Just how incompetent are the DVLA?

Just how incompetent are the DVLA?

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Discussion

Palmers

Original Poster:

478 posts

110 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
I sold my old A8 4.2 tdi around 2 years ago. Sent the log book off.

Last year i received a tax reminder so i messaged the guy, still had the chat on my phone fortunately, and sent the new details off again.

This morning i get a failed to tax vehicle notice, offering a fine. Now i dont have the same phone so have no idea who that guy was.


Ive sent the letter back with a cover stating that ive sent them numerous times the new keeper details but i no longer have them. And quite frankly, it isnt my issue as they are so incompetent to update their records accordingly.

Surely they cant actually attempt to enforce this penalty?

Aphex

2,160 posts

199 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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I had a nearly identical issue. Eventually they pursued the new owner and left me alone

BobSaunders

3,027 posts

154 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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Call them up. Any issue i have ever had has been resolved over the phone, or with a subsequent fax with a signature.

It's a big organisation, a lot of moving parts - it appears seamless on the outside, but inside a total bun fight.

Things get lost, things do not get updated, mistakes are made.

BoRED S2upid

19,643 posts

239 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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I've never had an issue with them they even send you a cheque for tax now without having to ask for it. I was certain I would have to apply for my tax back.

Rtype

366 posts

104 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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As Bob says, speak to them, you will get it resolved.

StottyEvo

6,860 posts

162 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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BobSaunders said:
Call them up. Any issue i have ever had has been resolved over the phone, or with a subsequent fax with a signature.

It's a big organisation, a lot of moving parts - it appears seamless on the outside, but inside a total bun fight.

Things get lost, things do not get updated, mistakes are made.
What a difference of experiences! I've never been able to resolve anything by phone, they always instruct me to put it in writing.

750turbo

6,164 posts

223 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
I bought (another) bike a few weeks ago, took just over a week for the V5 to be returned to me....

Who do I write to at the Daily Fail?

(Am I getting this right?)

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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I photocopy everything I send to them and I send it all proof of posting.

This has stood me in good stead with them before, including when they lie about certain things. That soon changes when you send them a further copy of what they actually got........

750turbo

6,164 posts

223 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
I photocopy everything I send to them and I send it all proof of posting.

This has stood me in good stead with them before, including when they lie about certain things. That soon changes when you send them a further copy of what they actually got........
Actually, just realised that I do that as well, just without thinking. Good idea IMO.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
Maybe I've just been very lucky, but in 35 years of motoring I have never had a single problem with DVLAsmile

Many cars, several changes of address - all dealt with smoothly. I do make a point of filling out all forms accurately, in precise block capitals - in black!

TBH, I think many 'problems' are caused by DVLA's 'customers'...

Fastpedeller

3,848 posts

145 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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I registered a kit car (using fiesta donor parts) and it took 3 months to get a new registration number for the car - they twice said "there is only 14 days insurance cover left, so we won't give you a registration number" when I sent yet another 30 day cover note and they sat on it for 16 days... Eventually I said to them "please can you do it quicker then, otherwise we could be doing this forever!". I'd had the new car on the road for a year, and they sent me a tax reminder for the old donor car which had been scrapped.
I wonder how some of them organise daily routine like getting up and brushing their teeth??

The Mad Monk

10,474 posts

116 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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750turbo said:
Actually, just realised that I do that as well, just without thinking. Good idea IMO.
Well obviously you think it's a good idea.

You wouldn't do it otherwise, would you?

mph1977

12,467 posts

167 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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280E said:
<snip>

TBH, I think many 'problems' are caused by DVLA's 'customers'...
far too much like sense ...

it's amazing how some people never have a problem with the DVLA or people like HMRC or DWP yet others have endless problems ...

CrutyRammers

13,735 posts

197 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
Fastpedeller said:
I registered a kit car (using fiesta donor parts) and it took 3 months to get a new registration number for the car - they twice said "there is only 14 days insurance cover left, so we won't give you a registration number" when I sent yet another 30 day cover note and they sat on it for 16 days... Eventually I said to them "please can you do it quicker then, otherwise we could be doing this forever!". I'd had the new car on the road for a year, and they sent me a tax reminder for the old donor car which had been scrapped.
I wonder how some of them organise daily routine like getting up and brushing their teeth??
Their incompetence with kit car regs is beyond belief. On one memorable day I rang them three times, spoke to three different people, each of whom told me something different, all of which was utterly wrong. A total bunch of mooks.

Or maybe it was my fault for asking which form I needed to send in...

btcc123

1,243 posts

146 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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When you sell a car and send the V5 to the DVLA it states that within 4 weeks you will be notified that you are no longer the registered owner of the car.Did you receive this notification and if not why did you not ring them.Seams to me this is your fault for not chasing up.


anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 7th August 2015
quotequote all
mph1977 said:
280E said:
<snip>

TBH, I think many 'problems' are caused by DVLA's 'customers'...
far too much like sense ...

it's amazing how some people never have a problem with the DVLA or people like HMRC or DWP yet others have endless problems ...
I have never had issues with HMRC or the DWP.

I had never had issues with the DVLA until recently when I registered a new Caterham and assigned a retained number to it. Over the years whenever I've dealt with the DVLA, I've kept proof of posting, copies of everything and notes about dates etc, just in case.

This time they got it wrong. Despite me contacting them beforehand and begin given, in writing from them, instructions on how to proceed, due to the V778 having only a few weeks left, they screwed up.

First they lost the registration documents. Then they incorrectly registered the car and failed to transfer the retained number which, because of their errors, was out of time. Then they lost all record of the whole thing.

It took several e mailed queries, answered by a different person each time, before someone finally called me and sorted it out. She herself admitted that it's pretty chaotic down there quite often, especially around new registration times.

No organisation that is in control needs to devise a system of query that is, in itself, obstructive. The DVLA is often out of control and not fit for purpose.

Just to say it must be OK because you have never had an issue is naive beyond belief. Of course they get a lot of things right but when they do screw up and the system is tested, they can be awful.


anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 7th August 2015
quotequote all
To say that DVLA is SNAFU because of a personal experience of one foul up is also a bit unrealistic. I haven't ever had any hassle with DVLA, but I am not surprised that it occasionally screws up, given thaty it is run by humans and given the volume of stuff that it deals with.

BTW, you can now notify DVLA of a change of keeper online.



Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 7th August 10:00

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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Jasandjules said:
...they lie about certain things....
Er, you do know that getting something wrong and lying are not always the same thing, er, don't you?

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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Breadvan72 said:
Er, you do know that getting something wrong and lying are not always the same thing, er, don't you?
Indeed. But when they tell me they have checked the information I sent and I was wrong..... THEN I send in another copy of what was sent which was not quite exactly really what they claimed it said............. It could be a mistake or.......

And the thing is, had they not lied and just said oh sorry we must have got that wrong we will fix it now I would have been fine with that. But instead what they said was "No you sent the wrong information and you owe us £100 if you don't pay up within 14 days we will issue proceedings to get it"....

solo2

858 posts

146 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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No need to actually post off the V5C to change name and address on purchase or sale anymore, simply do it online.

https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle

smile