TFL Congestion Charge

[sumo69]

Is there a time limit for issuing a PCN to the registered keeper for an infringement?

If the fine was paid because the notice was sent to a leasing company, can it still be appealed?

Thanks

[HoHoHo]

As I understand it you have two working days to pay.

If you don't a fine is served to the registered keeper and you have the option to pay that quickly or it doubles.

[sumo69]

HoHoHo said:

As I understand it you have two working days to pay.

If you don't a fine is served to the registered keeper and you have the option to pay that quickly or it doubles.

Thanks - you didn't actually answer either of my points though!

[Red Devil]

sumo69 said:

Is there a time limit for issuing a PCN to the registered keeper for an infringement?

Probably not, unless thing have changed since this thread.
Knowing TfL it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it can do whatever it pleases.

sumo69 said:

If the fine was paid because the notice was sent to a leasing company, can it still be appealed?

If the leasing company has chosen to cough up I reckon you two hopes and one is called Bob.
What are the T&Cs of your lease of the vehicle? Does it make you responsible for payment of such penalties?
See the first and last bullet points here which the leasing company might use to deflect the PCN.
I have no experience of driving a leased vehicle in the zone though so I don't know what the norm is likely to be.

[sumo69]

Thanks - for info the alleged contravention was 27th October and the PCN was issued 22nd November, some 26 days later. Leaseplan kindly paid it on the 28th November and then sent me a copy together with an invoice for the £25 + VAT admin fee they add giving a total of £95 for me to pay them.

I will give Leaseplan a call once my Mrs, who was driving checks her records as she has an auto-payment function on her TFL account.

[Red Devil]

Why call Leaseplan before checking the T&Cs to know where you stand?
Do you not have a copy of the contract? If so, how did that happen?

[HoHoHo]

sumo69 said:

Thanks - you didn't actually answer either of my points though!

Sorry, what I meant to say was I don't think TFL have a specific number of days to send out a PCN by law.

If you don't pay on the day you drive in (or in advance or by autopay), you have the next to pay other wise you're nicked.

If you drive in on a Friday you can also pay on Monday which of course is the next working day.

I doubt you would win an appeal, it's down to you to ensure it's paid in good time.

[megaphone]

sumo69 said:

Thanks - for info the alleged contravention was 27th October and the PCN was issued 22nd November, some 26 days later. Leaseplan kindly paid it on the 28th November and then sent me a copy together with an invoice for the £25 + VAT admin fee they add giving a total of £95 for me to pay them.

I will give Leaseplan a call once my Mrs, who was driving checks her records as she has an auto-payment function on her TFL account.

So you're saying the car is registered for autopay on your wife's account and TFL still fined you? You should be able to appeal and get the fine back. There again, the system works pretty well, so it's likely there is a good reason why the charge wasn't taken.

[HoHoHo]

sumo69 said:

she has an auto-payment function on her TFL account.

I missed that, sorry!

If you have autopay then it's not a problem on the assumption the car is actually registered.

Obviously it's worth logging into your account to check. Th other day I also thought my new car was on autopay however whilst it was registered with TFL on their site it wasn't for autopay and I had to specify as such for future payments.

[Truffs]

It's stuff like this that makes me think life is too short to bother going to London.

Cannot say I think much of leasing either especially when the contract includes paying any bills they are sent on your behalf and then charging you for the unexpected service without checking if they are legitimate.

You have my commiserations OP. Oh and Happy Christmas by the way.

[S11Steve]

[quote=Red Devil

sumo69 said:

If the fine was paid because the notice was sent to a leasing company, can it still be appealed?

If the leasing company has chosen to cough up I reckon you two hopes and one is called Bob.
What are the T&Cs of your lease of the vehicle? Does it make you responsible for payment of such penalties?
See the first and last bullet points here which the leasing company might use to deflect the PCN.
I have no experience of driving a leased vehicle in the zone though so I don't know what the norm is likely to be.

In general, TfL are a generally bunch of incompetent jobsworths, however, they do accept retrospective appeals from leasing companies if valid reasons are provided, but they will only accept these appeals from the Registered Keeper. They say they will speak to third parties with authorisation from the RK, but you have to jump through so many hoops to enable this it's easier to speak to a friendly fleet manager at the leasing company...

If the vehicle was on an Autopay, that is grounds for a retrospective appeal. Their systems are not unknown to fail to collect, and if there is no reason for the payment to fail, then the PCN is cancelled.

Similarly with spot rental vehicles, if the registration entered is wrong by one character, they will usually make a discretionary cancellation.

Ring them on 0343 222 2222 in the first instance to discuss options. As the payment has been made, there is no formal appeals process. If you ring after their 5pm shift change, there is a guy called Raj who understands the rental and leasing industry who I have found to be quite helpful.

If the charge is cancelled, then many leasing companies will credit the admin fee out of goodwill.

[sumo69]

S11Steve said:

In general, TfL are a generally bunch of incompetent jobsworths, however, they do accept retrospective appeals from leasing companies if valid reasons are provided, but they will only accept these appeals from the Registered Keeper. They say they will speak to third parties with authorisation from the RK, but you have to jump through so many hoops to enable this it's easier to speak to a friendly fleet manager at the leasing company...

If the vehicle was on an Autopay, that is grounds for a retrospective appeal. Their systems are not unknown to fail to collect, and if there is no reason for the payment to fail, then the PCN is cancelled.

Similarly with spot rental vehicles, if the registration entered is wrong by one character, they will usually make a discretionary cancellation.

Ring them on 0343 222 2222 in the first instance to discuss options. As the payment has been made, there is no formal appeals process. If you ring after their 5pm shift change, there is a guy called Raj who understands the rental and leasing industry who I have found to be quite helpful.

If the charge is cancelled, then many leasing companies will credit the admin fee out of goodwill.

Thanks for that info - very useful.

The car was on Autopay and the funds were taken the previous and following working days, so sounds like a fu*k-up to me - the only issue is whether the grief of getting the lease company to appeal is worth my time.

I will throw a few phone calls and an hour of my time and take a view after that.

David