If you received a NtH, did it also come with the required documents?
See paragraph 13 of
An Act to provide for the destruction, retention, use and other regulation of certain evidential material; to impose consent and other requirements in relation to certain processing of biometric in...
(a)a statement signed by or on behalf of the vehicle-hire firm to the effect that at the material time the vehicle was hired to a named person under a hire agreement;
(b)a copy of the hire agreement; and
(c)a copy of a statement of liability signed by the hirer under that hire agreement.
They won’t have done this, so you will have a defence based on no liability because of their failure to comply with the requirements of PoFA 2012 to transfer liability to the hirer.
The forum contains a number of similar cases in which UKPC has not complied with PoFA to transfer liability, and indeed many parking companies do not, just sending something called a "Notice to Hirer" without the supporting documentation is usually enough to persuade the majority of recipients to pay but there is no legal reason without complying with PoFA 2012. Now that you've passed the appeal stage, you will have to file a defence and will have to stay on top of the paperwork, but it's normal for DCB Legal to discontinue cases before having to pay the court fee. You will get advice from here on the process but you will have to stay on top of your deadlines. Even if you don't get your SAR response in time, you're on pretty firm ground with the PoFA 2012 argument anyway.
When you come to write a defence, I would advise starting by disputing the Particulars of Claim on the N1SDT form, stating that the driver of the car has never been identified and that you are being pursued as the hirer of the car. Then go on to say that, as hirer, you can not be liable for the actions of the unknown driver because UKPC has not complied with the requirements of PoFA 2012 Schedule 4 Paragraph 13 with its Notice to Hirer sent to you to transfer the liability to you, because .....
