Alright geezers, I've just received an untaxed vehicle warning letter from the dvla, basically the car was seen on x date on y road, yeah ok I'm not disputing that....

here's the crack though, on the letter they sent it gives a phone number for you to phone up, but it just puts you through to some automated system which only gives you 2 options, which is either 1 pay your tax, or 2 erm do nothing and listen to a recording of some welsh nob end talking about this and that and whatever, nowhere does it give you the option of speaking to somebody about it.

the wording of the letter was a bit unusual, it basically says you "may" face a fine of £80 and that I should tax the car straight away or it might get crushed blah blah blah..

anyway so what does the briskoda collective think about this? In the absence of being able to speak to them about any mitigating circumstance which may have occurred on my part do I just ignore this letter?

The Penalty Charge is coming so you need to do something.

Paying that will be part of it.

?Was it on its way to a booked MOT test?

There may also be a visit to the Registered Keepers door from the Local Constabulary.

(In Scotland anyway, i believe the DVLA still send out a list of untaxed cars for the Boys in Blue,

for them to have something to do on slack shifts.)

george

?Was it on its way to a booked MOT test?

Would they not still try to nail him on a lack of SORN?

Yes the car is sorn, has been since august 2011.

yes it was on the way to a pre-booked mot test, which is one the exceptions listed in the vehicle excise and registrations act which allows a vehicle to be driven on the road without tax.

the thing that annoys me is that the only options given are to tell them who you sold the car to? Or pay the tax.... They don't even ask who was driving or if it's insured.

I'm truly mystified by this because they don't even ask for mitigating evidence, the line is simply just tax your car mofo... Or words to that effect.

Would they not still try to nail him on a lack of SORN?

Proceeding to or from a pre-booked MOT is a statutary defence against a failure to display a valid tax disc.

Is the car Taxed now?

There is the Penalty Letter for £80 that you get for not Changing Keeper.

Then the £1000 one for not paying that.

Then the Argument they still carry on when you show them you actually got a Refund from them, when you returned a Disc & handed in Change of Keeper Details,

and maybe even paid for a replacement V5 for a vehicle bought without one.

I deal with my local DVLA Office while we still have one.

It trumps Swansea.

EDIT, PS.

they know if it was Insured, *Or at least the Vehicle had the minimum required 3rd party cover to be on the Public Highway.

details like who the driver was & if covered is for the Police if they get involved, not for the DVLA.*

&

if not insured on its way to a Booked MOT, you can maybe expect the Penalty or Fine thats going to be coming your way.

george

EDIT: - all rendered obsolete by OP clarifying he was on way to MOT

Edited 3 June, 201313 yr by Gwilo

0300 1234321 option 4

Gwilo, Is it?

option 4, gives you the option to at least speak to somebody regarding SORN etc, it's a start.

Ok I'll clear this up, the car is registered in my name, it is sorn, it is insured and I was driving it a pre arranged mot test.. The test centre was within 5 miles of home so that is a reasonable distance

the car is not taxed now because it failed it's mot, so by proxy I cannot tax it without a valid mot certificate...

the point I'm making is, they haven't demanded me to submit any mitigating evidence or even let me know how I would go about doing so, it's all legit I just don't know how to notify them.. They've just made the wild assumption that I was doing something illegal and have threatened to fine me for having no tax..

I wasn't pulled over by the police or owt, it must have been a fixed anpr type camera at the roadside.

What about writing a letter to DVLA quoting your reference. Keep a copy. It will be part of your defence if a prosecution is mounted.

They'll send you a statement form through the post (or at least that's what they did with me) if I were you I'd send a recorded letter to them explaining the situation then you have proof of what they said and you said. Talking on the phone although faster and more convenient leaves you open to he said she said type scenario.

Right there's been a development..... I finally managed to speak to somebody, it seems that they operate a 'strikes' system of sorts, seen once, that's a warning letter, seen again that's a fine, seen again and they come round and crush your car... Unofficially I was told this of course...

