Euro car parks - should I pay the fine

Stourbridge158

At the end of January I received a letter from a debt collection agency DCBL requesting payment of £170 for an unpaid parking fine, I had 14 days to pay.

I was shocked and confused as I had not received a parking fine to my knowledge and had not received any correspondence from euro car parks ltd though the post!

I called the debt collecting agency immediately but they said they only collect the money they cannot discuss the case, this was an infuriating hour long conversation. They couldn’t provide me with the details of the fine or the contact details of how to make an appeal or speak to anyone about this.

I called citizens advice, however they couldn’t really help as they informed me an appeal against a parking fine must be lodged within 28 days (something I have heard over and over again since!). I could not appeal within 28 days as I was not aware of the fine in the first place.

I wrote to euro car parks ltd and asked them to provide proof of the letters and ANPR footage of the offence. I also stated that I had not received any correspondence from them and was only made aware of the fine through the letter from the DCBL in January (I sent my letter recorded delivery!). I had a response saying to allow 28 days for the appeal to be responded to (28 days is a reoccurring theme!)

I waited patiently whilst receiving ever increasing what I would consider to be harassment letters from the debt collecting agency.

Yesterday I received my appeal rejection but importantly not with a 10 digit verification number so I can appeal to POPLA. It provided evidence of the violation, which was in a carpark that recently changed its time limits and therefore I was at fault as had stayed over the grace period by 5 minutes. 

If I had received the original PCN for the violation I would have held my hands up and paid £60 reduced fee.  However, as I was not aware or in receipt of the paperwork for the fine within 28 days I could not do this! 

I have contacted and lodged a complaint with Royal Mail but that has yet to lead to anything useful. 

I have emailed euro car parks and said I would pay the £60 fine but that it is disgraceful that I should now be expected to pay the fine of £170! 

There is no way to appeal or complain and nobody to complain to! It is totally infuriating. I either pay £170 or face a CCJ! I just can’t believe that euro car parks and other can conduct themselves in this way with no way to protest or complain!

Surely they should have to send important mail either tracked or recorded delivery? But that would be too costly for them!

What are their legal powers and should I pay the £170 fine

Gr1pr

Its not a fine, its a pcn invoice

DO NOT PAY. !

They can issue a Money Claim N1SDT pack from the CNBC in Northampton using MCOL to try to enforce the alleged debt ( only the court has legal powers. )

Coupon-mad

I called the debt collecting agency immediately

this was an infuriating hour long conversation.

I sent my letter recorded delivery

I have emailed euro car parks and said I would pay the £60 fine

Sadly you have done everything wrong so far (at least you finally found us now). There is no 'fine' and you should not have done any of the above.

therefore I was at fault as had stayed over the grace period by 5 minutes.

No you were not at fault, they were. There is no fine and you will never have to pay a penny. You would NOT have paid it if you'd received the PCN…come on, nobody does that! It isn't a fine.

This is easy.

Your £170 letter that you (unfortunately) panicked about and reacted to is shown in pictures in post 4 of NEWBIES PLEASE READ THESE FAQS FIRST.

Go and read that now. See my signature if unsure how to hop around the forum!

Mut12345

I went through the whole process on the newbie sticky thread for a court claim by DCB Legal /Eurocarparks and had it cancelled last week,

They might try scare you until the very end but based on what I've read here they will almost definitely discontinue (just before they have to pay the hearing fee) if it's Eurocarparks

Good luck

Nellymoser

Yes as much as they like to threaten and file court claims they do seem to be frightened to attend hearings and frequently discontinue claims.

ECP get your VK details from DVLA. Is your current address on your V5C? If not that could explain why you didn't receive ECP letters.

patient_dream

THE DCBL £70 SCAM

Sadly, DCBL wrongly think the fakery is a law ???? This has nothing to do with POFA

The rubbish started with OSNER the owner of ZZPS, A DEBT COLLECTOR SEEKING MONEY

THE £70 IS A PURE FAKE which the BPA included in ther CoP which is a lot of crap. IT'S NOT A LAW and DCBL as a so called legal firm, promote a scam and that goes against the SUPREME COURT ruling …… A SAD COMPANY. The courts are well aware of this scam and is the reason that DCBL chicken out of their fake claims and discontinue.

Real legals are no doubt laughing their heads off regarding DCBL, WE ARE ?

DCBL FAKERY MUST BE INVESTIGATED BY THE CMA