Threatening letter from DVLA

[mr. shr]

Hi All,
Some advice if you will please:

Today I received a letter from the DVLA saying that I failed to notify disposal of a vehicle and therefore have to pay a fine.

However, the registration mark on the letter isn't one I recognise.
The letter states that the transfer took place on 13th June (which is date I sold my W220) but the reg mark doesn't match the car. (I have already received an acknowledgment letter confirming I'm no longer the register keeper of the S Class.)

So clearly they've made a mistake with the reg number of some other car.
Obviously I'll explain this to them, but I wanted you ask if anyone here has experienced anything similar?
Is it worh making a formal complaint or will it not actually achieve anything?

The letter treats me like I've done something wrong. But I know I haven't so it's really annoyed me.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[davidjpowell]

I'm dealing with these swines at the moment. They are accusing me of not notifying them when I sold the Renault. I sent it off, but did not do it by recorded delivery. Shall not make that mistake.

I have replied and asked them to investigate that they have lost it. They have countered and said that I should have chased them when I did not receive acknowledgement. Better things to do with my time.

I was going to pay the £35 due to the hassle, but have got busy and I don't think its an option now. So will have to fight it.

From what I gather the obligation to chase if you don't receive acknowledgement is not laid in statute, and that you comply with Law of sending them notification when you post it, not when they lose it.

 

[EDZ649]

Probably just a computer generated letter. Send them a copy of the letter they sent you and leave it at that, it's not worth getting worked up over, lifes too short.

I know it doesn't make it right, we all know about the goings on at DVLA but hey...

 

[swannymere]

Ask them about the mail system at Swansea and if it's still swallowing the mail

 

[219]

Write back to them explaining that you have better things to do with your time than chase up their incompetence , without which they would not have lost your original notification and could have avoided the £50 administration fee you are now charging them for this letter !

 

[Dream Works]

I had a similar battle which they capitulated on :bannana: sure it will bite me later on in life though. I weren't paying them anything, I now email them when I send one in and ask them to let me know when it arrives.

 

[saorbust]

Tried calling them ? Seems like you could go on the attack or talk to them. I've always found them nice on the phone.

 

[The _Don]

I would also call them and try to resolve the issue over the phone

 

[Benzowner]

I would also call them and try to resolve the issue over the phone

Don't phone, they can deny talking to you, your word against theirs, do what EDZ649 says an post them, recorded delivery probably best, a copy of the letter received acknowledging the sale.

 

[crockers]

I had a similar battle which they capitulated on :bannana: sure it will bite me later on in life though. I weren't paying them anything, I now email them when I send one in and ask them to let me know when it arrives.

And do they?

 

[mr. shr]

From what I gather the obligation to chase if you don't receive acknowledgement is not laid in statute, and that you comply with Law of sending them notification when you post it, not when they lose it.

Yeah, they were on BBC's Watchdog recently. The DVLA boss stated that if you don't receive an acknowledgement from them within four weeks of sending off the log book, then assume it never reached them.

Meaning, "We're a useless bunch of morons and we may occassionally lose your documents, so if (when) we screw up, it is 'YOUR' responsibility to chase us."

To be fair, it's what I've come to expect nowadays anyway. Most companies employ incompetent staff and therefore more and more errrors occur. And of course, it's never their fault, always ours.

 

[mr. shr]

Probably just a computer generated letter. Send them a copy of the letter they sent you and leave it at that, it's not worth getting worked up over, lifes too short.

I know it doesn't make it right, we all know about the goings on at DVLA but hey...

I know, and you're completely right.
I just wondered if this had happened to anyone else here, and if so, how they handled it.

I will indeed just reply via the pre-paid envelope. (Keeping copies of everything, of course.)

 

[mr. shr]

Write back to them explaining that you have better things to do with your time than chase up their incompetence , without which they would not have lost your original notification and could have avoided the £50 administration fee you are now charging them for this letter !

Brilliant.
I would write back with something like this, but doubt the person reading it would understand!!
Besides, they probably wouldn't 'receive' it anyway.

 

[mr. shr]

Tried calling them ? Seems like you could go on the attack or talk to them. I've always found them nice on the phone.

I'm sure they are nice on the phone but how much would that cost me? (Or do they have a freephone number?)

 

[franey]

...reminds me of a time I sent an important response to a large unliked government body (dwp) where I would have suffered financially if they did not get the letter. So, I posted it by recorded delivery.
Two weeks later I received a phone call saying "We have not received your letter, therefore....."
So I insisted I had sent one and they refused to believe me, I then informed them it had been sent recorded and had indeed been signed for.

The buffoon on the other end of the line then stated "Ah yes I can see by the tracking on Royal Mail that it has been received here, well it's not here and you have no proof of what was in the envelope."

 

[mr. shr]

Don't phone, they can deny talking to you, your word against theirs, do what EDZ649 says an post them, recorded delivery probably best, a copy of the letter received acknowledging the sale.

Agreed, but again, this would end up with me having to pay out for their mistake. They wont refund me the cost of sending recorded delivery.

(Yes I know I'm sounding petty but I haven't done anything wrong!!)

Besides, things like getting to a post office are not something I can do easily. I'd have to make changes to my day or ask my wife to rearrange things in her day.

Yes, I know still petty but I'm innocent your Honour!!

 

[corned]

The buffoon on the other end of the line then stated "Ah yes I can see by the tracking on Royal Mail that it has been received here, well it's not here and you have no proof of what was in the envelope."

I think the only response possible to that is "Try that line in court then, idiot!".

 

[mr. shr]

...reminds me of a time I sent an important response to a large unliked government body (dwp) where I would have suffered financially if they did not get the letter. So, I posted it by recorded delivery.
Two weeks later I received a phone call saying "We have not received your letter, therefore....."
So I insisted I had sent one and they refused to believe me, I then informed them it had been sent recorded and had indeed been signed for.

The buffoon on the other end of the line then stated "Ah yes I can see by the tracking on Royal Mail that it has been received here, well it's not here and you have no proof of what was in the envelope."

Unbelieveable!!
It's a good job we all just sit around on our hands all day long with nothing to do with our short lives. I mean, if we had jobs or family lives or other commitments, it would be damn near impossible to chase up these kind of things.

I have heard that some people in the World get up in the morning and leave the house to run businesses or work for a company or take their children to school or nursery to look after people that need help. Life must be tough for them.

 

[corned]

I'm sure they are nice on the phone but how much would that cost me? (Or do they have a freephone number?)

What number is quoted on the letter?

Or have a look yourself:

SAYNOTO0870.COM - Non-Geographical Alternative Telephone Numbers

 

[mr. shr]

What number is quoted on the letter?


Not sure, will have a look when I get home tonight.