Poole BMI Harbour Hospital parking fine. Help needed.

[mariukonie]

Hi.
First of all please ignore writing mistakes because English is not my native language. Sorry about inconvenience.
I've received a letter of claim from DCB Legal solicitors for "Parked without registering vehicle at the reception" at Poole BMI Harbour Hospital, Poole BH152BH.
This it the first I hear from them. The amount they ask to pay is 170 pounds (100 fine plus 70 cost) and I didn't even get the first letter in which they are supposed to offer 40% discount.
The fine is for 18 minutes.
I recently changed address and the letter came to new address. No correspondence about this matter came to previous address earlier.
The parking happened back in July so I don't even remember if it was me driving.
What is the best way to deal with it. It seems like an extorsion and is it not too late for them to chase me for this? How can they prove that it was me who parked?
I really appreciate if you could advise me on this.
Thank you.

[des8]

Please note you have not been sent a "fine". It is an invoice for an alleged unpaid parking charge.

You need to write to DCB Legal telling them this is the first you have heard about a parking incident at the hospital, and so you need full details from them about it. Tell them this should include photos of any signs, and copies of any parking charge notices.

I believe the parking company is Britannia Parking.
So send them a Subject Access Request (template here https://legalbeagles.org/library/gui...ccess-request/)

Do not identify the driver when writing to either of them nor on here.

When you hear from them post back on this thread

[mariukonie]

Thanks so much. I will do that and post back. Best regards.

[mariukonie]

Hi.
I still haven't written to them but there is a little update.
I heard about PALS and thought I try and give them a call.
I couldn't get anywhere with PALS, they say it's a private hospital where I got the fine. When I say that this hospital treats NHS patients and keep on giving me different numbers to call and I am running in circles. I will try again on Monday but am I correct to ask them to step in since it was NHS treatment?
After getting nowhere with PALS I called the hospital and asked them to cancel the fine. Couple days later I called again to check and they confirmed the fine has been cancelled by hospital manager. Should I still write to the DCB solicitors or is that it and I can forget about it? I only have the hospital word, nothing in writing.
Thanks for advice.

[des8]

PALS sometimes help, sometimes don't.

Well done on getting it cancelled, but I would try and get the hospital to confirm that in writing and then keep that letter safe for 6 years at least.
(These parking management firms have a habit of resurrecting these parking charges, even after they have been paid)
It is possible that the Hospital have instructed Britannia to cancel the charge, but the message might not get through to DCB Legal !

[mariukonie]

I tried to get the hospital to confirm the cancellation in writing and it turns out the lady in reception was mistaken (when she said it was cancelled). The hospital now says they can't cancel because it has already gone to legal team and there would have been costs involved for them if they were to cancel this fine. So I guess I'll have to fight it all the way.
The 30 day deadline is on 30th January so tomorrow I'll write email to the solicitors.

[des8]

OK, so come back to this thread when you hear from DCB Legal.
Remember not tp identify the driver

[mariukonie]

Good morning all. I've heard back from DCB. Is it safe for my case to copy and paste their emails here or should I better explain it in my own words?
Please advise what's the best way to make a complaint to their client landowner and MP and should it be my MP where I live (150 miles away from Poole) or MP for Poole? I can ask my brother who lives in Poole to make a complaint too. Thank you so much for advise. Best wishes.

[des8]

Post up their response, first removing any identifying details such as name, address and ref numbers

[mariukonie]

They've sent me two emails. I've removed all identifying details.
The first:

"Thank you for your email received where you have advised you would like to raise a complaint.
I can confirm that I will be your complaints handler and once a review of your concerns have been completed a response will be provided as per our complaint’s procedure.
A copy of which can be located on our website."

Earlier I wrote in letter to them that I'll complain to my MP and landowner so I guess they want to side-track my complaint to their internal department. Could you please advise or point into some material about how to complain to my MP and landowner please?

The second email is:

WITHOUT PREJUDICE
We write to you in relation to the above matter.
Our Client may be prepared to settle this case. I can confirm our Client would be agreeable to £100 in full and final settlement of this Claim. The current outstanding balance is £170.
Should you be agreeable to this offer, please confirm the same within 7 days. Payment can be made via our website www.dcblegal.co.uk, by calling our office on 0203 838 7038 or via bank transfer:　
DCB Legal Ltd Client Account　　
Sort Code: _______
Account no: _______
When making payment please ensure you include the following reference number, _________ to enable us to allocate it to the correct case.
Upon receipt of the settlement sum of *£100 we will update our client that the matter has been settled. If you are not agreeable, a claim may be issued against you.

