Caught with an Untaxed Vehicle ..
Discussion
Andrew--Stevenson said:
The 'fine' ended up at almost £200 in the end, in hindsight I'd have like it to be just £85 ... 
As someone up above keeps harping on about; I didn't choose to not pay, we were in the process of moving into our first owned house which needed building works as soon as we got the keys so we were very much focused on other things. I know this issue wouldn't have happened had the reminder gone to the correct (new) address, or the landlady/new tenant had bothered to forward our post .. (Again, Royal mail divert could have helped that one).
All in, we're lucky it wasn't more - moral of the story for us is to ensure that all documents are 100%! It's a shame, its knocked us back on what was an already tight budget having spaffed all our money on the house/move/decorating.
It's not difficult to have a diary to remind you when car tax is due, insurance is due, MOT is due, when your wife's birthday is etc etc.As someone up above keeps harping on about; I didn't choose to not pay, we were in the process of moving into our first owned house which needed building works as soon as we got the keys so we were very much focused on other things. I know this issue wouldn't have happened had the reminder gone to the correct (new) address, or the landlady/new tenant had bothered to forward our post .. (Again, Royal mail divert could have helped that one).
All in, we're lucky it wasn't more - moral of the story for us is to ensure that all documents are 100%! It's a shame, its knocked us back on what was an already tight budget having spaffed all our money on the house/move/decorating.
Take some responsibility. You f cked up. Pay up.
Sorry but that's the simple truth.
meehaja said:
I was certain the wifes car was taxed until feb 14, in march 14 the DVLA clamped it as it expired in october 13. Apparently it was my fault for not reminding her! I tihnk i got a fine, the back dated tax and a years tax upfront.
...and that was back in the day when there was a tax disc in the windscreen...TooMany2cvs said:
meehaja said:
I was certain the wifes car was taxed until feb 14, in march 14 the DVLA clamped it as it expired in october 13. Apparently it was my fault for not reminding her! I tihnk i got a fine, the back dated tax and a years tax upfront.
...and that was back in the day when there was a tax disc in the windscreen...Edited by Sheepshanks on Saturday 1st April 12:48
mr alan said:
cologne2792 said:
What we need is some sort of visual reminder...how about a small paper disc in the windscreen ?
What a ridiculous idea that would never catch on................... Oh hang on !The remaining difficulty of sorting it out when buying/selling is the same. Although the web means you don't have to visit the post office.
I fail to see the downsides.
CABC said:
not really. you can now pay by DD. How much easier is that?
The remaining difficulty of sorting it out when buying/selling is the same. Although the web means you don't have to visit the post office.
I fail to see the downsides.
Other than the fact it costs £11 or so more to pay by DD it's not a bad idea.The remaining difficulty of sorting it out when buying/selling is the same. Although the web means you don't have to visit the post office.
I fail to see the downsides.
I pay by DD for sake of convenience.
Did pretty much the same myself. Declared my merc sorn since I was away for a couple of months when the tax was due. TOTALLY forgot about it for over a year, driving all over with no problem. Then got a fine for about £1100. Spent ages looking for the payment because I was totally convinced I'd paid it. Unfortunately having 3 other cars, I feel like I'm always taxing something so realised I really hadn't....
The way I see it, I paid a little more then I was due, but its a fair cop.
When I called in to speak to them, they had zero authority, they were literally just a payment line. Left it at that and sucked it up.
The way I see it, I paid a little more then I was due, but its a fair cop.
When I called in to speak to them, they had zero authority, they were literally just a payment line. Left it at that and sucked it up.
I have 3 vehicles. When I moved over a year ago the smallest, a Vespa, was chucked in a garage and forgotten about.
A couple of weeks ago I got it out, dusted it down and it started first go. Took it for a 40 mile run up to London and back.
It was around midnight the same day I suddenly sat up.
When was it last taxed and for that matter MOTd??
No paper disc. Reminders would have gone to my old address, had to go online to check that the tax had runout the previous Summer.
I motd it pronto and got tax on line with a warning they'll come after me about the gap.
What worries me is if there are a pile of brown envelopes in someone else's recycling.
Have not had an untaxed, uninsured or un motd vehicle since my first bike in 1978.