I did mention that the letter didn't state what course of action I should take, and the lady on the phone said she's spoken to at least 100 people today who are in exactly the same position as me who have had a warning letter on the way to an mot test, and what i should do is write a covering letter to the dvla enforcement office explaining etc. So it does indeed appear that I could have just ignore this letter because it's merely a warning.

There should be no Problem,

the one thing that the DVLA can do its confirm with VOSA.

Your MOT test will be Logged on with VOSA as it was being done & the fail is recorded.

You can include the Photo copies but not really necessary.

The Stations Number & date will be enough for them to check the car was there for a Test.

EDIT,

You posted while i posted.

From past experience the last thing you do is ignore anything from the DVLA.

& the second last thing is believe what you are told unless you have taken her name, extension number etc.

Thats why i go to my local DVLA office (Dundee) , where someone i can see is working beside people i have seen for years, that actually know the system.

george

Right there's been a development..... I finally managed to speak to somebody, it seems that they operate a 'strikes' system of sorts, seen once, that's a warning letter, seen again that's a fine, seen again and they come round and crush your car... Unofficially I was told this of course...

I did mention that the letter didn't state what course of action I should take, and the lady on the phone said she's spoken to at least 100 people today who are in exactly the same position as me who have had a warning letter on the way to an mot test, and what i should do is write a covering letter to the dvla enforcement office explaining etc. So it does indeed appear that I could have just ignore this letter because it's merely a warning.

Maybe take a different route to the MOT test centre next time once you've fixed it all up

Consider writing to your MP, they will often writer a letter on your behalf to the gov dept concerned.

Raise a complaint with DVLA - http://www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/contactus/How%20to%20make%20a%20complaint.aspx

Complaints are recorded and monitored and they will want to mark it closed quickly.

They know there system is broken and in melt down.

They are really up the Kyber with this Sheriffs decision.

http://www.hebrides-...case_14313.html

Since the DVLA is an Executive Agency its worth getting in Complaints,

The Director and Depute can have their Performance Bonus cut for the mis-management of the horlicks they rule over.

Points (complaints) mean less prizes for bosses.

george

Had a similar problem to this when I bought my Westfield, it was SORN'd by the previous owner and I trailored it home. One of the local ANPR cameras read the Reg. No. whilst the car was on the trailer and I got a letter some weeks later. Was easily sorted though when I phoned the DVLA, you could then.

It's a cut and dry case of the car being driven on the public highway without a valid MOT and road tax disc, how illegal can you get than that.

If the vehicle was stopped by the police it would have been immediately impounded, the driver taken to court and prosecuted.

I would consider that any driver willing to risk his license or life for that matter, deserves all the weight of the law to bear down on him/her, for doing such an act.

It isn't really relevant about some letter received seeing the act was done in the first place, by your mitigation.

Retraction to NOT being insured and was legally insured, I humbly apologise to member/s. (I only read the initial thread and not the additional stories)

It's a cut and dry case of the car being driven on the public highway without insurance, valid MOT and road tax disc, how illegal can you get than that.

If the vehicle was stopped by the police it would have been immediately impounded, the driver taken to court and prosecuted.

I would consider that any driver willing to risk his license or life for that matter, deserves all the weight of the law to bear down on him/her, for doing such an act.

It isn't really relevant about some letter received seeing the act was done in the first place, by your mitigation.

Have you not read ANY of the above posts?

You should get 3 points on your licence just for being that stupid.

The car needs to be in a Roadworthy condition & covered by Insurance & driven by someone with the required licence.

(otherwise you arrange a Trailer or Transporter and deliver it to the MOT, IVA or the likes.)

Being driven to a Pre-Booked MOT. has never been changed in law and it stays something that you get away with.

The no valid Roadtax at the time, is still a grey area that never gets sorted out and just seems to be allowed,

Not necessarily the nearest MOT centre, but then where you are and what you are doing on the way might well be questioned if stopped.

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot

It's a cut and dry case of the car being driven on the public highway without insurance, valid MOT and road tax disc

That's not what I read

Have you not read ANY of the above posts?

You should get 3 points on your licence just for being that stupid.

Seconded and a £100 fine! Like middle lane hogging

Oh, c'mon, chap just misread the post as it clearly says the driver was insured.