5 months road tax instead of 6

[ADP68]

Hi
I bought a car from a dealer last november (on the 25th) and they taxed it for me at the Post Office whilst I waited for the car to be cleaned. I only realised today that the 6 month tax expires at the end of April, i.e. 5 months instead of 6. Is this because they backdate it to the start of the month (despite it saying on the disc that it was bought on 25/11 and is for 6 months)? Is there any recourse against the DVLA?
Thanks
Andy

[john_p]

ADP68 said:

Hi
I bought a car from a dealer last november (on the 25th) and they taxed it for me at the Post Office whilst I waited for the car to be cleaned. I only realised today that the 6 month tax expires at the end of April, i.e. 5 months instead of 6. Is this because they backdate it to the start of the month (despite it saying on the disc that it was bought on 25/11 and is for 6 months)? Is there any recourse against the DVLA?
Thanks
Andy

No

[POORCARDEALER]

Backdated to beggining of month, and zero recourse from DVLA

[DocJock]

The dates are correct. The tax runs from the beginning of the month in which it is purchased.

You have no recourse because they have done things properly.

[sharpfocus]

TV licencing do the same trick. Yet my wife still bought this years licence just before the end of the 11th month.

[anonymous-user]

similarly, don't buy a fishing licence in March

[k-ink]

Yes it's an officially allowed scam. It's not on, but what can you do? Either accept the rip off, or leave it at the dealers until the start of the next month.

[Speedracer329]

You should have asked him to wait a few days before taxing it, until it rolled into the next month.

[ADP68]

Thanks for the swift responses. It's a legal scam then and very unlikely to change given the state of the economy!
Cheers
Andy

[John D.]

Never knew about this. Sort of thing I'd not notice too!!

[redstu]

It's not a scam, but just an outdated system.
You can't buy the disk before the start of the month you want to tax it in if the vehicle is sorned, now that's a pita.
There really is no need to display the disk with modern systems to check on status.
Put it all on diesel, that's the best way!

[geeteeaye]

ADP68 said:

Thanks for the swift responses. It's a legal scam then and very unlikely to change given the state of the economy!
Cheers
Andy

How is it a scam? RFL is done by calendar months and you wanted to buy and use it towards the end of a calendar month? Have done it myself when I wanted to just do the p/x and get the new car straight away.

[Podie]

A decent dealer / post office has the courtesy to remind you, in my experience.

[5paul5]

Not a scam at all. Sounds like it had to be backdated to the beginning of the month so you could legally drive the car. Simple !!!

[k-ink]

redstu said:

It's not a scam, but just an outdated system

I disagree. They could change the system in a heartbeat if it suited them. It doesn't. It's a cheeky scam in the same way that council car park machines which don't give change. Just another few million a year extra for nothing.

[dowahdiddyman]

Look at it from the other side, hell would freeze over before you were given a week`s free tax by the dvla.

[Bungleaio]

I've been caught out by this on my last two cars, one I picked up on the 30th of March and the other was 31st december. Hopefully I don't make it a hat trick of this on the next one.

[redstu]

k-ink said:

I disagree. They could change the system in a heartbeat if it suited them. It doesn't. It's a cheeky scam in the same way that council car park machines which don't give change. Just another few million a year extra for nothing.

like I said , it's an outdated system.
There really Is no need to collect the tax in this fashion. Stick it on fuel as an additional duty, job done.

[otolith]

JPJPJP said:

similarly, don't buy a fishing licence in March

That really pees me off. Why can't I set up a monthly direct debit and never have to think about it again?

[ADP68]

It's a scam because they clearly have the ability to insert a date of the month in the expiry field on the tax disc and also, because I got caught out!
I'm never going to remember it either, when I buy another used car!