DCB Legal LOC

BongoDave

Hi, 

So, I have a DCB Legal LOC for a Parking charge that apparently occurred on 12/12/2020. I've read the thread about what to do but wanted to ask some advice. Reason being the charge is from ages ago and frankly I don't remember anything about it. They have an image of me entering and leaving which I found on the Smart Parking website ( the original company involved ).  One of the main things about this is that the car park where it happened has changed how it operates in the intervening time. Previously you got a ticket and took it into the Poundstretcher where it got refunded or part refunded if you bought something. It's now free parking for an hour. I've been back down to see if there were issues with signage but since it's changed its operation I assume the signage has changed. It was dark when I went in and out according to the images. I also spoke to the. manager at pound stretcher and they said they have no control over the car park at all, I think they may have sold the land off so they cant ask for it to be cancelled.

Given I don't really know if I paid for a ticket or if I didn't see the signs I'm not really sure what to put down as a defence on the letter to the solicitors about it.

Is there a generic defence I should use for a situation like this ?

Thank you !

Nellymoser

See the NEWBIES Announcement thread
Post 2 Small Claim for how to reply to a 30 day notice LOC.
There is a template reply letter and suggestions what to add.

BongoDave

Nellymoser said:

See the NEWBIES Announcement thread
Post 2 Small Claim for how to reply to a 30 day notice LOC.
There is a template reply letter and suggestions what to add.

Yeah, I've looked through that and then spent an age reading up on the PoFA2012 stuff with Smart Parking, Currently the reasons I've given for disputing are that was ages ago and I don't recall it nor do I recall driving to the car park that day and don't believe SP can hold me as keeper responsible. I'm assuming at this point that that's all I need to add to that reply?

Gr1pr

If the incident us historical and before 2025, then Smart Parking NEVER complied with POFA 2012, never  !

So if it occurred before this year, nothing to check regarding POFA compliance,  because it didn't 

Poundstretcher will be a tenant,  so no control over the land and didn't sell it either,  so probably a retail park with a retail park management company overseeing it, employing Smart Parking at the time

No need to add anything to the template response,  email it as is, responding as keeper 

Any defence is for the next stage,  a Money Claim,  same as all the other cases on here recently 

BongoDave

Gr1pr said:

If the incident us historical and before 2025, then Smart Parking NEVER complied with POFA 2012, never  !

So if it occurred before this year, nothing to check regarding POFA compliance,  because it didn't 

Poundstretcher will be a tenant,  so no control over the land and didn't sell it either,  so probably a retail park with a retail park management company overseeing it, employing Smart Parking at the time

No need to add anything to the template response,  email it as is, responding as keeper 

Any defence is for the next stage,  a Money Claim,  same as all the other cases on here recently 

Great, thank you for that. 👍

Coupon-mad

When you get your claim form it will be a cinch to defend. You could literally copy any Smart Parking defence from this Summer and we must have seen over a hundred.

They'll discontinue in 2026 anyway as they aren't looking for the circa 4% defended cases and hearings. They do it to rinse other (weaker victim) people and they just drop cases with confident MSE-fuelled defendants when they can't pull the wool over their eyes with a Claim.

So, while you are at a boring stage:

FIGHTBACK ALERT:

Please do the government's Public Consultation. We need every poster to complete this vital survey before the deadline.

See this thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6617396/parking-code-of-practice-consultation-now-extended-closes-friday-26th-september/p1

We understand that you may need some pointers. It looks laborious, we get that. It doesn't matter; no knowledge is needed except re your own experiences so you can call out a scam industry and you'll protect millions of motorists and help change the law. 

I've written some guidance to help focus new posters on the issues. I've covered almost every question, providing ideas if you agree with our stance on things like DRFs, which we say must be banned.

Ordinary people like you are falling victim to this scam 15 million times per annum. Motorists need your voice added please.

CLOSES ON FRIDAY 26th SEPTEMBER.

BongoDave

Coupon-mad said:

When you get your claim form it will be a cinch to defend. You could literally copy any Smart Parking defence from this Summer and we must have seen over a hundred.

They'll discontinue in 2026 anyway as they aren't looking for the circa 4% defended cases and hearings. They do it to rinse other (weaker victim) people and they just drop cases with confident MSE-fuelled defendants when they can't pull the wool over their eyes with a Claim.

So, while you are at a boring stage:

FIGHTBACK ALERT:

Please do the government's Public Consultation. We need every poster to complete this vital survey before the deadline.

See this thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6617396/parking-code-of-practice-consultation-now-extended-closes-friday-26th-september/p1

We understand that you may need some pointers. It looks laborious, we get that. It doesn't matter; no knowledge is needed except re your own experiences so you can call out a scam industry and you'll protect millions of motorists and help change the law. 

I've written some guidance to help focus new posters on the issues. I've covered almost every question, providing ideas if you agree with our stance on things like DRFs, which we say must be banned.

Ordinary people like you are falling victim to this scam 15 million times per annum. Motorists need your voice added please.

CLOSES ON FRIDAY 26th SEPTEMBER.

Thanks, will do.

BongoDave

So I emailed dcb legal on Tuesday with the initial response to the LoC and got an automated response back. I’ve not heard anything since. Is that something to be concerned about or standard ?

Coupon-mad

BongoDave said:

So I emailed dcb legal on Tuesday with the initial response to the LoC and got an automated response back. I’ve not heard anything since. Is that something to be concerned about or standard ?

We never get asked this but suddenly twice in one day we have the same question!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81640114/#Comment_81640114

YOU ARE AT A 'NOTHING' STAGE. Please please don't show us their template reply.

The only action in September is to do the Government Survey now.

  

BongoDave

Coupon-mad said:

BongoDave said:

So I emailed dcb legal on Tuesday with the initial response to the LoC and got an automated response back. I’ve not heard anything since. Is that something to be concerned about or standard ?

We never get asked this but suddenly twice in one day we have the same question!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81640114/#Comment_81640114

YOU ARE AT A 'NOTHING' STAGE. Please please don't show us their template reply.

The only action in September is to do the Government Survey now.

  

Thank you ! You guys have endless patience with people like me panicking every 5 minutes 😁