Free Traffic Legal Advice

I don’t know what to do! I didn’t get a PCN as we moved. We’ve got a new baby and bailiffs texted over the last couple of weeks and now they say they’re coming today. Last week I spoke with the council and submitted te7/te9 and pe2/pe3 forms but bailiff texted today saying they’re coming today. Is there anything I can do other than try pay 1k fine?! It’s my first car and when we moved I only did 2/5 of the dvla update steps. It was during an exceptionally stressful time when my mum died, I had multiple missed miscarriages, was made redundant and lots of other things. I just wasn’t functioning very well. I explained all this in the forms last week and as soon as I realised this issue I updated my address with the dvla months ago. Is there anything I can do? Any help very much appreciated as I don’t have the money to pay this fine

Have you received any documents titled "Notice of Enforcement"?

Before the bailiff can enforce their warrant they need to serve a Notice of Enforcement for each PCN on you at the address where you live. Not some previous address. The Notices must give you seven clear days to pay. The day of issue, Sundays and bank holiday's are not clear days.

The normal first visit tactic is to clamp your car and demand immediate payment to release it. An additional £235 fee is levied when they visit. Regardless of whether they found your car or not.

If you have a car parked on a public road, then I suggest you move it somewhere else. Into a garage, if you have one or on somebody else's property, friend or relative. Don't just park round the corner or the next street.

Don't let the bailiff enter your property. And they have no power to force entry. But they will try and bully you into letting them in.

For advice on handling bailiffs you could try Bailiff Advice Online. You sound like you may fall into the vulnerable category in which case the bailiff has to take this into account. BAO can advise.

You should also advise the bailiff that a Statutory Declaration and or a Witness Statement has been filed with the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court and that any enforcement should be suspended pending the Court's decision. Also inform the Council, that might be difficult and frustrating, and ask then to call off the bailiff pending the outcome of the SD and/or WS.

Just flagging ths up for members who missed  it?

Quote from: Eoliver123 on June 30, 2025, 09:50:47 am

Last week I spoke with the council and submitted te7/te9 and pe2/pe3 forms

Yes, saw it, but until we know which council and what the PCN was for, we're in the dark. More info needed.

..and we don't actually know to whom the forms were submitted....

PS. Your reference to TE and PE forms must mean either that you don't know the procedures (in which case you might have submitted forms to the council) or that more than a single PCN is involved.

We'll know when the documents are posted.

IMO, if you have one or more Notice of Enforcement and you are atill within the 7 days then PAY, otherwise you risk incurring one or more additional fees @£235 a time.

Thank you so, so much. They don't have our address so everything was sent to our old address and we didn't get it - except 1 letter which the residents of that old address hand delivered to us while I was in labour. Despite being in labour I emailed the council immediately. They emailed back asking what the PCN was, but despite me emailing them several times they haven't replied. Useful info added to the previous person's response 

Have you received any documents titled "Notice of Enforcement"?

Before the bailiff can enforce their warrant they need to serve a Notice of Enforcement for each PCN on you at the address where you live. Not some previous address. The Notices must give you seven clear days to pay. The day of issue, Sundays and bank holiday's are not clear days.

The normal first visit tactic is to clamp your car and demand immediate payment to release it. An additional £235 fee is levied when they visit. Regardless of whether they found your car or not.

If you have a car parked on a public road, then I suggest you move it somewhere else. Into a garage, if you have one or on somebody else's property, friend or relative. Don't just park round the corner or the next street.

Don't let the bailiff enter your property. And they have no power to force entry. But they will try and bully you into letting them in.

For advice on handling bailiffs you could try Bailiff Advice Online. You sound like you may fall into the vulnerable category in which case the bailiff has to take this into account. BAO can advise.

You should also advise the bailiff that a Statutory Declaration and or a Witness Statement has been filed with the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court and that any enforcement should be suspended pending the Court's decision. Also inform the Council, that might be difficult and frustrating, and ask then to call off the bailiff pending the outcome of the SD and/or WS.

Thank you so much for your help. Apologies, info added. The bailiff is asking for £1075. I don't have that but if it's going to increase then i can try to borrow that somehow. Do you think it's most likely to increase and that's the best route? I can't believe I've managed to get into this mess

..and we don't actually know to whom the forms were submitted....

PS. Your reference to TE and PE forms must mean either that you don't know the procedures (in which case you might have submitted forms to the council) or that more than a single PCN is involved.

We'll know when the documents are posted.

IMO, if you have one or more Notice of Enforcement and you are atill within the 7 days then PAY, otherwise you risk incurring one or more additional fees @£235 a time.

We still don't know how you sent the TEforms? Post or e-mail?

For the other two PCNs you will need PEforms and they need swearing/witnessing.

And asking again, what are the dates of the Notices of Enforcement you've received from the 'bailiff' and what are the latest dates for paying before £235 is added to EACH one?

IMO, pay them now. This would NOT affect your submissions to TEC but would avoid the additional £705, at least for now.