Contesting legal fees associated with parking fines

[emma252]

Hello all, I appreciate any help you can offer regarding this enquiry; I’ve looked all over these threads and on Google and can’t find much information!

I have agreed to pay a ‘late” parking fine - I didn’t receive any PCN in the post and the county court claim letter was the first I’d heard of the fine!

Via the Money Claim Online Portal I agreed to pay the original ‘late fine” amount (£180) but I contested the added legal fees which would have meant a total of £265 was due to Gladstone’s Solicitors. I felt that as I had received no prior correspondence before the county court claim letter that these fees were unfair.

Since then I have received a court judgement that says I need to pay the original fine amount (£180) plus £125 in legal fees which now brings the total to MORE than the original amount they were asking for! Do I have any grounds to contest the legal fees which I feel are disproportionate and unfair? I’ve tried to ring Civil National Business Centre but was 57th in the queue and gave up.

I don’t see the point in issuing a defence online via the money claim portal if it’s just going to be ignored?!

[des8]

Sounds a bit odd to me.
Having admitted to the parking charge of £100, plus £80 costs/damages you weren't in a position to deny the court costs and solicitors fees of £85.
So the court were bound to award the full £265.
However don't understand from where the extra £40 comes.

Perhaps you could post up a redacted copy of the judgment.

Meanwhile tagging atticus to see if he can enlighten us

[atticus]

I cannot