Do I have to pay court & legal fees if I pay the charge now? UK Parking Control Limited Issue

Apron75

I was issued with a parking charge for my wheel touching the white line. 
I appealed it as the car next to me was over in my space, which forced me over. 
The appeal was rejected. 
I then came across the MSE forum and read to ignore letters. 
They kept coming, sporadically and now all of a sudden I have been sent a Claim Form - pic attached. 

I'm not sure what to do. 
Can I pay the parking fees now, and not pay the court fee £35 and legal representative costs £50? 
There trying to charge interest too. 

Please advise! 

Apron75

Photo of the letter I've been sent 

[Image removed by Forum Team]

KeithP

Hello and welcome.

What is the Issue Date on your Claim Form?

Have you filed an Acknowledgment of Service?
If so, upon what date did you do so?
Your MCOL Claim History will have the definitive answer to that.

Your MCOL password and your vehicle's registration mark are clearly visible in that image you have shown us.

D_P_Dance

Why pay anything?  It is a scam.   A judge is , imo, unlikely to  be impressed with an over the line  breach of contract claim , especially in the circumstances you describe.   Read this

De Minimis | Practical Law

fisherjim

But you can't owe £177.52 why would you agree to pay that anyway?

Coupon-mad

I don't understand. Are you panicking because you think there will be a hearing and you can't face that?

There won't be a hearing! This will die away.

You received a claim form for £262 and you want to offer money now, despite these later stages where you'd pay less, or nowt?

1.  Mandatory Mediation phone call in a few weeks time, where (if you really, really want to) you can make a much lower offer ...BUT PLEASE DON'T DO THAT;

2.  When you get to WS and hearing date stage DCB Legal will discontinue and you won't pay a penny. 

Given 1 and 2, why on earth would anyone not just use the easy Template Defence?  Have a rethink and do what we do every time.

Here's your claim form redacted:

Apron75

They've sent another letter and said they can remove goods, and ordered I must pay £285.40. 

KeithP

Apron75 said:

They've sent another letter and said they can remove goods, and ordered I must pay £285.40. 

If you have a letter that says that, then has a court judgment been made?
Can you perhaps show us that letter - with all your personal detail hidden of course.

I asked you a number of questions on 6 November at 4:37PM.
You appear to have overlooked them.
Here they are again...

KeithP said:

What is the Issue Date on your Claim Form?

Have you filed an Acknowledgment of Service?
If so, upon what date did you do so?
Your MCOL Claim History will have the definitive answer to that.

If you want help, then please answer those questions now.
The clock is ticking and you appear to be sleepwalking, or have already sleepwalked, into a Default Judgment against you.

Apron75

Hi, the issue date isn't on the judgment for claimant letter but the PCN was issued on 20 March 2024. I haven't filed an acknowledgment of service. The only thing I did, when I got it, was appeal it (it was sent through the post not a windscreen ticket) and that was before I came across this forum. 

KeithP

Apron75 said:

Hi, the issue date isn't on the judgment for claimant letter...

Oh... so you have a Judgment for Claimant letter. That's new information.

It looks like you have failed to defend yourself against the Claim.
Clearly you received the Claim so by simply not dealing with it you now need to pay the Claimant the sum that the Court has ordered.
You need to do that within the timescale allowed - usually one month - or you will have a County Court Judgment (CCJ) recorded against you which will restrict you ability to raise credit for the next six years.

Apron75

Ok thank you. Yes I couldn't deal with it as there was other pressing matters in my life. I will just pay it.