Congestion Charge Con

RSM Masser

RSM Masser

Member
Messages
2,437
Living in London (almost) with several cars in the family I rarely if ever venture into the Congestion Charge zone, I work in London and use the other rip off namely, Public Transport ie trains, buses and the tube.

Yesterday I picked up some materials from work, my wife drove into London and entered the zone at 1750hrs another 10 minutes and we would have been past the timings. (hindsight is wonderful)

It was too late to pay and I couldnt be bothered so I paid today online, googled 'pay congestion charge' and followed the instructions paying a massive £17.50 - I knew it was more to pay the day after but £17.50 seemed a lot. After a bit of email tennis and a phone call to Congestion Charge London, I realised that the website I paid through has no connection to TfL or London and charged me £5.50 Admin fee for what it says are 'additional benefits' see the disclaimer at the bottom of the page on the link.

http://www.londoncongestion.com/contact.html

Due to a discrepancy (I wanted to check if I actually needed to pay, ie did I cross the line after 1800, is a Mini Cooper Diesol exempt? - no, it is a reduced charge if registered, which costs £10) I needed to telephone TfL - another rip off if using a mobile to an 0906 number, or use the 'International number' - replace the +44 with a 0 and its a landline (free from my mobile network provider) I thendiscovered I had been mislead (which is a nice way of saying conned)

I complained to the original website immediatly whose snotty response is below - my complaint is in italics;


Ian – if you would of used the TFL website you would not of got a refund

Please look at www.londoncongestion.com properly , we clearly offer a working link to the Official site and it's a big link for you to use

You have used my services and it has benefitted you because your payment has been voided , if however you would of used the TFL you would not of been refunded

Regards

LondonCongestion.com

Hi
I have just called the numbers below and sorted out an exemption.
I am also surprised that your charge INCLUDED a £5.50 supplement which is NOT made clear or referenced in the receipt.
The correct charge for a vehicle, paid for the previous day is £12 NOT £17.50

I am disgusted that you have taken advantage of my in experience in paying or using the congestion charge and have used this to obtain money by deceit from me.

Your charges and operation may well be legal and recognised, however they are morally wrong, the mention of an 'Admin' charge on your website or during the payment process, in my opinion is not clear - I will ensure that I plus friends and colleagues', use the Transport for London Congestion Charge website in future whose services are FREE;


Regards

A very disgruntled customer


Maybe I should have looked closer, then again why should I? if like me the last time I paid the charge was about a year ago - how would you know?

Then they have the cheek to say TfL would not refund me - TfL would NOT have ripped me off either! plus I paid on a credit card so would have got my money back through their insurance and guarantee.



Rant over - now what shall I spend my recovered £5.50 on?

:jpmad: :frusty6: :no: :naker:
 
J

JDM

New Member
Messages
137
£5.50, that's got to be at least 20 miles of fuel? or a whopper with cheese... or about a kilogram of Haribo

I work in westminster and mix it up by driving and public transport - probably about 50/50. I'm lucky to have a parking space at work. What determines if I drive is a number of factors, weather, google traffic predictions, problems with trains, school holidays... The cost of travel from Elstree where I live by train or driving is almost exactly the same (and that includes the cost of congestion charge) It also takes the same time to drive or train.

Driving is so much more preferable though... can't beat driving round buckingham palace and up to westminster to brighten up your morning mood.

To save hassle i just set up auto-payment, you get a £1 a day saving and I just don't need to worry about it, until they send me the monthly invoice
 
2b1ask1

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,287
Boris tax: no benefits to Londoner's. When I was over in Peckam last year I would often be heading for Rotherhythe Tunnel only to find it blocked, a detour to Elephant & Castle with a short wait till 18:00 would allow across town dash to Dalston and out that way with no charge...
 
Emtee

Emtee

New Member
Messages
8,446
I'm signed up to TFL and pay the annual subscription on the cars I use. Still have to pay the hefty rates, but at least not the penalties if I forget by the time I get home.
 
Woody

Woody

Member
Messages
2,802
CC is an absolute con. On subject, the above site is just a chancer and woudlnt you know, some people fall for it. I would imagine he/she is not losing ANY sleep over it.

On the CC being a con, years ago, I used to drive from Richmond to Canary Wharf on the days I didnt cycle. One morning, the the Embankment was closed, full on road block, but a diversion was put in place. The diversion meant I had to use some of the congestion zone at a couple of mins past 7. I rang CC London, explained and asked if I'd need to pay because my timings/route was messed up by the police road closure

CC bod: "no, computer doesnt show any road blocks"
W: I have a photo of it, would you like to see it?
CC bod: "there wasnt a road block, it would be showing on my computer"
W: Again, I have a picture which shows it, with the time/date etc. I'm sure you could check the location on the photo too
CC bod: "there wasnt a road block"
W: OK. So can you tell me if I passed through the zone after 7am?
CC bod: "no, computer wont show that."
W: So I have to pay £7 just because you have incomplete information?
CC bod: "our information is complete...."

Give in. Its a fruitless exercise. The way I see it, like many (all?) of these 'initiatives', pure and simple, they're revenue generation exercises underthe guise of doing something good, nothing more.
 
Parisien

Parisien

Moderator
Messages
34,927
Yeah....am afraid we call them Not so's around our way.........................don't like 'em at all


P
 
RSM Masser

RSM Masser

Member
Messages
2,437
Mini Cooper D (new one, not the model I have) zero road tax and CC exempt - mine is reduced CC but you have to register it, road tax is only £20 a year, its the wifes car and I make her pay for the tax! then I use it as a van when I want something at work for home like 10 square metres of limestone tiles for our bathroom - too heavy to take one home on the train every day for a month!
 
D

dem maser

Moderator
Messages
34,266
The 1.6d mini is great economy snd CC exempt......

I too like i said before am looking for a car to be practical economical and relaible for work, as they are paying for it but has to be upto £200 p/m in terms ofvleasing socanything upto 15k.....
 
RSM Masser

RSM Masser

Member
Messages
2,437
Vauxhall doing 0% finance on a 1.2 Corsa - my youngest just bought one, very smart on the inside, VXR bodykit, 18" alloys, bright yellow, with yellow trim piping - £12K all in on the road, she ordered it on a Monday and drove it away on Friday
 
D

dem maser

Moderator
Messages
34,266
I saw it, does look good but was wondering if itll be economical, silly question to ask as its a 1.2 i know but im changing my
118d as its juicy but if theres 5mpg in it id rather keep the bm.....
I looked at the kia rio 1.1 diesel.....85mpg in town!!
 
RSM Masser

RSM Masser

Member
Messages
2,437
Not sure and pointless asking an 18 year old daughter about fuel economy!
The Mini only does about 40mpg around town, not that good really.
 
Woody

Woody

Member
Messages
2,802
RSM Masser said:
Not sure and pointless asking an 18 year old daughter about fuel economy!
The Mini only does about 40mpg around town, not that good really.
Click to expand...

I've got a Cooper S....different kettle of fish, granted, but fuel economy is NOT its strong point.
 
hodroyd

hodroyd

Member
Messages
14,150
Fiat Panda, brilliant, seats down it's like a van, goes anywhere, loads of room and runs on virtually fresh air..???
 
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