Urgent Advice Needed: Unexpected Final Reminder for £100 PCN from ParkMaven

[Rav123]

Hello esteemed members of Legal Beagles,

I hope you're all doing well. I'm currently facing a perplexing situation with ParkMaven and am seeking advice on the best course of action.

Situation Overview: Today, the 23rd of October, I received a final reminder from ParkMaven demanding immediate payment of £100 for an event that allegedly took place on the 12th of September. This is the very first communication I've received from them regarding this matter, and I was completely unaware of any such event prior to today.

Key Points:

1. The final reminder states that the 14-day discount period has now passed. However, given that this is my first notification about the event, I was never provided an opportunity to benefit from this discount period.
2. The letter, dated the 18th of October, warns that failure to pay the full amount within seven days may lead to debt recovery action or court proceedings against me. Given that I only received the letter today, five days after its date, this essentially leaves me with just two days to address the situation.
3. I was not the driver of the vehicle on the 12th of September, the date of the alleged event.
4. The letter provides minimal details about the event, only mentioning the times the vehicle entered and exited a location on Lincoln Road. There are no photographs, specific location details, or any other evidence provided.
5. The contact number provided on the letter is solely for making payments, with no option to speak to a representative. Similarly, the website link directs me to a payment portal with no option to appeal or dispute the charge.

Seeking Advice: Given the above circumstances, I'm keen to understand:

1. How should I approach ParkMaven, especially considering the limited time frame and lack of prior communication?
2. Are there any legal guidelines or BPA regulations that might be relevant in this situation?
3. Has anyone else faced a similar situation with ParkMaven or other parking operators, and if so, how did you handle it?

I genuinely appreciate any guidance or advice you can offer. This situation has been quite distressing, and I'm eager to address it in the most informed and fair manner possible.

Thank you in advance for your time and expertise.

Warm regards,

Rav

[des8]

1)You could ignore them and await debt collectors letters or perhaps a county court claim, at which point you request copies of all correspondence by sending a Subject Access Request or
2) write telling them you have not received any previous correspondence, so could they send you copies as you don't
know what they are on about. Make sure you do not identify the possible driver or
3) pay up

I would go for 2), but your choice!

[Rav123]

1)You could ignore them and await debt collectors letters or perhaps a county court claim, at which point you request copies of all correspondence by sending a Subject Access Request or
2) write telling them you have not received any previous correspondence, so could they send you copies as you don't
know what they are on about. Make sure you do not identify the possible driver or
3) pay up

I would go for 2), but your choice!

Thank you. I concur that option 2 appears to be the most suitable approach. I've located the email address "support@parkmaven.com" mentioned in their complaints policy. I'll reach out to them and await their response

[Rav123]

Hello again, Legal Beagles Community,

I'm back with an update on my parking fine issue and some new developments that have occurred since my last post.

Quick Recap: As you might recall, I was dealing with a £100 parking fine from Park Maven, despite not being the driver of the vehicle at the time of the alleged contravention and having received no prior notices. Following the advice from this forum, I wrote to Park Maven to dispute the fine and clarify the situation but received no response.

Recent Developments: Today, I received a letter from DCBL, a debt collection agency, demanding £170. This is a significant increase from the original fine, which I suspect was much lower initially.

Actions: Based on previous advice from the community:

• I will send a Subject Access Request to DCBL to obtain all information they hold about me and this case.
• I have written again to Park Maven today, informing them of the situation and reiterating my position. I'm currently awaiting their response.

Given these actions and the latest demand from DCBL, I have a few questions and concerns:

1. Legal Proceedings: With DCBL's warning of legal proceedings if I don't pay within 14 days, what should I be preparing for, considering I've already taken steps to dispute this?
2. Cost Escalation: The fine has now more than tripled from the original amount. If this goes to court, what additional costs could I be facing?
3. Further Steps: Is there anything else I should be doing at this stage? I've followed the advice given so far, but this new development with DCBL is concerning.
4. Contesting the Fine: Given that I wasn't the driver and have not been able to present this to Park Maven, how should I proceed in contesting the £170 demanded by DCBL?

Your advice and insights on these new developments would be incredibly helpful. This situation is proving to be quite complex and stressful, and I want to make sure I'm handling it as effectively as possible.

Thank you all once again for your continued support and guidance.

Best regards,


Rav

[des8]

You have left your identity visible on the DCBL letter, so edit!

DCBL can either be ignored or you can write explaining you are awaiting a response from Park Maven
DC.BL are debt collectors and are toothless

Eventually you will hear from their sister company DCB Legal, at that point come back here
They will probably send a "letter before action", and then you respond to find out exactly what has happened.

[Rav123]

Hello everyone,

I have now received a letter from DCB Legal and a Claim Form.

Here's a recap and the latest developments:

• September 19, 2023: Alleged parking incident occurred. I was not driving the vehicle as I was at work.
• October 18, 2023: First notification of the incident via a letter demanding £100, received on October 23, 2023. I reached out to Park Maven for clarification.
• Response from Park Maven: They noted the appeal period had expired but reset the due date for a reduced payment. Provided proof of initial PCN dispatch via hybrid mail.
• System Error: Attempted to handle the matter through their online system on November 16, but encountered errors.
• November 20, 2023: Contacted Park Maven regarding the system issue; no resolution.
• New Demand and Forum Advice: Received a £170 demand from DCBL.
• Legal Escalation: As predicted, I received a letter from DCB Legal, to which I did not respond, followed by a claim form from the court demanding £262.28.

Following guidance from this site, I've logged into Money Claim Online and submitted an Acknowledgment of Service (AOS) within the stipulated 14-day period, opting to dispute and intend to defend all parts of this claim as an interim measure to buy time and remain compliant.

Questions:

1. How should I handle the legal claim when I was not the driver at the time of the alleged offense?
2. Considering calling DCBL directly to discuss the situation—would this be advisable? I am hoping to negotiate a fair resolution or at least understand my options better. Any advice or experiences would be immensely helpful.

Attached are redacted copies of all documents related to this case. Please advise on the next steps I should take.

Thank you in advance for your help!

[des8]

So send a CPR 31.14 request to DCBL
There is a template in the SHORTCUTS panel on the right of this page.
It will need amending for your case, but you should be requesting copies of (i) the PCN(s) (ii)fully legible photo(s) of the whole of the signs/contract

You have until 14th May to file your defence, so no problems
Did you ever obtain a copy of the PCN?

Post back when you hear from DCBL, or at the beginning of May

[Rav123]

Thank you for your guidance. I will send a CPR 31.14 request to DCBL using the template provided, amending it to include requests for copies of the PCN and fully legible photos of the signs/contract as suggested. I appreciate the reminder about the defense filing deadline of May 14th; I've marked it on my calendar.

To answer your question, yes, I did receive a copy of the PCN. They sent it as an email attachment at the same time they sent the proof of posting, when I requested more information.

With all this in mind, do you think I have a reasonable chance of success if this case goes to court? Any further advice or thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated as I prepare my defense.

Thanks again for your help!

[des8]

When the PCN and signage are to hand it should be possible to produce a viable defence.