DCBLegal (Parkmaven) Court Claim form

Coupon-mad

The stages all take months not weeks.

ncuni

Well…I received a text yesterday saying my mediation call will be today and that I should read the details in my email and letter that had been sent. I've received nothing by email and no letters. Nothing in MCOL about mediation either. IS this standard?

Car1980

No, everyone gets a letter, so it's probably the post. But it won't appear on MCOL, so don't worry.

Doesn't matter though. You either answer and offer them zero pounds, or you ignore. Only 25% of calls are answered according to the stats.

It progresses onto your local court afterwards either way, and on towards discontinuation.

Gr1pr

Mediation is standard, you may have been sent an email to your inbox or spam folder, but its irrelevant as long as you are aware of it

Follow the zero offer strategy above, read the mediation stage and beyond in the 8 steps in the defence template thread in announcements, near the top of the forum, or make a very low offer if so minded

Do not discuss the case, only money

It doesn't matter if you miss the call, so dont panic about it

ncuni

Live updates..

Mediator: Claimant would like you to pay £190 to avoid going to court.

Me: I will pay the same as the amount paid to park on that day with was £8. £8 for an alleged 15 minute overstay is generous in my opinion.

She sounded genuinely surprised/taken aback by my counter. Maybe she'd had a good morning thus far. Waiting to hear back. Thought it would be 1 call with mediator putting each party on hold. This could take all day this way.

She rang back at 12:50

Mediator: The Claimant says they sent a letter to [wrong address, not just old address, but number is wrong] and it is the driver's responsibility to update the address on V5C

Me: No it is the keeper's responsibility to do this, as as stated in my defence, I wasn't the driver. I will increase my offer to £1 per minute of the alleged overstay so £15.

Mediator: Riiiiight….

Me: Oh and this has taken longer than I thought - I have to present to my Execs between 1pm and 2pm so if you ring back in those times I won't be able to answer and I don't want you to think I am ignoring you.

Mediator: Riiiiight <sigh> ….well….<sigh> … I will try to work around that.

Acting like this isn't also inconveniencing ME. At least she's getting paid for her time.

Car1980

That's a lot of effort and a waste of £15 for a claim that's going to be discontinued.

Coupon-mad

You didn't need to waste your time on that!

Go back to the 8 steps which explain it should have been "no offer, goodbye" after 2 minutes.

Show us the discontinuance when you get it later this Summer after you get your Hearing Order from the local court.

ncuni

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82023094#Comment_82023094

I'm sure it would have been discontinued as you say. But I was tired and they accepted my final offer of £20. However, having gone through the process now, I don't think it is useful for future claims if the likes of me agree to pay them even a penny. Sure, they are still down so that's something, but I realise now they need to be getting nothing.

My partner has a claim pending defence so for that one he will offer nothing and we'll see where that goes. Thanks all for the emotional support and technical guidance.

Coupon-mad

Very good and if your partner's one is also DCB Legal (and not Excel, VCS or TCP) then it WILL end up discontinued. Be confident! There will be no hearing so there is zero reason to offer money.

However, having said that…

"I was tired and they accepted my final offer of £20."

I consider that a win! It is a loss for them

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!