Fine for using a SORN vehicle but I never SORN'd it

[voicey]

I came home today to a letter from the DVLA stating "We have photographic evidence showing that at 14:34hrs on 06/09/2017 the above vehicle was in CHELMSFORD BYPASS, CHELMSFOD being used/kept on a public road whilst a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) declaration was in force"

Now this really perplexed me as I have never made a SORN on this car so I started to do some digging into my paperwork. The car in question is an Audi A8 and it is currently wearing a private plate. The plate is similar to ABV123.

I bought the Audi on 18 October 2015 and taxed it immediately on its original 57 plate (have the email confirming this).

The ABV123 plate was on a Honda Civic so on the same day I SORN'd the Civic (have email) and stuck it in my garage to be sold.

On the 23 October 2015 I retained the ABV123 plate (have email).

The V5 for the Audi on the 57 plate was issued to me on 6 November 2015 (printed on the V5).

Once i had the V5, I applied online to transfer ABV123 onto the Audi and a new V5 was issued on 11 November 2015 (printed on V5).


The tax would have been valid until 30 September 2016 however I didn't receive a reminder last year - if one would have been sent I would have taxed the car. I've been driving around with no road tax for nearly a year (and I do about 20k pa!). Even if I had failed to tax the car I would have expected to receive a fine for not renewing before now.

My question is do I have any way of appealing the fine? It seems to me that the SORN has been incorrectly transferred onto the Audi. Clearly I owe back tax and am happy to pay this. I have also taxed the car from today.

Any help or suggestions gratefully received. Cheers...

[Big_Dog]

I would give them a call. I know this sounds like the road to a wasted day but I recently had some challenges regarding V5s being wrong and they were most helpful. (shocking I know)

[InitialDave]

Yes, I've always found them to be very good about squaring this kind of thing up if you actually talk to them.

[PurpleMoonlight]

Whichever way you look at it you committed an offence.

Which fine would you prefer?

[SantaBarbara]

PurpleMoonlight said:

Whichever way you look at it you committed an offence.

Which fine would you prefer?

It may be a DVLA administration error

Not unusual

[PurpleMoonlight]

SantaBarbara said:

It may be a DVLA administration error

Not unusual

Deem the sorn an error and what are you left with?

[voicey]

Thanks for all the replies. I will call the on Monday to see if anything can be done.

PurpleMoonlight said:

Whichever way you look at it you committed an offence.

Which fine would you prefer?

Agreed however in mitigation the wrong application of the SORN prevented a reminder being sent. If I was sent a reminder then I would have bought another years tax like I do every year.

[Pica-Pica]

Have you checked and corresponded with DVLA quoting your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)?. This should be visible through the windshield, and also somewhere else on the car. It should be on your V5 as well, and match it.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Saturday 16th September 18:44

[SantaBarbara]

PurpleMoonlight said:

Deem the sorn an error and what are you left with?

Some other sort of error apparently

[PurpleMoonlight]

voicey said:

Agreed however in mitigation the wrong application of the SORN prevented a reminder being sent. If I was sent a reminder then I would have bought another years tax like I do every year.

You could always use your brain instead of relying on others to 'remind you.

[PurpleMoonlight]

SantaBarbara said:

Some other sort of error apparently

Nope, some other offence.

[SantaBarbara]

It is a pity that they have discontinued the tax disc that we could keep on the windscreen

[SantaBarbara]

PurpleMoonlight said:

Nope, some other offence.

I was going to challenge your use of the word "nope". But you are not the posterior who criticise other posters incorrect grammar and spelling

[PurpleMoonlight]

SantaBarbara said:

It is a pity that they have discontinued the tax disc that we could keep on the windscreen

You could always make your own if you find that method of reminder useful.

I find my memory sufficient.

[Who me ?]

I don't need to remember, I pay my tax by DD and every 12 month, in March, DVLA send me an e mail .

OP- might be worth a look on here to see the car make , held on record against the private plate.

https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ViewVehicle
When you enter the VRN, site asks you to confirm make etc of vehicle.

[Pica-Pica]

SantaBarbara said:

PurpleMoonlight said:

Nope, some other offence.

I was going to challenge your use of the word "nope". But you are not the posterior who criticise other posters incorrect grammar and spelling

I find the vernacular is fine.

[Solocle]

PurpleMoonlight said:

You could always make your own if you find that method of reminder useful.

I find my memory sufficient.

As I remember the reminder contains the details to renew the tax. I know you can use the V5, but that's a bit of a hastle to be honest.

[anonymous-user]

PurpleMoonlight said:

You could always make your own if you find that method of reminder useful.

I find my memory sufficient.

any car always needs tax, mot(over 3 years) insurance at a minimum. It isn't hard to remember paying and sorting these.

[JagerT]

Pica-Pica said:

I find the vernacular is fine.

What of railways got to do with it

Solocle said:

As I remember the reminder contains the details to renew the tax. I know you can use the V5, but that's a bit of a hastle to be honest.

Hassle

[Pica-Pica]

JagerT said:

Pica-Pica said:

I find the vernacular is fine.

What of railways got to do with it

Funicular. A very ropey, but balanced, comment!