URGENT question -

WilfredToadflax

Out of the blue on 9th May I received a letter from DCBL Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd dated 5th May and giving me 14 days from date of letter to pay. This was terrifying! It demanded £465 in unpaid parking charges. These date back to 2023, all at the same mega-Sainsbury's car park, one a month over a 3 month period (presumably the big family shop!). Each charge was originally £85 and then has had a fee of £70 added.

I have never received any original correspondence or notification of any kind relating to any of these fines. However, we were unexpectedly forced to move house (landlord sold house out of the blue) very shortly before the first fine and in the stress over this, we were tardy in informing DVLA of our change of address, though I definitely changed our insurance details.

On Sunday 10th I emailed the Debt company back, explaining I had never received letters and asking both for proof they had been sent and for copies of the original letters so I could know the details of the instances. They finally emailed me back yesterday evening, what felt like a pro forma reply, saying the time for appeals closed before they wrote to me and I am responsible for updating DVLA so must pay. I still do not know anything about the charges beyond being told the dates. The parking time limit is 2 hrs I believe, though big bold signage has only been put up prominently to this effect that I recall about a year ago.

I also emailed the manager of the Sainsbury's branch on the 10th. I explained that I am a regular customer who has spent many thousands of pounds with them over the years; that I was probably shopping for my disabled father as well as doing my own big shop, or had one or both of my additional needs children in tow, hence accidental overstays - and asking her to waive the fine. No reply yet.

PLEASE can anyone advise. I have a clean credit record and feel absolutely desperate about this. So stressed it is making my physically sick. At the bottom of the letter is says "You now have 14 days from the date of this letter to either pay the outstanding amount or call us to discuss repayment. This case is not subject to High Court or bailiff action, however, should you fail to contact us, we will recommend to our client the commencement of legal action against you.

HELP PLEASE? I think I am now beyond the 14 days since the letter was dated.

Thank you

Gr1pr

Ignore them, simple, debt collectors are powerless, do not phone them again. !

Study the 4th post in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum by coupon mad

Come back to this thread if or when you receive eitherof the following

A Letter of Claim giving you 30 days notice

Or

A Money Claim N1SDT pack from the CNBC in Northampton using MCOL

Which parking company is involved ?

WilfredToadflax

Thank you so much for replying.

Will this not have an impact on my credit record if I leave it longer and wait for it to escalate before taking action? I am living in fear about this every day at the moment.

It is Euro Car Parks Ltd.

WilfredToadflax

So sorry, but I am struggling to find the post and thread you mentioned. I am not very tech adept and this is my first time on this forum. I'd be grateful if you could please signpost me to the Newbies sticky thread you mentioned Gr1pr. Thanks

Car1980

Euro Car Parks I'm guessing.

Do not panic like you are doing now. One reason you are panicking is that you don't understand the CCJ process. To have a CCJ awarded against you they have to make a court claim AND take it all the way to a hearing in front of a judge AND win AND even then you have 28 days to pay.

Eventually you will receive a county court claim form through the post from DCB Legal. Remember Napster? When legal companies used to sue people for downloading films and then just discontinue, happy that 50% of people panicked and paid up. Parking is the new business model - make 1000 claims a week, half pay, half get discontinued.

You will simply have to defend the claim through the website.

We've only ever seen DCB Legal claims go to a hearing over £600.

And I don't recall ever seeing a claim not be discontinued at a Sainsburys. Wouldn't be very good PR for them. Plus anyone winning would put their whole Sainsburys contract at risk for Euro.

Anyway, just to be on the safe side I would email both DCB and info@dcblegal.co.uk and make sure they have your new address:

Ref. 12345678
Reg: AB12 CDE

My correct address for service is: 123 New Street, Newtown, NT1 2AA
You are instructed to ERASE this address from your records: 345 Old Street, Oldtown, OT1 2BB

Name

Registered keeper

Come back for reassurance when you receive a Letter Before Claim from DCB Legal.

In the meantime continue with Sainsburys. And try the CEO.

TadleyBaggie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82004188#Comment_82004188

Newbies "sticky" thread

WilfredToadflax

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82004190#Comment_82004190

Car1980, thanks that is really reassuring. You are right! Blind panic is absolutely my current state. Pure adrenalin - not sleeping, being sick, the works.

But everything you kindly set out does make me feel I can breathe a bit. Great to know they don't typically pursue under £600, and that Sainsbo's have form for discontinuing. I will write again to Sainsbury's including the CEO as well.

I think I feel anxious about it in part because I know it was an error on my/my husband's part not to update our keeper details sooner. (Could they vindictively report us for that instead, so we'd have to pay a £1,000 DVLA fine?!?)

I'll also email now regarding correct address as you suggest.

WilfredToadflax

So kind, many thanks!

Gr1pr

These Powerless debt collectors cannot harm your credit file , it would have to have a judgment against you by a judge before Armageddon can happen, thats not happened so calm down, just follow our excellent advice

Watch yesterday's Rip Off Britain programme on BBC1 , or on I player

We will help you through all of this, with the correct advice and guidance, you are unlikely to be paying a penny

Study the announcements at the top of the forum too

Umkomaas

I think I feel anxious about it in part because I know it was an error on my/my husband's part not to update our keeper details sooner. (Could they vindictively report us for that instead, so we'd have to pay a £1,000 DVLA fine?!?)

They won’t. There is no evidence of any debt collector ever having done that. They only do things which profits them! Don’t overthink your case. It’s exactly the same as the vast majority of others, navigating the same path, ultimately to be discontinued, as long as you follow forum advice and guidance. Sleep easy from now on!

WilfredToadflax

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82004215#Comment_82004215

Thank you. Apologies for my panic. I have never experienced anything like this before and the tone of the letter was really threatening.

I will watch the programme you suggest too.