Received Notice of Legal Action Pending Without Prior Notice of Parking Offence

Carlatigger1

I've just (2 Sept) received a Notice of Legal Action Pending and demand for payment of £170 from CP Plus as a result of my wife overstaying the time limit on a retail park on the 18th July 2025. Hands up its our car and she can remember having a very lengthy retail therapy session and lunch with our granddaughter - a very expensive session it now transpires. However, I haven't received any prior notice of this offence until this last communicate in which legal action is threatened.  I know that, for some strange reason, the issuer of this type of  invoice or fine does not have to show proof that they have sent the original parking charge invoice and subsequent reminder - and no doubt they have - but they have clearly not made an effort to guarantee that they were delivered to me. I would imagine that there is nothing i can do although I have contacted the NexusGroup - who own CPPlus - and submitted an appeal highlighting my concerns. Obviously this will be well outside the 28-day appeal window of the original notice being posted, as I only became aware of the issue this morning. I instantly thought I would pay the sum demanded but when I tried to access the payment portal stipulated on the notice letter www.parkingchargepayment.com I was automatically transferred to pcnpayment.com which does not have any reference to CPPlus. In addition, on Google, parkingchargepayment.com is described as a site not to to be trusted, although pcnpayment.com is deemed to be safe. I am just concerned that CPPlus stipulates a payment portal and company website that doesn't have any valid reason for existing other than to act as a direct link to an alternative payment provider. With credit card rampant I am sure I'm not alone in having concerns and that doubt over the validity of the operator issuing demands for payment  may lead many to delay payment and to incur penalty charges.  I know I'm doomed to paying the £170 but look forward to your informed thoughts. Thank you

Brie

Don't pay!

And post a copy here of what you've received with your personal details blocked out.

1505grandad

"Hands up its our car and she can remember having a very lengthy retail therapy session ..............."

Was the parking event at a retail park  -  has plan A been performed i.e. a complaint to the managing agent/landowner?

Umkomaas

Please @Carlatigger1, if you make further postings, would you place some paragraphs into your posts, the wall of text is impossible to read and if people find it so, you might not get the full help that is available that you will need. Thanks. 

Car1980

You don't pay.

You will eventually receive a Letter Before Claim from DCB Legal and then a court claim.
Defend the court claim and they will eventually give up and discontinue.

This is how the scam works nowadays. Bulk litigators pay the courts £35 to file a claim and use the court system as a debt collection service with absolutely no intention of going to a hearing in front of a judge. They make 1000 claims a week - how would you attend all those hearings around the country? 😄

Incidentally, there seem to be more instances of original letters not arriving. Why send out a demand for £60 when you can "forget" and send one out for £170 instead? The fact you were going to pay it shows this little trick is working in the wild.

Carlatigger1

1505grandad said:

"Hands up its our car and she can remember having a very lengthy retail therapy session ..............."

Was the parking event at a retail park  -  has plan A been performed i.e. a complaint to the managing agent/landowner?

No, must admit that I didn't think it would be  helpful, but I will do so now. Thank you for your help.

Carlatigger1

Umkomaas said:

Please @Carlatigger1, if you make further postings, would you place some paragraphs into your posts, the wall of text is impossible to read and if people find it so, you might not get the full help that is available that you will need. Thanks. 

Apologies, will do so in future. Thanks for the advice.

Carlatigger1

Car1980 said:

You don't pay.

You will eventually receive a Letter Before Claim from DCB Legal and then a court claim.
Defend the court claim and they will eventually give up and discontinue.

This is how the scam works nowadays. Bulk litigators pay the courts £35 to file a claim and use the court system as a debt collection service with absolutely no intention of going to a hearing in front of a judge. They make 1000 claims a week - how would you attend all those hearings around the country? 😄

Incidentally, there seem to be more instances of original letters not arriving. Why send out a demand for £60 when you can "forget" and send one out for £170 instead? The fact you were going to pay it shows this little trick is working in the wild.

Car1980 said:

You don't pay.

You will eventually receive a Letter Before Claim from DCB Legal and then a court claim.
Defend the court claim and they will eventually give up and discontinue.

This is how the scam works nowadays. Bulk litigators pay the courts £35 to file a claim and use the court system as a debt collection service with absolutely no intention of going to a hearing in front of a judge. They make 1000 claims a week - how would you attend all those hearings around the country? 😄

Incidentally, there seem to be more instances of original letters not arriving. Why send out a demand for £60 when you can "forget" and send one out for £170 instead? The fact you were going to pay it shows this little trick is working in the wild.

Thank you for your advice. It's very worrying waiting for court claims when you don't really have the funds to pay costs or enhanced fines. I don't understand why the parking companies don't have to show that they have made real efforts to contact drivers. Recorded or signed for delivery would appear to be the minimum when demanding monies.

Coupon-mad

It's not a fine and there are no costs or enhanced fines. Defending a claim is free.