Parking eye PCN - trapped in car park how can I stop DBCL harassment.

DaveB10780

My car was parked in a bay at ASDA Etihad Manchester for about 1 hour on Jun 2023. It took me 1 hour to escape just sitting in a traffic jam. Sadly I received a PCN from PE for an overstay of 32 minutes. I went through the appeals process which sadly was rejected by Parking Eye and POPLA. However I do not see why I should pay for sitting in a jam so did not pay.

I have since received threatening letters from DCBL dated 27 Nov 2023, 18 Dec 2023, 12 Dec 2024, 16 Jan 2024, 2 Jan 2025, 31 Jan 2025.

I phoned them today and asked for the matter to be dropped or taken to court. All they did was say they would be a note on the file. My problem with this whole affair is that the law seems to allow me to be pursued for 6 years. This seems completely disproportionate to the offence and amount.

Is there any way to bring this matter to a conclusion in a speedy manner?

Any advice most welcome!

ChirpyChicken

Mistake phoning them
The letters are not harassment
Deal with any court claim when it comes.

Car1980

Interesting. They usually only send two.

What on earth was Popla's reasoning? 

DCB can be scared off like the irritating gnats they are. I'd go bolshy. I'm afraid you can't stop the six year thing though.

I'd email DCB Legal info@dcblegal.co.uk and copy in Sarah Ensall sarah@dcblegal.com and say you're getting tired of of their fannying about and to send their Letter Before Claim because you would love to get this 'charged for being unable to exit a car park' case in front of a judge at Manchester Civil Justice Centre. Tell them you that if they end up claiming and discontinuing, as the they always do, you will object to the Discontinuance and submit a costs assessment on the grounds of their unreasonable conduct.

They'll just say "we don't have your details, talk to DCBL", but Sarah will have seen it.

Nellymoser

Im afraid there is no speedy conclusion.
Do not phone PPC or Debt Agencies. Have you read NEWBIES thread Announcement on page 1 

• Complain to Asda (Plan A) ask them to cancel pcn overstay was due to traffic jam. Try to find news evidence online reason for traffic jam.

• Ignore debt agencies see Post 4 in NEWBIES and read Post 2 on Small Claims.

• Complain to your MP about your situation and copy/alter poster Smoof's template letter re ongoing MP support.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6583618/ive-written-to-my-mp

• Sign 2 petitions asking Govt to control this private parking industry behaviour
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions?q=Private+parking+&state=recent

Car1980

Nothing is going to happen if you phoned DCBL, so don't worry.

Coupon-mad

The letters might be because ParkingEye are reluctant to sue regarding ASDA car parks.  

What did Asda say when you complained and asked them to email ParkingEye to cancel the PCN?

Never too late...

Umkomaas

Asda have usually been very good at cancelling PE parking charges, especially for a genuine customer, and especially where there are clear reasons why the technical 'overstay' occurred. They have direct access to the PE system from the manager's desk, to press the 'Cancel' button. 

Don't think Asda give permission for PE to sue through the courts, hence them handing this over to DCBL to apply frighteners in the hope you'd hand over your wallet and let them help themselves. 

With an in-house team of professional solicitors and legal staff, PE are very capable, and have a very good record, of successfully suing motorists in court.  So why not in your case? .... answer already given!

Stay firm, go see the Asda manager (not the customer services fob-off queen!).

BlueonBlue

I have about 4 or 5 Asda/Parking Eye invoices also a nearby CPM on a private road marked to look like a council road.

Absolutely bombarded with debt collection letters from multiple debt collectors over years  I think 10 or 11 letters in one pcn case all with different amounts owed on different letters .
The amounts would go up and down then up again .
It was obviously not to be taken seriously all they ever did was send letters asking for money I have stacks of letters for each pcn.

At this point some have timed out after 6 years but not all just yet.

Horizon has taken over the car parks so not sure how they operate vs parking eye .

DaveB10780

Car1980 said:

Interesting. They usually only send two.

What on earth was Popla's reasoning? 

DCB can be scared off like the irritating gnats they are. I'd go bolshy. I'm afraid you can't stop the six year thing though.

I'd email DCB Legal info@dcblegal.co.uk and copy in Sarah Ensall sarah@dcblegal.com and say you're getting tired of of their fannying about and to send their Letter Before Claim because you would love to get this 'charged for being unable to exit a car park' case in front of a judge at Manchester Civil Justice Centre. Tell them you that if they end up claiming and discontinuing, as the they always do, you will object to the Discontinuance and submit a costs assessment on the grounds of their unreasonable conduct.

They'll just say "we don't have your details, talk to DCBL", but Sarah will have seen it.

I tried this but sadly did not work. sarah@dcblegal.com got a response from a different sara (Sarah Brown <sbrown@bellonlawgroup.com>) saying they no longer work there. I guess I just have to wait a few more years. I still fail to understand why they have so long to conclude a simple matter. Surely 1 years is quite enough.

Gr1pr

They do it because they can  !  6 years is the deadline under the Limitations Act 1980

Coupon-mad

DaveB10780 said:

Car1980 said:

Interesting. They usually only send two.

What on earth was Popla's reasoning? 

DCB can be scared off like the irritating gnats they are. I'd go bolshy. I'm afraid you can't stop the six year thing though.

I'd email DCB Legal info@dcblegal.co.uk and copy in Sarah Ensall sarah@dcblegal.com and say you're getting tired of of their fannying about and to send their Letter Before Claim because you would love to get this 'charged for being unable to exit a car park' case in front of a judge at Manchester Civil Justice Centre. Tell them you that if they end up claiming and discontinuing, as the they always do, you will object to the Discontinuance and submit a costs assessment on the grounds of their unreasonable conduct.

They'll just say "we don't have your details, talk to DCBL", but Sarah will have seen it.

I tried this but sadly did not work. sarah@dcblegal.com got a response from a different sara (Sarah Brown <sbrown@bellonlawgroup.com>) saying they no longer work there.

That's because that email address was wrong.