Main dealer courtesy car - showing as not taxed

[lard]

I bought an approved used car last week, from a main Volvo dealership about an hour away from me - mine had issues and they drove down in a courtesy car and picked it up this evening - all good that they are jumping on it and collecting within a week and a pretty nice spec XC60 Ultimate left on my drive

Wanted to check which engine the courtesy car had and couldn't be bothered to go outside so put the reg into DVLA... it's showing as not taxed since August?

Shouldn't this only be driven with dealer plates as assume it's registered as being "in trade"? Now I'm nervous about driving it as believe it's on me if I get stopped...

[J6542]

Just drive it, it’s nothing to do with you if it isn’t taxed.

[Mad Maximus]

Personally I would email them then call if you need to use the car urgently. I’m not sure if the plod will care if it’s your car or not.

[57Ford]

The police aren’t interested in the slightest for a lack of tax and there’s no points as I understand it, just a fine for the owner and the threat of it being confiscated (although that’s extremely unlikely).
Don’t pay, we’ll take it away!

[J6542]

Chances of being caught are slim to none, if you are stopped it’s a fine which you would give to the dealer to pay, So if you need to use the car just use it.

[E-bmw]

57Ford said:

The police aren t interested in the slightest for a lack of tax and there s no points as I understand it, just a fine for the owner and the threat of it being confiscated

Correct, and that would be weeks/months down the line anyway, well after you are rid of it.

[Greendubber]

57Ford said:

The police aren t interested in the slightest for a lack of tax and there s no points as I understand it, just a fine for the owner and the threat of it being confiscated (although that s extremely unlikely).
Don t pay, we ll take it away!

Plenty of cars get lifted by the police for no tax.

[lard]

Thanks all for replies - looks like the consequences were minimal, with ANPR firing off to the dealer, only issue would be if it was clamped or I didn't pay a fine if stopped in time,

thankfully I contacted the dealer and they immediately taxed it!

[eldrich]

Not your problem, Similar I would think to if you were driving a company supplied van for the purposes of the trade where someone else is respnsible for the tax/insurance and there is an implicit understanding they are suppling said transport road ready etc etc. If you accepted the car as a courtesy car from a dealer even if plod stopped you there is no expectation of you knowing the tax status as its not your car and was supplied to you in that state by a dealer as a temporary loan.

Of course with the lack of application of common sense by Plod and courts (due to Govn interference) not because they lack common sense you'll probably out of luick.

[HTP99]

Probably something as simple as the tax needed renewing and it was missed, we've had this before with one of our courtesy cars, we found out as it was clamped by the DVLA whilst outside the customers house!

[Mad Maximus]

eldrich said:

Not your problem, Similar I would think to if you were driving a company supplied van for the purposes of the trade where someone else is respnsible for the tax/insurance and there is an implicit understanding they are suppling said transport road ready etc etc. If you accepted the car as a courtesy car from a dealer even if plod stopped you there is no expectation of you knowing the tax status as its not your car and was supplied to you in that state by a dealer as a temporary loan.

Of course with the lack of application of common sense by Plod and courts (due to Govn interference) not because they lack common sense you'll probably out of luick.

As far as I understand it if you are driving a car you are responsible for its condition and being legal to drive.

[paul_c123]

Mad Maximus said:

As far as I understand it if you are driving a car you are responsible for its condition and being legal to drive.

The registered keeper is responsible (in law) for taxing a vehicle. For vehicles under 3.5 tons, there is no official responsibility for a driver to check a vehicle before driving it (but the driver is responsible for its roadworthiness). For vehicles >3.5 tons and subject to an operator licence, there IS a formal responsibility for a driver to check its licensed (among many other things - for example weight plate present, tacho seal, O-licence displayed, no smoking sign in cab, height plate, etc etc) but non-compliance would result in an infringement with no fine.

Tax is an admin issue, not a roadworthiness issue.

[Castrol for a knave]

J6542 said:

Just drive it, it s nothing to do with you if it isn t taxed.

Wrong..

Chances are very slim, but you could be done under Use, Cause or Allow. Basically as under Road Traffic Act, but I think it sits under different act for car tax.

[V8LM]

Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 said:

29 Penalty for using or keeping unlicensed vehicle.
(1)If a person uses, or keeps, a vehicle which is unlicensed he is guilty of an offence.

Using can be an offence.