Quick Tax question
Discussion
Just brought a car, will have all the right docs etc, except that the car has no tax.
I also have only (until the originals arrive in the post) a fax copy of my insurance cover for the car.
Can I tax the car on a faxed copy of the document if I explain that I have just purchased the car?
I also have only (until the originals arrive in the post) a fax copy of my insurance cover for the car.
Can I tax the car on a faxed copy of the document if I explain that I have just purchased the car?
neil_cardiff said:
Not even if I wander in with a paper trail including my old insurance doc, my new insurance docs (faxed - and my insurer kindly insured the Golf for free as well temporarily 
), purchase document, V5 slip etc etc etc?
), purchase document, V5 slip etc etc etc?Nope, You have to have the original cert or a cover note and it must be valid on the day that the tax comes into force.
sjtscott said:
neil_cardiff said:
Not even if I wander in with a paper trail including my old insurance doc, my new insurance docs (faxed - and my insurer kindly insured the Golf for free as well temporarily ), purchase document, V5 slip etc etc etc?
), purchase document, V5 slip etc etc etc?Nope, You have to have the original cert or a cover note and it must be valid on the day that the tax comes into force.
Surely theres no point in a cover note, as that would have to be posted through? They might as well send the bloody docs though.
Gah.
neil_cardiff said:
Not even if I wander in with a paper trail including my old insurance doc, my new insurance docs (faxed - and my insurer kindly insured the Golf for free as well temporarily ), purchase document, V5 slip etc etc etc?
), purchase document, V5 slip etc etc etc?Nope. I tried. My insurers made a mistake on the registration of a car I bought and faxed me through a revised copy of the certificate so that I could tax the car. I gave the post office the original with the incorrect registration and the faxed copy with the correct reg. Obviously from the same source, but they still wouldn't touch it.
Edited by SGirl on Tuesday 24th October 14:04
SGirl said:
Nope. The jobsworths at the post office will never tax a car on a faxed document.
I'll have you know that I used to run a post office, and there are very good reasons why we could not accept a faxed, (or photocopied for that matter), insurance certificate. They basically all come down to the same thing, preventing forgeries, or would you rather there were even more uninsured drivers on the roads. And as for trying several post offices, shame on you, trying to get hard working, probably financially struggling, self employed business men and women into trouble. (yes I do know that some of the rules we had to follow were a bit silly and pointless, but in this case there are very good reasons)
wackydo said:
It's worth giving it a try, and also plan to visit several different post offices in the area as one of them may be OK.
NO IT ISN'T!!!
If they are doing their job properly none of them will accept it, and quite rightly so, (see previous post). Shame on you for suggesting it.
andmole said:
SGirl said:
Nope. The jobsworths at the post office will never tax a car on a faxed document.
I'll have you know that I used to run a post office, and there are very good reasons why we could not accept a faxed, (or photocopied for that matter), insurance certificate. They basically all come down to the same thing, preventing forgeries, or would you rather there were even more uninsured drivers on the roads. And as for trying several post offices, shame on you, trying to get hard working, probably financially struggling, self employed business men and women into trouble. (yes I do know that some of the rules we had to follow were a bit silly and pointless, but in this case there are very good reasons)
Not that I'm considering it, but its not exactly hard to 'forge' an insurance document, especially from a faxed copy is it?
andmole said:
SGirl said:
Nope. The jobsworths at the post office will never tax a car on a faxed document.
I'll have you know that I used to run a post office, and there are very good reasons why we could not accept a faxed, (or photocopied for that matter), insurance certificate. They basically all come down to the same thing, preventing forgeries, or would you rather there were even more uninsured drivers on the roads. And as for trying several post offices, shame on you, trying to get hard working, probably financially struggling, self employed business men and women into trouble. (yes I do know that some of the rules we had to follow were a bit silly and pointless, but in this case there are very good reasons)
I didn't say try several post offices. I've never tried several post offices.
