DCB Letter of Claim Newbie

Freshplate10

Hi all I would like some advice please after receiving an LOC.

I used to rent a London black taxi so I am not the registered keeper. On 10/9/2024 I received a letter from UKPC saying thank you for your recent correspondence. I had had no contact with them previously. They had sent a PCN for being parked in a disabled bay to the hire company who had given my address. The bay had no signage on the floor and had a UKPC sign on the ground attached to a post. I ignored the letter and  2 subsequent bailiff letters. I have now received a Letter of Claim from DCB Legal dated 10/3/2025.

Am I right in thinking that I send the generic solicitor email in response?

Apologies for the underlining, cannot seem to turn off.

Coupon-mad

You didn't get any 'bailiff' letters. They were just acting as debt collectors and you were right to ignore them.

Yes just send the usual response. Or you could reply saying that you aren't liable because UKPC did not properly transfer liability to you as hirer, so the POFA has not been invoked.

DO NOT TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED OR WHO WAS DRIVING. 

Freshplate10

Great thanks for the advice.

Le_Kirk

Freshplate10 said:

Apologies for the underlining, cannot seem to turn off.

Highlight the sentence and hit Ctrl U

Freshplate10

Hi all,
Ok so I responded with the generic solicitor email and received this email in reply:

"We write in response to your correspondence received in our office dated 24/03/2025.

 

 

We now respond to the same as follows.

 

 

The parking charge has been issued due to being parked in designate disabled person's parking place without displaying a valid disabled person's blue badge.

 

 

The signs on site would have outlined the terms and conditions of the site.

 

 

When parking on private land, the contractual terms of the site are set out on the signs. You are entering a contract and agreeing to the terms by parking and staying on the site. Parking in breach of the terms as stipulated on the signage means that you are then breaking the terms of the contract.    The sum added is a contribution to the actual costs incurred by our Client as a result of your non-payment. Our Client’s employees have spent time and material attempting to recover the debt. This is not our Client’s usual business and the resources could have been better spent in other areas of the business. Had you of paid as per the Contract, there would have been no need for recovery action so the amount due would not have increased.  In accordance with the British Parking Association (BPA) Code of Practice, where the parking charge becomes overdue and before Court proceedings have commenced, a reasonable sum may be added for the debt recovery fees. The correct recovery fees have been added and will not be removed. As such, the outstanding balance of £170.00 remains payable to prevent further action.    For the avoidance of doubt, the outstanding balance consists of £100.00 for the breach in contract as per the signage displayed on site, and £70.00 debt recovery fee.  The HMRC ‘VAT Supply and Consideration manual’ (VATSC06140), confirmed that parking charge falls out of the scope of VAT. WITHOUT PREJUDICE.     I can confirm our Client would be agreeable to £90.00 in full and final settlement of this Claim. The current outstanding balance is £170.00.   You now have 30 days from the date of this email to make payment of £90.00. Failure to make payment may result in a Claim being issued against you without further reference."

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Coupon-mad

"Had you of paid" they still haven't changed that cluelessly bad English. Who types up their template crap?

When you get replies from such idiots please don't post them here like they are new & different!  We don't need to see that.

Search the forum for some unusual words from the reply instead. Such as the VAT acronym...

Freshplate10

They might not be new and different to you but they are to me and I'm posting for some advice not criticism.

Gr1pr

Freshplate10 said:

They might not be new and different to you but they are to me and I'm posting for some advice not criticism.

So report them to HMRC with possible VAT concerns like everyone else 

Then sit back and wait for the inevitable N1SDT court claim pack from the CNBC in Northampton using MCOL to arrive in the post 

Coupon-mad

Freshplate10 said:

They might not be new and different to you but they are to me and I'm posting for some advice not criticism.

Please search the forum first is all I'm asking.