DCBL chasing me for PCN I was unaware of

DocChuckles

I received a letter this morning for DCBL ('Notice of Debt Recovery - Unpaid Parking Charge £170.00') alleging that I have not paid a PCN for a car park in Sheffield from 9/11/2024.
This is the first notification that I've received about any parking fine.  I didn't get a parking ticket on the car at the time, and haven't received any letter from the car park operator.
I've checked my V5c and it's got my upto date address on it so they should have my correct address to send any correspondence to.  I cannot be certain if I did or did not park in the car park in question as it's one of those that is free for an initial period and only after that is a ticket required.
I've scanned through previous posts so have an idea on what to do next however would appreciate any advice that people can give me.

Fruitcake

DCB Limited, or DCB Legal Limited? The former is a powerless debt collector and can safely be ignored. The latter are solicitors, but may also be acting as powerless debt collectors at this stage.

It is not a fine. 

Which PPC issued the charge?

Was the vehicle's V5C correct at the time of the alleged event? That is the address that will have been used even if the keeper moved home and updated the DVLA details later.

Where did the alleged event occur? It may have cropped up here before.

Plan A is always a complaint from the keeper to the landowner and the keeper's MP. Has this been done yet?

DocChuckles

Thanks for the reply.
It's DCB (Direct Collection Bailliffs) Limited.
Looks like the PPC is Retail Park Limited - they're noted as the client on the letter.
V5c address has been correct since we moved to the address over 5 years ago so no excuses there.

The location was Berkeley Precinct on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield.

I've not made any complaints yet as I only received the letter this morning - as I said, this was the first thing that I'd heard about any parking fine.

Thanks.

Fruitcake

It is not a fine.

Start with Plan A. 

Which PPC? Excel or VCS perhaps?

Thorndorise

It appears Excel were booted off, in favour of Retail Park limited (newish kids on the block having only really been active for the last 2 years). The site is managed by Workman property services (according to the sign outside), they'd be a good starting point for Plan A.

Have a read of this too https://www.thestar.co.uk/business/excel-parking-new-firm-taking-over-at-berkeley-centre-in-sheffield-after-ticketing-rows-4226910 (please note this incorrectly cites the IPC as the industry regulator - this is a non-regulated industry) so follow the advice from the team on here!

Fruitcake

Retail Park Ltd are BPA members.

Try Plan A first, complaints from the vehicle keeper to the landowner and the keeper's MP. In the complaint to the latter, ask when the mandatory government code of practice will be introduced. Also ask for it to be passed to the group of MPs who are trying to the ball rolling again with the introduction of this CoP implemented as soon as possible. Details of these MPs can be found in this thread.

Parking stories in the News/media - Page 220 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Please also sign the petition linked in this post, and get everyone you know to do the same.

Parked in a disabled Bay, no ticket - Page 3 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Getting MPs involved is the only way this unregulated parking industry will ever be brought under control.

If Plan A fails, then the keeper could try appealing either online or by post, using the template in blue text found in the sticky Announcement for NEWBIES. State that since this is the first the keeper has heard about this, they consider the DRA letter to be the notice to keeper.
If sent by post, do so from a Post Office counter and obtain a free proof of posting receipt.

If the PPC won't accept the appeal, complain to the BPA.

DocChuckles

Thanks for your help.

Coupon-mad

DocChuckles said:

Thanks for your help.

Start with Plan A - complaint to Workman, and a complaint to ask your MP to step in.

But ALSO an online complaint to Retail Park Ltd that they failed to send a NTK or reminder at all. Nothing was received and you have complained to Workman and your MP (name the MP). Add that anyone would think that Retail Park Ltd might be playing the game of pretending to post a NTK so that they can avoid settling for the discount and get £100 whilst DCB get £70, in cases where weak/duped consumers just get scared and pay. Tell them that will not happen and you want proof of postage of the missing NTK and reminder, from Unity5 (or a similar record, if Unity5 were not used).