Dcbl (direct collection bailiffs Ltd)

Muir2001

Hi everyone, sorry I’m not the sharpest knife in the block. Have just read and tried to understand the newbies thread as much as possible! I’ve garnered there’s a few variations on the DCBL company name and today I received a letter from the company in my discussion title.. 3 years ago (almost to the date!) I parked in a carpark next to a pub that has historically, always been free. I didn’t see any signs that it was now a payable carpark (but certainly didn’t even think to look for them!) and had I seen any such sign, I would have moved my car to the free to park on road (legitimately 5-10 metres away from where I parked in this godforsaken carpark). 

Anyway I remember appealing the eurocarparks notice when it came 3 years ago. It was a form to fill in their website and sadly I have no record of it other than I still have their auto response email saying they received my appeal. I would’ve put exactly what I’ve just stated above though. Anyhooooo, I seem to recall they didn’t accept my appeal (how surprising) and sent a few more letters.. but then I moved home in July of that year. Updated address with dvla and log book like normal and not heard a peep until 3 years later where I have this NOTICE OF DEBT RECOVERY -unpaid parking charge £170.

Am I to understand that I *do* have to contact them in this instance since they have my old address too? What are they going to do with my old address though? What risk is there to me by them having both? I’d rather ignore the feckers and see them in court!

KeithP

You must instruct both ECP and DCBL to erase your old address from their records and replace it with your current address.

Failure to do that will see a court claim raised at the old address and subsequently a Default Judgment against you without you having had any opportunity to defend yourself.

Coupon-mad

Use the LBC response in the 2nd post of the NEWBIES thread, even if you haven't yet got a LBC from DCB Legal.  

Muir2001

Thank you! Are you suggesting they would purposefully use my old address so that I was unaware of proceedings? They have my new address now?? Anyhow, I will endeavour to contact them both as you suggest, thank you

Coupon-mad

Yes - that is what they do.

Muir2001

Coupon-mad said:

Use the LBC response in the 2nd post of the NEWBIES thread, even if you haven't yet got a LBC from DCB Legal.  

Thank you, I have just reread that bit. Is it appropriate to ask for the 30 day respite at this stage if no one has yet decided to take me to court though? Should I leave that out or is it always a good idea to ask for that anyway? 

KeithP

Muir2001 said:

Thank you! Are you suggesting they would purposefully use my old address so that I was unaware of proceedings? 

Yes, seen that time and time again.

If you don't respond, they will trot out the feeble excuse "we did a search and found a newer address, but when we wrote to that new address we got no response. We therefore had no alternative but to revert back to the old address".

Umkomaas

Muir2001 said:

Coupon-mad said:

Use the LBC response in the 2nd post of the NEWBIES thread, even if you haven't yet got a LBC from DCB Legal.  

Thank you, I have just reread that bit. Is it appropriate to ask for the 30 day respite at this stage if no one has yet decided to take me to court though? Should I leave that out or is it always a good idea to ask for that anyway? 

That's only appropriate if/when you receive a formal Letter Of/Before Claim, which will come from DCB Legal, not DCB Limited. 

Muir2001

KeithP said:

Muir2001 said:

Thank you! Are you suggesting they would purposefully use my old address so that I was unaware of proceedings? 

Yes, seen that time and time again.

If you don't respond, they will trot out the feeble excuse "we did a search and found a newer address, but when we wrote to that new address we got no response. We therefore had no alternative but to revert back to the old address".

Wow. The absolute ***** c****! Pardon my French! 

Coupon-mad

Remove the 30 day hold stuff and obviously don't refer to the DCB Ltd threatogram as a LBC, but the wording at the start of the LBC template reply (about addresses) is perfect to send DCB Ltd and the PPC to get any old address erased.

That will protect you from a secret CCJ.

You can also spell out your dispute if you want. It will fall on deaf ears, but you could use it as an opportunity to tell them that you owe nothing, so stop harassing you and hurry up and pass the case and the correct service address to DCB Legal who will discontinue in the end.

Muir2001

Bless you, thank you @Coupon-mad! I did just that yesterday. I also did manage to find the email response from ECP to my initial appeal to them and they sent me photos of their signage which I absolutely maintain is not in the right place for me to see from where I entered and exited the carpark. I will await the next sordid step in their charade!