DCB Legal Claim Form

glasso

Hello,

I've reviewed the newbies thread but getting a bit confused so hoping for confirmation I have done the right thing so far and what my next steps should be.

Claim form received from DCB Legal relating to a parking charge from Euro Car Parks Ltd in May 2025. Claim form dated 29/04/2026 and I completed the AoS 04/05/2026. I now have until (?) 30/05/2026 to complete and file my defence?

I am about to send a SAR to Euro Car Parks but they are requesting passport/driving license and log book as proof of identity - I assume this is standard practice?

Finally - I will need info from the SAR to be certain - but the PC is from a year ago. I don't really have a defence as I am fairly sure I parked without paying for a few minutes. I am not 100% on specifics but I believe I parked for around 10 minutes, would need SAR to confirm. The honest reason is I was quickly dropping off donations at a charity shop and was with my young son who has ADHD. My thought was the time it took me to go and pay for parking and display in my car, whilst stopping a 7 year old with ADHD running around the carpark, I could go and drop off bags and be back in the car quicker. I do not have any of the letters sent from Euro Car Parks or DCB Legal as I tend to bin any I receive - fairly sure the PC was via the post rather than a PCN on the car. I am assuming DCB won't take this sob story as a defence but do I still use the same template defence and waffle to this effect a bit?

Finally I've read the Mazur thread and the claim form is signed by someone who is SRA registered.

Anything else to consider or do I follow the above ASAP?

Coupon-mad

"I am about to send a SAR to Euro Car Parks "

No you aren't. That's not the advice in the Template Defence 8 steps. Just follow that. You are certainly not putting a sob story as a defence either!

glasso

Do I not need an SAR so I know what details they have to give me more information for defence? As I said from memory I was there 10 minutes but could be 5 could be 20 I have no idea.

Has advice changed because I am sure previously when I did this a few years ago an SAR was recommended?

Gr1pr

No definitely not, no SAR required at this point and any reply would arrive too late anyway

No longer recommended, ignorance is bliss due to the passage of time

Use a generic paragraph 3. Based on countless others on here over the last 12 months for ECP via DCB Legal cases, refuting the POC

No stories, no recollections this is a defence, not a witness statement

Coupon-mad

Yes the advice changed. No SAR.

glasso

To clarify, the 10 point statement (with paragraph 3 my own words) which was posted in 2023 is what I now input in MCOL?

Coupon-mad

As it says in the Template Defence thread!

Le_Kirk

With an issue date of 29/04/26 and providing you complete(d) the AoS after 04/05/26 and before or on 18/05/26 your defence deadline date is 4.00 p.m. on 01/06/26