I wonder why that was?
A couple of weeks ago I got it out, dusted it down and it started first go. Took it for a 40 mile run up to London and back.
It was around midnight the same day I suddenly sat up.
When was it last taxed and for that matter MOTd??
No paper disc. Reminders would have gone to my old address, had to go online to check that the tax had runout the previous Summer.
I motd it pronto and got tax on line with a warning they'll come after me about the gap.
What worries me is if there are a pile of brown envelopes in someone else's recycling.
Have not had an untaxed, uninsured or un motd vehicle since my first bike in 1978.
I wonder why that was?
mr alan said:
cologne2792 said:
What we need is some sort of visual reminder...how about a small paper disc in the windscreen ?
What a ridiculous idea that would never catch on................... Oh hang on !mudster said:
mr alan said:
cologne2792 said:
What we need is some sort of visual reminder...how about a small paper disc in the windscreen ?
What a ridiculous idea that would never catch on................... Oh hang on !Also pay by monthly DD as it's one less thing to think about.
mudster said:
Nothing stopping you putting something there with the date on it. Having 3 vehicles, I use a calendar reminder in my phone for MoT, insurance and VED.
A good idea in hindsight, and one I will implement. Just us oldies being used to having something tangible that was stuck on our windscreen or bolted to the bike frame 
I still call Snickers, Marathon bars fer crissakes. Just can't get used to change.
croyde said:
mudster said:
Nothing stopping you putting something there with the date on it. Having 3 vehicles, I use a calendar reminder in my phone for MoT, insurance and VED.
A good idea in hindsight, and one I will implement. Just us oldies being used to having something tangible that was stuck on our windscreen or bolted to the bike frame I still call Snickers, Marathon bars fer crissakes. Just can't get used to change.
opal fruits and spangles anyone?
croyde said:
mudster said:
Nothing stopping you putting something there with the date on it. Having 3 vehicles, I use a calendar reminder in my phone for MoT, insurance and VED.
A good idea in hindsight, and one I will implement. Just us oldies being used to having something tangible that was stuck on our windscreen or bolted to the bike frame I still call Snickers, Marathon bars fer crissakes. Just can't get used to change.
I had a run in with the DVLA last year.
Went out to my car and saw that it had been clamped, and that on the windscreen there was a big notice saying 'This car is not taxed' etc.
Funny, since I distinctly remembered doing it online a few weeks prior, along with seeing a confirmation screen.
Called the DVLA and they checked the system. Said the car was untaxed. Apparently they can see how far you got through the online process. They said that I filled in the details and got through to the last confirmation screen, but didn't confirm the details.
The irritating thing? The car was tax exempt. Low emissions, so the yearly tax cost was £0. As you can imagine, my argument to the DVLA was along the lines of "so you think I went through the entire process to tax a FREE tax car and at the last moment had a change of heart?" They couldn't care less. Refused to even entertain the idea that the system might have been in error. Equally didn't see the irony in fining someone for not paying their £0 tax bill.
They also had some third party clamping company doing their dirty work, so the whole process cost me about £180 all in.
£180 fine for not paying a £0 bill.
Never underestimate the stupidity of government bodies, and those who work for them.
Went out to my car and saw that it had been clamped, and that on the windscreen there was a big notice saying 'This car is not taxed' etc.
Funny, since I distinctly remembered doing it online a few weeks prior, along with seeing a confirmation screen.
Called the DVLA and they checked the system. Said the car was untaxed. Apparently they can see how far you got through the online process. They said that I filled in the details and got through to the last confirmation screen, but didn't confirm the details.
The irritating thing? The car was tax exempt. Low emissions, so the yearly tax cost was £0. As you can imagine, my argument to the DVLA was along the lines of "so you think I went through the entire process to tax a FREE tax car and at the last moment had a change of heart?" They couldn't care less. Refused to even entertain the idea that the system might have been in error. Equally didn't see the irony in fining someone for not paying their £0 tax bill.
They also had some third party clamping company doing their dirty work, so the whole process cost me about £180 all in.
£180 fine for not paying a £0 bill.
Never underestimate the stupidity of government bodies, and those who work for them.
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