MCOL - unable to access the claim

wannabewomble

Hello,

I received my claim form and emailed my AOS to the email address given. I then realised I could use MCOL so logged on to that, a few days later. I intended to upload my defence via MCOL. It has the below written on it:

'A bar has been put in place on this claim. You cannot respond to the claim at this time.'

Does this mean they have accepted the emailed AOS or have taken it as me ignoring the claim?

FYI, I had an appointment at the premises connected to the fine but was unaware of the sign in procedure (tiny signs in car park, raining that day, first time at the dental practice, people in front of the sign in screen, sent immediately upstairs where there is no signage regarding the car park). I have emails from the practice confirming day and time of appointment and the blocking of the sign in screen. Is that suitable defence, can I just forward the email as defence?

Sorry if I'm on the wrong thread, I am finding all of this massively complicated and I am tempted just to arrange a payment scheme (even though I can't afford it and I had every right to park there).

Gr1pr

No paying

The emailed AOS may well be the cause of the bar

You can draft your defence as a pdf document and email it when approved, but it needs a header and a footer as well as the defence

Name the private parking company claimant involved and also any lawyers

Post the Issue date from the top right of the claim form below too

Post a redacted picture of the POC from the lower left of the claim form below after hiding the VRM details first

Car1980

The court has paused the claim of its own initiative. Could be staffing issues, could be something we don't know about.
I'd email your defence and then you're covered. You'll probably get the claim is barred response to your email.

wannabewomble

Thanks for the reply. I think the pics below are what you mean? The claim is signed by David John Croot.

wannabewomble

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82130139#Comment_82130139

Would it be worth calling the court directly? I intend to file my defence ASAP but will they tell me the reason the claim has been paused?

wannabewomble

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82130111#Comment_82130111

pics in post above, forgot to quote you

Le_Kirk

With an issue date of 17/08/26 and providing you complete(d) the AoS before or on 05/09/26 your defence deadline date is 4.00 p.m. on 21/09/26

In the template defence thread use the link to the defence where the claim is not pleaded and use the Chan & Akande defence.

wannabewomble

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82131193#Comment_82131193

Thanks for this.

I will take a look at the defence thread properly tomorrow evening.

I emailed the court my AoS on 01/09/26 and received an automated response the same day. So does that count as official AoS and now I just have to email my defence the same way as I cannot do anything in MCOL?

I did try to check via their signposting button on gov.uk site but none of the claim types they offer match my claim. I think I will trying calling. I am just worried that because they have put a pause on the claim, it is because they haven't processed my AoS. I think that doesn't matter as long as it was sent in time and that my defence is too? Sorry if I am asking a lot of questions but this has been going on for 2 years nearly and I really want to get it right.

Coupon-mad

@wannabewomble I'm afraid you caused this annoying 'bar' on MCOL because you strayed off the recommended 8 steps and emailed your AOS.

Frustrating but true. It now means you risk a CCJ more than you would have done, because you have no choice but to rely on email for the Defence.

Bad news because the CNBC lose emails, a lot. Then people get a default CCJ and have to complain. You've made this so much harder than it should have been.

DO NOT wait till close to your deadline because that risks the default CCJ scenario which is a pain to unpick.

You'll also have to add case identifier headers and a statement of truth and signature & date to your Word doc defence (use the one specially linked twice in the Template Defence thread, you know the one with Chan & Akande as para 3) before saving it as a PDF to attach to an URGENT - DEFENCE RE CLAIM XXXXXX headed email to the claim responses CNBC email address.

Make sure you get an auto-receipt (pleeease don't show us that receipt).

Then you will have no way to track what's happening. Should not have emailed the AOS, so get back on piste with the 8 steps and no more straying off them!

🙂

wannabewomble

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82140136#Comment_82140136

Unfortunately, I haven't been in a position to do anything correctly.

I am also just doing the resonse now as I have had a lot of crap going on. I do appreciate the advice though. No idea what most of it means, I shall have a look now. I did get an instant automated receipt previously so I am hopeful on that score at least.

Coupon-mad

Search for & skim-read parking defence threads from 3 or 4 years ago but DON'T read the threads or copy the actual defence, just quickly whizz through your search results to find one that gives you the headers we used to use back when we used to email defences.

You do know what my post means. Read it slowly. I explained exactly how to do this stage by email.