POPLA appeal withdrawn - debt collectors now chasing

darthblingbling

Unsure about my next steps. I appealed my parking ticket - refused. I then appealed via POPLA and 1 day before the 21 day deadline I get the following email:

"The operator has contacted us and told us that they have withdrawn your appeal.

If you have already paid your parking charge, this is the reason your appeal will have been withdrawn. Unfortunately, you cannot pay your parking charge and appeal, which means that POPLA’s involvement in your appeal has ended. You will not be able to request a refund of the amount paid in order to resubmit your appeal to us.

If you have not paid your parking charge, the operator has reviewed your appeal and chosen to cancel the parking charge. As the operator has withdrawn your appeal, POPLA’s involvement has now ended and you do not need to take any further action."

Given I never paid I assumed great, I won.

Now today I received a debt collection letter from DCBL dated the day before my POPLA appeal decision was emailed to me.

My gut feeling is to ignore it as I don't want to enter into any dialogue with these people, but wondered if this was the correct course of action.

la531983

Yes. Come back if you get a court claim.

And using the words "debt collectors" is generous, they have as much power to enter your house and
/or take possessions as your milkman does

darthblingbling

Is it safe to assume that given they didn't contest the POPLA appeal that they haven't got a leg to stand on? The response from POPLA to me reads vague

Fruitcake

Correct. They withdrew because they knew they would lose at PoPLA, and have to pay for the privilege. If they withdraw, they don't have to pay PoPLA.

darthblingbling

Thanks, out of curiosity if this for whatever reason does end up at court, how long do I get to respond. We moved address so the DCBL letter was sent to an old address and redirected using the POs redirection service which appears to be taking 8 days from the date the letter is sent.

I updated my details on my V5 and licence the day I moved in and would rather not speak to DCBL to update my address, especially if I feel there is no action to even take here. Looks like The parking operator (Total Car Parks) passed on to DCBL before they even withdrew the POPLA appeal and I doubt they're the kind of company that would rescind the instruction to DCBL.

Date on this letter is 14 October
Date POPLA informed me the appeal was withdrawn was 15 October

darthblingbling

Actually there is this text at the bottom of the letter "this case is not subject to high court or bailiff action, however, should you fail to contact us, we will recommend to our client the commencement of legal action against you". 

To me I guess that reads as the 'debt' hasn't actually been transferred and they're just using DCBL to send scary letters. Feel a little better now.

Half_way

Whos car park was/is this and where?

ChirpyChicken

email DCBL and the parking firm your new address, 
if its the same case, log a complaint with the parking firm and then the BPA if required

darthblingbling

Half_way said:

Whos car park was/is this and where?

Total Car Parks Ltd - in Manchester city centre, near the prison.

Car1980

I'd wait until you receive a DCB Legal letter.

No point in engaging with DCBL - they have nothing to do with any of it and any response will be "tough - pay up".

Once you receive a DCB Legal letter you can tell them their client has withdrawn from Popla and any court claim will be met with a counter claim for costs in dealing with their nonsense.

ChirpyChicken

is it definitely the same case? i have a feeling it might not be
If the letter has gone to your old address do not wait to update the address
contact dpo@dcbltd.com .  they are actually quick at amending wrong address- just send proof of address like a bill with your name on it - this will mean if you do get a LOC then it goes to the right address 
Dont wait to do this as you dont want to risk court claims going astray