ULEZ PCN - Not me again!

[greenslime30]

Evening all,

I keep getting ULEZ PCNs through (7 now) with my registration on but the pictures are of a completely different vehicle with what looks like a misrepresented plate, mine starts BU and the one in the pics is DU with a screw in the middle. Mine is a black merc Vito and the offending vehicle is a white transit tipper (so not alike).

Anyone any ideas how I can stop this happening? I’ve asked TFL to manually check the PCNs before sending them to me but that seems too much effort for them. I’ve had three in two days this week and it’s getting annoying.

I’ve considered getting a private plate for the vehicle but think that’s a tad extreme. Can I just ignore them? Logging on and challenging them is a hassle I can do without.

[vonhosen]

Get a cheap private plate.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

greenslime30 said:

Anyone any ideas how I can stop this happening?

Tell TFL that from today you've placed a TFL exclusion zone around your doormat, and if any of their letters fall into the zone, you'll be charging them £12.50.

[greenslime30]

That seems to be the most obvious solution, knowing my luck I’d get one and the same thing would happen again!

[Bennet]

Pay for a plate to be made up with the "DU" registration then drive around for a couple of days in and out of the ULEZ, cross a few toll bridges, speed through some gatsos and finally steal some fuel and let's see how they like it.

[youngsyr]

greenslime30 said:

Evening all,

I keep getting ULEZ PCNs through (7 now) with my registration on but the pictures are of a completely different vehicle with what looks like a misrepresented plate, mine starts BU and the one in the pics is DU with a screw in the middle. Mine is a black merc Vito and the offending vehicle is a white transit tipper (so not alike).

Anyone any ideas how I can stop this happening? I’ve asked TFL to manually check the PCNs before sending them to me but that seems too much effort for them. I’ve had three in two days this week and it’s getting annoying.

I’ve considered getting a private plate for the vehicle but think that’s a tad extreme. Can I just ignore them? Logging on and challenging them is a hassle I can do without.

From my completely amateur position, I can only see one option if you've exhausted TFL's standard procedure - get some legal advice from a specialist lawyer and see if there's any route to forcing them to take notice.

[J1990]

Bennet said:

Pay for a plate to be made up with the "DU" registration then drive around for a couple of days in and out of the ULEZ, cross a few toll bridges, speed through some gatsos and finally steal some fuel and let's see how they like it.

Obviously a dumb thing to do... but this would be so satisfying!

[Fatboy]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

greenslime30 said:

Anyone any ideas how I can stop this happening?

Tell TFL that from today you've placed a TFL exclusion zone around your doormat, and if any of their letters fall into the zone, you'll be charging them £12.50.

Send tfl a letter, saying you're going to charge them £50 (or whatever the PCN rate is) every time they send you a PCN for a car that isn't yours.

Then invoice them, and when you've sent 2 or 3 invoices and the haven't paid, small claim - it'll cause them way more hassle to deal with it

Alternatively get some proper legal advice or is there a complaints department at tfl you can register this issue with?

[Pica-Pica]

Fatboy said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

greenslime30 said:

Anyone any ideas how I can stop this happening?

Tell TFL that from today you've placed a TFL exclusion zone around your doormat, and if any of their letters fall into the zone, you'll be charging them £12.50.

Send tfl a letter, saying you're going to charge them £50 (or whatever the PCN rate is) every time they send you a PCN for a car that isn't yours.

Then invoice them, and when you've sent 2 or 3 invoices and the haven't paid, small claim - it'll cause them way more hassle to deal with it

Alternatively get some proper legal advice or is there a complaints department at tfl you can register this issue with?

I would write them a letter, explaining the full facts of why it is not yours. Then start that any further letter that they send and any letter that you reply to will be charged at £30 a time, and that you have duly served notice about that and you will be prepared for them to take you to court.

[Solocle]

Pica-Pica said:

Fatboy said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

greenslime30 said:

Anyone any ideas how I can stop this happening?

Tell TFL that from today you've placed a TFL exclusion zone around your doormat, and if any of their letters fall into the zone, you'll be charging them £12.50.

Send tfl a letter, saying you're going to charge them £50 (or whatever the PCN rate is) every time they send you a PCN for a car that isn't yours.

Then invoice them, and when you've sent 2 or 3 invoices and the haven't paid, small claim - it'll cause them way more hassle to deal with it

Alternatively get some proper legal advice or is there a complaints department at tfl you can register this issue with?

I would write them a letter, explaining the full facts of why it is not yours. Then start that any further letter that they send and any letter that you reply to will be charged at £30 a time, and that you have duly served notice about that and you will be prepared for them to take you to court.

Admin fee

[sospan]

To save some internet digging....
ULEZ camera registers the plate number. Is a photo taken? If so, the plate/car should match as registered. Does the tfl system allow for checking this match?
When in our police ops ANPR cameras picking up a vehicle sent a photo through automatically.
If the tfl system does similar then send them a letter to say due to the frequency of mistaken identification they mark the incident for a secondary human check. Car is not matched so error present.
Also include any other comments about apparent harassment and actions you will take.
This relies on them deciding to act or have the ability to put aflag on your details prompting action. A reasonable system but then how many such organisations care anyway?

[Jonmx]

Local paper with a Daily Mail style sad face.

[greenslime30]

Thanks for the interesting options….as much fun as some of them maybe I think I might be forced into the private plate option. I’ve written to TFL a couple of times with no response, I’ll give it a strongly worded last bash.

[T6 vanman]

greenslime30 said:

Thanks for the interesting options…, I’ll give it a strongly worded last bash.

Copy in the main councillor of the area where the infringement occured

[Sheepshanks]

Pica-Pica said:

I would write them a letter, explaining the full facts of why it is not yours. Then start that any further letter that they send and any letter that you reply to will be charged at £30 a time, and that you have duly served notice about that and you will be prepared for them to take you to court.

I'd be surprised if there aren't loads of peole who have done similar. And been ignored.

It's annoying though - daughter got one from Runcorn Bridge, which she lives 30mins from and does use now and again. So it caused her a certain amount of angst. But the picture is pretty clear that it's not her plate - a screw caused the mis-read.

OK, it happens, but the tone of the reply is like she did it, but they've let her off on this occasion. Cheeky buggers!

There ought to be balance here - if they mistakenly accuse you, then you should get the same compensation as they get in a penalty if you mistakenly forget to pay.

[Bennet]

Pica-Pica said:

I would write them a letter, explaining the full facts of why it is not yours. Then start that any further letter that they send and any letter that you reply to will be charged at £30 a time, and that you have duly served notice about that and you will be prepared for them to take you to court.

I see this advice frequently about charging companies and authorities for your time on Pistonheads. Does this really work......? Surely they absolutely do not give a damn about such in-credible threats.