Euro Car Parks / DCB Legal Ltd Claim

paulo180

Good evening, I received an N1SDT claim form in the post yesterday (issue date 19/03/26) I've just joined and read through these forums a little and I'm looking for some help confirming how best to deal with this.

My understanding is I have until 07/04/26 to complete the AoS? I'm out of the country from Friday for a week and would rather deal with this on my return if possible. I would then have until 21/04/26 to submit a defence?

Few details (please ask if you need more or need me to expand)

- I'm the registered keeper but I wasn't driving at the time, to my knowledge we didn't receive the NTK until closer to Christmas and pretty sure it was beyond 14 days.

- I discarded the PCN (and subsequent correspondence) so I don't have or recall the details on it to confirm the above

-The POC says No Valid Payment-Permit Was Purchased, my understanding is the car park has a maximum 4 hours stay and if you go beyond this by a few minutes you are unable to even try and make a payment. The reviews on Parkopedia are pretty damning on how this car park operates.

Here the POC info:

Particulars of Claim
Claimant (C) for a Parking Charge (PC) issued
to vehicle XXXXXXX at Robert BOBY Retail
Park,
2. The date of contravention is 28/10/2025
and the D was issued with a PC by the
Claimant
3. The Defendant is pursued as the driver of
the vehicle for breach of the terms on the
signs (the contract). Reason: No Valid
Payment-Permit Was Purchased.
4. In the alternative the Defendant is
pursued as the keeper pursuant to POFA2O12,
Schedule 4.
AND THE CLAIMANT CLAIMS
1 . £170.00 being the total of the PC and
damages.
2. lnterest at a rate of 8.00% per annum
pursuant to s.69 of the County Courts Act
1984 from the date hereof at a daily rate of
£0.03 until judgment or sooner payment.
3. Costs and court fees

My question is, can challenge this with the limited information I have and if so what type of defence would it be best for me to adopt for Paragraph 3 based on the information above?

Appreciate any help you can provide.

Gr1pr

Get the AOS online stage done ASAP, to get the maximum 33 days to lodge your template defence on MCOL

Use the standard paragraph 3 as seen in numerous similar ECP DCB LEGAL claims over the last 6 months where CONTRAVENTION has been used, so refuting the POC

paulo180

Firstly thank you for the quick response, just tried to register on the MCOL site to complete the AOS but frustratingly there was some technical issue at their end from doing so. It's now resolved so AOS completed.

Secondly I've looked through the cases you've suggested, is the below an acceptable defence for me to submit or too generic? I wasn't there and have never been to that car park myself so I don't have much in terms of first hand mitigating information as is suggested as possible defence in the template defence.

I understand the driver didn't see the maximum 4 hour stay notice and was taking her elderly mother around the town shopping. They got back after the maximum period, tried (unsuccessfully) to pay but were unable to do so due to the overstay. Should I put that into the below too?

2. The allegation(s) are vague and liability is denied for the sum claimed, or at all. The delay in bringing proceedings lies with the Claimant, making retrieving material evidence difficult, which is highly prejudicial. The Defendant has no knowledge of events, save that the vehicle is recognised and to confirm that they were the registered keeper.

3. Referring to the POC: paragraph 1 is denied. The Defendant is not indebted to the Claimant. Paragraph 2 is denied. The Defendant does not accept that a contravention occurred on 28/10/2025, as alleged.  Whilst the Defendant is the registered keeper, paragraphs 3 and 4 are denied. The Defendant is not liable and has seen no evidence of a breach of prominent terms.  The quantum is hugely exaggerated (no PCN can be £170 on private land) and there were no damages incurred whatsoever. 

Gr1pr

Add but not the driver to paragraph 2. ( if true. )

The rest is ok , but use all 10 paragraphs on MCOL ( copy and paste, save, submit. )

Do not add Hearsay details, no need at this early stage

Le_Kirk

With an issue date of 19/03/26 and providing you complete(d) the AoS after 24/03/26 and before or on 07/04/26 your defence deadline date is 4.00 p.m. on 21/04/26

paulo180

Thank you for your help here, it's invaluable.

Not sure if it's ever been suggested but there should be a charitable fund for donations once we achieve discontinuance. I'd much rather give a percentage of the fine to a worthy cause that these daylight robbers.

Gr1pr

A worthy idea but not allowed by MSE ( its been mooted numerous times by grateful victims over the last 15 years or so. )

Definitely not fines either, get that thought and bin it, judges dont like it in civil litigation cases so never mention it

Not a fine, not a Penalty Charge, just an invoice from a private parking company

Coupon-mad

If the elderly passenger needed more time, due to a medical condition of any type (whether or not they had a blue badge) then you should mention that and the Equality Act 2010 in para 3.