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London TfL Congestion Charge — Charge Certificate received, PCN never received (mail redirection)
Posted by abu on 03 Aug, 2026 01:22 -
Hello and thanks for this forum!
I received a Charge Certificate for not paying congestion charge and not paying the PCN (that I never received).
Contravention: 30/05/2026, 14:31, central London CCZ. PCN issued 05/06/2026 for £180. I never received it. First I knew of the matter was the Charge Certificate for £270, which arrived recently.
I am the registered keeper. The DVLA address is correct and unchanged. I am temporarily living elsewhere and have a Royal Mail redirection in place from the registered address, which MIGHT have failed (but don't know) — the Charge Certificate itself also arrived late.
I accept the contravention on the merits (Saturday, within weekend charging hours), so I'm not looking to argue that. I want to get back to the £90 discounted rate.
I was going to challenge on the website by submitting a comment for not receiving the initial PCN, but thankfully I read the sticky that says do not write to the council before seeking advice. so thanks for this!
The Charge Certificate is dated 28/07/2026, so the 14-day window runs to around 13 August. My plan is to wait for the Order for Recovery and file a statutory declaration on the ground that I did not receive the PCN. Questions:
(1) Is that right, and is there anything I should be doing in the meantime, or do I just sit tight?
(2) should I be chasing TfL for the Order for Recovery date;
(3) any risk in having a redirection rather than a changed DVLA address?
Charge Certificate image:
apologies, I did redact the the number plate and PCN because with these anyone could go in and respond to TFL on my behalf or do something that could damage my case. So I'm just being extra careful with what personal information I post online.
Many Thanks -
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Just follow the process and submit a Witness Statement when you get the OfR. After the period for payment of the CC, check with TEC every 7-10 days on the registration of the PCN. This is because you have had mail redirection problems. Once you know the debt is registered, download the WS form from the TEC website. No need for "Reason", just check the relvant tick-box.
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+1
IMO,
Submitting a SD is the only procedural route open to you.
As regards redirection v change DVLA address, yes of course there's a risk, your account shows as much. But then again, is the Royal Mail foolproof anyway? No.
But the IMPORTANT point and one you should action now IMO is to notify TfL of your new address and instruct them to use this for all correspondence regarding PCN *** until further notice. TfL can only go to DVLA once, so changing your DVLA address now has no effect as regards this PCN.
as an optional addition....
I also suggest you contact the Traffic Enforcement Centre ask and get confirmed in writing what debt registration fee TfL are authorised to charge and recover pursuant to a debt being registered. (I want to know why they're charging £11 as opposed to £10) -
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I wasn't sure if the OdR submission is a Witness Statement or a Statutory Declaration for the London CC. It is a WS for outside London, I think.
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thanks both, this is really helpful.
Sorry, might be a dumb question, but the form that I need to fill and send after I get the OfR is Form PE3 below?
and I'll only tick the box at the top with nothing in the reasons field. -
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Correct, the box for saying, inter alia, that you did not receive the Penalty Charge Notice. Do please note that the 'Applicant' is Transport for London, not you; you are the 'Respondent'
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Got it, thanks again
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Are you going to instruct them to send correspondence to your new address?
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I was going to, but now I’m having second thoughts. Because wouldn’t that be acknowledging some correspondence from them and might damage my case when I submit the form that says “I didn’t receive the PCN”?
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