Free Traffic Legal Advice

SETTLEMENT REACHED.

Following a Notice of Trial at the County Court Guildford, DCB Legal offered to settle the case.

Given the hearing was listed for 1.5 hours and the sum to settle was only £60 I believe the court’s time would be better spent on a more important matter.

It is a shame it has taken this long to reach a conclusion. In their final correspondence DCB Legal wrote that they wish, 'To assist the Court in achieving its overriding objective…'.  This is despite them failing to make such an offer during mediation – a process designed to avoid matters having to be heard in court.

I would like to thank everyone on FTLA who has helped over the months. Keep up the good work. There will be countless people who are very worried about the prospect of being sued and who pay up immediately simply to avoid such anxiety.

With luck we will see changes to the law in due course. It should not be possible for companies to buy up 'debt' based on alleged offences that are many years old. As these businesses would not turn a profit without charging more than the original sum owed we have formula which inevitably leads to injustice.

The fact these companies also pursue members of the public in such an aggressive manor cannot be in the public interest.

The Claimant has to pay the trial fee of £27 by 8th July 2026. I will scan and post the court documents asap.

Hi Jackisback123

I overlooked a reply to your post with the Street view of the location where the offence is alleged to have taken place. My apologies and thanks for that.

This was very interesting as it shows a ‘Bunnings’ sign (they purchased and rebranded Homebase) where the car park was.

Bunnings stopped trading in 2018 and the brand reverted to Homebase under new ownership.

I have asked, in our defence, that ‘The Claimant is put to strict proof with contemporaneous photographs’.

The Particulars of Claim state that the driver/keeper was parked at ‘Homebase’ in, ‘breach of the terms on the signs (the contract).

The ‘date of the contravention’ is December 24th 2019. The Homebase closed in March 2020 (and has been demolished along with the car park).

It will be interesting to see if the Claimant provides photographs of adequately visible HOMEBASE signage that constitute an enforceable contract.

Thanks DWMB2,

I had and used the draft order, found using the link, but I would like to potentially quote the Case in question and Name of judge who heard it?

I accept it may not be helpful but would like the details if possible?

Hi DWMB2,

Apologies...I didn't have time to explain that the Claim History I asked about does show a filed DQ but I was not sure if this was merely the short version on the N180 form – rather than the full version you kindly assisted with months earlier.

With luck the new defence will do to satisfy the Judge.

I am putting it into a Word Document ready for submission (wherever it is best sent). Let me know if there is anything else I should consider adding?

I'll scan and send link to letter asap

Hi,

I managed to log in to the Money Claim Online portal. There is no evidence the defence has been received. It reads as follows:

Claim History
DQ filed by claimant on 30/07/2025
You filed a DQ on 09/09/2025
Your claim was transferred to GUILDFORD on 11/10/2025

Here is a link to the screenshot:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0eq95nnaafy7ram9mow1w/Claim-History.jpg?rlkey=g6v1h9yf14hbzvuchw4jantrp&dl=0

Should I submit the existing template defence & our draft order again? If so what is the best way to do this?