DCBL Notice of debt recovery

[Deleted User]

Hi, 

Sorry to bother you all, for what i know must be your umpteenth time of answering something like this. I have read through the newbies FAQ and im just a little confused/overwhelmed of what my steps should be right now. 

This morning, i received a notice from DCBL regarding a parking charge. I think i may be too new to add a photograph, so I will try to add as much detail as possible here. 

Date of letter: 8th May 2024
Date of Contravention: 14/09/2020
Parking charge notice: (should i add this or would i doxx myself?)
Client: Euro Car Parks ltd, Rochdale Road, Manchester

The letter is headed Notice of debt recovery. 

Question 1. I cannot remember parking here clearly due to length of time. However, upon googling the site i see it has a plethora of 1 star reviews due to receiving parking fines after paying. Would i need to mention this in my reply to them?

Question 2. Would my reply to them be to "Collections@dcblltd.com" and would i send the template on the newbies page of

"Dear Sirs,

Your Ref. ############
Proposed Legal Proceedings
Claimant: xxxxxx xxxxxxxx Ltd

I refer to your your letter of claim.

I confirm that my address for service for the time being - assuming you don't faff about and delay any claim - is as follows, and any older address must be erased from your records:
[Correct address here]

The alleged debt is disputed and any court proceedings will be vigorously defended.

I am sourcing and seeking independent debt advice and as such, I formally request that this matter be put on hold for an additional 30 days, in accordance with the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims 2017 ('the PAP').

I note that the amount being claimed has increased by a hugely exaggerated amount which the Government called "extorting money from motorists".

Don't send me your usual blather about that.
I have two questions, and under the PAP I am entitled to specific answers:

1. Am I to understand that the additional £70 represents what you lot dress up as a 'Debt Recovery' fee, and if so, is this nett or inclusive of VAT? If the latter, would you kindly explain why I am being asked to pay the operator’s VAT?

2. With regard to the principal alleged PCN sum: Is this damages, or will it be pleaded as consideration for parking?

Yours faithfully"

would this be the correct steps to do at this stage, or have I misunderstood my position at this moment?

Question 3. if there is a more relevant thread for me to read, please could you link it here below?

As I say, I am overwhelmed right now, and i usually just pay these things, or ignore them until they become a CCJ. (this has happened twice before!) I really don't want to let myself down this time. 

Any help and advice is appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this post.  

[Deleted User]

I have to leave for work in 30 mins, so wont be able to reply until after 9pm tonight. Please dont think I am ignoring you or disregarding any advice. Thanks. 

LDast

You say in the title of this thread that you have received a "Notice of Debt Recovery". You then go on to mention DCBLas being the company that sent the letter.

If it is indeed a simple debt collection letter from DCBL (Not DCB Legal, a different entity from the same group), then you are advised in the Newbies/FAQ thread to ignore anything and everything from a debt collector, DCBL or any other.

If what you have received is a Letter of Claim (LoC) from DCB Legal (not DCBL debt collectors) then it is a different matter and what you have proposed to write is correct.

The second post in the Newbies/FAQ thread gives you all the advice you need to respond to an actual LoC.

Whether you need the additional 30 days extension is not really necessary in most cases. The additional 30 days is only from the date they receive your response. It is not added to the 30 days in the LoC.

So, in answer to your questions...

#1 No.

#2 No. It is not an LoC. It is just a useless debt collector letter. Ignore.

#3 No. It is all answered in the second post of the Newbies/FAQ thread.

For now, you can try Plan A and try and get the landowner/management to have the PCN cancelled. Otherwise, you are waiting for a real LoC and an inevitable county court claim from ECP through DCB Legal (not DCBL).

Rest assured that, as long as you follow the advice accurately, you will end up with a discontinuation from DCB Legal and you will see your username in lights in the AOBTD thread here:

DCB LEGAL RECORD OF PRIVATE PARKING COURT CLAIM DISCONTINUATIONS

[Deleted User]

Hi, 

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and thorough reply. 

I have some further questions - at the time of  the contravention (2020) I was living at a different address. I think this may have played a role in my not receiving the notice until now. This makes me worried that the Court summons may be sent to an old address and I will be taken to CCJ without my knowledge (something that has happened before) is there something i can can/should do to ensure that any notices come to my current address?

I really appreciate the kindly tone you used in replying to me. I would like to show my gratitude in some small way, I was thinking I could make a small donation to the charity of your choice? Just as a way of saying thanks for your time etc. 

Gr1pr

It won't be a summons, just a civil court claim pack from the CNBC in Northampton 

You email the parking company data protection officer, DPO, with a data rectification notice, to erase your old address which you include, and to use your current address for the service of papers in future, giving them your current details, or a suitable address that you have regular access to 

Add redacted copies of 2 recent utility bills as proof of ID , because they will require proof, plus a suitable email address to reply to 

No Photo ID or phone numbers 

For now just accept the free advice, donations to charity is your personal choice, but has nothing to do with the advice you get on here for free 

[Deleted User]

Hi, thanks for the reply. 

So I am clear, when you say the "You email the parking company data protection officer, DPO," do you mean the person at Euro Car Parks Ltd (the person named as client on the debt recovery letter), or someone with that position at DCBL?

Gr1pr

[Deleted User] said:

Hi, thanks for the reply. 

So I am clear, when you say the "You email the parking company data protection officer, DPO," do you mean the person at Euro Car Parks Ltd (the person named as client on the debt recovery letter), or someone with that position at DCBL?

Personally, I would recommend that you tell the DPO in writing at BOTH parties above, covering both bases, you don't want either sending paperwork to an old address, but some are so incompetent they do it anyway, so keep copies yourself, you can always CC your own email address as well as theirs 

[Deleted User]

Hi, I tried to follow your advice but i cannot find the contact details online for the DPO of either Euro Car Parks Ltd or for DCBL. Is there a way to find them?

Gr1pr

Ecp details will definitely be on their privacy page, which you must not have checked 

DCB LTD dpo should be on their website, or its probably been posted on here numerous times previously in other threads

KeithP

ECP's DPO's email address is stated five times in their Privacy Policy.

DCB Ltd's DPO's email address is stated twice in their Privacy Policy.

DCB Legal's DPO's email address is stated in their Privacy Policy but only once.

Spot the pattern? It's just as described in the the NEWBIES thread.  

[Deleted User]

Thank you for the swift reply. I had looked at the "information Security Policy" page and the Contact us page, also googled "DPO contact at Euro Car Parks" and could find no information. Following your reply, i looked at their privacy page and found the DPO contact address. Thank you for that. 

Their address is simply "DPO@eurocarparks.com" I am just writing it here in case anyone searches the forums for it in the future. 

Thanks again for the quick reply pointing me in the right direction. I apologise if my naivety in this situation is tiresome, but I appreciate you talking me through each step. It is very reassuring.