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#Post#: 108613--------------------------------------------------
TfL - ULEZ - Charge Certificate Received (Representations
Against PCN Missing)
DIR By: sample-tripod-clip
Date: February 3, 2026, 5:35 pm
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Hi
First thing to say - I found this forum after making
representations to TfL so am now just looking to understand what
happens next.
In November I drove to an event on the outskirts of London. I
took a detour into the ULEZ. I forgot to pay (tried two days
later but obviously too late). Predictably, PCN is issued six
days later. Foolishly I didn’t see the letter on the
kitchen table so missed the opportunity to pay the reduced fee.
I made representations via TfL’s website 26 days after the
date of service. I apologised and uploaded evidence to confirm
the event I was attending and a letter confirming a medical
diagnosis that adds some context to what I said. The best I was
hoping for was that they would let me pay the £90.
I did not receive a confirmation email. I was unable to submit a
further set of representations on the website (this time just
receiving a blank page). I reached out via TfL’s general
enquiry page to explain the situation.
A week later (34 days after PCN service) I can now see they
linked my enquiry to the PCN saying it was suspended. I never
heard anything from them by phone, email or post. There is then
a further date 55 days after PCN service but not outcome.
Now I have received a Charge Certificate issued 72 days after
PCN service (last week).
I have made further ‘late representations’ -
basically explaining the above, that being summarised as
‘I already made representations and you never communicated
the outcome to me’ (I had understood that if they refused
my representations then I’d still get some time to pay the
PCN which I would have). I then repeated my original
representations in the next set of boxes. I included screenshots
showing the partial blank page and the confirmation of my TfL
enquiry made at the time.
This time I have definitely checked it has gone through and is
showing on my PCN reference.
I am assuming my original representations didn’t go
through ‘fully’ but my PCN was left in some kind of
broken state where I couldn’t do it again. I’m
guessing something happened at day 34 when they linked my
enquiry to my PCN (maybe they fixed the issue but never told
me?) and then again at day 55 (perhaps that was my deadline to
do whatever they didn’t tell me to do?)
My question is what now? I have no idea if my original
representations will be successful but figured it was worth a
try. If they accept there was a technical issue and I acted in
good faith but don’t accept my representations will they
allow me to pay the PCN or even better the reduced rate? Or is
the £270 now the minimum I’m on the hook for? Since my
original representations were very much asking for a once-off
application of discretion rather than representing a legal
defence, is there now any mechanism to lowering the amount
I’ll need to pay if they either don’t accept my
reason for being ‘late’ (in their eyes)?
Edit - I’ll add my understanding. My original reason for
making representations was not under one of the six grounds but
under ‘ Mitigation and discretion’ and I had hoped
they would find the reason for failure to pay on time as
‘mitigating circumstances’. If the didn’t I
was prepared to pay the PCN.
If I understand it right, they now must consider if my
representations were made in time. Going against me is the fact
I can now see no entry from day 26 on the portal showing they
received it. Going for me is the fact that I immediately sent
them a general enquiry (which was subsequently linked to my
PCN), I also have dated screenshots on my phone showing the half
loaded page and my general enquiry submission (I may even have
put the first screenshot in the general enquiry), I even have a
dated note with my representations typed on my phone notes.
If they consider my representations to have been made in time or
accept my reason for not ‘properly’ making them,
they will then consider them and send me a decision notice,
rejection means I’ll pay £180 (unless they really use
their discretion considering I made them at day 26!)
If they do not accept my late representation I assume I either
pay £270 or wait for it to go to the TEC where I’d do a
witness statement under the grounds of “You made a
representation to us but did not receive a reply within 28 days
(rejection notice)”. If my witness statement is accepted
then it gets sent to the independent adjudicator?
#Post#: 108619--------------------------------------------------
Re: TfL - ULEZ - Charge Certificate Received (Representations
Against PCN Missing)
DIR By: fraser.mitchell
Date: February 3, 2026, 7:00 pm
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Well, the first thing to say is that you should not pay the
Charge Certificate.
TfL cannot do anything to collect the £270 until they have
registered the debt at TEC and sent you an Order for Recovery.
As soon as they do this, you can submit a Witness Statement that
you submitted representations but received no response. The
process will then be reset by TEC back to the reps stage, and as
you have submitted reps, the matter must be passed by TfL to
London Tribunals who will decide what do. The amount "in play"
reverts to the PCN penalty.
#Post#: 108627--------------------------------------------------
Re: TfL - ULEZ - Charge Certificate Received (Representations
Against PCN Missing)
DIR By: sample-tripod-clip
Date: February 3, 2026, 7:25 pm
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--- Quote from: Incandescent link ---
>
> Well, the first thing to say is that you should not pay the
Charge Certificate.
>
> TfL cannot do anything to collect the £270 until they have
registered the debt at TEC and sent you an Order for Recovery.
As soon as they do this, you can submit a Witness Statement that
you submitted representations but received no response. The
process will then be reset by TEC back to the reps stage, and as
you have submitted reps, the matter must be passed by TfL to
London Tribunals who will decide what do. The amount "in play"
reverts to the PCN penalty.
>
--- End Quote ---
Thank you for your advice.
I can see the clock is currently stopped at the moment while
they consider my reason for entering late representations. I
understand they do not have to accept late representations but
I’m guessing they must at least consider them under the
principles of due process before continuing to escalate.
Presumably I will now get either a notice saying ‘we don’t
accept your reason for late representations’ and the Charge
Certificate clock starts again. I have to wait for TEC
registration and do a witness statement.
Or they say ‘we do accept your reason for late representations
and now we will consider your representations’ to which they
either accept them or reject those representations.
Accepting my representations would mean either nothing owed or
reduced rate of £90.
Rejecting them would mean I just have to pay the £180
immediately?
#Post#: 108632--------------------------------------------------
Re: TfL - ULEZ - Charge Certificate Received (Representations
Against PCN Missing)
DIR By: fraser.mitchell
Date: February 3, 2026, 7:52 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Their service of a Charge Certificate means they would appear to
have ignored your late reps. Whilst it would be polite of them
to tell you that you are too late, they don't legally have to do
this.
It is always best in circumstances like yours to follow the
legal process. However, if by some chance of fortune they accept
your later reps then the PCN will be cancelled, but I doubt this
will happen. The facility to submit a Witness Statement is a
back-stop, for when the process has gone astray, which clearly
here it has. Therefore when the period for payment of the CC has
expired, you need to be proactive in checking the status of the
PCN. Our usual advice is to check with TEC about every 7-10
days whether the PCN has been registered. You can also look at
the amount owing on the PCN on the TfL website, because when it
goes up by £10, the PCN has been registered, because the £10 is
the TEC registration fee. Once it has, then you can submit your
Witness Statement. You can download the form from the TEC
website, but if you receive the Order for Recovery in the post,
the WS form will also be included.
#Post#: 108690--------------------------------------------------
Re: TfL - ULEZ - Charge Certificate Received (Representations
Against PCN Missing)
DIR By: stamfordman
Date: February 4, 2026, 8:29 am
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You've not posted any material but at least post the PCN status
timeline.
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