Review - DCB Legal solicitors reminder

AZX397

After some advice if possible please - I have done my best to familiar myself with the newbie thread but I've not been in it from the start so just want to be 100% my knowledge is correct. 

Timescale: 

Approx June 2024 > Moves house, forgets to update DVLA record.

Approx Oct 2024 > Letters from DCBL on behalf of CP Parking LTD (Nexus Group) stating I have ignored the PCN sent in the post and I owe them £70. This is received at my updated address. This parking fine is one issued at TheGymGroup where I had previously been a subscribing member. Evidence obtained from TheGymGroup that shows I was an actively subscribing member and had used the gym for one hour on the date of the alleged contravention. 

Response sent to DCBL and Nexus stating I had moved address and was not aware of the parking fine. Sends evidence obtained directly to both parties. 

Approx Nov 2024 > Same template letter received, now demanding £170. Separate fine incurred directly from DVLA for a late update to my vehicle (fair enough, paid in full). 

Jan 2025 > 'Solicitors reminder letter' received, essentially the exact same as the previous 'Fine' letters, but from DCB Legal. Prompts me to actually look at this in a little more depth. 

Current
There is a lot of mixed information online, with some people on DCB Legal's review page stating they have somehow incurred significant debt from not just paying in the first instance. Hence, I want to be sure my information is correct and accurate. I suspect from the information on here that I will continue to receive these letters until such time that they escalate this to a Claim form, which is a formal summons to court where I then raise my defence. Anything other than the claim form should be ignored. Whilst I will be more than happy to fight such claim in court and this is not always the case, it is usually the format that DCB Legal withdraw before an actual hearing.

My own errors thus far
- Responded to each letter so far with lengthy emails to DCBL, DCB Legal and Nexus group stating why I am not guilty and sending them evidence (before knowing about this forum). 

- Missed the appeal date due to change in address, which If I am not mistaken has rendered me illegible to complete a POPLA appeal. 

- Discarded previous letters up unto current solicitors letter reminder. (Seem to have lost the initial PCN number reference). 

Actions taken
- Emailed Nexus, DCBL and DCB Legal with updated address telling them to erase any other known address'.

- Communicated with new homeowner of previous address, will look to collect any letters ASAP to confirm no CCJ or court summons already issued, no further fines. 

- Will be visiting car park location to confirm sign visibility and any other conditions.

- Recent emails to DCBL, DCB Legal and Nexus requesting to know exactly how I have breached the TOS.

- Email sent to TheGymGroup asking that as the landowners they appeal this immediately, if they are not the landowner then clarification as to who this is. I imagine this will not get me far at all as their website directly states they will not help with parking fines.

Can I please clarify the following with someone more experienced. 

- On the date of the alleged contravention, I am confident I have not stayed longer than the permitted time. I am confident I was a subscribing member. The only other variable is whether I have either forgotten to enter my number plate into the internal touchscreen, it has not registered correctly, or whether I have mistyped my plate. On any of those three variables, is it likely that I am in the wrong and would be found guilty?

- A CJJ can only be issued if there is no response to summons, or if I am found guilty and do not pay within the 30 day window. Outside of this, the CJJ cannot be issued and will not affect my credit score. I seem to have seen people online stating they have just been issued by one by DCB Legal but from my research this seems to not be possible and It would also have to come from Nexus themselves. Is this all accurate?

- How much can the fine be in court? It is currently at £170 but what is the risk of court fees etc? From some examples online I would not be looking at much more than an additional £50 or so? 

- The solicitors reminder letter is fine to be ignored as it is no different than the previous letters with a 'solicitors' company? (Picture attached).

Finally, is there anything I have missed? 

Just want to preface this with saying thank you in advance - really good of people going out of their way to try and mitigate these ridiculous fines!

ChirpyChicken

What you have received in that photo can be ignored it is not a letter before claim
There is no guilt or summons 

Le_Kirk

Reading the NEWBIE sticky (always a good idea anyway) would have informed you that debt collector letters only give you 14 days while "proper" letters before/of claim give you 30 days.

Coupon-mad

Can I please clarify the following with someone more experienced:

- On the date of the alleged contravention, I am confident I have not stayed longer than the permitted time. I am confident I was a subscribing member. The only other variable is whether I have either forgotten to enter my number plate into the internal touchscreen, it has not registered correctly, or whether I have mistyped my plate. On any of those three variables, is it likely that I am in the wrong and would be found guilty?

Eh? "found guilty"?

What sort of hearing are you imagining? It's not a fine, there will be no summons and it's not a criminal matter!  It will only be a small claim.  If it went to a hearing (which it won't, because they'll discontinue) it would just be a formal discussion sitting at a table, a bit like a job interview only with a Judge deciding if you owe money or not.

This case will 100% be about your numberplate not being registered that day, correctly. A complete cinch to defend.


- A CJJ can only be issued if there is no response to summons, or if I am found guilty and do not pay within the 30 day window. Outside of this, the CJJ cannot be issued and will not affect my credit score. I seem to have seen people online stating they have just been issued by one by DCB Legal but from my research this seems to not be possible and It would also have to come from Nexus themselves. Is this all accurate?

CCJ not CCJ. Please stop talking about being found guilty! That's not how it works. You could get a CCJ if you either ignore a court claim form or ignore a final court decision to pay up.

You are not going to do either of those things.  There is ZERO RISK in following our advice.

- How much can the fine be in court? It is currently at £170 but what is the risk of court fees etc? From some examples online I would not be looking at much more than an additional £50 or so?

There is no 'fine'.

If it went to a hearing and you somehow lost you'd pay about £212 all told, in a single PCN case. But they don't reach hearings.

Relax.

There's no risk. We know what we're doing.

IloveElephants

Coupon-mad said:

Can I please clarify the following with someone more experienced:

- On the date of the alleged contravention, I am confident I have not stayed longer than the permitted time. I am confident I was a subscribing member. The only other variable is whether I have either forgotten to enter my number plate into the internal touchscreen, it has not registered correctly, or whether I have mistyped my plate. On any of those three variables, is it likely that I am in the wrong and would be found guilty?

Eh? "found guilty"?

What sort of hearing are you imagining? It's not a fine, there will be no summons and it's not a criminal matter!  It will only be a small claim.  If it went to a hearing (which it won't, because they'll discontinue) it would just be a formal discussion sitting at a table, a bit like a job interview only with a Judge deciding if you owe money or not.

This case will 100% be about your numberplate not being registered that day, correctly. A complete cinch to defend.


- A CJJ can only be issued if there is no response to summons, or if I am found guilty and do not pay within the 30 day window. Outside of this, the CJJ cannot be issued and will not affect my credit score. I seem to have seen people online stating they have just been issued by one by DCB Legal but from my research this seems to not be possible and It would also have to come from Nexus themselves. Is this all accurate?

CCJ not CCJ. Please stop talking about being found guilty! That's not how it works. You could get a CCJ if you either ignore a court claim form or ignore a final court decision to pay up.

You are not going to do either of those things.  There is ZERO RISK in following our advice.

- How much can the fine be in court? It is currently at £170 but what is the risk of court fees etc? From some examples online I would not be looking at much more than an additional £50 or so?

There is no 'fine'.

If it went to a hearing and you somehow lost you'd pay about £212 all told, in a single PCN case. But they don't reach hearings.

Relax.

There's no risk. We know what we're doing.

I am taking my case to court from GN - No point in giving them time to communicate, just wait for the court letters and prepare defense and communicate in front of the judge on the day.