Longbridge Shopping Centre PCN Successfully Cancelled

Middleton17

I received a Debt Recovery Notice from DCBL for an unpaid 170.00 in Sept 2026.

The charge related to a 2 min 30 second stay in a small layby nearby to the Sainsburys in May 2026. A static camera captured my car.

The notice stated Horizon Parking Ltd had initially written to an unstated address to inform me of the charge but, receiving no reply, DCBL were instructed to pursue it.

I reviewed the really helpful advice on this forum and drafted several emails ready to send but sent the first to the landowner Savills- on Google maps their name is on the parking signs.

Previous posters had highlighted Graeme Clark as a point of contact and so I sent him a message via an online contact portal on the Savills website.

A couple of days later, I was emailed by Izzy Clarke (izzy.clarke@savills.com) who requested some further information.

She pointed out, quite correctly, that the vehicle had contravened the prohibitions but she contacted DCBL and cancelled the charge as a 'gesture of goodwill'. She was very helpful and prompt.

The Notice was clearly absurd and completely disproportionate. Such a large amount for a fleeting stay, threats of legal action, lack of explanation of the processes, no transparency.

Also: covert cameras, no evidence included in the notice of the signage, no evidence of a notice to keeper being sent within the required timeframe, months passed since the incident, no evidence of the driver, looking at Google Street view there are two almost identical bays within 30m or so of each other with the same shape/size/colour signs but one is a 5 min stay and the other is deliveries only.

The overall impression I have is that there is an attempt by Horizon Parking to deliberately mislead and/or confuse both in the road/parking infrastructure and in the methods of managing the PCNs.

If you are sent a similar notice then hopefully Savills will be similarly helpful for you.

Coupon-mad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6683305/longbridge-shopping-centre-pcn-successfully-cancelled

Brilliantly done and you have identified the issues that made the invoice unfair and likely illegal. Certainly Horizon could not possibly have won in court, with such poor evidence and covert (illegal) filming of a 2 min 30 second stop in a small layby.

She was wrong to say you were in breach.

Terms and conditions couldn't possibly have been read in two minutes, and the self-serving Code of Practice "isn't the law", said the consumer protection regulator this Summer, when exposing the unfairness of parking firms pretending no consideration period exists.

This was on BBC News and on MSE itself:

MSE article: July 2026

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a major crackdown on the UK private parking industry, issuing an open warning over unfair appeals, and advising stricter government oversight CMA takes action on private parking practices.

Read what the Open Letter says about consideration periods… then why not report your case to the CMA and ask them to investigate Horizon Parking next, because this was covert filming in two minutes flat and a clear scam, designed to be fed to DCB Ltd to make more money that they then share.

Also, DCB & Horizon knew that you'd never been served with a PCN because they traced a new address but failed to reissue the PCN for an appeal.

Attach your PCN and a screenshot of the landowner intervention email, as evidence for the CMA's information, to show that they pretended there is no consideration period for people who pull over into a layby and the bent Code of Practice lets them.

CMA Contact emails (use both, the first one goes directly to their parking investigation) :

• parking@cma.gov.uk
• general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk 

I am also writing to the CMA but far better if actual victims also show your evidence and express your concerns and open the CMA's eyes.

Gr1pr

As an aside, Savills will be the managing agents on behalf of the landowner, ( not the actual landowner. )

James_Poisson

"The overall impression I have is that there is an attempt by Horizon Parking to deliberately mislead and/or confuse both in the road/parking infrastructure and in the methods of managing the PCNs".

You have the correct impression of the whole industry!