BEFORE CLAIM from DCB LEGAL giving you 30 days to respond

This is an ANPR capture of the car going in and out. As such there is no yellow sticker

Where was this, what type of car park ?

DCBL are well known for taking on rubbish cases for UKPC and because they are rubbish, DCBL tend to chicken out

Don't worry about court, it is no big deal.  Follow what the posters on here say and you will no doubt star in this thread ..

DCB LEGAL RECORD OF PRIVATE PARKING COURT CLAIM DISCONTINUATIONS

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6377263/dcb-legal-record-of-private-parking-court-claim-discontinuations/p1

ochilmum

patient_dream said:

Firstly, is the letter from DCBL LTD which is bog standard debt collector letter which can be ignored or is it a LETTER BEFORE CLAIM from DCB LEGAL giving you 30 days to respond

This is an ANPR capture of the car going in and out. As such there is no yellow sticker

Where was this, what type of car park ?

DCBL are well known for taking on rubbish cases for UKPC and because they are rubbish, DCBL tend to chicken out

Don't worry about court, it is no big deal.  Follow what the posters on here say and you will no doubt star in this thread ..

DCB LEGAL RECORD OF PRIVATE PARKING COURT CLAIM DISCONTINUATIONS

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6377263/dcb-legal-record-of-private-parking-court-claim-discontinuations/p1

It’s Ltd not legal. It was a carpark for a supermarket (independent, not a chain) I guess it was pay and display? I really can’t remember any specifics about the parking only that I was in that town around that day, it was the only time I’ve been so not a familiar spot. 

ochilmum

Also, patient_dream, thank you for explaining the photos, I see now they have a time stamp on them. 

patient_dream

ochilmum said:

Also, patient_dream, thank you for explaining the photos, I see now they have a time stamp on them. 

What do the timestamps show ?

Does the DCBL letter say the date of the charge ?

Can you return to the car park and take pictures of the signs ?

You do not owe £170, DCBL ALWAYS ADD A FAKE AMOUNT, that's the £70
Most judges will not allow this

You are a long way from court and no doubt that will not happen. Do not consider paying DCBL

ochilmum

patient_dream said:

ochilmum said:

Also, patient_dream, thank you for explaining the photos, I see now they have a time stamp on them. 

What do the timestamps show ?

Does the DCBL letter say the date ?

Can you return to the car park and take pictures of the signs ?

The time stamps show a stay of 1 hour 15 minutes. It’s free parking for 1 hour (I think, from looking online). The date in March is listed and I think it’s correct. It’s about an hour drive from here so reluctant to go if I don’t have to. I assume that I had not really considered that the hour was from driving in to driving out and was more the time my car was just sitting there and didn’t factor in the time it took to get my 3 small kids in and out of the car. I feel this is a legitimate appeal and would have submitted it had I actually received the notice of the fine! 

B789

It's not a "fine" so please stop calling it that. It is a speculative invoice from an ex-clamper, unregulated private parking company. Stop being "terrified" by them.

This is easily defended when the tie comes. For now, as advised by @patient_dream, ignore all anything from DCBLtd. You will need to do some things as and when another arm of their bottom-dwelling company takes over.

DCB Legal will send you a Letter of Claim which will give you 30 days notice of their intent to issue a county court claim. You will be able to respond robustly to their LoC, denying any liability and demanding that they provide all evidence they intend to rely on. Eventually, they will issue a claim and you will file your AoS and defend the claim robustly using the template defence as provided here.

Eventually, they will discontinue the claim and that will be the end of it. However, don't miss out any of the steps where you need to respond as they rely on gullible victims either capitulating or forgetting to do something and then getting a CCJ by default. Defended robustly, they will discontinue.

Right now, you need to go and carefully read the Newbies/FAQ thread and familiarise yourself with the whole process so that you are educated and ready to act. Nothing to be afraid of and no paying the scammers.

Coupon-mad

ochilmum said:

I came home from holiday to a letter from DCBL regarding a parking fine I’ve never heard of before. They are asking for £170 and say I can’t appeal. There is a reference number for UK Parking Control Limited which I looked up and they have front and back pictures of my car clearly moving (lights on, at a give way line, not in a parking bay). No picture of the sign regarding the parking rules and certainly no picture of a yellow notice on said car. 

I’m very confused by all the advice what to do next, seems to say don’t contact debt collection agency but also don’t ignore it? Because I’ve been away a week I now how just over a week to pay/take other action. I really really don’t want to go to court, that sounds terrifying. 

It is far from terrifying!

Just a meeting with a kind and clever person tasked with resolving disputes, and often by video call.  Think of it as the only fair 'appeal' avenue.  No risk.

You need to ask yourself why you didn't receive any earlier letters.

The usual answer is that the Registered Keeper's address in the vehicle's Registration Document(V5c) hasn't been updated following a change of address. Did you perhaps move and overlook that requirement?

Please check your V5c.

The good news is that it's very easy to make that change online at the DVLA website.  Stops a repeat problem but does not get communicated to the scammers.

Re the LBC:

Just respond robustly to the LBC and urgently rectify your address as is explained in the SAR section of the  NEWBIES thread 2nd post.  It is vital all parties ERASE the old address they were probably using.

Two further steps:

1. complain to the landowner retailers who CAN CANCEL PCNs AT ANY STAGE, and

2.  Please please (please) do this and give the Government your evidence and tell them how receiving extortionate 3 figure demands feels:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6471857/please-reply-to-question-4-of-the-governments-call-for-evidence-re-the-level-of-parking-charges

It's one email. One question. Change the law...

ochilmum

Coupon-mad said:

ochilmum said:

I came home from holiday to a letter from DCBL regarding a parking fine I’ve never heard of before. They are asking for £170 and say I can’t appeal. There is a reference number for UK Parking Control Limited which I looked up and they have front and back pictures of my car clearly moving (lights on, at a give way line, not in a parking bay). No picture of the sign regarding the parking rules and certainly no picture of a yellow notice on said car. 

I’m very confused by all the advice what to do next, seems to say don’t contact debt collection agency but also don’t ignore it? Because I’ve been away a week I now how just over a week to pay/take other action. I really really don’t want to go to court, that sounds terrifying. 

It is far from terrifying!

Just a meeting with a kind and clever person tasked with resolving disputes, and often by video call.  Think of it as the only fair 'appeal' avenue.  No risk.

You need to ask yourself why you didn't receive any earlier letters.

The usual answer is that the Registered Keeper's address in the vehicle's Registration Document(V5c) hasn't been updated following a change of address. Did you perhaps move and overlook that requirement?

Please check your V5c.

The good news is that it's very easy to make that change online at the DVLA website.  Stops a repeat problem but does not get communicated to the scammers.

Re the LBC:

Just respond robustly to the LBC and urgently rectify your address as is explained in the SAR section of the  NEWBIES thread 2nd post.  It is vital all parties ERASE the old address they were probably using.

Two further steps:

1. complain to the landowner retailers who CAN CANCEL PCNs AT ANY STAGE, and

2.  Please please (please) do this and give the Government your evidence and tell them how receiving extortionate 3 figure demands feels:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6471857/please-reply-to-question-4-of-the-governments-call-for-evidence-re-the-level-of-parking-charges

It's one email. One question. Change the law...

Wow yep you got it in one. I had no idea I needed to change that! Now changed so this shouldn’t happen again….