Ongoing Issue with Excel Parking / DCBL Ltd – Vehicle Sold October 2024

Jellytots19

I am writing to provide context and seek guidance regarding an ongoing issue involving Excel Parking Services and debt collection agency DCBL Ltd.

I sold my vehicle in October 2024 to a motor trader, and, naively, I handed over the full V5C document as I have done over the past 15 years of buying and selling vehicles without any issue. I have since learned that although DVLA allows motor traders to notify them of changes in keeper details on a seller’s behalf (with the seller’s permission), it ultimately remains the seller’s responsibility to ensure this update is completed.

Unfortunately, in this case, the DVLA was not updated by the trader, and I remained listed as the registered keeper. Upon discovering this, I wrote to the DVLA and have now received confirmation that I am no longer the registered keeper.

In February 2025, I received a demand from DCBL Ltd for £160, stating they had traced me to my current address and that I owed the amount for a private parking charge issued by Excel Parking Services in December 2024—after I had sold the vehicle. I was alarmed and called DCBL Ltd to try and explain the situation, but the call was met with contempt, so I ended it.

To complicate matters, the V5C was still registered to a previous address I had not lived at since 2023. Although I had updated my driving licence, I was unaware that this does not update the V5C—something I now understand must be done separately. As a result, I did not receive the original PCN or any correspondence from Excel Parking Services, and therefore was denied the opportunity to respond or appeal the charge in a timely manner.

Since then, I have received further demands, including a notification of intended legal action, which I have so far ignored. In parallel, I wrote directly to Excel Parking Services on 4 April telling them to cancel the charge and, providing:

• A copy of the invoice confirming the sale of the vehicle

• The motor trader’s name and address

• A letter from the DVLA confirming I am not the registered keeper

As of today, I have received no response from Excel Parking Services.

To make matters more difficult, the motor trader has ignored all my attempts to contact them to resolve this matter. Unfortunately, our relationship has since broken down due to an unrelated dispute over a vehicle I purchased from them, and they are now uncooperative. I also cannot easily visit them in person, as they are based in a different part of the country.

I should add: I am aware of the guidance often given in the ‘newbies thread’, but I do believe my circumstances differ materially from the norm due to the lack of notice (though accept this was my responsibility to ensure DVLA were informed of the disposal) a third-party trader’s negligence, and subsequent debt collection actions despite corrective steps on my part.

I believe I have taken reasonable steps to correct the record and defend myself against this erroneous charge. I am now seeking advice please on how best to proceed and whether any further action is necessary to protect myself from unwarranted legal proceedings.

Grateful for any advice, thank you. 

Coupon-mad

What is the most recent letter you had, and from whom? A LBC? Or a threatogram?

Jellytots19

Most recent letter from 12 May from DCBL Ltd. 

Coupon-mad

OK so the case isn't different. Half the people here don't update their V5C.

Read the 4th then 2nd posts of the NEWBIES thread. You will get a court claim in due course, from DCB Legal.

Jellytots19

Apologies – I tried to look into similar cases but couldn’t decipher any that directly involved the sale or disposal of the vehicle prior to the contravention. Most cases I came across seemed to focus driver identity, signage issues, or matters related to parking meters which has led to a PCN. I will re-read the newbies posts as you suggest. 

My concern is whether I would be able to robustly defend the matter if it were to reach the court stage, particularly given that, as far as the DVLA was aware, I was the registered keeper at the time and therefore liable for any penalties. This is despite the fact that I can provide clear evidence that I had sold it prior to the contravention, have provided the traders name and address and was not the driver at the time.

kryten3000

Jellytots19 said:

My concern is whether I would be able to robustly defend the matter if it were to reach the court stage, particularly given that, as far as the DVLA was aware, I was the registered keeper at the time and therefore liable for any penalties. This is despite the fact that I can provide clear evidence that I had sold it prior to the contravention, have provided the traders name and address and was not the driver at the time.

This is not a penalty. You can prove you no longer had the vehicle in your possession and provide details of the new keeper.  That's a pretty robust defence in itself.  You will probably also find that Excel did not follow the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 properly and since you can quite honestly state you were not the driver, their case will be fatally flawed.  

The only thing I would add is to send DCBL and Excel confirmation of your address for service along with a denial of any liability.  That means they have no excuse for issuing a claim to your old address "by mistake" and if they were to do so and get a Default Judgment, you can hammer them for costs in the subsequent set-aside process.

Jellytots19

Thank you very much for responding. Will the below suffice, and it’s to be sent to the DPO at each firm is that right? 

Please be advised that this is the correct address to use for service:

XXXXX

You are hereby instructed to erase any and all previous addresses from your records.

Additionally, I deny any and all liability in relation to this case. No admission of responsibility should be inferred from this communication.

Coupon-mad

I'd add why you deny liability.

All your responses should bang on about it - and give the name and address of the new keeper (the motor trader) so that Excel has no wriggle room.

Jellytots19

Many thanks to you both for the advice and support, this has been on my mind every day now and quite overwhelming at times. I’ve now followed all the steps as outlined above and will revert back if I receive anything further of note from either firm.

fisherjim

You must surely have paperwork from the motor trader stating that they paid you x for the vehicle on a certain date or you traded it in against another vehicle, that would be proof.

Jellytots19

Response from DCBL.

Thank you for your email, requesting deletion of your previous address. DCBL will require evidence of your new address to allow us to action this.

In relation to your other points raised, DCBL act solely on client instruction in relation to your case. When a Parking Charge is issued, the parking operator would contact the DVLA for details of the Keeper at Date of Event (KADOE). This returned the results of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. You would have been afforded the opportunity to appeal the Parking Charge on receipt of your notification being received, transfer liability or make payment. Neither a successful appeal, transfer of liability, nor payment was received therefore the balance remains outstanding.

Once a case is received with DCBL, the appeal process has expired, therefore, we are unable to get involved in any dispute you may have with the client, Excel Parking Services Limited. As part of our due diligence checks, DCBL conduct searches to ensure that communications are issued to the correct individual at the most recent address. This trace returned the address of xxxxxxxxx. We have then updated our system and our debt resolution process has commenced.

It is the responsibility of the Registered Keeper to update the DVLA with any changes such as an address change, ensuring both the vehicle logbook (V5) and drivers’ licence are amended accordingly. Failure to do so, will result in correspondence relating to any traffic or motoring offences being delivered to an incorrect address, thus missing the opportunity to appeal the original Parking Charge. You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA when your address changes.

DCBL have an obligation to complete our debt resolution process. Once this has been exhausted, your case will then be returned to the client for further review/instruction. I must advise you, that they may choose to refer to a County Court with the intention of obtaining a judgment against you. This is a decision that can only be made by the client, as DCBL do not instigate legal action against the motorist.

Before I provide the requested proof, I wanted to check if it is standard practice (I assume due to internal policy) to require formal proof in order to remove any legacy addresses, or if I am not obliged to do so? Paragraph three they acknowledge my current address and updates to their system.