DCBL fine, restaurant said it would be cancelled, now claim letter dated 13 days past!

Lashius212

Ok so I'm panicking a bit now, basically I received a fine for parking at a local restaurant, I have no idea why as I was in one of its assigned spaces and I used the restaurant itself, I emailed them right away after getting the ticket and they said they'd get it cancelled. This was months ago and I thought it was therefore a none issue and it had been cancelled as id received no other correspondence at all since then.

I then yesterday received a letter `notice of debt recovery` for the unpaid parking charge from `DCBL baliffs` so clearly the ticket wasn't cancelled 

It also says I have 14 days from the date of the letter to make payment or they'll recommend to their client they take legal action however the date of the letter is 25th September meaning its taken 13 days to reach me and I have one day to do something about this!

How serious should I take this and what action should I take? I can contact the restaurant again but I'm assuming they aren't the landowner and just leasing the land for the business so would they even have the power to cancel the ticket? 

I know other threads are around with similar issues but im doing this around work on my break, ive got just a day left to respond in some way and Im at a total panic and loss as to what to do, how should I proceed here?

Thanks for any help I could get in advance.

la531983

Proceed by ignoring it.

Return if you get an actual court claim letter.

Coupon-mad

You don't have a Claim letter.

There is no deadline.

That tedious threatogram is already shown in pictures in the NEWBIES thread post 4. We never need to discuss £170 letters.

  

Lashius212

la531983 said:

Proceed by ignoring it.

Return if you get an actual court claim letter.

Ok but what do they mean by recommending to their client they take further legal action? I dont want a court claim letter that's what im trying to prevent

Fruitcake

It is not a fine. Debt collectors are powerless and can safely be ignored.
As already advised, come back to this thread if you get a real letter of/before claim or a court claim.

Meanwhile, complain in writing to the restaurant owners and your MP.

Lashius212

Coupon-mad said:

You don't have a Claim letter.

There is no deadline.

That tedious threatogram is already shown in pictures in the NEWBIES thread post 4. We never need to discuss £170 letters.

  

Where is the newbies thread you speak of? the only one i can find is only two pages long and doesnt have that image....could you link me if thats ok?

ChirpyChicken

Lashius212 said:

Coupon-mad said:

You don't have a Claim letter.

There is no deadline.

That tedious threatogram is already shown in pictures in the NEWBIES thread post 4. We never need to discuss £170 letters.

  

Where is the newbies thread you speak of? the only one i can find is only two pages long and doesnt have that image....could you link me if thats ok?

just have a search please its on all on the front page of this forum

kryten3000

Lashius212 said:

Ok but what do they mean by recommending to their client they take further legal action? I dont want a court claim letter that's what im trying to prevent

A court claim letter is EXACTLY what you want because that's the end game to this.  DCBL (blue headed paper) will pass you on to DCB Legal (green headed paper), a cynical division of effectively the same company but with confusing names.

People who write back to DCBL on receipt of a DCB Legal letter are told that their file has been closed when it's actually still open.

DCB Legal will send a Letter of Claim and then likely a Claim form via Moneyclaim online.

Provided you respond to the claim and defend it using the information here, there's every chance it will be discontinued before a hearing.  Worst case scenario is you lose in court, but provided the judgment is paid in full there is no CCJ to worry about as it will be removed from the permanent record as if it never existed.  No risk to employment, credit score, standing within the local community etc.

You are at this stage - https://247advice.uk/Debt-Recovery/ This site explains the rest of the process in more detail.

Fruitcake

Lashius212 said:

Coupon-mad said:

You don't have a Claim letter.

There is no deadline.

That tedious threatogram is already shown in pictures in the NEWBIES thread post 4. We never need to discuss £170 letters.

  

Where is the newbies thread you speak of? the only one i can find is only two pages long and doesnt have that image....could you link me if thats ok?

The NEWBIES is one of the sticky Announcements that is "stuck" to the top of the main forum page. The fourth post of that thread, parked Post 4, deals with letters from powerless debt collectors where there is an example of a DCB Ltd letter, as well examples of letters from other powerless debt collectors.

patient_dream

As said, go back to the restaurant and show them the letters and ask them to show you confirmation they cancelled.

Ask if it is the restaurant who employed the parking company ?

The restaurant will lose a lot of business which could mean they close down ....... no harm in telling them that 

Coupon-mad

Lashius212 said:

la531983 said:

Proceed by ignoring it.

Return if you get an actual court claim letter.

Ok but what do they mean by recommending to their client they take further legal action? I dont want a court claim letter that's what im trying to prevent

Yes  you do want a claim form, and no you really aren't trying to prevent it.

You really need to read the MSE Guide. That is linked at the top of the page.

And (separately) read the NEWBIES thread on the forum first page ...  which DOES have pictures in post 4.

Read it properly, please, but don't link it here. My signature tells everyone where it is: