Mrs caught without road tax

[LoonR1]

surveyor said:

I think it depends on whether you deal with it straight away. What typically happens in my house is it arrives (I work from home) I see it and put it in a pile to deal with at the weekend. In the meantime some helpful soul will tidy my pile, and it's gone.

I'm now trying to remember work stuff, personal stuff, and it's easy to get waylaid. So much easier in the window....

I like my window de cluttered. Just leave your old one in there, or make one up for no good reason. I can't see that it's even that obvious. Surely a note in your phone, or even on the inside of the car would be more effective than a little disc on the windscreen on the outside of the car.

[tony wright]

What would happen if your tax cost nothing (electric car) and you forgot to renew?

[LoonR1]

tony wright said:

What would happen if your tax cost nothing (electric car) and you forgot to renew?

You'd probably still get fined and deservedly so, as it takes a special kind of idiot to fail to renew something that's free.

[noell35]

LoonR1 said:

You'd probably still get fined and deservedly so, as it takes a special kind of idiot to fail to renew something that's free.

Hello! Forgot to tax my 1972 tax exempt mini one year a long time ago. I seem to remember it costing quite a lot

[Dog Star]

LoonR1 said:

Quick google suggests a reminder letter, followed by an automated £80 plus buy the road tax penalty, court is a last resort and well down the process.

Yup - happened to me (well the OH but of course guess who had to deal with it ) when the OHs bike didn't get taxed (the OH just piles all her mail up without opening it).

[Zigster]

I'm trying to renew the tax on my (wife's) car at the moment.

I couldn't do it over the weekend as I have a "Contingency MOT Test Certificate" which the "vehicletax" website didn't recognise - i.e. it claimed there was no MOT. My wife said the garage which did the MOT said something about the DVSA's database being down at the moment - not sure if that is an ongoing issue or something specific to the MOT testing station I used.

So I called the DVSA this morning as suggested on the vehicletax website but, after pressing a few options to get to the right department, I just got summarily cut off.

Anyone else having this problem?

[LoonR1]

Zigster said:

I'm trying to renew the tax on my (wife's) car at the moment.

I couldn't do it over the weekend as I have a "Contingency MOT Test Certificate" which the "vehicletax" website didn't recognise - i.e. it claimed there was no MOT. My wife said the garage which did the MOT said something about the DVSA's database being down at the moment - not sure if that is an ongoing issue or something specific to the MOT testing station I used.

So I called the DVSA this morning as suggested on the vehicletax website but, after pressing a few options to get to the right department, I just got summarily cut off.

Anyone else having this problem?

Why DVSA and not DVLA? Isn't the former the "Standards" and the latter the "Licensing", so it's the latter that you want. The former may have created and own the database and certify testers, but they don't deal with the public and their individual issues.

[Zigster]

LoonR1 said:

Why DVSA and not DVLA? Isn't the former the "Standards" and the latter the "Licensing", so it's the latter that you want. The former may have created and own the database and certify testers, but they don't deal with the public and their individual issues.

DVLA website said:

If you have a MOT test certificate…

The vehicle details may not have updated on the MOT Test Certificate database. Please note that it can take 48 hours from the time of test for the database to be updated.

If it’s been longer than 48 hours you can phone the MOT helpline. For vehicles which have been MOT'd in GB contact VOSA on 0300 123 9000. For vehicles which have been MOT'd in Northern Ireland contact DVAT on 0845 601 4094. Please note you will need to provide the registration number of your vehicle and either the test number from your MOT certificate or the document reference number from your V5C Registration Certificate.

The VOSA number quoted seems to be DVSA from teh recorded message at the beginning. I tried that number again and the recorded message was no more helpful now I got to hear it - just said I needed an MOT to be able to tax my car. Helpful ...

The MOT was done over a week ago - I'd booked it in before I went on holiday to make sure it was all done in plenty of time.

[Adrian E]

There have been recent issues with the MOT system - some stations have been issuing old style MOTs, at DVLAs request. Because it won't get logged instantly that a fresh MOT has been issued you won't be able to use the online system if the previous MOT has expired, at least not until a manual record amendment has been done. Best bet is pop down the post office with the paper certificate MOT and do it the old fashioned way

[QBee]

I believe they have merged VOSA and DVLA into the DVSA.
A government initiative designed to confuse and irritate the public, while putting hard working civil servants out of work and costing more money to resolve the ensuing cock-ups.

[Zod]

bhstewie said:

Usget said:

Doesn't everyone just pay by monthly DD now? Why would you pay upfront?

I think my car tax is £30 next year - no benefit IMO.

It costs extra, doesn't it?

[Zigster]

Zod said:

bhstewie said:

Usget said:

Doesn't everyone just pay by monthly DD now? Why would you pay upfront?

