DCBL / Claim Form guidance

TheTig

Hi all,

I have a received a Claim Form - Claimant: Observices Parking and all other letters are from DCBL. 

I have tried my best to navigate through all of the threads - sorry for asking the same thing -  and have come up with the defense below. Can somebody check this for me - any advice would be appreciated! I can't upload pics yet as I am new so have included the Particulars of Claim below as text:

Particulars of Claim 
1. The Defendant (D) is indebted to the Claimant (C) for a Parking Charge(s) (PC) issued to vehicle xxx at St Johns Retail Park, Wolverhampton 6/662.
2. The dates of contravention are 16/06/2022, 30/01/2024 and the D was issued with PC(s) by the Claimant.
3. The Defendant is pursued as the driver of the vehicle for breach of the terms on the signs (the contract). Reason: Overstayed The Maximum Time Allowed By The Terms & Condition.
4. In the alternative the Defendant is pursued as the keeper pursuant to POFA 2012, Schedule 4.
AND THE CLAIMANT CLAIMS
£340.00 being the total of the PC(s) and damages.
Interest at a rate of 8.00% per annum pursuant to s.69 of the County Courts Act 1984 from the date hereof at a daily rate of £0.04 until judgment or sooner payment.
Costs and court fees
My defense 

Claim 1 
paragraph 1 is denied. The Defendant is not indebted to the Claimant.
Claim 2
Paragraph 2 is denied. The defendant disputes that PC (s) were issued for contraventions on 16/06/22 & 30/01/24. The defendant believes that correspondences were sent to a previous address that they resided at. The defendant has made the claimant aware of this on two separate occasions. The claimant has failed to respond. 
Paragraph 3 is denied. The defendant cannot confirm or deny that they were the driver of the vehicle without seeing the issued PC(s). The defendant cannot confirm whether they overstayed the maximum time allowed by the said terms and conditions as the defendant is unaware of the alleged entry time, exit time or said terms and conditions. The defendant has not seen any evidence of breach of conditions. 
Paragraph 4. The defendant believes that the total costs and damages is hugely exaggerated. The defendant has asked for clarification regarding costing and the claimant has failed to respond. 

Additional - (I suppose I'm trying to show I have tried to make contact and the claimant has not been forthcoming - do I need this?)

27/08/25 - email sent to claimant. No response 
10/09/25 - Letter of claim received dated '20th August'
10/09/25 - Email sent to claimant acknowledging letter. Claimant made aware defendant was awaiting response to email sent 27/08/25. 
17/09/25 - email received from claimant explaining case now with legal team. Defendant’s email from 27/08/25 not addressed. 
17/09/25 - Defendant forwarded original email to claimant’s legal team. No response. 

 

Context - if it helps! I have tried to be brief! 
Date of ticket 1: 16/06/22
Date of ticket 2: 30/01/24

I moved house Easter 2022 and updated my log book in November of that year with my new address. Letters were posted to my old address - I am in touch with those who still live at the property and I said any post would be junk so could be thrown away. Only when I was given the letters to open did I see it was from this company. Letters were then sent to both addresses - old and new. I don’t have any recollection of the original tickets - especially the 16/06/2022 one. I’m not even sure where the one for 30/01/2024 was sent. This one could have been sent to my current address and I paid no attention to it.

I then began receiving four letters a month so thought I'd contact the company - see below:
 
27/08/25 - email sent to DCBL - I explained change in address and if I could be sent the original evidence as I wanted to see where the original letters were sent. ⁠no response
10/09/25 - Letter of Claim received  - interestingly letter dated 20/08 which makes me question how honest they are 
10/09/25 - email sent to DCBL acknowledging letter however stated I am still waiting got reply to email 
17/09/25 - email received from DCBL explaining case now with legal team
17/09/25 - original email sent to legal team - no reply 

Now I have my Claim Form!
 

jd576

You need to adapt the template defence for your case. Read through it - the instructions are numerous and clear. 

TheTig

Thank you. This is the 1-10 points for defense and then I can add my own bit for paragraph 3? If I have understood that right. If so, my defense above was what I was going to insert as my paragraph 3? 

Coupon-mad

There is only one claim (with two PCNs) so don't say 'Claim 1' and 'Claim 2' and the word defence has no S (that is a horrible American spelling).

You should also add the brand new Mazur replacement paragraphs, if Sarah Ensall signed this claim form (on the back).

Search the forum. Easy to find examples as it's brand new case law this past fortnight.

TheTig

I didn't even spot the the claim 1 /2 or the American spelling - thank you! 

I did see a post about Sarah Ensall signing and mine is signed by her so I shall add that in also. 

I was also wondering, especially for the one dated 2024 - if it was sent to my current address - what does that mean for my defence if anything?

Gr1pr

Nothing,  just ensure that your defence is relevant and truthful,  mainly based on examples in other recent cases,  especially because its OBS , DCB LEGAL and signed by Sarah E

Le_Kirk

What is the date of issue of the N1SDT claim form?

TheTig

The claim was issued on 23rd Sept - I have a bit of time to sort my defence. I've not acknowledge it yet but will do to get the extra days 

TheTig

Gr1pr said:

Nothing,  just ensure that your defence is relevant and truthful,  mainly based on examples in other recent cases,  especially because its OBS , DCB LEGAL and signed by Sarah E

Hi, Does 'especially because its OBS ... Sarah E' mean they are renowned for being difficult to overturn? 

jd576

TheTig said:

Gr1pr said:

Nothing,  just ensure that your defence is relevant and truthful,  mainly based on examples in other recent cases,  especially because its OBS , DCB LEGAL and signed by Sarah E

Hi, Does 'especially because its OBS ... Sarah E' mean they are renowned for being difficult to overturn? 

DCB Legal always discontinues defended cases before they get to a hearing.

Sarah Ensall is not authorised to conduct litigation. The Mazur thread has a long discussion of a recent judgement in the case of Mazur and Stewart vs Charles Russell Speechly that is seismic in the way in which it impacts bulk parking litigation firms. Sarah Ensall, by signing the claim form, is conducting a reserved activity that she's not authorised to conduct.

Read the Mazur thread and search for her name in this forum for further details.

Coupon-mad

I did already suggest adding the Mazur wording. So easy to defend.