DVLA says "you have no tax"
Discussion
Letter from the DVLA received telling me I haven't taxed my car or made a SORN declaration. Fact is I taxed it in August this year for 12 months. Presumably just a matter of quoting the tax disc number to them? Caused by a fault with their new cross checking database? Still good that they make you feel like a criminal threatening fines, court action, hung, drawn and quartering etc....
This happened to me.
This is the *no shit* approach to dealing with the problem.
Take a colour photocopy of your tax disc. Write an accompanying letter stating where and when you purchased the disc and quoting their references. In the letter ask for written confirmation that they accept no offence was committed and that no further action will be taken.
Send the letter recorded delivery so they cannot argue that they got it.
The problem will go away. Cost to you about £5. Demanding they give you the £5 is unlikely to succeed and could prolong the uncertainty.
This is the *no shit* approach to dealing with the problem.
Take a colour photocopy of your tax disc. Write an accompanying letter stating where and when you purchased the disc and quoting their references. In the letter ask for written confirmation that they accept no offence was committed and that no further action will be taken.
Send the letter recorded delivery so they cannot argue that they got it.
The problem will go away. Cost to you about £5. Demanding they give you the £5 is unlikely to succeed and could prolong the uncertainty.
Yeah - but the only people who will generally even get accused of offences in this manner are the generally decent, law-abiding folk who have all their correct details registered with DVLA in the first place.
Those others from Scroatsville-cum-Chavtown who are uninsured and untaxed probably don't even come up on the radar at DVLA 'cos they'll have made sure not to give them any correct info (if any!)
Those others from Scroatsville-cum-Chavtown who are uninsured and untaxed probably don't even come up on the radar at DVLA 'cos they'll have made sure not to give them any correct info (if any!)
Thanks guys! Largely what I expected. I knew the cause was most likely a data problem with their new system. Would be good if maybe they admitted this on the letter and gave you the option to supply your tax disc ref no. with supporting picture in order to clear yourself, but then I guess this would be too much like admitting they hadn't set things up in the first place! Photocopying my tax disc now!
Yep got a smilar problem when I bought the new car. Got my plate swapped over and then got a fine for a car I no longer own and have never had the reg of. Unfortunately it took alot of sorting out, many letters, threats of court from them and at the end I never received an apology. The whole thing left a very bad taste in my mouth.
Don said:
Yes and No.
When they introduced these new offences they also knew their database was totally shit.
So now they are treating 10% of their law-abiding customers as criminals.
I feel they should have cleansed their data first myself.
Well said - mein Lieber .
... you do the preparation thoroughly first. The onus is on them to get their database and computer records absolutely correct. Most other businesses do this as matter of course. But this is short term government ill thought through hal- measure und half done job - better not started at all! -Bit like the other thread where you have the recruitment drive but do not train them
or you introduce a plastic policemen with no powers. The cost und training of these ineffectuals would be better spent on proper ones.... If they are sending out rogue letters like this does not inspire with mit that much faith that they will cop the real offenders here....they will still slip through net.... und if they have not registered throwaway car in first place ...
I would like to know how they expect people to photocopy their tax disc.
I have no photocopier at home and no photcopier at the office. There is a copier at the local shop but that would mean removing the disc from the car and committing an offence.
I would happily write them some letters and pay for the postage but if they want to see the thing they can come and look at the car in their own time.
Gareth
I have no photocopier at home and no photcopier at the office. There is a copier at the local shop but that would mean removing the disc from the car and committing an offence.
I would happily write them some letters and pay for the postage but if they want to see the thing they can come and look at the car in their own time.
Gareth
I've just been down to renew a SORN for my bike at our Post Office, the lady at the counter stapled a receipt to the Form and made sure I knew to keep it in case there were any problems with the DVLA.
It clearly shows the Client as D.V.L.A. and that the scheme is SORN - there are also a couple of further items that can be used as traces.
Now you also get a receipt with the standard renewal, so remember to keep it - will save you having to photocopy Tax Disk
Piccy
>> Edited by piccy mate on Monday 15th November 13:14
It clearly shows the Client as D.V.L.A. and that the scheme is SORN - there are also a couple of further items that can be used as traces.
Now you also get a receipt with the standard renewal, so remember to keep it - will save you having to photocopy Tax Disk
Piccy
>> Edited by piccy mate on Monday 15th November 13:14
They should put "road tax" on petrol anyway ! Proportional to the amount of road use and even those that try to dodge it cant 
(although they probably use "pink" diesel anyway !!!)
However, seems they need the system as it is to track vehicles and their owners etc, and is a way to also check MOT's and insurance...
One scheme that was looked into, a few years ago, would have meant upto 10p/litre of petrol, making the average driver pay for the equivalent tax disc three times over !!!!
You know it'll never be in our favour
(although they probably use "pink" diesel anyway !!!) However, seems they need the system as it is to track vehicles and their owners etc, and is a way to also check MOT's and insurance...
One scheme that was looked into, a few years ago, would have meant upto 10p/litre of petrol, making the average driver pay for the equivalent tax disc three times over !!!!
You know it'll never be in our favour
Funnily enough there is a bit in the Times letter section today
Fine and finer still
From Mr DJ
Sir, In July my daughter was stopped by the police for not having her car taxed (a two-day oversight). She subsequently paid the £60 fixed penalty fine imposed.
