DVLA incompetence knows no bounds

[Kinky]

How damn frustrating the DVLA are proving to be ....

I sold the last KinkMobile on the 31st of May; completed all the necessary parts of the V5, with the new owner, and I sent it to the DVLA on the 1st of June. Fortunately I took a colour copy of everything I sent.

Come mid-August, I had not received any confirmation letter from them; so I sent a 2nd letter, enclosing a colour copy of the completed V5, and a polite letter explaining that I had already sent it back on the 1st of June.

Come start of October and I receive a formal letter from one of the DVLA departments (with a fancy name), basically warning me that the new owner had been in touch wanting the new V5 and that I would be fined if I did not send the V5 to them.

I sent a 3rd letter to them, enclosing yet another copy of the completed V5, along with a copy of the letter I sent back in Mid-August. Fortunately, I also sent this recorded, signed-for delivery.

Today, I receive a letter from the DVLA Enforcement Centre telling me that as I've not sent the V5 to them, I'm now liable to an out of court fine of £55, reduced to £35 if I pay up by the 14th of November.

So I dig out the recorded delivery receipt from the Post Office and look up the reference number on their website and see that it was delivered and signed for on the 16th of October at 10:57am. I double-checked the postcode to ensure it was correct and it is

Sadly the recorded signature on the Royal Mail site is totally illegible, but it does say that "Printed name: 7JL DEVND"

On the back of the letter received today is a 'statement form' for me to complete, if I "dispute the offence".

I'm sorely tempted to complete the form and simply say "Refer to letter received by you on the 16th of October at 10:57am and signed for by 7JL DEVND".

Sigh .... so damn frustrating, annoying and irritating. Plus the costs involved (printing, recorded delivery, time, etc).

Any reasonable advice from anyone?

[mini me]

maybe you could try ringing them up?

[dave7692]

They're completely off their rockers.

I sold my car about 4 months ago, sent off the V5 and had a notice back from them saying it had all gone through no problems, thought that was the end of it.

Last week I got a letter from them asking me to tax it...

I've written to them and explained the situation and I'm still waiting on a reply, it'll be interesting to see what excuse they come up with.

[Kinky]

mini me said:

maybe you could try ringing them up?

I could, except they make it QUITE CLEAR (note: their emphasis, not mine) on the letter that the phone number is a payment-only number, and will not entertain any dispute.

And to be honest, I'd rather it all in writing, so should the worst ever happen, I have 100% documentary proof. A phone call can easily be denied. And based on this experience so far, I'd not be suprised by anything.

[saaby93]

Welcome to the club

[Kinky]

It just feels like I'm the criminal and that they have not, and can do no wrong. Whereas, I KNOW I did everything by the book.

The irony is that the V5 for the KinkMobile replacement, purchased from a Main Dealer was received within 4 days

Talk about extremes!

[monthefish]

After selling a car, I've had the 'confirmation of receipt of new owner' from them.

...and then tax reminders for that vehicle some months later.


They've lost my V5's before with them denying ever having received it (again, sent recorded delivery with them having signed for it).

They're not the greatest agency in the world, and you (sadly) need to copy everything before sending, and then send recorded delivery.

[KaraK]

The Crack Fox said:

Phone them. They're human. I have found them to be very good over the phone.

Really? When I had a similar experience it was made very clear on more than one occasion that they won't discuss fines/appeals or anything like that over the phone or in person and that everything has to be done in writing. Which they ignore

[haggishunter]

I had exactly the same when I scrapped a car a few months back. Luckily I had done the same thing as you and taken copies. I wrote them quite a nasty letter explaining for the fourth and final time that I had scrapped the car and not to contact me again or I would have to pass it on to my lawyer. I received a letter a couple of weeks later saying that in this instance they wouldn't take further action. Idiots.

Anyway I had to scrap another vehicle the other day and was provided with the following phone number. 0300 790 6802. Surprisingly the people on the phone were actually quite helpful.

al

[Trickie Dickie]

I have just Sorned my TVR for the winter months and cashed in my tax disk with 5 months on it

It can now take "upto 6 weeks" for them to reimburse me!!!!

How come when I buy a tax disk it is instantaneous yet can take that long to give me my money back?

Trickie

[Podie]

I think the problem is that they are closing the local offices (which in my experience have been very good).

