Claim Form + extra parking charge added

xmountaindog

You cannot contact the county court directly, it is a national enquiries number. They explained there was no listing yet and to wait until I was contacted in the post.

xmountaindog

There is no direct telephone number to the court anymore. You have to use the national enquiries helpline. They explained the hearing date is not listed so to do nothing until I am contacted in the post.

Gr1pr

Courts have direct contact details 

Which court is listed on your court order. ?

xmountaindog

Here you go, off their email confirmation:

xmountaindog

Here is an update. DCB Legal have withdrawn their claim, however I wish to proceed with my counterclaim. Since the withdrawal, I have received no further communication from the court.

I have contacted the County Court multiple times by Royal Mail letter, email, and several telephone calls via the national call centre, clearly explaining that I intend to proceed with my counterclaim and asking for guidance on the next steps — specifically payment of the hearing fee and allocation of a hearing date. I have not been asked to pay a hearing fee.

The call centre has confirmed that all of my correspondence is logged on their system. Despite this, the case record shows no information regarding next steps, no hearing details, and no reference to payment of the hearing fee.

This lack of clarity is extremely frustrating and leaves me unsure how to progress a counterclaim that I have repeatedly confirmed I wish to pursue.

Coupon-mad

Are you sure your counterclaim has legs? Well argued legally? Has a cause of action to claim a stated sum of money for some valid legal reason?

NOT JUST YOUR COSTS?

If yes (a valid counterclaim not just pursuing costs), send a letter to your local court with a cheque or crossed Postal Order to pay the hearing fee, which (for a cc under £300) is £27 I think. Point out that the cc was NOT discontinued and it is still live; you have contacted the court on DATE and DATE to pay the hearing fee of your own volition because the court seems to have forgotten the Part 20 Counterclaim.

It will force the issue.

If you only wanted costs the counterclaim was wasted. But I seem to recall yours did have legs but remind us!

xmountaindog

Here is an update. I wrote to the county court about 8 weeks ago to enquire about my counterclaim to schedule a hearing date, and to confirm my counterclaim would go ahead despite DCB Legal issuing a discontinuance. I called the national enquiries number today, got through straight away, and was told my letter have been received and was now with a judge and it would take 20 weeks to move the process forward. This information may be helpful to others in a similar position.

Coupon-mad

Terrible the way the court service bends over backwards to facilitate claims by a rogue industry who often have no intention of ever attending a hearing, yet lets down LiP Defendants and counterclaimants so badly.

1505grandad

"…. and was told my letter have been received and was now with a judge and it would take 20 weeks to move the process forward."

As above re C-m comment - they also have a "nuclear button" given to them by the courts that they can potentially "press" if a Defendant is one minute late submitting docs. to create a CCJ against them (similarly to DVLA re instant motorists data that usually starts the scam). A lot of "bending backwards" without any manual intervention by government depts. for an unregulated industry.