Claim Form issued by DCB Legal ltd after being fined by Total Parking Solutions. I'm not driver.

speeddemonn

Just to update everyone, I had my mediation call late November 2025.

I offered 'zero' and the mediation was left unsettled.

In MCOL, I now have a new update in my claim history: Your claim was transferred to SHEFFIELD on 18/12/2025.

Does this mean my local court will be in touch now? Thanks.

Coupon-mad

Yes.       

speeddemonn

Morning, I have received 'Notice of Allocation to the small claims track (hearing)' letter with a date and time for my hearing.

A couple of days later, I received a 'without prejudice save as to costs' letter from Dcb Legal offering a settlement at half the cost. 

From everyone's experience, given the above, does it seem likely this will go to court? the hearing date is less than a month away. 

Thankyou.

Gr1pr

Its extremely rare for a dcb legal case to get to an actual hearing,  so all standard sparring at the moment,  same as all the other cases on here 

They will be more likely to not pay the hearing fee and discontinue,  like the other 760 cases in the discontinuations thread by Umkomaas  have you not read it.  ?  That is the thread of experiences

However,  the decision to go ahead or not is the decision of the claimant parking company 

The important questions here are dates 

When must the hearing fee be paid by. ?  Date. ?

When are the WS bundles due to be served. ?  Date. ?

Hen is the pencilled in hearing date. ?

Car1980

We have seen TPS cases go to a hearing with a DCB Legal rep. So prepare as if that was the case, and don't forget the costs assessment in your Witness Statement.

If you're not the driver it would be a good idea to drive over and take some photos (if they're favourable to your case). Mileage is 45p per mile + claim £24 per hour for ALL your time spent on this.

You could of course play hard ball and email DCB Legal a costs assessment now, with a cheeky photo of the site showing proof of your visit, stating the witness statement will be filed on the deadline day. That would spook them (and DCB can be spooked) and encourage discontinuance.

I believe TPS letters are not POFA compliant as of 2024, so check they haven't fixed the issue and if not make sure you put this in your statement:

The Notice to Keeper (NtK) is not fully compliant with all the requirements of PoFA as there is no “invitation”, nor any synonym of the word, for the Keeper to pay the charge as required by PoFA 9(2)(e)(i)

As the notice does not fully comply with ALL the requirements of PoFA 2012, namely paragraph 9(2)(e)(i), TPS are unable to hold the keeper of the vehicle liable for the charge. Partial or even substantial compliance is not sufficient.

speeddemonn

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81855979#Comment_81855979

When must the hearing fee be paid by. ?  Date. ? claimant must pay trial fee of £27 by 4pm on 28th January 2026. Assuming trial fee is the hearing fee?

When are the WS bundles due to be served. ?  Date. ? 14 days before hearing, so 6th Feb. Do I send these documents to the court and DCB legal via email?

Hen is the pencilled in hearing date. ? 20th February 2026.

speeddemonn

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856023#Comment_81856023

I think I will email Dcb Legal and state the following, as I DID notify TPS of the name of the driver and their current address:

Schedule 4, paragraph 9(2)(e) of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 requires the Notice to Keeper to:

“state that the creditor does not know both the name of the driver and a current address for service for the driver and invite the keeper—
(i) to pay the unpaid parking charges; or
(ii) if the keeper was not the driver, to notify the creditor of the name of the driver and a current address for service for the driver…”

Gr1pr

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856221#Comment_81856221

So check with the court on Thursday to see if they paid the fee, because no payment = no hearing. ( no trial. )

Keep checking your email inbox and spam folders for their N279 discontinuation document too should be imminent due to that hearing fee date. ( tomorrow. )

The only emails you may need to send are your WS plus Exhibits bundle to the local court and also to DCB LEGAL, if the trial fee is paid by the deadline of 4pm tomorrow

speeddemonn

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856271#Comment_81856271

Understood.

So hold off sending my WS and exhibits bundle to both the court and DCB Legal till I call the court on Thursday and find out whether they have paid.

Is it worth sending DCB Legal an E-mail in the meantime stating the fact I notified TPS about the driver’s name and address, referencing the statement above (Schedule 4, paragraph 9(2)(e) of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012)?

Gr1pr

Hold off with the WS bundle until later next week

Do not email anything else, especially not this week

Do include that golden nugget in your WS bundle, with evidence