Northern Ireland multiple DCBL notices

cadburyboy58

Hi all. I need a lot of advice regarding what to do about this situation as I have multiple tickets unpaid and am now getting multiple DCBL notices.

This happened back in September. I started studying at the Belfast Met in September. A lecture gave us a discounted parking code to use and mentioned (or clearly didn't and I and a few others misheard) that the code would work in both the underground carpark under the Met, and the car park across the road. Turns out this was completely wrong, it didn't work for the carpark under the met and I have now racked up 6 parking fines as I haven't been paying for the correct car park. I was told to ignore these by family, and through researching online, who said that private companies have no jurisdiction here so I did just that. Another person who also parked in the wrong car park using the code tried to appeal their ticket and explained the situation (we're new students and were told we could park there with the code but realised we were wrong) but it was rejected and they asked them for full payment.

I am now however receiving DCBL letters for each parking fine (see pic). Again, family have told me to ignore these as bailiffs don't have jurisdiction here but I'm on edge about it as I have received multiple and I feel like that's a pretty fair reason to take me to court if needed. I have racked up a pretty hefty bill to pay and I'd rather come on here and ask people who seem to know their !!!!!! rather than listen to my family at this point because it's not them who are going to help me pay these tickets if it comes down to it. The company asking is Parkmaven.

Any advice is needed because I'm literally a broke student and I do not want to get in trouble over this but I don't have the funds to pay all the charges right now

Gr1pr

Definitely ignore debt collectors letters 

Come back to this thread if you receive a court claim ( rare but can happen. )

I wouldn't believe the claims regarding bailiffs, just bear in mind that Northern Ireland does have a justice system and enforcement is certainly part of the justice system in all of the UK nations 

But DCB ltd are powerless 

The debt collectors letters will state that its NOT subject to bailiff or enforcement action, it says so just above, Yours Sincerely 

cadburyboy58

Gr1pr said:

Definitely ignore debt collectors letters 

Come back to this thread if you receive a court claim ( rare but can happen. )

I wouldn't believe the claims regarding bailiffs, just bear in mind that Northern Ireland does have a justice system and enforcement is certainly part of the justice system in all of the UK nations 

But DCB ltd are powerless 

The debt collectors letters will state that its NOT subject to bailiff or enforcement action, it says so just above, Yours Sincerely 

Yeah it states at the bottom that it's not subject to high court or bailiff action but that they can still recommend the company to take legal action against me which is what i'm spooked about. I'll just keep the letters for now and hope and pray I don't get a court claim. Thank you for the advice! I'm glad that it lines up with my familys advice because for a while there I was like 'I hope you're not all lying to me' lol

Gr1pr

All parking companies can sue the alleged debtor in court for unpaid invoices, that is standard practice by any company or person who' believes another owes them money, so Debt collectors will always threaten future legal action by their clients.  Standard stuff throughout the UK, not just you. The threat is repeated millions of times every year 

What you and other NI residents should be doing is understanding your laws and internal justice systems, which vary according to the nation involved ( one aspect of devolution. )

I don't know if your family are correct or not, ( are there actual Bailifs in N I. ?  ). , but sweeping statements don't help 

Umkomaas

I have multiple tickets

How many?  What is the total (£) being claimed from you?

Gr1pr

Good point 

Here is a current court claim in Northern Ireland, a rarity but not impossible 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6475057/car-park-services-letter-from-small-claims-court-northern-ireland/p1

Coupon-mad

But Parkmaven and DCB don't sue in NI so this case is completely different.

hope and pray I don't get a court claim.

Why? You are safe.  This doesn't fit DCB Group's MO and they won't start NI claims.

Tell your Uni friends NOT TO REPLY.  Certainly nobody will be paying! They aren't daft.

Computersaysno

I might be wrong [I'm rusty on my knowledge] but I beleive POPLA doesn't apply in N.Ireland so they can only sue the driver...which is almost impossible for them to prove.

I also wonder if the GPEOL [Genuine Pre-estimate of Loss] defence might still be applicable in Norn Ir'n.

Umkomaas

Computersaysno said:

I might be wrong [I'm rusty on my knowledge] but I beleive POPLA doesn't apply in N.Ireland so they can only sue the driver...which is almost impossible for them to prove.

I also wonder if the GPEOL [Genuine Pre-estimate of Loss] defence might still be applicable in Norn Ir'n.

POPLA is available for NI, provided the appeal is made by the admitted driver. I wouldn't anticipate a POPLA assessor understanding any nuances around GPEOL, even if it was applicable there. No one in NI should be appealing to POPLA. 

But are you confusing POPLA with PoFA?

cadburyboy58

Umkomaas said:

I have multiple tickets

How many?  What is the total (£) being claimed from you?

I have 6 tickets, each £100 but the dcbls coming in now are asking £170 for them so £1020. The tickets didn't come in until a week later each time and I go to class 3 times a week. So I continued parking for another week until I got the 1st letter in and realised something was wrong

Gr1pr

The added charges are irrelevant, just an added Extra that never counts 

Ignore the debt collectors letters and their made up figures