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#Post#: 126125--------------------------------------------------
ADVICE/HELP needed please for Defence to Court Claim Form
received - Horizon Parking, Travelodge Enfield
DIR By: Friendly71
Date: July 28, 2026, 7:25 pm
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Hello, I'd be most grateful for any advice/help regarding a
Court Claim Form received, details below. As this is on behalf
of a friend's son, I do not have all the details to hand but can
make any necessary enquiries of him. Thank you very much in
advance!
- My friend's son (who had recently passed his driving test) was
driving in Enfield, London on 20 April 2025, when he suddenly
came across a lot of traffic / severe congestion due to a car
meet that was taking place in the area. Not knowing what else
to do, he pulled into the car park of a nearby Travelodge hotel,
in order to wait for the traffic to ease / congestion to clear.
I think that he did not exit his car at any point. He says that
the traffic took quite some time to clear, and after he left the
car park he subsequently received a parking charge notice and
further documents / reminders, all of which he unfortunately
ignored.
- He recently received a Court Claim Form, issue date 8 July
2026.
- He has filed an Acknowledgement of Service via Money Claim
online on 21 July 2026.
- He intends to file a Defence by the required date, which we
believe is 10 August 2026.
- I do not currently have the original parking charge notice or
any other documents other than the Claim Form.
- I am posting the Claim Form below, and also his initial appeal
to Horizon Parking, which was rejected.
- We would be most grateful for any advice about preparing a
Defence. He says he is prepared to go to court if necessary to
argue his case in person. He also says he would be prepared to
pay the original parking charge amount if it was possible to go
back to that stage.
Thank you so much, kind experts of this forum!
#Post#: 126126--------------------------------------------------
Re: ADVICE/HELP needed please for Defence to Court Claim Form
received - Horizon Parking, Travelodge Enfield
DIR By: Friendly71
Date: July 28, 2026, 7:30 pm
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HTML https://i.ibb.co/MKm6Vkc/Claim-Form.jpg
HTML https://ibb.co/8GHc5gr
#Post#: 126127--------------------------------------------------
Re: ADVICE/HELP needed please for Defence to Court Claim Form
received - Horizon Parking, Travelodge Enfield
DIR By: Friendly71
Date: July 28, 2026, 7:37 pm
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HTML https://i.ibb.co/d4T1tTfg/Claim-Form-page-2.jpg
HTML https://ibb.co/DfJsYJ1p
#Post#: 126128--------------------------------------------------
Re: ADVICE/HELP needed please for Defence to Court Claim Form
received - Horizon Parking, Travelodge Enfield
DIR By: Friendly71
Date: July 28, 2026, 7:38 pm
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HTML https://i.ibb.co/7JDSwkdz/Initial-appeal.jpg
HTML https://ibb.co/Y7SNz0FW
#Post#: 126138--------------------------------------------------
Re: ADVICE/HELP needed please for Defence to Court Claim Form
received - Horizon Parking, Travelodge Enfield
DIR By: jfollows
Date: July 29, 2026, 2:02 am
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It will not be possible to pay the original amount.
The driver has identified himself to be the driver in his
appeal, so any defence around the use of PoFA 2012
(
HTML https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/9/schedule/4)
to
transfer liability from an unknown driver to the registered
keeper is irrelevant.
The driver says that he "parked temporarily" in his appeal, and
Horizon will maintain that he did so after reading the signs and
then entering into a contract under the terms shown. Isn't all
parking temporary?
Obtain the original notice and any other documents with a
Subject Access Request to Horizon Parking. They may be helpful
in constructing a defence, although having identified the driver
this is less likely than otherwise.
A defence needs to be submitted by 4pm on 10 August, yes.
#Post#: 126193--------------------------------------------------
Re: ADVICE/HELP needed please for Defence to Court Claim Form
received - Horizon Parking, Travelodge Enfield
DIR By: Friendly71
Date: July 29, 2026, 9:31 am
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Thank you so much for your kind advice, which I will attempt to
action as urgently as possible. I am extremely grateful that
you took the time and trouble to reply.
#Post#: 126847--------------------------------------------------
Re: ADVICE/HELP needed please for Defence to Court Claim Form
received - Horizon Parking, Travelodge Enfield
DIR By: Friendly71
Date: August 4, 2026, 3:16 pm
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Hello again, based on the kind advice previously given by
[member=636]jfollows[/member] , I believe that my friend's son
has made a Subject Access Request to Horizon Parking. However,
it is unlikely that he will receive a response before the date
by which he needs to file a defence: 10 August.
Would anyone be kind enough to advise how he could go about
preparing a defence? He is prepared to argue his case in court
if necessary. Many thanks
#Post#: 126861--------------------------------------------------
Re: ADVICE/HELP needed please for Defence to Court Claim Form
received - Horizon Parking, Travelodge Enfield
DIR By: DWMB2
Date: August 4, 2026, 5:19 pm
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--- Quote from: Friendly71 link ---
>
> Would anyone be kind enough to advise how he could go about
preparing a defence?
>
--- End Quote ---
The starting point is to figure out the reasons he is going to
argue that the money claimed is not due. Essentially, a defence
should respond to each claim made in the Particulars of Claim,
stating whether they are admitted, denied, or the defendant is
unable to admit or deny.
The defendant would appear to have already admitted that he was
the driver, and that he parked in the said car park on the said
date. It's not immediately apparent that the circumstances of
the parking would, on their own, give rise to a defence, as it
is unclear how (if at all) the presence of congestion
necessitated leaving the road and entering a private car park.
How nearby to you/the defendant is the car park? It would be
sensible to get some photos of the signage both at the entrance
to and in the car park, to see if it was suitably prominent to
be capable of forming a contract.
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