Sorry. I only specialise in parking related matters, However, here is the advice for your N180:
Having received your own N180 (make sure it is not simply a copy of the claimants N180), do not use the paper form. Ignore all the other forms that came with it. you can discard those. Download your own here and fill it in on your computer. You sign it by simply typing your full name in the signature box.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/673341e779e9143625613543/N180_1124.pdf
Here are the answers to some of the less obvious questions:
• The name of the court is "Civil National Business Centre".
• To be completed by "Your full name" and you are the "Defendant".
• C1: "YES"
• D1: "NO". Reason: "I wish to question the Claimant about their evidence at a hearing in person and to expose omissions and any misleading or incorrect evidence or assertions.
Given the Claimant is a firm who complete cut & paste parking case paperwork for a living, having this case heard solely on papers would appear to put the Claimant at an unfair advantage, especially as they would no doubt prefer the Defendant not to have the opportunity to expose the issues in the Claimants template submissions or speak as the only true witness to events in question.."
• F1: Whichever is your nearest county court. Use this to find it: https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/search-option
• F3: "1".
• Sign the form by simply typing your full name for the signature.
When you have completed the form, attach it to a single email addressed to both dq.cnbc@justice.gov.uk and info@dcblegal.co.uk and CC in yourself. Make sure that the claim number is in the subject field of the email.
So, the defence was not registered but you have proof of having sent it. You now need to send an email to the CNCB with the following:
That CCJ MUST be reversed by the CNBC if the Judgment date is after the date you emailed the defence.
Send a complaint email immediately to the CNBC attaching the proof of emailing the defence and getting the acknowledgment BEFORE judgment was entered.
DO NOT ACCEPT BEING TOLD YOU HAVE TO FILL IN AN APPLICATION/PAY A FEE.
I suggest you send the following immediately:
Subject: Urgent Complaint – Defence Submitted but Ignored; Irregular Default Judgment Must Be Set Aside Without Delay
To: caseprogression.cnbc@justice.gov.uk
Cc: claimresponses.cnbc@justice.gov.uk
Date: [Insert today’s date]
Dear Sirs,
Re: Formal Complaint Regarding Irregular Default Judgment
Claim Number: [Insert claim number]
Claimant: [Insert claimant's name]
Defendant: [Insert your full name]
I am writing to raise an urgent and formal complaint regarding the failure of the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC) to process a defence that was duly filed within the permitted time, resulting in the unlawful entry of a default County Court Judgment (CCJ) against me on 20th March 2025.
The chronology of relevant events is as follows:
• The claim was issued on 11th February 2025.
• I filed an Acknowledgement of Service via MCOL on 17th February 2025.
• I submitted my fully prepared Defence by email to claimresponses.cnbc@justice.gov.uk at 09:43 on 17th February 2025, well within the deadline.
• I received your automatic acknowledgement response at 09:44 on 17th February 2025, confirming receipt of my submission.
• I received no communication from the court until 25th March 2025, when I was shocked to discover that a default CCJ had been entered on 20th March 2025, supposedly on the basis that no defence had been filed.
This default judgment is irregular and must be set aside immediately. The facts are clear: a defence was submitted in time and acknowledged by your systems, but was not processed through no fault of my own. The consequence of this clerical failure is a highly prejudicial court judgment that now appears on the public register and has already caused me considerable distress.
I refer you to an almost identical case in which His Honour Judge Etherington issued the following Order on 7th March 2025:
“Upon the Defendant having filed a Response but the Court Office not processing it;
Upon the Court entering Judgment on 4th March 2025
IT IS ORDERED:
The Judgment be set aside because the Defendant had filed a Response prior to the Court entering Judgment
...
REASONS:
The Judgment was entered at a time when the Defendant had filed a Response.
The Judgment is therefore irregular and must be set aside”
This precedent should be applied to my case without delay and without the need for an N244 application or the payment of any fee. The fault lies squarely with the CNBC and the irregular judgment must be corrected administratively.
I hereby demand that:
• The irregular default judgment be set aside immediately by administrative order.
• A certificate of cancellation be issued without delay.
• Written confirmation be provided that this matter has been corrected.
• An explanation be provided as to how this failure occurred.
