Claim Form Nov 2025_Smart Parking via DCB Legal

Micky2022

Thank you very much @Coupon-mad and @Gr1pr,

I have received an email notification for a telephone mediation appointment stating that the mediator will call from a withheld number and that such numbers should not be blocked.

Unfortunately, my phone is configured to automatically reject calls identified as spam, including withheld or private numbers. I have also reviewed several sources on this forum indicating that participation in mediation is not mandatory and that declining to take part should not adversely affect the outcome of the case.

I would therefore appreciate confirmation as to whether this remains the position.

Thanks for all your help and support

Gr1pr

Yes Its the position, or use a PAYG burner phone or some other phone to participate in the call. ( you don't have to use your own phone number. )

Coupon-mad

Why not just nominate someone else to tell them to go away, or use another phone?

speedy1995

Hi @Coupon-mad , followed all your steps so far. Currently got my mediation call booked for 2 weeks time. Just out of curiosity i keep seeing you state that these will all discontinue in 2026, is this still your stance and did you expect all these cases to get as far as mediation? Seems like quite a legnth for DCB Legal to go to if they are going to discontinue. Thanks in advance

Gr1pr

Yes Its all standard stuff, all part of the process

Dcb legal tend to discontinue just before the court hearing fee is due in several months time, which you have not received yet, because there are several more steps, they have no financial reasons to discontinue before that court deadline

Study the steps in the defence template thread in announcements near the top of the forum, you are only halfway through

This will likely be over with in summer 2026

Coupon-mad

Mediation is a bog standard early stage in every case, which is why the Template Defence calls them the FIRST 8 steps!

You are at the start.

Hope you've read @Umkomaas' dedicated thread & already know when DCB Legal discontinue, from the 800+ examples?

Micky2022

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81869466#Comment_81869466

Today was my scheduled mediation appointment. I followed the guidance provided and removed the call blocker, but I did not receive the call. Instead, the mediator left repeated voicemail messages stating that he had missed my call and would try again in five minutes.

I attempted to return the call using the voicemail callback option, but it did not connect, which suggests the number was withheld. This occurred three times, after which I received the email below.

Status: Not Conducted

The mediation appointment did not go ahead because one or more parties did not attend.

Important action needed

The mediation for the claim you are involved in was due to take part today. One or more of the parties involved in the case did not attend the appointment, so this has been marked as Not Conducted.

What this means

Penalties may now be applied to the parties who did not attend their mediation appointment. The claim has been updated to show that mediation has not taken place and it will now proceed to a court hearing. The judge may apply a penalty. This could include automatically ruling in the other party’s favour, or ordering the party that did not attend mediation to pay for some or all of the other party’s legal or court costs (even if the judgment overall is in favour of the non-compliant party). Judges will be able to take mitigating circumstances into account when deciding whether to apply penalties for non-attendance.

What you need to do

If you did not attend the mediation appointment

You can tell the court why you did not attend your appointment. You can do this in writing before the hearing or on the day. The judge will take your reasons into account when deciding if penalties should be applied. You must tell the court, and not the mediation service, as the claim is now with the court.

If you attended the mediation appointment

There is no further action needed. If you spoke with the mediator during your scheduled appointment window, the outcome of mediation will take your willingness to engage into account.

What happens next

The next step is attending a court hearing. The court will send you a date for the hearing within the next 6 months. If you wish, you can continue to try to settle the case with the other party out of court up until the date of the hearing. If you can settle out of court, you will not need to attend the hearing.

Kind regards,

Small Claims Mediation Service

Coupon-mad

That's fine, there is no penalty in fact.