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Hi, I received a Notice of Debt Recovery for £170 in Feb dated 31st January from DCBL for 'parking incorrectly within the markings of the bay' in a car park on the 2nd January. This was £100 parking plus £70 costs. I had not received anything prior to this and had not had a PCN on my car. Following advice on here, I ignored all further demands from DCBL and did a SARS. It transpired that I had not changed my address with the DVLA when I moved (I thought changing my driving license was sufficient) although I did have mail forwarding so should have received any letters.
Unfortunately I have had a few things going on personally so did not do anything when I received the Letter Before Claim from DCB Legal dated 26th June and have now received court documents dated 6th August. I haven't done anything yet but am about to complete the Acknowledgement of Service in the required time frame and then I will need to complete my defense. Any advice on what that defense should contain would be much appreciated. They added debt recovery costs (or 'damages') as they put on the court form, of £70, to the original £100 and with court fees, interest and legal reps costs the debt is now £262.36. Have I read that they are not allowed to add costs/damages of £70 and they have been chastised for doing this in the past? Should that be in my defense?
I would have actually paid the £60 if I had received the PCN or anything else within the first 14 days that allowed me the early pay discount to avoid this hassle, but £170 was just so ridiculously over-inflated I wasn't prepared to pay it. Unfortunately that the DVLA had my previous address means I have no excuse for not having received their letters.
All redacted documentation I have received from them is here: https://imgur.com/a/RpdsLYU
Any pointers would be very welcome.
Unfortunately I have had a few things going on personally so did not do anything when I received the Letter Before Claim from DCB Legal dated 26th June and have now received court documents dated 6th August. I haven't done anything yet but am about to complete the Acknowledgement of Service in the required time frame and then I will need to complete my defense. Any advice on what that defense should contain would be much appreciated. They added debt recovery costs (or 'damages') as they put on the court form, of £70, to the original £100 and with court fees, interest and legal reps costs the debt is now £262.36. Have I read that they are not allowed to add costs/damages of £70 and they have been chastised for doing this in the past? Should that be in my defense?
I would have actually paid the £60 if I had received the PCN or anything else within the first 14 days that allowed me the early pay discount to avoid this hassle, but £170 was just so ridiculously over-inflated I wasn't prepared to pay it. Unfortunately that the DVLA had my previous address means I have no excuse for not having received their letters.
All redacted documentation I have received from them is here: https://imgur.com/a/RpdsLYU
Any pointers would be very welcome.
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