• I am informed of what steps will be taken to prevent this from happening again, as I understand it is not an uncommon occurrence.
Please note that I reserve all rights to claim compensation for the stress and inconvenience this error has caused, and to escalate this matter to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman via my MP if a satisfactory and swift resolution is not provided.
I expect a substantive response within 5 working days.
Yours faithfully,
[Your full name]
[Your address]
[Your email address]
[Your phone number]
Claim Number: [Insert again for clarity]
This is the only bit we need to see:
(https://i.imgur.com/2zeyClR.jpeg)
Chuck all the other forms in the bin.
With an issue date of 11th February, you have until 2nd March to submit an Acknowledgement of Service (AoS). By submitting an AoS, you would then have until 4pm on Tuesday 11th March to submit your defence. If you do not submit an AoS, then you have until 4pm on Monday 17th March to submit the defence.
If you want to submit an AoS then follow the instructions in this linked PDF:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xvqu3bask5m0zir/money-claim-online-How-to-Acknowledge.pdf?dl=0
Otherwise, here is the defence and link to the draft order that goes with it. You only need to edit your name and the claim number. You sign the defence by typing your full name for the signature and date it. There is nothing to edit in the draft order.
When you're ready you send both documents as PDF attachments in an email to claimresponses.cnbc@justice.gov.uk and CC in yourself. The claim number must be in the email subject field and in the body of the email just put: "Please find attached the defence and draft order in the matter of Excel Parking Services Ltd v [your full name] Claim no.: [claim number]."
IN THE COUNTY COURT
Claim No: [Claim Number]
BETWEEN:
[Claimant]
Claimant
- and -
Excel Parking Services Ltd
Defendant
DEFENCE
1. The Defendant denies the claim in its entirety. The Defendant asserts that there is no liability to the Claimant and that no debt is owed. The claim is without merit and does not adequately disclose any comprehensible cause of action.
2. There is a lack of precise detail in the Particulars of Claim (PoC) in respect of the factual and legal allegations made against the Defendant such that the PoC do not comply with CPR 16.4.
3. The Defendant is unable to plead properly to the PoC because:
(a) The contract referred to is not detailed or attached to the PoC in accordance with CPR PD 16(7.5);
(b) The PoC do not state the exact wording of the clause (or clauses) of the terms and conditions of the contract (or contracts) which is/are relied on;
(c) The PoC do not adequately set out the reason (or reasons) why the claimant asserts the defendant has breached the contract (or contracts)
(d) The PoC do not state with sufficient particularity exactly where the breach occurred, the exact time when the breach occurred and how long it is alleged that the vehicle was parked before the parking charge was allegedly incurred;
(e) The PoC do not state precisely how the sum claimed is calculated, including the basis for any statutory interest, damages, or other charges;
(f) The PoC do not state what proportion of the claim is the parking charge and what proportion is damages;
(g) The PoC do not provide clarity on whether the Defendant is sued as the driver or the keeper of the vehicle, as the claimant cannot plead alternative causes of action without specificity.
4. The Defendant attaches to this defence a copy of a draft order approved by a district judge at another court. The court struck out the claim of its own initiative after determining that the Particulars of Claim failed to comply with CPR 16.4. The judge noted that the claimant had failed to:
(i) Set out the exact wording of the clause (or clauses) of the terms and conditions relied upon;
(ii) Adequately explain the reasons why the defendant was allegedly in breach of contract;
(iii) Provide separate, detailed Particulars of Claim as permitted under CPR PD 7C.5.2(2).
(iv) The court further observed that, given the modest sum claimed, requiring further case management steps would be disproportionate and contrary to the overriding objective. Accordingly, the judge struck out the claim outright rather
than permitting an amendment.
5. The Defendant submits that the same reasoning applies in this case and invites the court to adopt a similar approach by striking out the claim for the Claimant’s failure to comply with CPR 16.4.
Statement of truth
I believe that the facts stated in this Defence are true. I understand that proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against anyone who makes, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth.
Signed:
Date:
Draft Order for the defence (https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tcewefk7daozuje25chkl/Strikeout-order-v2.pdf?rlkey=wxnymo8mwcma2jj8xihjm7pdx&st=nbtf0cn6&dl=0)