DCB legal with letter of claim.

guppy101 · 24 May at 2:19PM

I am writing in response to the Letter of Claim issued by DCB Legal regarding an alleged outstanding Parking Charge Notice (PCN) from September 2022. I strongly dispute this claim and maintain that I am not liable for the amount demanded.

On the date in question, I parked in a car park operated by Smart Parking Ltd, which was advertised as using ANPR technology to calculate the correct parking fee at the time of payment. Relying on this system, I did not track my exact parking duration. However, upon attempting to pay at the machine, I was not shown the amount owed after correctly inputting my vehicle registration number.

Believing the machine had failed to register my details, I initially paid a small amount for one hour, expecting the system to reject it and prompt me for the correct fee. Instead, the machine accepted the payment without adjustment. I attempted a second payment, whilst video recording the process, which again failed to display the correct amount. Ultimately, I paid for two hours, estimating my parking duration. No car park attendant was available to assist me.

Several weeks later, I received a PCN alleging insufficient payment for my parking duration. I contested this charge, explaining the machine’s failure to display the correct fee, but my request for cancellation was rejected on the grounds that I had parked for 220 minutes but only paid for 120 minutes. This decision failed to acknowledge the faulty payment system.

Following this, I received multiple letters from a debt recovery firm, which eventually ceased. However, more than two years later, DCBL resumed sending debt recovery letters, which I ignored. Recently, DCB Legal has issued a Letter of Claim.

I have formally responded, objecting to this demand and stating my refusal to pay. I am prepared to mount a strong defence should this matter proceed to court. Based on extensive research and discussions in online forums, it appears DCB Legal frequently uses Letters of Claim and court proceedings as intimidation tactics to pressure individuals into paying unjustified charges.

I am committed to defending my position and ensuring that my case is robust. I would appreciate any guidance on additional steps I should take at this stage to strengthen my defence.