Just received this by email


Claim number: N1QZ5389
Parties: VEHICLE CONTROL SERVICES LIMITED V MR DAVID MCMAHON
Your telephone mediation appointment

Appointment date: 30/04/2026
Appointment time slot: 15:00 to 17:00
Your confidential telephone mediation appointment has been booked for the above date and time slot. The mediator may call at any point within your timeslot to start the appointment. Please be ready to accept a call at any point during your timeslot. Your appointment will last for around one hour from the point at which the mediator calls. The mediator will call from a withheld number. Make sure that withheld/private numbers are not blocked on your phone.
The mediator will call both parties separately – you will not talk directly to the other side. They will try to help you come to an agreement with the other party. If an agreement is reached at mediation the case will not need to progress to court.
Where your mediation appointment is mandatory, if you do not attend the appointment, the judge will take this into consideration at any court hearing and may issue a penalty. This could include the judge automatically ruling in the other party’s favour or ordering you to pay for some or all the other party’s costs.
What you need to do to prepare for your telephone appointment:

The mediation service requires a contact number to conduct the appointment. If you have not already provided these details in your Directions Questionnaire then please contact scmreferrals
@justice.gov.uk prior to your appointment so that your contact details can be updated.
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO PROVIDE YOUR CASE/CLAIM NUMBER IN THE RESPONSE TO THE EMAIL.
If YOU will be attending the mediation appointment YOURSELF, please provide us with your full name and the best telephone number so the mediator is able to call you.
If you would like SOMEONE ELSE (like a trusted friend, relative or a solicitor) to attend on your behalf please fill out the attached delegation of authority to mediate form. Your representative must know the facts of the case, understand how far you’re willing to compromise and have full authority to act on your behalf. You’re legally bound to any settlement agreements your representative makes on your behalf.
Failure to provide contact details will result in your mediation appointment not taking place and could result in a Judge issuing a penalty where the mediation was mandatory.
If the mediator cannot contact you within 10 minutes of the appointment start, the appointment will be marked as not conducted and you may face a penalty for non-attendance.
Make sure you are in a suitable location for the appointment that is free from distractions. The mediator will cancel the appointment immediately if you are driving even if you are using a hands-free device.
The dates to avoid which you provided on your Directions Questionnaire were taken into account when booking your appointment. We are only able to re-book appointments in exceptional circumstances.

Please see attached documents for more information about what happens within your mediation appointment.

Please ensure you also continue to check your junk email folder for any future email contact from the Small Claims Mediation team prior to your scheduled appointment.
Small Claims Mediation Service contact details

If you have any complaints or issues to raise about the Mediation Service, contact us by email or telephone:
Email: scmreferrals
@justice.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 123 4593
Webchat: Chat with an agent
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
We record our calls for monitoring and training as it helps improve the service we deliver. If you want to know more about how we handle your personal data, visit
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/your-data-and-how-we-use-itIf you want to make a complaint by email, clearly title your message as ‘complaint’ in the subject field.

This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Internet e-mail is not a secure medium. Any reply to this message could be intercepted and read by someone else. Please bear that in mind when deciding whether to send material in response to this message by e-mail. This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. Monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be read at any time. You have a responsibility to ensure laws are not broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.
What do I do/say ?
Show Posts