Transport for London (TfL) has apologised after debt collectors pursued an 85-year-old man over congestion charge fines linked to a vehicle he no longer owned.
The pensioner, who has not driven for several years and now lives in sheltered accommodation, was issued with a £200 bill after a new driver bought his former personalised registration plate – which was still listed on his dormant Auto Pay account.
TfL said the charges were valid because the man had agreed to its terms and conditions, which make account holders liable for vehicles registered on their profile.
His daughter Fiona said the agency made no effort to check whether the account was active or whether her father still owned the vehicle.
She provided evidence showing the car did not belong to him, but TfL initially refused to withdraw the fine.
The charges related to unpaid congestion fees incurred by the plate’s new owner.
The Auto Pay account had not been used for seven years, and the linked bank account had been closed when the man moved into sheltered housing.
Fiona said TfL refused to recognise her power of attorney, despite documentation being submitted three times.
TfL apologised for the incident and refunded all charges
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An agent also declined her father’s verbal permission for her to speak on his behalf, even though he was present and gave consent repeatedly.
TfL maintained that it is the responsibility of account holders to remove vehicles from their account.
However, after intervention from The Times’ Your Money Matters team, the charges were refunded and the Auto Pay account closed.
Fiona said: “A very big thank you for intervening in a very frustrating and unfair process. My father is delighted.”
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The 85-year-old received the charges after selling his personal registration plate
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TfL said: “We apologise for any distress this may have caused our account holder and the way his family was responded to.
“It is the responsibility of the account holder to remove any vehicles from their account and we urge all drivers to promptly remove any vehicle that they are no longer responsible for.
“We have used our discretion and refunded all the charges.”
Anyone with an Auto Pay account can manage their account and amend registered vehicles online.
The row follows previous problems with TfL’s payment systems.
In 2019, widespread glitches in TfL’s payment system led to multiple drivers being fined despite paying London’s congestion charge.
Having paid the £11.50 fine, drivers were levelled with an £80 fine, rising to £160 if not paid within 14 days.
There have been individual incidents of the same issue reported since then, including one in 2024 and one in 2025.