MET Parking - DCB Legal Letter of Claim for Overstay

peacefulwarrior2023

This very moment I received in the post a letter from DCB Legal that they discontinue the claim enclosing N279 NoD. Should I apply for costs? If yes, how do I do this? Or what do you suggest I do?

Coupon-mad

peacefulwarrior2023 said:

This very moment I received in the post a letter from DCB Legal that they discontinue the claim enclosing N279 NoD. Should I apply for costs? If yes, how do I do this? Or what do you suggest I do?

Please show the attached NoD (not the email). We want to count your success on the disco thread but not without the NoD.

Congrats!

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!

Info and examples about how to claim costs after a late discontinuance is already exactly where you'd expect that advice to be: post 2 of the NEWBIES thread. 

Coupon-mad

If you like. Just to be sure.

Calling @Umkomaas  

  

peacefulwarrior2023

Coupon-mad said:

If you like. Just to be sure.

Calling @Umkomaas  

  

I cannot see the images I uploaded. I'm guessing they were deleted from here and will be uploaded to the disco thread?

Umkomaas

peacefulwarrior2023 said:

Coupon-mad said:

If you like. Just to be sure.

Calling @Umkomaas  

  

I cannot see the images I uploaded. I'm guessing they were deleted from here and will be uploaded to the disco thread?

They won’t show on the disco thread. You need to have another go at uploading the NoD on this, your current thread, then I’ll do the cross-referencing in the disco thread. 

Coupon-mad

peacefulwarrior2023 said:

Coupon-mad said:

If you like. Just to be sure.

Calling @Umkomaas  

  

I cannot see the images I uploaded. I'm guessing they were deleted from here and will be uploaded to the disco thread?

Looks like you deleted the reply. Please report it but cover the Claim number and any names. Just the NoD.

peacefulwarrior2023

Is it OK like this? I covered the name of the DCB Legal rep too. I sent the notice and the covering letter to the county court (just in case) claiming also costs for wasting my time. I did learn a lot though, thanks to everyone's input here. Really really appreciate your help, promptness in replying, patience and relentless assistance despite our ignorance and oversight as newbies. Thank you very much everyone. I'll let you know when I hear from the court regarding awarding costs etc. And who knows I may be getting back for mode advice on how to counter claims from DCB Legal and such

Many many thanks

Coupon-mad

It's not a 'counterclaim' if you are seeking costs after a late discontinuance and the other side isn't DCB Legal. It's the Claimant.

As I said, info and examples about how to claim costs after a late discontinuance is already exactly where you'd expect that advice to be: post 2 of the NEWBIES thread.

Ta for the DCB Legal NoD!

Calling @Umkomaas again

peacefulwarrior2023

I meant if I have any further dealings with DCB Legal on separate claims I may be back on the forum.

For info, this is what I sent by email to the court along with the NoD:

Dear Sir/Madam,

In the County Court at Clerkenwell and Shoreditch

Urgent Matter - to be referred to Procedural Judge.

In the matter of

MET Parking Services Ltd v xxxxxxx

Claim Number Xxxxxxxxx

Today, Nov 17th 2025 4pm was the deadline for thetwo parties to submit witness statements and documents.

I spent the last couple of days preparing my witness statement.

Today I received in the post the attached from DCB Legal who represent the claimant.

They were instructed by the claimant “to discontinue court proceedings and close our file”. They sent the Notice of Discontinuance (also attached).

I as the Defendant in this matter had received no notice from the Claimant that they were going to discontinue.

CPR r.38.6 states that the claimant is liable for the defendant's costs after discontinuance (r.38.6(1)) but that this does not apply to claims allocated to the small claims track (r.38.6(3)). 

However, the white book states (annotation 38.6.1): "Note that the normal rule as to costs does not apply if a claimant in a case allocated to the small claims track serves a notice of discontinuance although it might be contended that costs should be awarded if a party has behaved unreasonably (r.27.14(2)(g))."

On this basis I would like to request a costs order to be made against the Claimant given that DCB Legal has behaved unreasonably by discontinuing this claim at the very last minute.

The Defendant had significant costs to prepare the Defence and prepare attendance of the hearing and the costs claimed are as follows:

Schedule of costs

Research and preparation of defence and witness statement as litigant in person @£24 per hour, 10 hours. Total £240.

Total costs claimed £240

Yours faithfully,

peacefulwarrior2023

Ralph-y said:

try  re posting but this time ad a few words / text

I posted it yesterday. Isn't it visible? It looks OK to me. Coupon-mad said thanks