Is there a way I can prove I only own one car?

In which case send them a subject access request for it. Then they'll have to find a way to access the data within 40 days, and you can ask for it to be corrected too. Having tangled with councils on a few things I would advise the following if you don't make headway after initial complaints. - Make a formal complaint. In the complaint clearly state that you have tried talking to the department directly and give a brief history, the exact problem and how the council should resolve it. State that if it is not resolved you will take it to the local government ombudsman. So you might for example state that you have been overcharged for permits for vehicles you do not have and you wish the council to correct their erroneous data, refund you the incorrect charges plus interest at the current market rate and apologize. - Copy the formal complaint to your local councillor. - Possibly tell your story to the local press (they will usually take anything that looks like a local story and has mostly been pre-written for them with documentary evidence so all their "local" reporter has to do is paste it into word and edit it a bit) Making it a formal complaint starts a timer and kicks it "upstairs". It's the same game as beating sense out of telephone and energy companies. That usually puts the problem in the hands of someone who isn't some well meaning but powerless minimum wage person who has no ability to do anything but report that "computer says no" but instead someone who has the power to get it fixed. If you want in the complaint you can also bill for the time you spent on their phone, per letter (including stamp, and envelope cost). Indicate you will consider pursuing this through small claims if not also paid. You don't have to but you'll be surprised how often they think that paying you 30 quid or whatever for the time you wasted is a bargain. You don't btw need to prove anything fully. It's the councils job equally to prove you do. Given the definitive database on who owns vehicles is run by the government the council can search the registrations it believes you own for itself. The council also has a legal duty to keep personal data correct. I would also say from experience that much of what people put down to malice in local government is actually understaffing, awful systems design and sheer incompetence. Unfortunately you usually have to fight that by making yourself the bonfire they need to put out first. It's usually a tiny number of people trying do the right thing whilst drowning on governmental quicksand. The best internal levers are usually those with timescales attached so subject access requests, freedom of information where appropriate and formal complaints. In the case of disputes that verge on legal questions you also always try and write the complaint in a way that has the complaints team hotfoot it to legal who really can clean most crap up albeit often quite slowly.