Using my address

[Eliminator]

I have some cottages on my land that I use for holiday lets. During January and February there are no takers, so it's time for repairs and maintenance.

One of the cottages I have not been in for over a month. Today, I found post from a local government some 500 miles away increasing a fine for traffic violation (parking?) to £150 for non payment. The name of the addressee is unknown to me, as is the registration of the vehicle.

I called the enforcement office concerned and they were rather unhelpful. According to them, either I pay the fine or they will send the bailifs. I pointed out that they had as much right to send the bailifs to the enforcement officer's house, as he had as much to do with this "offence" as I did.

Anyway - is this a matter to report to Police? Or should I take this up only with DVLA - past experience of DVLA contact does not fill me with optimism!

Thanks

[pikey]

Put it in writing and you'll probably get a more sensible reply. The people on the phone often don't have the answers to unusual situations (but I'm sure they often hear people use many lies to try and avoid it).

When someone cloned my numberplate neither the council, DVLA or Police were interested (all saying each other had a procedure) on the phone. Putting it in writing got it dealt with correctly.

[Eliminator]

Thanks. Shows that these "automated" procedures will catch only the "honest" people. It seems that DVLA does not check before issuing a V5.

[Mr Robbo]

^^^^ genuine question, but how would you expect the DVLA to check that a person who's applying for a V5, doesnt live at the address their quoting ?

[flemke]

Mr Robbo said:

^^^^ genuine question, but how would you expect the DVLA to check that a person who's applying for a V5, doesnt live at the address their quoting ?

Require submission of utilities or bank statement for that person and address, same as Congestion Charge people do.

[Mr Robbo]

Considering the ability of Government organisations to lose private data on a grand scale, I wouldnt be filled with undue optimism in submitting such information to the DVLA in the first instance.

Further & as the DVLA receives more incoming post (I believe) than any other UK organisation, how would they hope to check that such documents werent forged. Ring up the bank &/or Water Company ? And how would they do this, oh yes by employing yet more Civil Servants at great expense to the Public purse in none profit generating positions.

In any event, what happens if you have only recently moved address & have no such utility bills etc to submit? You cant register your car until the first quarter ?

[flemke]

Mr Robbo said:

Considering the ability of Government organisations to lose private data on a grand scale, I wouldnt be filled with undue optimism in submitting such information to the DVLA in the first instance.

Further & as the DVLA receives more incoming post (I believe) than any other UK organisation, how would they hope to check that such documents werent forged. Ring up the bank &/or Water Company ? And how would they do this, oh yes by employing yet more Civil Servants at great expense to the Public purse in none profit generating positions.

In any event, what happens if you have only recently moved address & have no such utility bills etc to submit? You cant register your car until the first quarter ?

I was not justifying it, just addressing your point.
There are loads of organisations in the UK that require proof of residence. Some of them are public authorities, such as the Congestion Charge. IINM, a UK passport application also requires proof of address. Parking permits certainly require them, and how many millions of those are issued yearly? Opening most bank accounts requires PoA too.
Most people are able to produce a PoA. If there is a practical impediment to producing one, normally one has an alternative option which is feasible although tedious and time-consuming.

[jondude]

Eliminator said:

Thanks. Shows that these "automated" procedures will catch only the "honest" people. It seems that DVLA does not check before issuing a V5.

I think they also cover their backsides by writing ' the registered keeper is not necessarily the legal owner '...effectively admitting their records are worthless.

Bit like the MOT cop out - thank you for your 50 quid, your car now has a new, fresh MOT to show it has passed the test. This is not proof your car is roadworthy though, so don't blame us, mate.

[streaky]

jondude said:

Eliminator said:

Thanks. Shows that these "automated" procedures will catch only the "honest" people. It seems that DVLA does not check before issuing a V5.

I think they also cover their backsides by writing ' the registered keeper is not necessarily the legal owner '...effectively admitting their records are worthless.

That's a statement of fact, not a CYA. For example, a leased car is owned by the lessor, but the RK is usually the lessee - Streaky

[andyuk911]

Have you done a free check to see if the car is real ?

[esselte]

Eliminator said:

According to them, either I pay the fine or they will send the bailifs.
Thanks

How can they hold you responsible for the fine?It's not in your name as, I assume neither, is the car.How can they send bailiffs in to collect stuff from someone who doesn't live there?Does this mean that everytime someone from a council house doesn't pay traffic fines then they can hold the council responsible?

[Peter Ward]

Reading your OP, I get the impression that the accused never rented your holiday home. Therefore, they must have just picked an address out of the air (or phone book, or internet). How could you be responsible in that case? I could do exactly the same to anyone whose holiday home I know about -- and there's thousands listed on websites (mine's at www.gannets.org.uk if you're asking .

So hopefully, all you have to do is point out that the address is a holiday home, it is publicly listed and available to anyone, and NOBODY LIVES THERE. How could they then send the boys round? If they could, then the whole scheme (scam) is open to similar abuse. Imagine the chaos.

[Kevin 996C4]

Peter Ward said:

So hopefully, all you have to do is point out that the address is a holiday home, it is publicly listed and available to anyone, and NOBODY LIVES THERE. How could they then send the boys round? If they could, then the whole scheme (scam) is open to similar abuse. Imagine the chaos.

Is chaos not a government target? Then they can introduce more control freakery to sort out the chaos.

[Eliminator]

So, update.

I have drafted a letter to DVLA. Before I send, any thoughts?

======

Dear Sir

It has come to my attention that a vehicle registration ******* is shown on your records as belonging to Mr. **** at the following address ******. I came by this information through postal notification of a traffic fine by ****** Council.

I am the owner of the address in question. It is a holiday cottage let weekly (see www.ardochy.com ) and has no permanent occupier. I do not know of the individual "Mr *****" and I know nothing of the vehicle in question. I have spoken with **** Council, who tell me that they can send bailifs to the registered address of the keeper of a vhicle having incurred a fine and that your record of the registered keeper is their sole reference material for such enforcement.

Therefore it is clear to me that your records in respect of this vehicle are incorrect and that while they continue to be incorrect I face the prospect of being forced to incur expense in rebutting financial and property claims. Please would you remove any reference to my cottage as a Keeper's address for this vehicle and confirm in writing that you have done this so that I can, in turn, inform **** Council.

Yours Sincerely

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