Permit at work VCS DCB Legal court claim

Coupon-mad

Just had my first mediation appointment.

Very pushy at times these people. Saying the vehicle breached the contract because the permit wasn't displayed and so they have images showing it wasn't displayed so the vehicle definitely breached so it would be wise to enter negotiation. 

Didn't do it. Told them I wanted to go to court but the way she made it sound so black and white has me concerned that in court it'll just be sided with them.

Make a complaint about the Mediator siding with the Claimant and trying to pressure you to settle (when you made it clear there is no offer).  This is an unfair parking charge case, where the facts and law cover so much more than the tenuous basis that the Mediator parroted.  The Mediator is not a Judge and should not be pushy with victims of rogue parking firms; such cases are NOT suitable for Mediation because the victims do not owe a penny.

You only get one Mediation call BTW.

Move on confidently!

LDast

Make your complaint and ask what legal training/background does the mediator have to be able try and persuade the defendant that they have no chance at a hearing.

It sounds as though these "mediators" have a quote of cases to be settled out of court. Ask about what incentives that may be trying to achieve.

1505grandad

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/faster-resolution-for-small-claims-as-mediation-baked-into-courts-process

"Akeela Amijee, a mediation service manager with HMCTS, said:  

Mediation works because it allows people to be heard and get everything off their chest in a calm, non-judgemental environment. We are neutral and take out any of the hostility between parties, which means an hour is often more than enough time to resolve these cases."

Kitkat8

Okay so they're still pursuing 2 cases I believe despite me telling them about merging the 2. I had 2 mediation calls and have now received my first court date. I just had a quick question about witness statement. Do the exhibits (photos, beavis sign evidence etc) go in the same document? Or are they sent as separate documents labelled as such: Exhibit A (photo) Exhibit B (beavis) etc and made reference to on the witness statement?

Also about the court fee, it mentions it but doesn't tell me how much it is or when to pay it? Surely if DCB Legal always give up then should I wait until the last minute to pay it? There's no deadline on the letter is there a general rule? e.g 14 days before like witness statement?

Gr1pr

The witness statement is a bundle of documents, including Exhibits, study other recent cases to see what their bundles are like , under 50 pages preferably 

You won't be paying any court fee unless you have a counter claim.  Read the court order again, if you have received it, if you don't have a counter claim, then the Claimant is responsible for paying the hearing fee 

That letter definitely tells you when you should submit your bundle to the court and claimant, I suspect that you have not studied it properly 

You should email the court with both case numbers and ask for them to be merged into one case, same as before 

Please change the thread title to something more informative, like 

VCS DCB Legal court claim 

fisherjim

Before the compulsory mediation was set up there was an ad (I wish I had saved it) where they were advertising for people to train as mediators, they basically doubled the number, full training was offered.

It wasn't about employing anyone that knew about the law, but about refereeing in a negotiation meeting.

I am sure the goal is not about about siding with the claimant, but trying to keep the matter out of court. 

But in reality in these cases it just adds another waste of time step.

Coupon-mad

Why do you want to pay their hearing fee?!

Kitkat8

Apologies all I had misread and misunderstood the letter. When I read it for some reason I just automatically thought it was me who had to pay. Thank you so much for clearing that up! 
Should I wait until 2nd court date for 2nd case to ask them to merge the cases or should I email them ASAP? As I've had 2 mediations i presume they're going to pursue me twice. 
I will try and change the title of the thread
I am still unable to get a copy of the contract between the company and the owner of the car park. Managers have been extremely unhelpful and just telling the driver to pay up. 
Also I'm defending as the keeper not the driver but can I still give evidence of the car park signage etc even if just keeper?

Kitkat8

DCB Legal just rang me. Told me that if it goes to court I'll get a CCJ. Told them I wasn't interested in mediation. Very pushy once again telling me that because the permit wasn't displayed and that's the charge and images show it wasn't displayed it's a black and white case and there's no chance I'll win in court and could face a fine, court fees and a CCJ. Told them I didn't want to settle and I'd take my chances. Woman on the end of the phone was very frustrated. Loudly sighed and was short with me saying 'well just make sure you answer our calls moving forward' when putting the phone down cos she didn't get her commission I imagine. Absolutely awful behaviour. I genuinely don't know how they get away with it all without harassment charges.

Gr1pr

This is why we tell people, no phone calls, only in writing 

They will always try coercion and misleading statements 

You should email the court with both claim numbers asking for them to be merged asap, I thought I told you that previously. ?

If you lost in court you would get a Judgment 

To swerve the recording of the CCJ aspect on your credit file you get a 30 days grace period to pay DCB Legal in full, so no CCJ 

If its a black and white case, strange how there are nearly 450 discontinued cases in the tally thread by Umkomaas on here 

No more answering their calls, block them