CEL Parking Claim. Litigation

Neonvisa

Dear All

I would appreciate your assistance and experiences with defending a litigated parking claim.

I received a penalty notice after parking at an Ibis Hotel in October 2024 and this was despite my settling the parking payment promptly at the hotel reception. The company in charge of the car park is CEL and in spite of requests to explain how I breached their contract, they have declined to elaborate. I didnt engage with them in trying to appeal the charge because the correspondence from CEl and their debt collectors was no more than demands for payment.

Proceedings have now been issued and the defence is due on 8 June 2026. I will attempt to post a copy of the claim form and POC.

Gr1pr

Definitely wasn't a Penalty Notice

Definitely post the issue date and a redacted picture of the POC

Neonvisa

As promised, I have attached a copy of the claim form. A of S was filed on 12 May 2026

IMG-20260528-WA0000.jpg

Gr1pr

CEL in house claim, no breach pleaded, use the Chan and Akande defence template, no changes

Coupon-mad

You could just add the below extra bit to the Chan & Akande section of the bespoke Template defence for CEL in-house claims:

The Claim fails to plead and specify any term/breach, thus the binding authority of Liberty Homes (Kent) Ltd v Rajakanthan & Ors [2022] EWHC 2201 (TCC) applies, where the High Court found the Particulars to be deficient and struck them out due to a lack of required detail. Despite requests to explain in 2024 which term was allegedly breached, this Claimant failed to elaborate and has blatantly ignored the warning by HHJ Murch in the Chan appeal case that they lost and just carries on with their abusive approach of serial 'default-CCJ-seeking' boilerplate, enhanced quantum litigation as a lucrative form of consumer intimidation.

Le_Kirk

With an issue date of 06/05/26 and having completed the AoS in a timely manner your defence deadline date is 4.00 p.m. on 08/06/26

Neonvisa

Many thanks for the really helpful messages I received following my most recent post. I have stuck to the most recent defence template and added the extra paragraph to part 3 as suggested by Coupon-mad.

I have submitted the defence via MCOL and I will keep you posted with any developments arising.

thanks again!

Neonvisa

Hi Everyone

Its been 46 days since my defence was filed via MCOL and progress has been slow. The court has acknowledged receipt of the filing and advised the claim is stayed unless the claimant responds within 28 days.

Am I being overly optimistic thinking that the claimant has got cold feet and given up, or is it more likely the court has a backlog of files and hasnt updated the case record as yet?

Coupon-mad

This is normal & yes there's a backlog. This all takes weeks. Keep following the 8 steps!

1505grandad

As an side - government departments bend over backwards supporting these unregulated entities - the DVLA by allowing instantaneous access to motorists private data and the HMCTS by allowing them to press a button for instant CCJ should the defendant be theoretically a minute late in submitting relevant documents - ALL WITHOUT HUMAN INTERVENTION.