DCB Legal / MET Parking - Claim Form Received for 2021 Parking (Great Cambridge retail park EN1 3FD)

golden_retriever

Hi all,

Firstly, thank you for creating such a helpful and supportive space — it’s really appreciated, especially when dealing with something as stressful as this!

We’ve unfortunately received a claim form (issue date: 23 April 2025) from MET Parking Services Ltd, with DCB Legal Ltd acting on their behalf. The reason given is “breach of the terms on the signs (the contract): overstay.”

I only became aware of the claim on 14 May 2025, as it was sent to my dad’s address (my previous address) and in his name (he was the registered keeper at the time), even though I was the one driving when this occurred back in 2021.

My dad is extremely anxious about anything legal, especially court letters and the risk of a CCJ affecting his credit score, so he handed the letter straight to me and asked that I deal with it urgently.

I logged into the MoneyClaim Online site hoping to change the defendant details to my own name and current address, but it looks like that’s not possible.

After reading several threads on this forum (thank you again to all who contribute!), I felt I had a decent chance of defending this. So I submitted an Acknowledgement of Service two days ago — it was marked as received yesterday morning. I believe that was the right step, based on what I’ve read (hope it was). Please see image below.

Here’s a bit more context:

If I remember correctly (it was four years ago), there was a long queue at McDonald’s due to lockdown measures easing — queues were common at the time. I may have parked after the drive-thru to eat. I can't recall the exact duration of stay, but I have email receipts and a bank statement showing I made a purchase at McDonald’s. Not sure how useful that is, but thought I’d mention it.

My questions are:

1. Given my circumstances, do you think I have a realistic chance of defending this without risking a CCJ on my dad’s record?

   • I understand that if a claim is lost but the amount is paid within 30 days, there’s no CCJ recorded — is that correct?

2. If I do lose, will I only owe the £313.68 stated on the claim form, or could the amount increase?

3. Since the letter was addressed to my dad, but I was the driver, can I attend the hearing on his behalf? Or would he need to attend as the named defendant?

4. I submitted the AOS a bit late (on 13 May, after the 14 days from service). Does this affect my ability to defend?

5. Assuming I can still defend the claim, is my next step to email ClaimResponses@justice.gov.uk with my defence (using the template from post 2 in the MSE thread linked here, with points 2 and 3 tailored to my situation)?

6. Finally, will correspondence now come to my address (the one I entered on the MCOL website), or will it continue to go to my dad’s address as per the claim form? I’d really like to avoid stressing him out with more letters.

Thanks again to everyone who takes the time to offer help and advice — it really means a lot! I’d appreciate any guidance or feedback on my situation and next steps.

Coupon-mad

Circumstances don't actually matter because DCB Legal discontinue single PCN cases before hearings.

He is at no CCJ risk (as long as he does what is required) and even if it went to a hearing and he lost, he'd pay less than the claim because they've enhanced it.

You can't defend it in your name. Hopefully you did the AOS using his Gateway account?

Late AOS is not a problem.

Re the address, mention it again in the body of the email when he emails the signed & dated PDF defence.  Do not put it as 'care of my son/daughter' put it as his 'address for service'.

You can't attend a hearing instead of him, but there won't be a hearing.

1. Assuming I can still defend the claim, is my next step to email ClaimResponses@justice.gov.uk with my defence (using the template from post 2 in the MSE thread linked here, with points 2 and 3 tailored to my situation)?

Yes.

Show us the POC please, minus the VRM.

golden_retriever

I submitted the Acknowledgement of Service (AOS) using my own Government Gateway account, as I wasn’t sure whether my dad has one — and even if he does, I don’t have access to his login details. I was also in a bit of a rush to get the AOS in, as I’d already gone past the 14-day window after the date of service.

The AOS submission went through and shows as received, but the claim summary on MoneyClaim still displays his name and address. I’m hoping this won’t be an issue?

Please see POC below:

For my defence, I just want to double-check points 2 and 3.
Would it be correct to simply explain that:

• I entered the car park to go to McDonald’s drive-thru

• There was a long queue due to the lockdown easing period

• Once you’re in the car park, you can't really leave until you've made your order and eaten (if parked up after)?

