uh-oh, minimax has a summons...

[minimax]

hi fellows, the usually law abiding minimax has today received a summons to the nottingham magistrates court for keeping my pug on the street outside my house for a week with no road tax :(

hey ho.

I didn't even know it had been seen until I got a notice through the mail which I forgot about...and please nobody bleat about shouldn't have done it, etc etc I took a calculated risk and it didn't pay off...

so anyway, I now have a summons and having never been to court before I have no idea what to do - can I pay the £80 fine now? or do I have to turn up and plead? there's no phone number on the forms so how can I call them?

any helpful advice appreciated :)

[Peter Ward]

I don't think it has to be seen. It's simply that you didn't obtain new tax or make a SORN declaration so the DVLA knows you're illegal.

Of course, I'm sure that the original intention of the law was to catch those flouting the rules by consistently driving around in unregistered/uninsured vehicles. It just so happens, though, that it's much easier to catch those who have a properly registered car at a real address but who have forgotten to do the paperwork for a week.

While we can't condone breaking the law, I do feel it may be being inappropriately targeted.

[BliarOut]

One piece of advice often bandied about is to get it taxed as soon as you spot the oversight. Apparently this helps minimise the fine.

[minimax]

BliarOut said:

One piece of advice often bandied about is to get it taxed as soon as you spot the oversight. Apparently this helps minimise the fine.

I heard this too, and I did intend to do this but I ended up flogging it the day after I had been nailed (I checked the dates and found this out later)

I bought the car without tax, waited for the insurance document to come through (no fax machine!) and then sold it a week after I bought it...

all I really want to do is to pay the fine and forget about it once more. the only reason I remembered it is because my mother spotted the letter on my desk and has been on my case ever since

so can I pay it and avoid going to sit in front of the beaks?

[itchy]

You're bad. You should be locked up.

[Nick_F]

Bend over, send them a cheque and then repeat after me:

'Thank you, sir, and may I have another?'

[catso]

itchy said:

You're bad. You should be locked up.

Indeed it's good to see the full force of the law being brought down on such a dangerous criminal.

[m-five]

minimax said:

I bought the car without tax, waited for the insurance document to come through (no fax machine!) and then sold it a week after I bought it...

In that case you couldn't have taxed it as your name was not on the registration documents, and you had sent the documents to the DVLA to be updated.

[old fogey]

m-five said:

minimax said: I bought the car without tax, waited for the insurance document to come through (no fax machine!) and then sold it a week after I bought it... In that case you couldn't have taxed it as your name was not on the registration documents, and you had sent the documents to the DVLA to be updated.

in that case you have to fill out a form for another reg docn in your name at the post office, then destroy the first one when it gets back to you, and keep the one that comes though after that ..

[chris watton]

Peter Ward said:

I don't think it has to be seen. It's simply that you didn't obtain new tax or make a SORN declaration so the DVLA knows you're illegal. Of course, I'm sure that the original intention of the law was to catch those flouting the rules by consistently driving around in unregistered/uninsured vehicles. It just so happens, though, that it's much easier to catch those who have a properly registered car at a real address but who have forgotten to do the paperwork for a week. While we can't condone breaking the law, I do feel it may be being inappropriately targeted.

CSA springs to mind!!!

[wiggy001]

Peter Ward said:

I don't think it has to be seen. It's simply that you didn't obtain new tax or make a SORN declaration so the DVLA knows you're illegal.

No offence, but don't believe the ads... their computers certainly aren't up to date to within a week!

Someone spotted the car and reported it.

[gemini]

Thanks

Just rushed out to tax the spider

[Dwight VanDriver]

Minimax

Is it a summons to attend a Magistrates Court at a time and date stated and came together with a statement of facts and information on whether personal appearance or post pleading? In which case all the info you need should be in the papers.

Or is it papers direct from DVLA with a request for 80 notes of your money. In this case deal direct with them and no Court appearance required.

DVD

[james_j]

wiggy001 said:

Peter Ward said: I don't think it has to be seen. It's simply that you didn't obtain new tax or make a SORN declaration so the DVLA knows you're illegal. No offence, but don't believe the ads... their computers certainly aren't up to date to within a week! Someone spotted the car and reported it.

That's most likely.

Ah, the wonders of the neighbourhood vigilante / busybody.

[minimax]

m-five said:

minimax said: I bought the car without tax, waited for the insurance document to come through (no fax machine!) and then sold it a week after I bought it... In that case you couldn't have taxed it as your name was not on the registration documents, and you had sent the documents to the DVLA to be updated.

well that's true but I don't see how I can get out of it.. they'll just say that I should have put it on the drive but the Ginetta was in the garage and the mini was on the drive so I just took a risk and it caught me out

[minimax]

Dwight VanDriver said:

Minimax Is it a summons to attend a Magistrates Court at a time and date stated and came together with a statement of facts and information on whether personal appearance or post pleading? In which case all the info you need should be in the papers. DVD

it's that sort of thing...

plus it says 'SUMMONS' or words to that effect at the top of it

it's asking me which way I want to plead, I was thinking "will on my hands and knees be best?" but I guess that's not what they're looking for

all I want to do really is pay the damn thing and not have to go to court but I can't seem to google up a number and there's nothing on the form

[Dwight VanDriver]

Summons will say which Court.

From that you want to contact the Magistrates Clerks Office for that Court if you further advice.

DVD

[Balmoral Green]

itchy said:

You're bad. You should be locked up.

That is indeed true, but not on this subject

[minimax]

Dwight VanDriver said:

Summons will say which Court. From that you want to contact the Magistrates Clerks Office for that Court if you further advice. DVD

I see thanks for the advice, I'll see if I can ring them and escape my first visit to a court of law