There is now an increased workload on Swansea and they just cannot cope with the volumes.

[TooMany2cvs]

Podie said:

I think the problem is that they are closing the local offices (which in my experience have been very good).

My experience, from a few years back, was the exact opposite. The Luton local office managed to completely cock up a simple V5C change, drawing it out over a year and two inspections of the car. That local office was closed, and it transferred to Swansea. A week and one phone call later, updated V5C arrives. Turned out they'd been writing to me at number 8, Street Name, instead of the correct (and on V5C all along) 38, Street Name...

[Kinky]

haggishunter said:

Anyway I had to scrap another vehicle the other day and was provided with the following phone number. 0300 790 6802. Surprisingly the people on the phone were actually quite helpful.

Al, thanks for that

I just called them, and spoke to a pleasant chappie called Liam, who explained that there was nothing they could do at this stage, as it had got 'too far'. I have to write in to them.

I despair

[edo]

Send the dispute form back, with copies of all the letters and ANOTHER letter explaining that you require £20 for this letter for your time, and £20 for every future letter.

[zed4]

Send them a bill for wasting your time and to cover your costs.

[B'stard Child]

Warning post gets a bit long - I dislike DVLA - I Dislike the DVLA a LOT

To answer your issue kinky



I certainly wouldn't recommend fixing this by phone

Registered letter

Ref previous correspondence (Don't send it again)

Enclose a Invoice for your costs to date

Cost of letters and postal cost as well as a cost for your time

Add in a pain and suffering compensation figure and make it round the invoice up to say £55

Sit back and wait as they'll struggle to handle that....




So why do I dislike DVLA

Contact by phone results in getting someone on the end of the line who in my experience is pretty clueless and working for a set set of scripts - they frequently will not give you their name.

I've found in the past that a trip to the local DVLA office fixed things faster - the ones that are now either closed or closing

Why are fines for this type of issue on the rise

DVLA are losing revenue streams

SORN after 2013 ends will be one time only and run until the vehicle is re-taxed

Selling Register Keeper data to clampers and councils is thining out (DVLA have even blacklisted some councils from obtaining data)

So they are pursuing previously rarely used revenue streams

I draw strong similarities to Congestion zone charging - without the fines for non payment the system is financially flawed.



I could give loads of examples of previous dealings with DVLA but the latest will do

I purchased a new to me motorcycle earlier this year

Signed all the paperwork and got a green slip - seller promised to send of the Reg doc on the Monday first class post

It needed some work so I waited 2 weeks and then sent of the SORN (couldn't do it on line - last taxed 2008)

2 weeks later still no Reg doc

Rang the seller - and he confirmed sent of next day as promised

Next day the reg doc arrived

Following day the SORN application was returned - rejected as I was not the RK

So I popped it back in an envelope and sent it back

1 week later I got the fine through the post for no having SORN

I sent it back with a "Foxtrot Oscar" letter not heard anything since

I know that in December this year I will get a SORN reminder for a car I scrapped in May this year.

I had to put the remains through an authorised dismantler - even though there was very little left

I just know that I will have problems as since they stopped people being able to scrap their own vehicles by sending the Reg Doc back declaring the vehicle scrapped.

[Gibby78]

This pretty much happened to me, I sent change of owner off, DVLA eventually wrote back to me saying the owner of the vehicle had changed, 2 weeks later they wrote to me saying that as I hadn't informed them of the change of owner I was liable for a fine Yada Yada so on so forth.

I eventually spoke to a nice young lady in an office in Leeds who sorted it out with an apology after I pointed the above out.

I also believe that if you say it's been posted (even First class) then legally it has and they won't go to court over it as (this is just what I heard) it can set a legal precedent that first class post isn't sufficient proof of delivery, therefore speeding fines etc can't be sent first class.

if there's a number on the letter give them a buzz, I actually got someone with a level of competence, you never know you may get lucky too.

[odyssey2200]

Is there one single Government body or department that is actually fit for purpose?

DVLA? No
HMRC? No
Highways Agency? No
DWP? No

[LHD]

K, I find a see you in court letter works wonders.

[B'stard Child]

odyssey2200 said:

Is there one single Government body or department that is actually fit for purpose?

DVLA? No
HMRC? No
Highways Agency? No
DWP? No

can I add the government to that list?