The DVLA decided, more than three months later, to impose another fixed penalty fine of £24 for the same offence. Its description of the offence was that the police fixed penalty offence was “failing to exhibit a current Vehicle Excise Licence” (section 33(1)b of the Registration Act 1994), but that “At that time, a second and entirely separate offence was also committed”, that of “using an unlicensed vehicle on a public road” (section 29(1) of the Registration Act 1994).
This appears to be a good working example of double jeopardy.
Yours faithfully,
DJ of Dorking.
Anyone dare tell me it isn't about revenue now.
Fine and finer still
From Mr DJ
Sir, In July my daughter was stopped by the police for not having her car taxed (a two-day oversight). She subsequently paid the £60 fixed penalty fine imposed.
The DVLA decided, more than three months later, to impose another fixed penalty fine of £24 for the same offence. Its description of the offence was that the police fixed penalty offence was “failing to exhibit a current Vehicle Excise Licence” (section 33(1)b of the Registration Act 1994), but that “At that time, a second and entirely separate offence was also committed”, that of “using an unlicensed vehicle on a public road” (section 29(1) of the Registration Act 1994).
This appears to be a good working example of double jeopardy.
Yours faithfully,
DJ of Dorking.
Anyone dare tell me it isn't about revenue now.
My mate had one of these, and phoned them up. They asked him to send of all sorts of crap to "prove" it, since he's obviously guilty if they get it wrong
Anyway, he said they could get stuffed if they wanted him to do all that as he was a busy student, lol.
Said, if you really care, my car is parked on the street where it is registered, if you want to come and look it is clearly visible in the windscreen.
They never phoned back and he never got any comeback from this.
I've had the same too, I have to spend time doing THEIR admin work because of their fook up. I don't mind really, I wouldn't mind AT ALL, if the letter was nice, but it's essentially saying your a guilty criminal and will be fined within x days, for not having done anything wrong!!!
FFS, they deserve silence. If it's taxed, ring them, say it is and leave it at that. If they have your car, then you out the proof and sue them for illegally removing your property I assume
Drivers, guilty until you prove yourself innocent! What a shite hole this country is!
Dave
Anyway, he said they could get stuffed if they wanted him to do all that as he was a busy student, lol.
Said, if you really care, my car is parked on the street where it is registered, if you want to come and look it is clearly visible in the windscreen.
They never phoned back and he never got any comeback from this.
I've had the same too, I have to spend time doing THEIR admin work because of their fook up. I don't mind really, I wouldn't mind AT ALL, if the letter was nice, but it's essentially saying your a guilty criminal and will be fined within x days, for not having done anything wrong!!!
FFS, they deserve silence. If it's taxed, ring them, say it is and leave it at that. If they have your car, then you out the proof and sue them for illegally removing your property I assume
Drivers, guilty until you prove yourself innocent! What a shite hole this country is!
Dave
Ok, so have written a fairly professional letter to DVLA, was suitably polite but a tad patronising and included my own "form" for them to complete and return to me with a statement along the lines of DVLA won't pursue further, won't fine etc.. etc.. Also requested to be re-imbursed for postage costs and inconvenience! Will send recorded delivery and see what happens! If anyone wants the letter mail me off list and I'll send. Thanks all!
Pain in the arse for all concerned and no mistake. However, it seems to me that given the way road tax is paid, it is inevitable that their database will be full of cack. Having a buzillion bits of paper floating in from post office counters all round the country to some data gathering centre is bound to introduce loads of errors; bad handwriting, careless data entry, bits of paper simply going missing. And how on earth can you check the data? Asking people to demonstrate they've got a tax disc seems to me to be just about all you can do.
As long as we pay for road tax this way the database will constantly be being polluted with cack. Two solutions spring to mind; (1) DVLA takes direct control of road tax payments (call centre, on-line payments, or by post) or (2) they provide post office counters ltd (or whatever the muppets call themselves these days) with a computer system that matches a road tax payment to a car before the customer leaves the counter. Neither would be cheap. Perhaps the best bet would be to tone down the letters they send out, asking rather than accusing.
As long as we pay for road tax this way the database will constantly be being polluted with cack. Two solutions spring to mind; (1) DVLA takes direct control of road tax payments (call centre, on-line payments, or by post) or (2) they provide post office counters ltd (or whatever the muppets call themselves these days) with a computer system that matches a road tax payment to a car before the customer leaves the counter. Neither would be cheap. Perhaps the best bet would be to tone down the letters they send out, asking rather than accusing.
Last time I taxed our cars and did the Bike SORN, it was all keyed in - the only writing done was on the new tax disk and my signature on the 'Switch' bill.
Piccy
[quote=ATG]Pain in the arse for all concerned and no mistake. However, it seems to me that given the way road tax is paid, it is inevitable that their database will be full of cack. Having a buzillion bits of paper floating in from post office counters all round the country to some data gathering centre is bound to introduce loads of errors; bad handwriting, careless data entry, bits of paper simply going missing. And how on earth can you check the data? Asking people to demonstrate they've got a tax disc seems to me to be just about all you can do.
Piccy
[quote=ATG]Pain in the arse for all concerned and no mistake. However, it seems to me that given the way road tax is paid, it is inevitable that their database will be full of cack. Having a buzillion bits of paper floating in from post office counters all round the country to some data gathering centre is bound to introduce loads of errors; bad handwriting, careless data entry, bits of paper simply going missing. And how on earth can you check the data? Asking people to demonstrate they've got a tax disc seems to me to be just about all you can do.
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