Advice Needed Please! Civil Enforcement PCN

MountRushmore

Hi all, 

Thanks for clicking and taking the time to read this, any advise would be really appreciated.

On 15th September 2024 I parked in a local pub car park in Devon. I parked there because I was meeting some people for a drink at that pub. When I went inside, the Barman informed me that if I had parked my car on the premises then I would need to register it on the Tablet at the bar, which I then did. I bought 2 drinks at the bar (and I have the transactions in my bank statements), played a game of pool, and went on my way.

I then receive the PCN from Civil Enforcement. I appealed online, which was ignored (with no confirmation of rejection) and then the endless letters and phone calls from debt collectors commenced.

I contacted the landowner, who was able to pass my details on to the Landlord, who gave me a call explaining that Civil Enforcement had been the bane of his life and had driven countless customers away by giving out parking fines left, right and centre. He told me that their equipment had proven to be faulty since before Sept 2024 (when my ticket was issued) and that he'd since found them to be in breach of contract and had disconnected their devices (which they have yet to come and collect).

I submitted a Letter Before Action in August 2025 and heard nothing, until yesterday.

I received a letter in the post yesterday (26th November 2025) from Civil Enforcement, confirming receipt of my Letter Before Action and informing my that having carefully reviewed the points I raised, it remains their position that the PCN was correctly issued and that £170 remains outstanding. I now have 14 days from the date on the letter (19th November 2025!!!) to pay or they will proceed with legal action to recover the amount owed. So my 14 day window is only 7 days, what a cheek!

I'm looking for advice on where to go from here. My wife is super anxious about it all and just wants me to pay to make it go away. But I'm very reluctant to fund the scam and let these bullies win.

I parked in the pub car park, I was a patron of the pub, I put my registration into the machine.
I didn't do anything wrong and I don't deserve this.

I've read through the Newbies section and there's a lot of very useful information there, particularly how to submit a defence. 

What chances would I have in court? I'm just worried that it would come down to my word against theirs. I have the bank transactions of course, but they claim that I didn't enter my vehicle details (which I did, but I have no proof of that).

Any help or advice would be really wonderful.
Many thanks in advance

James_Poisson

It will never go to court providing you stick it out, they will withdraw eventually after all the threats, why on earth would you pay a bunch of greedy scammers that are doing this purely to extort money.

Le_Kirk

MountRushmore said:

I submitted a Letter Before Action in August 2025 and heard nothing, until yesterday.

I received a letter in the post yesterday (26th November 2025) from Civil Enforcement, confirming receipt of my Letter Before Action and informing my that having carefully reviewed the points I raised, it remains their position that the PCN was correctly issued and that £170 remains outstanding. I now have 14 days from the date on the letter (19th November 2025!!!) to pay or they will proceed with legal action to recover the amount owed. So my 14 day window is only 7 days, what a cheek!

I'm looking for advice on where to go from here. My wife is super anxious about it all and just wants me to pay to make it go away. But I'm very reluctant to fund the scam and let these bullies win.

I parked in the pub car park, I was a patron of the pub, I put my registration into the machine.
I didn't do anything wrong and I don't deserve this.

I've read through the Newbies section and there's a lot of very useful information there, particularly how to submit a defence. 

What chances would I have in court? I'm just worried that it would come down to my word against theirs. I have the bank transactions of course, but they claim that I didn't enter my vehicle details (which I did, but I have no proof of that).

Are you saying that YOU sent as letter before action TO the PPC?  Are you intending to follow through with a claim form via MCOL or have I misread it?

MountRushmore

Le_Kirk said:

MountRushmore said:

I submitted a Letter Before Action in August 2025 and heard nothing, until yesterday.

I received a letter in the post yesterday (26th November 2025) from Civil Enforcement, confirming receipt of my Letter Before Action and informing my that having carefully reviewed the points I raised, it remains their position that the PCN was correctly issued and that £170 remains outstanding. I now have 14 days from the date on the letter (19th November 2025!!!) to pay or they will proceed with legal action to recover the amount owed. So my 14 day window is only 7 days, what a cheek!

I'm looking for advice on where to go from here. My wife is super anxious about it all and just wants me to pay to make it go away. But I'm very reluctant to fund the scam and let these bullies win.

I parked in the pub car park, I was a patron of the pub, I put my registration into the machine.
I didn't do anything wrong and I don't deserve this.

I've read through the Newbies section and there's a lot of very useful information there, particularly how to submit a defence. 

What chances would I have in court? I'm just worried that it would come down to my word against theirs. I have the bank transactions of course, but they claim that I didn't enter my vehicle details (which I did, but I have no proof of that).

Are you saying that YOU sent as letter before action TO the PPC?  Are you intending to follow through with a claim form via MCOL or have I misread it?

Apologies, I will edit the post.

I mean I sent a response to THEIR Letter Before Action. The one where you have 30 days and they supply a long form asking for your financial status, debt records, mother's maiden name, etc.

I didn't complete all that of course, but I did send it off within the allocated timeframe.

MountRushmore

I can't edit the post, but hopefully I've explained what I meant above. Thanks for spotting my mistake @Le_Kirk

Coupon-mad

I'm looking for advice on where to go from here. My wife is super anxious about it all and just wants me to pay to make it go away.

No she doesn't!

DO NOT DO THAT.

From one woman to another (please show your wife because I am an ordinary - non-lawyer - retired lady who has done this stuff for some 17 years and I have never lost a case in court because they are soooo simple for a lay person to defend): this is what we would describe as a SCAM INVOICE.

Good people don't pay unfair parking invoices to make them go away. Come on. There is zero risk - no costs no CCJ - and you'll win. It is ten times easier than any sham appeal stage!

They'll probably discontinue before the hearing, so you WANT the claim form.

Read a few CEL Claim threads. Bring it on.

Le_Kirk

MountRushmore said:

I can't edit the post, but hopefully I've explained what I meant above. Thanks for spotting my mistake @Le_Kirk

Yep, you've explained yourself, you will be able to edit your own posts after a few more posts and a bit more time on the forum.