Letter Before Action - Civil Enforcement

tui85

Hi all,

I’ve received a Letter Before Action (LBA) from Civil Enforcement demanding £170, and this is the first correspondence I’ve received about it. I’ve now realised the likely reason: I hadn’t updated the address on my V5C, so any earlier letters must have gone to my previous address.

When I tried to appeal online via the Civil Enforcement website, it says the deadline has passed and I can't submit anything. The LBA and website tells me to respond using their “reply form”, and as there is no solicitor listed, the only contact is Civil Enforcement themselves.

I have read the "NEWBIES" thread, but I am feeling completely overwhelmed by this and feeling none the wiser as to what my next steps need to be. The thread suggests that when an LBA/LBC is received to contact the solicitors, but there are none mentioned. 
The thread also states to NOT respond using the "Reply form" but that seems to be the only option given to me. 

I’d be so grateful for any guidance on how to handle this properly. It's all feeling a little desperate. £170 is a shocking amount and not something that I can easily afford. 

Details of the situation as follows:

In June of this year, I mistakenly entered the Thurlestone Golf Club private car park, thinking it was the public one, that is directly next door. We were only there for a few minutes. My partner got out of the car, went to look for the ticket machine, was eventually told by a passer by that the public car park was next door, she returned to the car and we left and and drove 30 seconds away to the correct car park. 

We couldn't have been there for more than 5-10 minutes. 

Once the LBA arrived, I contacted the landowner (Thurlestone Golf Club) to complain/appeal.
I emailed the General Manager nine days ago, followed up four days later and have had no response at all. Also no response to my voicemails. My blood boils! So I’ve had to assume they are unwilling to help.

I'm now only 7 days away from my 30 days time limit to respond. 

Summary of the situation:

- £170 demanded by LBA
- CE website won't let me appeal online and says that I must use the "Reply Form"
- No solicitor mentioned on the LBA
- Landowner ignoring me
- 7 days away from 30 day time limit

What is my next step? I will continue trying the landowner, but that's feeling like a dead end.... 

I'm sorry to have posted this, I realise that reading the "NEWBIES" thread should have armed me with all of the information that I need, but I'm finding it impossible to process it all and just really need some help, if any are willing to offer some..... 

With hope and thanks

Brie

Don't pay.

Ignore things until you get a claim of going to court from an official source.  (not a threat from the debt scums.)

Coupon-mad

Or adapt the LBC reply in post 2 of the NEWBIES thread.

Removing two tiny phrases which are clearly only relevant to cases with a solicitor. Here's the exact same question answered the other day, please read and follow what was advised here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6644547/civil-enforcement-ltd-after-dcbl-dropped-chasing-me/p1

Search & read recent (2025) threads like yours and you'd be so much more confident.

Please don't ask us to check the reply. We are trying sooo hard not to drown in threads and posters really don't need us to check a reply that is already written and where other threads clearly say what to remove for a non-solicitor LBC case. It is obvious, and easy.

As is finding CEL's email address on here.