DCB legal help please

[Rocky4510]

Hi guys. I really don't know much about legal stuff hence why im posting, but I'm after some information if possible

I had a parking ticket issues last year, I have my defence and I'm set on not paying it due to bad signage at that car park.

I've had a county court letter, which I defended to, and I've now recieved an email from DCB legal with a directions questionnaire to fill out, or make the payment, which has gone up to nearly £300 now.

I just don't trust it all, I've read quite a few things online asking if they're fake, the letters I've even sent are black/white and blury and seem very unprofessional. I even phoned DCB just now to ask some questions about their email and they wouldn't tell me a thing, just told me to contact citizens for advice if I need advice.

Can anyone advice me what to do please? Am I at risk getting a CCJ or anything? Do i fill out the questionnaire and hope it goes to court so I can show my photo evidence? I have no idea what might happen

If you guys need anymore info just let me know. Many thanks

[echat11]

HiRocky

Fill in the following, copy and paste back onto this thread -

Received a claim? Yes/No:
Issue Date:
Have you Acknowledged the Claim?:
Total Amount Claimed : ( approximately please do NOT use EXACT figure given on the claim form, round up to next £100 or £1000)
Claimant’s Name:
Solicitors Firm:
Original Creditor:
Original Debt (eg. Credit card/Loan/Overdraft) :
Particulars of Claim: ( Please type out in full excluding names/account numbers/exact amounts ):
Is the debt Statute Barred (have you had any contact with the creditor or claimant over the last 6 years?):
List any letters you have sent (eg: CCA/ CPR ):
Any Other Information or Background Details:

List what's happened-

[Rocky4510]

Received a claim? Yes/No: yes
Issue Date: 22/04/2021
Have you Acknowledged the Claim?: yes
Total Amount Claimed : ( approximately please do NOT use EXACT figure given on the claim form, round up to next £100 or £1000) £100
Claimant’s Name: Bank park management
Solicitors Firm: DCB legal ltd
Original Creditor: Bank park management
Original Debt (eg. Credit card/Loan/Overdraft) : PCN
Particulars of Claim: ( Please type out in full excluding names/account numbers/exact amounts ): I was 31 minutes in a car park, and failed to submit my free 30 minutes parking ticket
Is the debt Statute Barred (have you had any contact with the creditor or claimant over the last 6 years?): only email regarding this fine
List any letters you have sent (eg: CCA/ CPR ):
Any Other Information or Background Details: All letters recieved by me were very rough, unprofessional black and white printouts, even from the county court, which lead me to believe this was some sort of scam.

List what's happened- I recieved a PCN, the pay and display setup was brand new at this car park, I have been parking there for years beforehand, the pcn came through my post at £100, I didnt recieve the first £60 PCN due to change of address and my mail wasn't redirected at the time. I drove back there and noticed there was 0 signage at the entrance of the car park, just a small sign which was partly covered by a tree, a week or 2 after that i noticed they had a new sign at the entrance installed, then a week or 2 after that it was taken down and hasn't been there since ( around 1 year now), and the small sign to the side is complety twisted and I would say 50% blocked by a tree. After reading advice online I decided to ignore it as it wasnt issued by the council and was told by several people that it cannot be enforced. I emailed them saying that I will not be paying the fine due to bad signage etc. No response. I recieved a county court claim last month, the price had gone up to nearly £300. I responded to the claim through the gov website explaining the bad signage etc, but it doesn't allow to add photo evidence. And now yesterday I got an email from DCB legal stating that the client intends to proceed with the claim, we both need to file a N180 directions questionnaire and that my client may be prepared to settle the case, with a phone number to call. I called that number this morning to ask some very basic questions like, what is the address I need to send the N180 too and what did the email mean by discussing a settlement, and she wouldn't answer a single thing, she told me I need to seek my own legal advice or contact citizens advice.

Im now just unsure what to do, if the signage was clear and i knew i had made a mistake, i would of paid the fine straight away, but i would like to stand my ground as i really cant afford this if i dont have too. Do i fill out the N180 form or do I call them to discuss settlement?

Apologies for the bad wording and understanding of things, I'm really not good with this stuff

[des8]

DCBLegal are genuine solicitors, but not particularly pleasant if you are the defendant.

You should have received the Directions questionnaire (form nN180) from the court
Phone the court and find out what has happened to your copy
The completed form needs to be filed and served within the time limit.
If you fail to file the claimant might well obtain judgment by default.

You will then receive further directions from the court concerning such things as submitting your witness statement

If you lose you only have a CCJ registered against you if you fail to pay the award within 30 days

as this is your first time through the mill you might find these links useful:
https://www.judiciary.uk/publication...-civil-221013/
https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/...+web+FINAL.pdf

you probably did have a valid defence, and might still win, but as you have filed a defence I suppose you have admitted being the driver, and haven't challenged the increase in the charge.

It is for you to decide if it is worth risking the court or see if they will accept a lower payment now.
It will cost them to attend court, and the costs they can recover from you are very limited, so it might be worth perservering with a lower offer.
On the other hand, due to their costs, they might not even turn up at court!

[Rocky4510]

Thanks so much for your reply. I will give the court a call tomorrow and ask the question. With making them a lower offer, who would I make the offer to? Would I phone DCB and ask yo make an offer or would I go to Bank park directly?

[atticus]

Write a letter. Get it on record.

[Rocky4510]

As in my statement, and send it to DCB legal?