Kind Regards, "

(There was a typo in second letter that I corrected if it makes any difference.)
Thanks in advance for help.

[des8]

Regarding the first letter, complaining to DCBL or the parking company or an MP will not help. It will be a waste of your time and effort.
You have already complained to and requested help from the land occupier (the hospital) and that was of no use.
All that DCBLegal and the parking company are interested in, is you paying .

Now in the second letter they are indicating they will accept payment of the original £100 charge, but they haven't responded to your request for copies of the original Parking Charge Notice, or photos of the hospital parking signs.

As you don't know who was driving the vehicle, they don't know either, and so those documents are important for them to show you as keeper are liable.
The documents have to be correct for them to succeed, so I would write back thanking them for the offer, but ask them to supply the documentation requested earlier before you decide whether or not to accept the offer.
Don't tell them why, nor enter any discussion with them. Just say you want to see that information.

[mariukonie]

Thank you so much. I'll to that tomorrow and let you know when I hear back from them.
Best regards.

[mariukonie]

Hi.
They've replied with copies of PCN, Final reminder, photos of signage and photos of car from ANPR camera at the entrance and exit. There's no photo of car being parked, only car entering and leaving and the face is not visible behind windscreen so can't recognise the driver. Can you please advise me on how to reply to email from solicitors below? Please let me know if you want me to post the photos here. Thank you in advance.

"We write in response to your correspondence received in our office dated xx/02/2025.

We respond as follows.

The Notice to Keeper was issued to you on xxth July 2024. A copy is attached. You were afforded the opportunity to; appeal the parking charge, transfer liability to the driver (if it was not you) or make payment. Neither a successful appeal, nor an adequate nomination were received, yet payment remains outstanding.

The Reminder Notice was issued to you on xxth August 2024. A copy is attached. This notice reiterated that payment was outstanding and confirmed that legal action may be taken, and additional costs incurred if the parking charge was not paid.

As payment was not made, either within 14 or 28 days, the creditor was entitled to instruct debt recovery agents / Solicitors to pursue payment and is entitled to recover the costs of doing so.  It would have been made clear in the terms and conditions set out in the signs that additional enforcement costs may be incurred in the event of non-payment.

Please note, the terms and conditions on the signs stated that parking was permitted for authorised staff, patients and visitors only and all vehicles must be registered at reception or otherwise a parking charge notice would be issued.

The vehicle (xxxxx) was recorded parked on the land for 10 minutes as is demonstrated in the photographic evidence attached.

For reference, when parking on private land, the contractual terms of the site are set out on the signs. You are entering a contract and agreeing to the terms by parking and staying on the site. Parking in breach of the terms as stipulated on the signage means that you are then breaking the terms of the contract.

In accordance with the British Parking Association (BPA) Code of Practice, where the Parking Charge (PC) becomes overdue and before Court proceedings have commenced, a reasonable sum may be added for the debt recovery fees.

Schedule 4 (4)(1) of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (“the Act”) states “The creditor has the right to recover any unpaid parking charges from the keeper of the vehicle”. For the purpose of the Act; “keeper” means the person by whom the vehicle is kept at the time the vehicle was parked, which in the case of a registered vehicle is to be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, to be the registered keeper. The DVLA confirmed that you were the Registered Keeper at the time the parking charge notice was issued and as no transfer of liability has been received by our Client, they have the right to recover the parking charge from you as the Keeper of the vehicle.

The parking charge was issued correctly.

Please refer to our clients without prejudice offer set out below.

I can confirm our Client would be agreeable to £100 in full and final settlement of this Claim. The current outstanding balance is £170.

Should you be agreeable to this offer, please confirm the same within 7 days.

Payment can be made via our website www.dcblegal.co.uk, by calling our office on 0203 838 7038 or via bank transfer:　

DCB Legal Ltd Client Account　　

Sort Code: 20-24-xx

Account no: xxxxxxxxx

When making payment please ensure you include the following reference number, xxxxxxxxx. to enable us to allocate it to the correct case.

Upon receipt of the settlement sum of *£100 we will update our client that the matter has been settled. If you are not agreeable, a claim may be issued againt you."

[des8]

please post up the PCN, Final reminder, photos of signage and photos of car from ANPR camera at the entrance and exit..
remove identifying details ~(name, address registration ~& reference numbers) but leave in all dates & times

[mariukonie]

Sorry for late reply, it took me some time to edit this. Please see attached PDFs. Best wishes.