Defending Euro Car Parks (DCB legal) claim (2 PCNs) – now at hearing stage – advice appreciated

ready2rumble

Hi all, looking for some guidance on a small claims parking case.

This relates to two PCNs issued by Euro Car Parks at a retail car park used by a gym.

Background:

• Vehicle entered the car park on two separate dates 2 years ago
• The driver was attending the gym as an invited guest on both occasions.
• Evidence exists in the form of gym invitation emails confirming both visits.
• At the time, the gym had introduced a system requiring visitors to enter their vehicle registration on a terminal inside the gym.
• The driver did not enter the registration on those occasions (oversight).

Euro Car Parks issued two PCNs alleging the vehicle “remained without authorisation” / overstayed.

Court process so far:

1. Claim issued via MCOL.
2. Acknowledgment of Service filed.
3. Defence submitted (driver was authorised gym guest, legitimate use of car park).
4. Case transferred to local County Court.
5. Directions Questionnaire completed.
6. Case allocated to Small Claims Track.
7. Mediation attempted but no settlement reached.
8. Court issued Notice of Trial Date (hearing listed for April 2026).
9. Both parties ordered to file witness statements and evidence by 19 March 2026.

Current stage:

• I have now served my witness statements and evidence bundle (including the driver statement and gym invitation emails proof )
• The claimant has also filed their bundle.
• The claimant must pay the hearing fee (£59) by 19 March or the claim will be struck out.

Key issue in dispute:

The driver was a genuine gym guest using the car park for its intended purpose but failed to enter the vehicle registration on the in-gym terminal.

I’d appreciate any views from people who have dealt with Euro Car Parks / DCB Legal claims, particularly how judges tend to approach situations where the driver was a legitimate customer but failed to register the vehicle.

Thanks in advance.

p.s - I’ve read Newbies ( it helped me get to this stage but wondering because I have 2 PCNS’s are they more likely to take this to court ( even though I have legit evidence I was authorised to use the gym for both occasions .) the witness pack they sent me seemed a generic one btw .

Gr1pr

I think that DCB Legal will discontinue just before the hearing fee is due next week

We don't see hearing feedback regarding the judges take on it, usually because it doesn't get that far !

There are 800 discontinuation cases in the thread by Umkomaas

ready2rumble

Hi g1pr , how confident are you that they’ll discontinue ? Is my case slightly more unique cus it has 2 PCN’s stacked ? ( although both PCN’s have legit evidence for authorised gym use - which I’ve sent to the court as part of my witness pack thing ).

FYi, IF THEY discontinue ( I am praying they do), I’ll post the discontinuance letter to add it to your “another one bites the dust” thread .🙂 Thanks

Gr1pr

Its not about confidence, its about their standard M.O, when faced with shelling out good money by the hearing fee deadline without managing to scare their victims into submission and paying out their hard earned cash !

The redacted N279 document is posted in the Discontinuations thread by Umkomaas, we dont have an Another one bites the dust ! Thread on here, that phrase is usually reserved for wins in court

Coupon-mad

"how confident are you that they’ll discontinue ?"

99% certain.

You will be showing us the NoD by next week and earning your place on Umkomaas' thread!

If your claim form was dated before Oct 2025 and was signed by Sarah Ensall just adapt the recent WS by @Horizon_Dawn

Le_Kirk

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81921725#Comment_81921725

You cannot qualify uniqueness, it either is or isn't. However, trust the process and @Gr1pr and @Coupon-mad

ready2rumble

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81921864#Comment_81921864

Quick follow-up — my hearing fee deadline was 19 March. I haven’t received any Notice of Discontinuance by email (including junk) as of today.

Is that still normal at this stage, or would you usually expect a discontinuance email by now if they were going to drop it?

Gr1pr

No news is impossible to answer, I suggest that you phone the court in a few days to see if they actually paid the hearing fee or not, also keep checking your email inbox and spam folders for their N279 discontinuation document ( possibly early next week. )

ready2rumble

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81931846#Comment_81931846

they paid the fee, I called the court . The hearing is in 2 weeks . Can they still discontinue? Will they still discontinue? Any advice guys ?

Gr1pr

They Might, or not, but you must assume that the hearing is going ahead unless you hear otherwise

EECP DCB LEGAL cases are usually discontinued

ready2rumble

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81933927#Comment_81933927

can discontinuances that still happen post hearing fee paid ? Only asking because I figured that if they’ve paid they might have stronger incentives to go the full way ?

Yes I will follow your advise . Urghhh these things are completely scams and so unfair . Oh well