Free Traffic Legal Advice

At the beginning of August my partner received a PCN for the exact contravention in title and in that location on the 18/07/2024 (The date of notice 30/07/2024). We subsequently paid the charge at the reduced rate within a matter of days of receiving the PCN.
However about a week after receiving this PCN we got the exact same one through the post again with the same offence, image of vehicle and PCN number. However the date of notice on this document was 31/07/24. We thought this was a little confusing and wondered why they would send the PCN twice , plus the fact that he had already paid the charge.
At this point we hadn’t had many PCN’s so didn’t know to go on the relevant website and look up outstanding PCN’s which I wish we had done in hindsight.
Then low and behold near the end of September he received a charge certificate for the exact same contravention and location. However this was a different PCN and was on the date 27/07/2024 (So 9 days after the previous one). We had never received a PCN for this charge. I called the number provided on the charge certificate and after was advised to make a representation online.
I honestly think what has happened is they have sent the same PCN out twice instead of sending out two seperate PCN’s in error. I thought it would be a simple process to then be able to pay the original £35 charge instead of the now £105.
I sent the information on the representation online including both PCN notices received as luckily we have kept them and explaining what happened. However Surrey County Council have come back with a response that no they aren’t responsible, they had sent the relevant PCN and we need to take the matter up with the Royal Mail about the missing correspondence. So they are upholding the charge certificate.
I am fuming about this decision and this isn’t even about the money but the principle. I am confident they did not send a PCN for this charge and they haven’t explained why they sent the PCN out twice for the previous offence a few days after the original PCN was sent.
What is the best thing to do about this? Is it worth waiting for the order for recovery? Shall we just suck it up and pay the charge of £105 and then make a complaint to Surrey County Council, or is that really pointless?
I’m worried that if we try to fight this it will end up just costing us even more.
Advice would be greatly appreciated.

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I would just play this by the book - if you didn't get the PCN wait for the order for recovery and I think a witness statement to get it reset.

Surrey does say it's sent two PCNs.

The outstanding PCN is a separate entity - you could have argued that the first was a procedural ****-up by sending two with different dates but you've paid that.

You have an automatic process to get the later one reset. At which point they will send you the PCN again but there may be a fault in their system.

In any case you can make reps saying you don't have confidence in them after receiving two for the previous PCN and nothing for the later one and will they kindly cancel this one as the previous one could have been challenged.

As I understand matters:

'I honestly think what has happened is they have sent the same PCN out twice instead of sending out two seperate PCN’s in error.'


You were wrong.

Their letter makes it clear that there were 2 separate contraventions on different days but at the same location.

It happens, but you clinging on to 'I am fuming about this decision and this isn’t even about the money but the principle. I am confident they did not send a PCN for this charge and they haven’t explained why they sent the PCN out twice for the previous offence a few days after the original PCN was sent.' without any evidence in support has rather clouded the issues.


You say you did not receive the second PCN in respect of which you've now received a CC.

So, as the first PCN is irrelevant it can be ignored. In short therefore:

Received CC for which you had not received a prior PCN.

So wait for the OfR and submit a SD- in time please!

For your grounds, the only option available to the council is to issue a fresh PCN.

The fact that somehow you managed to make reps which were then ignored in respect of a PCN you'd not received is not relevant as regards procedure because they chose to disregard.