I see your viewpoint. But where's the common sense? See my second post above. I had the original, incorrect certificate. I had a fax of the correct certificate. I had the V5, the old insurance certificates, all the old MOTs as well as the current one, the car was parked outside and the owner knows me (I tax all my cars there, and I always have the correct paperwork - this was a one-off caused by an administrative error at the insurance company). Now tell me how I could be committing fraud in that instance.
job·sworth (plural job·sworths)
noun
Definition:
U.K. petty bureaucrat: a minor official who insists on following regulations to the letter, especially with the intention of being deliberately obstructive
Edited by SGirl on Tuesday 24th October 14:25
pdV6 said:
Best bet would be for the dealer to tax it on the old reg cert and their fleet cover (at your expense if tax isn't part of the deal) prior to you collecting the car. That, or wait for the paperwork to come through.
Just going to wait for the paperwork I think, my insurers are usually pretty good with that sort of thing...and besides I won't have it for a day or two.
neil_cardiff said:
andmole said:
SGirl said:
Nope. The jobsworths at the post office will never tax a car on a faxed document.
I'll have you know that I used to run a post office, and there are very good reasons why we could not accept a faxed, (or photocopied for that matter), insurance certificate. They basically all come down to the same thing, preventing forgeries, or would you rather there were even more uninsured drivers on the roads. And as for trying several post offices, shame on you, trying to get hard working, probably financially struggling, self employed business men and women into trouble. (yes I do know that some of the rules we had to follow were a bit silly and pointless, but in this case there are very good reasons)
Not that I'm considering it, but its not exactly hard to 'forge' an insurance document, especially from a faxed copy is it?
That's 0 out of 10 for obseration for you sunshine.
Properly authorised cover notes have serial numbers, fancy watermarks, and even heat sensitive inks which change colour when you put your finger on them, none of which will show up on a fax. Certificates have all or some of these, plus there are other ways to check which I cannot divulge, (when leaving a post office there are various documents to sign).
For those people who carry on about jobsworths I ask again, do you really want more uninsured vehicles on the road? Grow up and start acting responsibly.
Well, there's responsibly interpreting the spirit of the law to reduce uninsured drivers and there's rigidly sticking to the letter of the law, flying in the face of common sense. I'm sure you'll agree that there are one or two people in positions of "authority" that delight in playing the 2nd scenario.
Plus there are plenty of tales on here of people with all the proper paperwork being refused tax at a PO because there's not much time left on an MOT or insurance certificate, despite it being perfectly legal to issue the tax. In those circumstances it can pay to go to the next-nearest tax-capable PO for a better outcome. Note that these days, "next nearest" probably involves a reasonably long drive!
Plus there are plenty of tales on here of people with all the proper paperwork being refused tax at a PO because there's not much time left on an MOT or insurance certificate, despite it being perfectly legal to issue the tax. In those circumstances it can pay to go to the next-nearest tax-capable PO for a better outcome. Note that these days, "next nearest" probably involves a reasonably long drive!
andmole said:
neil_cardiff said:
andmole said:
SGirl said:
Nope. The jobsworths at the post office will never tax a car on a faxed document.
I'll have you know that I used to run a post office, and there are very good reasons why we could not accept a faxed, (or photocopied for that matter), insurance certificate. They basically all come down to the same thing, preventing forgeries, or would you rather there were even more uninsured drivers on the roads. And as for trying several post offices, shame on you, trying to get hard working, probably financially struggling, self employed business men and women into trouble. (yes I do know that some of the rules we had to follow were a bit silly and pointless, but in this case there are very good reasons)
Not that I'm considering it, but its not exactly hard to 'forge' an insurance document, especially from a faxed copy is it?
That's 0 out of 10 for obseration for you sunshine.
Properly authorised cover notes have serial numbers, fancy watermarks, and even heat sensitive inks which change colour when you put your finger on them, none of which will show up on a fax. Certificates have all or some of these, plus there are other ways to check which I cannot divulge, (when leaving a post office there are various documents to sign).
Well I certainly haven't seen my local post office going through the docs with a fine tooth comb - they just glance at it and off they go.
Kind of makes a mockery of your checks doesn't it?
Additionally, why don't they bloody make a noise about it then, scare people a bit into not trying to forge the docs...
p.s. chill winston. I'm not sunny, nor shiney.
Edited by neil_cardiff on Tuesday 24th October 15:02
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