DCB LEGAL - DEFENCE HELP

Le_Kirk

seriously_annoyed_driver said:

@Coupon-mad, cheers for pointing that out. I've made the changes and I'll be submitting the Defence via the email provided in the 2nd post of the Newbie thread as advised by @KeithP.

Thank you for not posting the whole template on your thread but you will of course be adding the rest of the template before sending via email won't you?

seriously_annoyed_driver

Hi @Le_Kirk, sorry just seen this message. Yhhh I made sure to include the rest of the template as well. 

I sent off the defence statement and received an automated reply from `Claimresponses.cnbc[@]justice.gov.uk` which reads:

"Thank you for emailing the Claim Responses Team in the Civil National Business Centre. Please expect a response to your enquiry in 10 days"

I just want to confirm that I dont need to initiate the next steps (mentioned in the thread) from my end. I simply need to wait for their non-automated response via email?

I've checked MCOL and seen that my defence was received on 26/02/2025

Thanks in advance

Le_Kirk

Correct, just wait for the gears of justice to grind - slowly!

seriously_annoyed_driver

Update on the case for @Le_Kirk as well as anyone else interested. 

Recieved a letter from HM Courts and Tribunals Service (dated 26th Feb 2025) stating

`I acknowledge receipt of your defence. A copy is being served on the claimant (or the claimant's solicitor).

The claimant may contact you direct to attempt to resolve any dispute. If the dispute cannot be resolved

informally, the claimant will inform the court that he wishes to proceed. The court will then inform you of

what will happen.

Where he wishes to proceed, the claimant must contact the court within 28 days after receiving a copy of

your defence. After that period has elapsed, the claim will be stayed. The only action the claimant can then

take will be to apply to a judge for an order lifting the stay.`

-------

Today (1st of April) I received a letter from DCB Legal (dated 27th March 2025) stating

`Having reviewed the content of your Defence, we are writing to inform you that our Client intends to proceed with the claim.

The Court will direct both parties to file directions questionnaires in due course. In anticipation of that we are enclosing a copy.

Without Prejudice to the above, in order to assist the Court in achieving its overriding objective, our Client may be prepared to

settle this case. Therefore, in the event you wish to discuss settlement, please call us on 0203 XXX XXXX within 7 days and make

immediate reference to this correspondence.

Yours Sincerely,`


--------

Given the date on the letter from DCB Legal, it seems like I only have 4 days left to get in contact with them regarding the settlement which is fine but is there any insight/advice as to what stance I should take on this call? As it currently stands, I think I'd be due to pay approx £300 if the case proceeds to court and they rule against me. Is it likely that Park Maven LTD/ DCB Legal would try to settle at a lower figure? If this is the case, should I maintain my stance and reject the settlement?

Any thoughts or suggestions are much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Coupon-mad

All of this is already in the first 12 steps though! Revisit the Template defence thread.

seriously_annoyed_driver

My apologies @Coupon-mad, I revisited the thread and will continue with the advice given. My only query at this point is that on the MCOL site, it gives the following timeline of events

------

A claim was issued against you on 28/01/2025

Your acknowledgment of service was submitted on 02/02/2025 at 03:08:43

Your acknowledgment of service was received on 03/02/2025 at 01:06:09

Your defence was received on 26/02/2025

Case Stay Lifted on 02/04/2025

DQ sent to you on 02/04/2025

DQ filed by claimant on 02/04/2025

------

I am currently abroad right now so dont have access to my post/mail but I dont remember seeing the DQ from CNBC. Only the one from the claimant (DCB legal on behalf of Park Maven). Is it ok to just download a digital copy from the .gov website and fill that in based on the advice in the defence thread (and the linked answers comment/thread) or is there specific information on the form sent to me from CNBC ?

As I am currently abroad for an undetermined amount of time (sabbatical), I plan to give my foreign number (with the correct country code) as well as email address on the form. Will this be a problem or negatively impact my defence in an way? 

I'm very happy to speak with the mediator at any point but I just wont be available on my UK phone number

Thanks in advance

Car1980

The answer too all that is basically yes 

A foreign number is no problem, but mark it as such on the DQ.

Just a note about Park Maven Glaven signs - they all look identical and generally only 1 or 2 in the entire car park offer any sort of contract. So you read the nearest one, which usually gives you payment instructions, and then look around you and see seemingly identical ones in all directions. Somewhere in that haystack will be the contract they are relying upon. But unless you happened to park next to it by chance, you won't have seen it. 

There is a very very high chance you never entered into a contract with them and their claim is invalid.

seriously_annoyed_driver

@Car1980

Much appreciated, I've now completed the form and sent it off via email to DQ.CNBC@justice.gov.uk, support@parkmaven.com & info@dcblegal.co.uk

Coupon-mad

seriously_annoyed_driver said:

@Car1980

Much appreciated, I've now completed the form and sent it off via email to DQ.CNBC@justice.gov.uk, support@parkmaven.com & info@dcblegal.co.uk

I hope you made it clear you aren't in the country for a hearing until week/month? Chances are they'll set a hearing date you can't do if you don't make this crystal clear once the case is allocated to your local court.

But maybe you can see this off at Mediation by telling the Mediator to tell DCB Legal that you are on sabbatical in COUNTRY and the flight costs to attend a hearing this year will be at least £xxx return, which their client will have to pay you back when they lose, or if they discontinue very late.

You could stick to your guns and offer zero at Mediation call stage,

or

you could try stating the above then offering a fiver or tenner to end it at Mediation, which (you should ask the Mediator to tell them) "has huge value to them due to the extraordinary flight costs exposure risk".

seriously_annoyed_driver

Hi all, 

Apologies for not updating the thread earlier. I wanted to share the outcome of my mediation call, which unfortunately wasn't very successful.

I presented my defence as best as possible including the points about the potential travel costs that would be incurred but the claimants were very stubborn with their offers/counter offers. 

• I initially offered £10, which they declined
• They countered with £180
• I increased my offer to £20, and they came down to £100
• I then offered £40, which they declined
• At which point I was quite fed up and offered £70 to be done with the ordeal and they accepted

Had I not been abroad, I think I may have been more willing to take this further however the possibility of having to fly back to the UK before my sabbatical is over simply wasn't practical or cost-effective. 

While this outcome isn't what I had hoped for, I'm genuinely grateful for all the advice received from members of this forum. Your guidance was invaluable throughout this process. I hope my experience can serve as a useful reference for others who might find themselves in similar circumstances in the future.