Free Traffic Legal Advice

I have received letter from DCBL notifying me that failure to pay £170 has resulted in them recommending to their client that they start legal action, the cost of which will be added to the debt.

Their client is ParkingEye Limited and the parking ticket is from Oct 2022 and was issued for parking without a ticket in a Marriott Hotel carpark in England.

Some background -
1. The vehicle is a lease car and the lease company is the registered keeper.
2. The vehicle was parked in the carpark with the agreement from the hotel that during our stay the parking was included

It took some time for us to receive the parking ticket from Parking Eye as it went to the lease company first and then was forwarded on to us (along with a fee from lease company for their services).

Representations were made vie email to Parking Eye in Jun 2023 but the reply came back saying the case had already been passed on to DCBL.
Parking Eye did say they had passed on my appeal to DCBL so I waited to hear from them.

I received a demand for payment in Nov 2023 from DCBL and in response I emailed them saying the ticket was given in error and forwarded them my correspondence with Parking Eye.

I heard nothing back from them and assumed the matter was concluded.

The next letter we received was Dec 2024, over a year later, stating it was a Final Demand for payment. 

I phoned them this time to try and explain but was told that no appeal could be made because it had been passed on to them.
Parking eye say they can't do anything because it's been passed to DCBL although DCBL are saying they will recommend their client (presumably Parking Eye) begin legal action.

Is there anything I can do at this time or am I going to have to appear in court to fight this?

Thanks for any advice you can give me.