Free Traffic Legal Advice

communicating with the useless DCBL. They are powerless debt collectors and their only ability is to try and persuade the low-hanging fruit on the gullible tree to pay up out of ignorance and fear.

If this is the first you have heard about these PCNs, then you have to ask yourself whether your V5C was up to date at the times of the alleged contraventions back in 2020. You MUST immediately send a Data Rectification Notice (DRN) to the OBS DPO at john.portway@observices.co.uk and CC in enquiries@observices.co.uk and also yourself.

The DRN must instruct them to update their records with your current address for service and to erase any old address they may have. The highlighted words are there for a reason, so use them.

Check your V5C and make sure it is up to date now. Changing the address on your drivers licence does not update your V5C.

There is not much else you can do for now. When you receive a Letter of Claim (LoC), come back and we can advise you on how to respond. If you follow this advice, you won't be paying a penny to OBS Services.

Just send the DRN to be sure. If you still have the V5 then you can check it for the date it was last updated, whilst it was in your possession.

I have now received letter from DCB Legal, please advise what to do next.

We can't advise you on how to respond to a letter we haven't seen. Please show us.

If you have sent a DRN in August and still not heard back, chase.

Read the READ THIS FIRST as per the link helpfully provided in the previous post.

Thank you.

Hopefully I have done it correct. Let me know if you unable to open it please.

Thank you,
Andrzej

Where is the "The details of the Parking Charge(s) can be found in the schedule at the bottom of this letter." page?

Hmmm... you may be able to push this past 3rd January 2026 and if the claim is not issued before that date, the first PCN times out and they cannot sue for it.

What are the dates of the actually alleged contravention for each of the PCNs? The 6 year limitation runs from that date, not the issue date of the PCN (NtK). You will need to send a request for documentation (see below). Once that documentation is sent, the 30 day clock starts running again. At the limit of that deadline, then send an email informing them that you require a 30 day hold for debt advice. Hopefully, that would at least take you beyond the statute of limitation for the first PCN. After that, they can issue a claim for the second one and as long as you defend it using our advice, the will eventually discontinue that.

On Friday 17th October (not before and definitely no later than Sunday 19th October) you email the following to info@dcblegal.co.uk and CC yourself:

Subject: Claim [claim number – N279 signed “claimant’s solicitor” (paralegal): authority to conduct litigation & signature compliance

Dear Sir/Madam,

Quote

Subject: Response to your Letter of Claim Ref: [reference number]

Dear Sirs,

Your Letter Before Claim contains insufficient detail of the claim and fails to provide copies of the evidence your client places reliance upon, putting it in clear breach of the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims.

As a supposed firm of solicitors, one would expect you to comply with paragraphs 3.1(a)–(d), 5.1 and 5.2 of the Protocol, and paragraphs 6(a) and 6(c) of the Practice Direction. These provisions exist to facilitate informed discussion and proportionate resolution. You may wish to reacquaint yourselves with them.

The Civil Procedure Rules 1998, Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols (Part 3), require the exchange of sufficient information to understand each other’s position. Part 6 clarifies that this includes disclosure of key documents relevant to the issues in dispute.

Your template letter refers to a “contract” yet encloses none. That omission undermines the only foundation upon which your client’s claim allegedly rests. It is not possible to engage in meaningful pre-litigation dialogue while you decline to furnish the very document you purport to enforce.

I confirm that, once I am in receipt of a Letter Before Claim that complies with para 3.1(a), I shall seek advice and submit a formal response within 30 days, as required. Accordingly, please provide:

1. A copy of the original Notice to Keeper (NtK) and any notice chain relied upon to assert PoFA 2012 liability.

2. A copy of the contract you allege exists between your client and the driver, being an actual photograph of the sign(s) in place on the material date (not a stock image), together with a site plan showing the sign locations.

3. The precise wording of the clause(s) allegedly breached.

4. The written agreement between your client and the landowner evidencing standing/authority to enforce and to litigate.

5. A breakdown of the sums claimed, identifying whether the principal sum is claimed as consideration or damages, and whether the £70 “debt recovery” add-on includes VAT.


I am entitled to this information under paragraphs 6(a) and 6(c) of the Practice Direction, and I require it to meet my own obligation under paragraph 6(b).

If you fail to provide the above, I will treat that as non-compliance with the PAPDC and Pre-Action Conduct and will raise a formal complaint to the SRA regarding your conduct. I reserve the right to place this correspondence before the Court and to seek appropriate sanctions and costs (including, where appropriate, a stay and/or other case management orders).

Until your client complies and provides the requested material, I am unable to respond properly to the alleged claim or to consider my position. It would be premature and a waste of costs and court time to issue proceedings. Should you do so, I will seek immediate case management relief pursuant to paragraph 15(b) of the Practice Direction and an order compelling provision of the above.

Please note, I will not engage with any web portal; I will only respond by email or post.

Yours faithfully,

[Your name]

When you receive their response, let us know and we can then calculate the deadline for send in the debt advice request.