late licensing penalty - some advice please.
Discussion
Gents,
Hoping for some advice on whether to just pay up or stick at it?!!
First, I sold a car at the end of December 2013 and the following day posted the relevant paperwork to the DVLA advising of the sale. I actually sold the car to a gentleman from Southern Ireland. The car was taxed until the end of January 2014.
I thought nothing of it until receiving a late licensing penalty some time in March 2014. I wrote to the DVLA advising that the car had been sold etc and confirming the new keepers details. A couple of letters to and from the DVLA later I receive my first correspondence from a debt collection agency called Rossendales.
The penalty demanded is £80 plus outstanding road tax costs for February and March 2014. I've emailed Rossendales twice and phoned them once. I've also been receiving numerous messages from them on my answer machine. During my conversation with them and follow-up email I advised that I disputed the offence and requested they take me to court where I would present my case. I also advised them that any further phone calls would be logged as harassment.
Well, the calls stopped but today I've received yet another letter stating that I've ignored their correspondence - which I haven't, I have just disagreed with it! And that the next step is potentially legal action and hence additional costs. GREAT, at last!
My question is, if this goes to court, will I be defending myself against the original offence imposed by the DVLA (the fact that they didn't receive my V5C advising of the sale)? This I'm happy to do as I have always understood that as soon as a letter is handed to the Royal Mail it's deemed to be received by the recipient.
Any advice appreciated.
Hoping for some advice on whether to just pay up or stick at it?!!
First, I sold a car at the end of December 2013 and the following day posted the relevant paperwork to the DVLA advising of the sale. I actually sold the car to a gentleman from Southern Ireland. The car was taxed until the end of January 2014.
I thought nothing of it until receiving a late licensing penalty some time in March 2014. I wrote to the DVLA advising that the car had been sold etc and confirming the new keepers details. A couple of letters to and from the DVLA later I receive my first correspondence from a debt collection agency called Rossendales.
The penalty demanded is £80 plus outstanding road tax costs for February and March 2014. I've emailed Rossendales twice and phoned them once. I've also been receiving numerous messages from them on my answer machine. During my conversation with them and follow-up email I advised that I disputed the offence and requested they take me to court where I would present my case. I also advised them that any further phone calls would be logged as harassment.
Well, the calls stopped but today I've received yet another letter stating that I've ignored their correspondence - which I haven't, I have just disagreed with it! And that the next step is potentially legal action and hence additional costs. GREAT, at last!
My question is, if this goes to court, will I be defending myself against the original offence imposed by the DVLA (the fact that they didn't receive my V5C advising of the sale)? This I'm happy to do as I have always understood that as soon as a letter is handed to the Royal Mail it's deemed to be received by the recipient.
Any advice appreciated.
The RFL renewal came through only a couple of weeks after I'd sold the car. I assumed they'd crossed in the post - I sold the car with just over a month remaining on the road tax.
As for receiving confirmation of sale. I didn't give it a thought.
I've been known to change my car a few times a year and historically not had a problem.
As for receiving confirmation of sale. I didn't give it a thought.
I've been known to change my car a few times a year and historically not had a problem.
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