TWO parking tickets, one CCJ, no time, very confused

jojonic · 24 May 2019 at 12:08PM

Before I begin, yes I have read the newbies thread but am wholly confused about what I do next.

So we've had a letter from the county court business centre, with a claim number, regarding a parking charge of £182. They've added on interest, court fee and legal representatives costs bringing it to a total of £268.09.

The letter is dated 14th May.

Is this a letter before CCJ? I think so. So, I don't know whether my next step is to ask for it to be set aside, to send it back (in which case can someone point me to guidance about which boxes to tick) or something else?

We also have a letter from Gladstones about a separate parking charge, but I've found a template and will be writing back to them, so that's non-urgent.

I feel I have to respond to the CCJ / letter before a judgement rather quickly and would appreciate some plain english guidance on what I do now.

For reference, the car park is in my local town, it was 9:30 at night and we pulled in to watch the fireworks in the city across the river. The signage on the car park is fairly obvious, but I wrongly thought it would be OK as the businesses who the car park is reserved for were shut. I am a regular customer of said businesses. We were in the car park for less than an hour.

Sorry to start a new thread, but really need to do something about this today.

waamo · 24 May 2019 at 12:16PM

What is this letter titled? Does it say Judgement in Default or is it a claim form that asks for a response?

It is not a Letter Before Claim. It's either a claim or a judgement.

Quentin · 24 May 2019 at 12:21PM

Everyone is asked to read up on this in the newbies faq thread near the top of the forum before starting a new thread

Go there now to get an understanding of the stage you now look to be in (receipt of a county court claim)

#2 in the FAQ covers Court claims and how to deal with them

Your first job is to complete the AOS (all explained in that post )

jojonic · 24 May 2019 at 12:23PM

I think it's a claim form. In fact, yes it says so at the top (blush).

Will read again the number 2 in the newbies thread. Thanks for the nudge.

KeithP · 24 May 2019 at 2:50PM

So you have a County Court Claim Form with an Issue Date of 14th May 2019 from the County Court Business Centre in Northampton - is that right?

With a Claim Issue Date of 14th May, you have until Monday 3rd June to do the Acknowledgement of Service, but there is nothing to be gained by delaying it. To do the AoS, follow the guidance offered in a Dropbox file linked from post #2 of the NEWBIES FAQ sticky thread. About ten minutes work - no thinking required.

Having done the AoS, you have until 4pm on Monday 17th June 2019 to file your Defence.

That's over three weeks away. Loads of time to produce a perfect Defence, but don't leave it to the last minute.

When you are happy with the content, your Defence should be filed via email as suggested here:

Sign it and date it.
Scan the signed document back in and save it as a pdf.
Send that pdf as an email attachment to CCBCAQ@Justice.gov.uk
Just put the claim number and the word Defence in the email title, and in the body of the email something like 'Please find my Defence attached'.
Log into MCOL after a few days to see if the Claim is marked "defence received". If not chase the CCBC until it is.
Do not be surprised to receive an early copy of the Claimant's Directions Questionnaire, they are just trying to keep you under pressure.
Wait for your DQ from the CCBC, or download one from the internet, and then re-read post #2 of the NEWBIES FAQ sticky thread to find out exactly what to do with it.

Coupon-mad · 25 May 2019 at 12:03AM

For reference, the car park is in my local town, it was 9:30 at night and we pulled in to watch the fireworks in the city across the river.

The signage on the car park is fairly obvious, but I wrongly thought it would be OK as the businesses who the car park is reserved for were shut. I am a regular customer of said businesses. We were in the car park for less than an hour.

Oh dear. Not an easy one to defend, unless the signs are unlit & it was dark.

Can you get some photos of the signs IN THE DARK, in readiness for the later stages of Witness Statement/evidence?

And show us exactly what the sign actually says (no guessing or paraphrasing). A photo with a flash that we can read, when you take tour 'dark signs' evidence.

TWO parking tickets, one CCJ, no time, very confused

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