I think my car tax is £30 next year - no benefit IMO.

It costs extra, doesn't it?

For the little fart-box I'm trying to tax at the moment, 6 months isn't available, 12 months costs £20 and paying that monthly costs £21 pa. Little difference.

I'll pop into the Post Office to try and pay - might be a few days before I get chance to do it, though. One question - wouldn't they check the MOT on a database if taxing in the Post Office? Or would they simply accept the Contingency Certificate (the V11 says I need an original MOT certificate - not clear that the contingency one would be accepted)?

[LoonR1]

QBee said:

I believe they have merged VOSA and DVLA into the DVSA.
A government initiative designed to confuse and irritate the public, while putting hard working civil servants out of work and costing more money to resolve the ensuing cock-ups.

Not as far as I can see. DSA and VOSA have merged to form DVSA, but DVLA remains separate. Hardly confusing unless you want it to be and I don't think it was designed to confuse the public, they seem clever enough to do that on their own. I have had zero direct interaction with any of DSA, VOSA, or DVSAin my 30 years plus of driving, but plenty with DVLA. Seems to me that it just continues that way which isn't even vaguely confusing.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/10740009/...

[Zigster]

Zod said:

bhstewie said:

Usget said:

Doesn't everyone just pay by monthly DD now? Why would you pay upfront?

I think my car tax is £30 next year - no benefit IMO.

It costs extra, doesn't it?

For the little fart-box I'm trying to tax at the moment, 6 months isn't available, 12 months costs £20 and paying that monthly costs £21 pa. Little difference.

I'll pop into the Post Office to try and pay - might be a few days before I get chance to do it, though. One question - wouldn't they check the MOT on a database if taxing in the Post Office? Or would they simply accept the Contingency Certificate (the V11 says I need an original MOT certificate - not clear that the contingency one would be accepted)?

[Zod]

Zigster said:

Zod said:

bhstewie said:

Usget said:

Doesn't everyone just pay by monthly DD now? Why would you pay upfront?

I think my car tax is £30 next year - no benefit IMO.

It costs extra, doesn't it?

For the little fart-box I'm trying to tax at the moment, 6 months isn't available, 12 months costs £20 and paying that monthly costs £21 pa. Little difference.

I'll pop into the Post Office to try and pay - might be a few days before I get chance to do it, though. One question - wouldn't they check the MOT on a database if taxing in the Post Office? Or would they simply accept the Contingency Certificate (the V11 says I need an original MOT certificate - not clear that the contingency one would be accepted)?

Just checked. Mine would be an extra £25 by monthly dd. That's 5%.

Can't answer your question, I'm afraid, as I've taxed online for years, but given the online system makes its own checks on MOT and insurance status, you'd hope the post office would be able to do the same.

[Rude-boy]

Zod said:

It just occurred to me last week that my tax must be due, so I dug through guy the pile of bills that arriv d while we were on holiday and there was the reminder. I always used to be aware of the date on the tax disc. Given we pay tax online now, I'd prefer it if the DvLA sent the reindeers by email and/or text.

Christ NO! Don't let the DVLA notify you of anything official by e-mail as an only option.

Personally I like the idea of having a little triangular, square or round piece of paper in my window to let me know when I need to buy new tax - often as I used to have insurance and MOT also within that month. You could call it a Tax Square or similar. Bit old school though these days so I just have a list of dates I have put on some pieces of paper to remind me about MOT's, VEDs and relatives who I should remember to send cards to but cba to remember their dobs. I shall call this a calendar

[Who me ?]

Just caught the end of this and one question popped up. I know most of us have a licence for the mrs,most have insurance on her , but WHEN did we have to have road tax for her. Perhaps I'd better shut up before Ozzie & Dormant Dave see this as another way to raise revenue. But then we could always SORN the Mrs ,and keep her off the road, but if she's confined to the pavement, how can we send her down to the supermart to get the beer in /

[Cliftonite]

Zod said:

Just checked. Mine would be an extra £25 by monthly dd. That's 5%.

Can't answer your question, I'm afraid, as I've taxed online for years, but given the online system makes its own checks on MOT and insurance status, you'd hope the post office would be able to do the same.

The online system (and Post Office) no longer checks insurance status. If you are uninsured it now takes your money anyway, then fines you a while later. An excellent money spinner!

[LoonR1]

Cliftonite said:

The online system (and Post Office) no longer checks insurance status. If you are uninsured it now takes your money anyway, then fines you a while later. An excellent money spinner!

It fines you for no insurance, not no road tax. It also checks continuously not just once or twice a year when you buy your road tax.

[Terminator X]

Usget said:

Doesn't everyone just pay by monthly DD now? Why would you pay upfront?

I'd rather pay it at the post office so I do.

TX.