Also, in the defence thread it says:

“3. {If you have a DCB Legal Claim you can copy the new 'Regarding the POC...' paragraph 3 from the thread by @shahib_02...}"

I tried searching for that thread by @shahib_02, but I couldn’t find it. Could someone kindly link it or let me know what the updated wording is?

Also, would it still be worthwhile to contact the retailer or landowner at this stage? If so, does anyone know the best way to find their contact details?

Thanks so much again for all the support — I really appreciate the time and guidance everyone here provides!

Coupon-mad

That is a link...! Takes you to their posting profile but I wouldn't bother as DCB have changed the wording of their POC in April. Instead just read other DCB Legal claim threads near yours in page one or two right now. Copy.

And search the forum for:

drive-thru parking defence

golden_retriever

What do you mean by near yours - as in DCB claim forms for parking charges in the area I got mine in?

Thanks

Coupon-mad

No. If you aren't used to forums, you'll pick up far more if you don't stay on your own thread. A forum is a list of threads, like a book with pages. As I said: "near yours in page one or two"...of the forum.

My signature tells you how to navigate there in a split second.

  

golden_retriever

How is this defence to replace point 3 in the template - any changes needed, or good to go? Thanks

1. On the date in question, the Defendant recalls attending the location with a friend to purchase food from the McDonald’s restaurant located on the premises. The intention was to use the drive-through facility, which was in heavy demand at the time. This visit took place during a period shortly after COVID-19 lockdown measures had been relaxed. As was widely reported and experienced at the time, drive-through services were experiencing unprecedented queues, as customers preferred socially distanced, contact-free access to food and avoided dining inside due to public health concerns.

2. The McDonald’s drive-through at this site is designed in such a way that, once a vehicle enters the lane, there is no option to exit or turn around. Vehicles are committed to proceeding through the entire drive-through route behind other queuing vehicles. On this occasion, the Defendant’s vehicle was one of many waiting in a long queue of traffic, slowly progressing through the lane to place and collect an order. It is submitted that this situation constitutes use of the restaurant’s facilities and not "parking" in the contractual sense. A vehicle that is stopped due to traffic ahead in a queue does not meet any fair or reasonable definition of "parking."

3. After receiving their food, the Defendant briefly pulled into one of the bays adjacent to the restaurant in order to eat. The Defendant and the friend remained in the vehicle at all times and did not leave the vehicle unattended. The total duration of stay, including time in the drive-through queue and the short period in the bay, is not precisely known due to the passage of time, but the stop was for the legitimate and expected use of the facilities on site.

4. The land in question does not consist solely of a standard parking area but includes multiple commercial units, including both McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme, each with their own drive-through lanes. These operate differently from ordinary parking facilities and were specifically designed to facilitate fast, in-car service, particularly during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. The Defendant does not recall seeing any prominent or clearly legible signage at the entrance to the drive-through or near the bay in which the vehicle was briefly stopped. Any signage that was present was either obscured, positioned away from natural lines of sight, or too small to be read from a vehicle. As such, the Defendant was not made aware of any alleged contractual terms or time restrictions. In accordance with established principles of contract law, a party cannot be bound by terms that were not fairly and clearly communicated at the time.

6. Given that the alleged breach is stated to have occurred more than four years ago, the Defendant is unable to recall further specifics, such as the exact time spent on site or whether a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) was received or appealed. Nonetheless, the Defendant maintains that:

• The visit was for a legitimate purpose;

• No clear contract was offered by visible signage;

• The circumstances were shaped by extraordinary and well-documented public behaviour patterns at the time; and

• At no time was the vehicle “parked” in the contractual sense of the word when it was stationary in the drive-through lane.

Coupon-mad

Would be good if it was written by the right person (the named Defendant isn't you and can't be changed to you).  So this is wrong:

"On the date in question, the Defendant recalls attending the location with a friend."

Not true. Your Dad didn't do that.

golden_retriever

Shall I change it to "On the date in question, the driver recalls attending the location with a friend."?

Coupon-mad

Yes as long as he states he wasn't the driver in para 2 of the Template Defence. He can say 'the driver was the Defendant's son/daughter'