Free Traffic Legal Advice

1. Topic

Hammersmith & Fulham – PCN dated 29 Sep – rental company paid without my knowledge

52M RMV Rivercourt Road contravention


2. Outline your case / tell your story / explain the problem

I received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) on 16 October 2025, but the PCN itself is dated 29 September 2025.

The notice has a “paid” stamp dated 14 October 2025, and when I searched on Hammersmith & Fulham’s website for the video evidence or to challenge it, the system shows the case as “closed”.

I believe the rental company paid the PCN directly, and they are now seeking reimbursement from me of £80 penalty + £15 admin fee.

I did not have the opportunity to challenge the PCN. After reading other threads here, it seems that I might have had a better outcome if the PCN had not been paid so quickly and was given the opportunity to challenge it.

https://www.ftla.uk/civil-penalty-charge-notices-(councils-tfl-and-so-on)/lbhf-52m-prohibition-on-certain-vehicles-rivercourt-road-turning-from-great-west/



I’m currently not in a good financial position and this added cost is a real hardship. I would appreciate any guidance on whether I have any options to contest the charge or the rental company’s actions, or any steps I can take at this stage.


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3. PCN and correspondence

PCN date: 29 Sep 2025

PCN received via email on 16 Oct 2025

Paid stamp is dated 14 Oct 2025. Unsure what date rental company received it.

Authority: Hammersmith & Fulham

PCN image:
https://imgpile.com/p/G4UO2fg

Google Street View location link:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1GtLif57YtULf9Gz9?g_st=ac


Additional notes:

The rental company is seeking £80 + £15 admin fee.

I have not been able to write to the council as the matter is closed on their page and it won't allow any responses. Technically I could post a letter but waiting for advice.

I habe also not responded to the rental car agency as I want to approach this in the right way before taking action by getting advise on this forum.

Please let know if I have any way to challenge or appeal given that the authority already considers the case closed.

I'm afraid there isn't much we can advise on regarding your problem with this hire company. You hired a car, and when doing the hiring office routine, you agreed to their terms and conditions, which no doubt, (in the "small print"), said something about parking and traffic penalties and what the company will do with them.

The basis of the decriminalised regime for enforcement of parking and many moving traffic offences places responsibility for paying or appealing Penalty Charge Notices, (PCNs) upon the owner of the vehicle, and the driver of the car is irrelevant. This is directly contrary to other motoring offences under criminal law where the driver is responsible. So the PCN shows you committed a moving traffic offence therefore a postal PCN was sent to the owner of the vehicle, who has paid the penalty at the discounted rate, and then offcharged this to you, plus the usual "admin" fee. There isn't a whole lot you can now do, other than not use that company again. Other hire companies receiving postal PCNs send in representations that they are a hire company and name the hiring party in those reps. The PCN is then cancelled by the council and a new PCN sent to the name and address provided by the hire company.

Wait and see what the others come up with, as I may not to totally up-to-speed on this. Hire cars and PCNs have been and continue to be, a problem with those who hire cars as we see a lot of threads on this subject.