London congestion charge fine

London congestion charge fine

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matthias73

Original Poster:

2,883 posts

149 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all
Hello all.

I drove to London a few months ago for some work stuff. Tried to pay the congestion charge online whilst in London and the website wasn't playing ball. No drama I thought, I'll pay tomorrow.

Tried to pay again the next day, same problem.

I attempted to phone three times in the subsequent few days, however I was left hanging on the phone for what I considered to be an unreasonable length of time.

I assumed there would be some sort of follow up letter and I'll be able explain the situation that way. I was rather busy with work and stopped worrying about it.

I since got a letter with a fine, so I sent off a representation along with a screenshot of the technical issue explaining I would like to pay the original congestion charge and I'd made a reasonable attempt to pay in the first place.

I've now got a letter staying that they acknowledge my evidence but are discounting it because apparently there were no such technical problems on the two days when I could have paid and now I need to pay the fine. This is despite there clearly being a photo of their websit saying "Ooops, something's gone wrong" (or words to that effect)

I don't particularly want to just suck this one up, I don't see anyone being at fault here and the reasonable course of action is that I get to pay the congestion charge like I wanted to the whole time without being penalised for it.

I have two individual screenshots if that helps matters.

Any advice on who is best to get in touch with is gratefully received.

pc.iow

1,879 posts

202 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all
matthias73 said:
Hello all.

I drove to London a few months ago for some work stuff. Tried to pay the congestion charge online whilst in London and the website wasn't playing ball. No drama I thought, I'll pay tomorrow.

Tried to pay again the next day, same problem.

I attempted to phone three times in the subsequent few days, however I was left hanging on the phone for what I considered to be an unreasonable length of time.

I assumed there would be some sort of follow up letter and I'll be able explain the situation that way. I was rather busy with work and stopped worrying about it.

I since got a letter with a fine, so I sent off a representation along with a screenshot of the technical issue explaining I would like to pay the original congestion charge and I'd made a reasonable attempt to pay in the first place.

I've now got a letter staying that they acknowledge my evidence but are discounting it because apparently there were no such technical problems on the two days when I could have paid and now I need to pay the fine. This is despite there clearly being a photo of their websit saying "Ooops, something's gone wrong" (or words to that effect)

I don't particularly want to just suck this one up, I don't see anyone being at fault here and the reasonable course of action is that I get to pay the congestion charge like I wanted to the whole time without being penalised for it.

I have two individual screenshots if that helps matters.

Any advice on who is best to get in touch with is gratefully received.
"however I was left hanging on the phone for what I considered to be an unreasonable length of time."
You sound like my wife when she's put on hold while NEEDING to stay on the phone to get the issue dealt with.




ashleyman

6,962 posts

98 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all
I had roughly the same experience.

Car 2 days old and wasn't in their system so registration was being bounced as incorrect. Tried the next day, still no luck. Tried to phone up but told "You have to pay online sir". By this time I was out of the payment window so they said wait for the fine and contest it.

I couldn't pay at all so awaited the fine and planned to contest. It was when I contested that TFL told me about the button you can press to skip reg verification. Went online to check as this was news to me and there it was. Plain as day, exactly where they said it would be.
I swear that this did not show up when I tried to pay but they were adamant it would have and there was no issues with the website that day.

I ended up having to pay the fine.

I'm driving to London next week and I've planned a route that keeps me out of the congestion zone. I'll then Uber the last mile or so inwards instead of driving as it still works out cheaper than paying the CC.

matthias73

Original Poster:

2,883 posts

149 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all
Aye maybe

Spending an hour on the phone altogether and not getting through to anyone is what I'd call unreasonable. Certainly I could have done more, but where do you draw the line.

Anyway, it's all very well and good berating me but that doesn't get anyone anywhere, does it?

E36GUY

5,906 posts

217 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all
There are lots of other ways to pay the charge unfortunately. Most corner shops and garages in London which have that PayPoint system could take payment.

It's certainly annoying that the website wasn't working but as above, there are plenty of alternatives which, while perhaps inconvenient, you could have done. I'd expect that to be TFL's reply whilst telling you to jog on!

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all
matthias73 said:
This is despite there clearly being a photo of their websit saying "Ooops, something's gone wrong" (or words to that effect)
Their site? Or your browser? Would you be willing to post the screenshot?

matthias73

Original Poster:

2,883 posts

149 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all



I have a few, I think they are the right ones.

I'm afraid getting out of the car and paying in a shop wasn't an option. I was looking after some rather important flags.

ashleyman

6,962 posts

98 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all
E36GUY said:
There are lots of other ways to pay the charge unfortunately. Most corner shops and garages in London which have that PayPoint system could take payment.

It's certainly annoying that the website wasn't working but as above, there are plenty of alternatives which, while perhaps inconvenient, you could have done. I'd expect that to be TFL's reply whilst telling you to jog on!
I didn't even know it could be paid offline. When I phoned they said I HAD to pay online and offered no alternative.

In the OP's case, his screenshots clearly show TFL website to be faulty. Not fair IMO to penalise him for their technical difficulties.

Vipers

32,796 posts

227 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all
E36GUY said:
There are lots of other ways to pay the charge unfortunately. Most corner shops and garages in London which have that PayPoint system could take payment.
Well I didn't know that. I only visit once a year and have always paid on line, good job it worked fine then, or I could have been in the same boat.

S11Steve

6,374 posts

183 months

Friday 20th January 2017
quotequote all
From my many experiences with TfL - they do not hang about in escalating these to Charge Cert, then Order of Recovery, then Marsdens HCEO knocking on the door, and only leaving when they have £560 worth of money or goods.

We have a few tickets under investigation for the same problem, but in the short term we have paid them at £65 to stop them escalating. I know that they shouldn't increase whilst the charge is under appeal, but they do. And very quickly. To give them their due though, TfL do refund us on a regular basis if we provide proof afterwards.

Our queries relate to payments we tried to make on or around 10th August - does this fit with your dates?

matthias73

Original Poster:

2,883 posts

149 months

Saturday 21st January 2017
quotequote all
Mine was around the 14th of October.

Thank you for that. Are you suggesting I pay now and attempt to recoup the money later?
It's currently at well over a hundred pounds which is a rather painful figure.

bigandclever

13,750 posts

237 months

Saturday 21st January 2017
quotequote all
This isn't helpful to you, quite the opposite, but anyone can get that screenshot at any time. Obviously you're honest but i would imagine from TfL's point of view it's not really proof you tried to pay, and neither is 'I tried to call but you didn't answer'.

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ruc-error


ETA this might be helpful to you though, they were upgrading systems in October and having problems smilehttp://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/computer-...

Edited by bigandclever on Saturday 21st January 11:16

fred bloggs

1,300 posts

199 months

Saturday 21st January 2017
quotequote all
TFL are thieves. I got two tickets for the same alleged offence. Same date and time,different pcn No.
For parking in a loading bay,when loading.