DCB Legal solicitors reminder letter+letter of claim

Blackysowner

Hi, this is my first time posting here, would like to have some help and advices here.

I have read the newbie post and also some of the other posts on this forum already. Im seeking help because, I didnt find this forum until recently, and realised that Ive already done something you guys told us not to... (facepalm)

Story begins here, Ill try to keep it short:

1. Went to Valentine retail park Lincoln (England) to shop and had coffee back in 2nd August 2023. In my memory I couldnt think of anything I did wrong here, worst would be I might have stayed too long as it has a 2.5 hours limit there, but I am not sure.

2. Received nothing until Late Nov 2023, got the first DCBL Debt recovery letter, stating they are sending the letter on behalf of Cp Plus Ltd T/a Groupnexus, stating it has passed appeal period, I can only pay £170 now. Only mentioned "Vehicle Remained On Private Property in Breach Of The Prominently Displayed Terms And Conditions", I have no idea what did I do wrong, sounded like a scam to me.

3. Shocked and called DCBL by phone (first mistake), mentioned that I have never received anything until now, and what was the actual thing I did that leads to this fine. The person replied that they are not here to discuss the matter with me, they are just here to collect, if I have any questions I should contact Cp Plus Ltd T/a Groupnexus myself, and they mentioned that my address on the logbook of my car is not updated (huge second mistake, Ive only updated the address on my driving licenses back in 2021, this was how DCBL found me) and thats why I didnt get any letters before, and I should update it otherwise I could be facing a huge amount of fine (which made me worried a bit if they could be doing anything against me here). Told them I've moved to this new address since Oct 2021, also gave them my email (probably another mistake here, but they've never sent me any email since then). Since he was just trying to make me to pay and refused to answer my question, I hung up.

4. Updated my logbook address (which is confirmed updated now), and also contacted Cp Plus Ltd T/a Groupnexus that very same night by email to "appeal for a parking fine" (forth mistake, shouldve been a complaint letter), stating that I have never received any letters regarding this, what I received is the Debt recovery letter only. And wanted to know what exactly is the reason why I was being fined. Mentioning I have full bank details of the transactions made that day while shopping there. Got the reply quickly and they said in the email that this matter has now been referred to their collection agent, and advise that I will need to contact them, apologised to me that they cannot enter into further correspondence in relation to this matter.
Which means that they still did not tell me what was wrong, even to this day, I still do not know what did I do wrong that leads to a fine. I was so upset that I think I might have thrown the letter away (fifth mistake).

5. Since then, I stopped contacting any of them and started to ignore every letter they threw at me. DCBL sent me at least one more letter afterwards, ignored and I might have thrown that away too (sixth mistake).

6. Received a Solicitors Reminder Letter last week, dated 14 May 2024, which looks exactly the same as this one here by Eagle229. 
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6237177/dcbl-letters-forum-group-thread/p70
(Didnt throw the letter away this time!)

7. Received a Letter of Claim yesterday, dated 20 May 2024 (which is odd, since the Solicitors Reminder Letter gave me 14 days, but now they are sending another one in just 6 days). Asking me to complete and submit the reply form and finacial statement in a website (of course I didnt do it). (Didnt throw the letter away this time!)


Since Ive seen in many places in this forum that I shouldnt be ignoring a DCB legal letter, Im therefore asking for advices here.

What Im unsure about is that, should I still send an email to them to confirm my address and ask them to erase any old addresses that I have?
Is there anything else to do at this point?
Is there a risk of losing the case in my case? Since I did not update the logbook at the first place?
Approximately how long is this going to take for the whole thing to be ended? (I also have other cases regarding some bad builders and painters going on... really stressing me out)

Gr1pr

The newbies sticky thread in announcements post 2 deals with the LoC stage 

Yes, always ensure that the parking company DPO and the lawyers both have the correct name and address and to erase old details 

Try and get the landowner to cancel the PCN ASAP, plan A 

Anyone can lose, anyone can win , its judge Bingo, it varies so nobody can predict the outcome apart from someone like Mystic Meg, who is no longer with us 

Assume it takes between 6 months and 18 months, its almost always a long time, especially as the courts are clogged up with these cases, so it takes as long as it takes, so plan A is best

Blackysowner

Hi Gr1pr, thank you for your reply.

Regarding plan A, which is complaining to the retailer/landowner.

In this case, is it Cp Plus Ltd T/a Groupnexus? Or if that would be any of the store owners like managers of TK Max, Costa there?

Gr1pr

Neither 

Cp plus trading as Group Nexus are the contracted parking company, not the landowners 

The multiple shops and businesses are tenants, not owners , not landowners 

If its a retail park, then normally you complain in writing to the retail park management team, possibly Savills or a similar intermediary ( last resort is to complain directly to the actual landowner, whoever that is. )

But the retail park management team is usually the best and quickest option 

KeithP

Often there is good information on the shopping park's totem sign at the entrance, but in this case - not so good.

Here is the sign...

[from Google Street View - click on the image]

The sign states valentineshopping.co.uk but I couldn't find that website.

I did however find the parkopedia webpage and every single review there is a complaint about parking charges.

Blackysowner

Thank you very much for your replies
I googled a bit and found Edgerley Simpson Howe who seems to be the management team of the retail park.
I called them up and they promised to look into it for me.

May I confrim if these are what I have to do next?
1. Contact both DCBL and DCB legal through email, confirming about my address and asked to erase my old address.
2. Write the reply to the Letter of Claim to DCB Legal through email
3. Continue to contact with the management team of the retail park and see if there is anything they can do.

Gr1pr

1) the DPO at Group Nexus plus the DPO at DCB legal 

2) correct 

3) correct 

Blackysowner

Thank you for the reply Gr1pr.
I assume I only need to mention my name, my vehicle registration and the PCN ref number and ask them to erase the old address & only use the new one?
I shall draft the reply to the letter of claim and post it here later
No news from the retail park management team yet.

Gr1pr

Blackysowner said:

Thank you for the reply Gr1pr.

I assume I only need to mention my name, my vehicle registration and the PCN ref number and ask them to erase the old address & only use the new one?

With proof, they won't just accept your word alone, data protection laws require proof 

So name AND ADDRESS, VRM plus reference numbers etc, plus proof, preferably 2 sets of proof 

Blackysowner

Hi, thank you for the reply.
Proof as in, photo copy of vehicle logbook? Driving license?

KeithP

The front page of the vehicle's Registration Document is ideal.