A Council PCN for £190 has arrived 13 months after the offence.

RedSaab

Somebody used my car got a ticket , they paid it within a week of receiving the letterand I recall at the time checking the PCN on the council website, which said PAID, also to back up this belief

1. I haven't had any correspondence since.
2. The letter is from the council and not a debt agency, if its genuinely been unpaid for 13 months like the letter claims, its usually passed on to a debt agency.

Some questions

a) On the basis it was paid, how can it now change to £190 and what are my rights?

b) If it wasn't paid and this is a different ticket, I wasn't alerted to this or given the early window opportunity to pay the lower fee. Do I have any rights or how should I go about requestting the early fee letter?

c) Are the council automated letters logged when they are sent? As I am certain I haven't had any correspondence, can this not be also backed up a the council end on there systems?

What do you guys suggest here?

Nellymoser

Suggest you try the Free Traffic Legal Advice forum they specialise in Penalty Notices issued by councils and police. This forum specialise in Parking Charge Notices from unregulated private parking companies.

https://ftla.uk

RedSaab

Appreciate your recommendation, I will make a thread there.

Am still open to other advice here as there are many knowledgeable users/

Car1980

Depends what the new letter says.

RedSaab

My thread on FTLA.UK if anybody can help, Ive put a few more details than here

ftla.uk/civil-penalty-charge-notices-(councils-tfl-and-so-on)/a-council-pcn-for-190-has-arrived-13-months-after-the-offence/

Thanks all

RedSaab

Car1980 said:

Depends what the new letter says.

It says

"you were sent a notice to owner on 3/2/24 in connection with the above contravention...
you have 28 days to pay...
...
this charge has been served as the PCN has not been paid"

Usually this notice is sent around 3-8 weeks after an unpaid fine, not 13 months later.
I recognize it as the standard template sent after the low-pay grace period has lapsed.

RedSaab

additionally it says

You no longer have the right to make representations against this penalty... and the council no longer has a statutory responsibility to respond to any correspondence.
...
if payment is not received, action may be taken by the council to recover the debt through the Traffic Enforcement Centre at ... county court.

Car1980

Making a statutory declaration at the appropriate stage is the way to go I believe.

But you could also send an informal email to the council beforehand.

RedSaab

Car1980 said:

Making a statutory declaration at the appropriate stage is the way to go I believe.

But you could also send an informal email to the council beforehand.

So is the part where they say "the council no longer has a statutory responsibility" a complete lie and not enforceable with current legislation?

Coupon-mad

You missed: "...to respond to any correspondence." 

FTLA posters are the experts in TEC forms and declarations.