Bailiff visit for PCN I didn't even know about!

Grid242

Posting my experience in case it helps anyone else dealing with a moving traffic PCN (Code 53J – pedestrian zone restriction) that has escalated without receiving any of the original paperwork.

📅 Timeline

Unknown date (PCN issued)
PCN issued for entering a pedestrian zone (Code 53J). I did not receive the PCN or any subsequent notices. The road was restricted for a ridiculous 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. I've been using that road for years, but didn't know this restriction had been added. Obviously, there is a sign, but the details are so complicated, it's simply not possible to read it as I turned into the road.

Not only did I not know I had committed a violation, I did not receive any notification.

Following weeks/months
No letters received at all:

• No PCN notification
• No Charge Certificate letter
• Not court dates notification
• No Order for Recovery

My address was correct and stable throughout. Where did the letters go? Were they even sent (of course, they will confirm that 'they were sent'!)

28 April 2026 – 12:13pm
By some absolute luck, I was parking my car when a guy was knocking on my front door. Yruns out, he was a bailiff attending my property regarding the unpaid PCN who was about to clamp ,my car for unpaid penalty fines! This was the first time I became aware of the issue. He was absolutely lovely (thank you Marstons Recovery - your agent is a credit to you) and explained the whole situation to me. Imagine my shock at being told that, not only had I inadvertently committed an offense but that the fine had escalated from the original £80 to a whaling £560!

Due to the immediate risk of enforcement action, (my car being clamped) I paid the bailiff in full during the visit.

28 April 2026 – same day (immediately after visit)
The very nice bailiff suggested that I challenge the fine. He showed me the original camera footage which clearly shows me committing the offense. No argument there. But he explained that the 'system' is really not up to the task. Recorded letters are not sent. The system assumes that letters they send are received and so, if the recipient doesn't reply or pay the fine, the case is automatically escalated. At no point does anyone check that the notifications are being received. No electronic means or communication are used - despite my email and phone number being recorded on my registration.

On his advice, I submitted:

• TE9 Witness Statement (stating that I did not receive the PCN)
• TE7 Out of Time application (explaining late filing due to not receiving any notices)

I emailed the competed forms to the Traffic Enforcement Centre (Northampton County Court) - tec@justice.gov.uk.

Auto-response received after submission
Their email advised that Out of Time applications currently take approximately:

8–10 weeks for a decision

I am hopeful that my challenge will be accepted. If it is, apparently, the whole situation reverts back to the original PCN notice - i.e. I should be able to pay an £80 fine with all the escalated costs refunded - we'll see!

📌 Current situation

• Awaiting TEC decision
• Case is now with the court process
• Will be notified of outcome in due course

💡 Key takeaways (so far)

• First awareness can sometimes be at bailiff stage if earlier notices go missing
• TE7 + TE9 is the correct route once enforcement has escalated
• Acting immediately (same day as awareness) feels important
• Payment to bailiff does not prevent submitting an Out of Time application
• Process times currently around 8–10 weeks

⚠️ Note

Sharing purely as a real-world timeline for others going through the same process. Not legal advice.

maman

Just to add, in case it's helpful to anyone. We have similar traffic restrictions locally called bus gates where the road is closed to other than buses, taxis and bikes at certain times of the day.

One appeared outside a local school and it was impossible to read the wordy signs and take in the actual times of operation while looking to the left and turning right into the offending area.

Fortunately for me I only did it in the introductory period when no tickets were being issued but I can understand how you didn't know you'd committed a violation @Grid242 .

Coupon-mad

the fine had escalated from the original £80 to a whaling £560!

Due to the immediate risk of enforcement action, (my car being clamped) I paid the bailiff in full during the visit.

You PAID that hugely inflated sum?

To notoriously horrific Marstons?

Despite the fact that a first enforcement notice can only add £75?

Marstons bailiffs aren't "lovely". IMHO it sounds like he duped you:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/aug/15/britains-biggest-bailiff-firm-forced-into-refunds-programme-after-overcharging

Make a complaint to Marstons then to the body that oversees them (see article) saying it looks very much like they added all the 'enforcement stage' fees at once. Again… that is what they were caught for last year!

They had to hand deliver an enforcement notice first and could only add £75.

Then post in FTLA forum (not MSE) because the OOT will be refused and you need guidance on how to reset the Penalty.

Are you sure your logbook was up to date? It's not about your driving licence.

Keep_pedalling

Have you checked the address on your V5C is correct?