DVLA Ineptitude

[st13phil]

Come home from work today and on the doormat is a letter from the DVLA. I open the envelope to find a letter dated 6th March informing me that this my "Last Chance" and "Do Not Ignore This Letter" in bold capitals because I haven't taxed or sorned my new E63. "Well," I thought to myself, "that's interesting news!" The reason for my thoughts are because I used the salesman's laptop at the dealer's to tax it online when I collected it on 13th Feb and I have a nice email receipt from the DVLA to say that they'd received my £490 and that the vehicle was taxed.

I then go online at https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax to check, enter my registration number, reference number from the V5C (which I received almost two weeks ago) and my postcode and... I was presented with a big red panel telling me that the vehicle isn't taxed I then double check my bank statement online which confirms that £490 was paid to the DVLA on 13th Feb, and that there have been no subsequent refunds from the DVLA.

So I phone the number on the scary letter and speak to a nice lady at the DVLA. I explain the situation, give her the relevant details and she puts me on hold for a while. She then comes back on the line to tell me that yes, she can see that the vehicle is taxed, but that "our systems haven't updated correctly". That's reassuring, thought I She then continued to tell me that she had "informed the relevant department" who will update their records and that I "should receive confirmation sometime in the next two to four weeks". WTF? This is supposed to be an online system ferchrissakes

She also kindly told me "that you can drive the vehicle in the meantime". Whoopie doo! I can do what I'm lawfully entitled to do

In all honesty, in the 40 years I've been dealing with the DVLA this is the first time they've got it wrong with any of my vehicles, but with their propensity for continuing down the wrong path even when it's been pointed out to them that they're wrong and have agreed that they're wrong, I remain nervous that this won't be the end of the matter

 

[Doodle]

You've done well to get them to admit they're wrong. During the licence renewal debacle, in the face of unshakeable evidence they were still proclaiming that they "didn't make mistakes".

I maintain that were they not a government monopoly, they would have been closed down for gross corporate malpractice by now.

 

[Bellow]

They seem all over the place right now.
This week realising my tax needed renewing I went online as per usual to tax it but couldn't as I didn't have the number from the renewal reminder - the one they didn't send.
Tried taxing by phone but my 11 digit # on my V5C is 'not recognised'. That it may not be recognised can only be because the copy I had at hand shows my old address and somewhere (not here) there is a new V5C with a different number with my new address on it. So why no reminder? Last year I renewed the tax with the reminder sent to my new address. Frustrating to say the least. Technically, I suppose I shouldn't use the car. Aye, right...

 

[BIRMA]

I don't know what's going on either, last year my 1955 Triumph did not exist on their records when it came time to tax it but when I went over to the Post Office just scanned it and did it don't know how but on-line it was a no no.
Both my SL and VW are up for tax so I decided rather than spend £900 in one hit I'll do it by DD which for the two cars worked fine. So I thought while I'm at it as I have the V11 I'll tax my van, according to the DVLA my van doesn't exist either.
I'm not sure if I'm a victim of fraud or just plain incompetence

 

[st13phil]

I'm not sure if I'm a victim of fraud or just plain incompetence

Bearing in mind we're talking about the DVLA, I'd apply Occam's razor

 

[st13phil]

During the licence renewal debacle, in the face of unshakeable evidence they were still proclaiming that they "didn't make mistakes".

I remember that well, and it's the reason I still have a paper licence

No one was going to "lose" my motorcycle entitlement...

 

[Doodle]

Ditto, I said I'd "lost" my existing licence come renewal time, so that I could magically find it again if needed.

 

[zipdip]

Well I was surprised by not getting a reminder about my road fund licence I went on line and found that yes I was correct I needed to tax it from the 1st of March ,so on the 29th of Feb at 9 pm I am on the telephone punching numbers into the phone to tax my W221,it seems the DVLA are starting to get a bit forgetful .

 

[AMGeed]

Stick a copy of that email receipt from DVLA in your glovebox Phil.
It may save any problems should an police ANPR camera pick up your car before the "system" has been updated.

 

[Stratman]

If I may diverge a little, does anyone know if the '30 day' rule for MOTs applies to the first test?

By that I mean if I get a car tested 30 days before the third anniversary of its registration, will the next test be due on 'Test Day' or on 'Registration Day'?

 

[Bellow]

I thought they no longer sent reminders - but the only way to tax online is with a number from a reminder.

During the process, the guy smashing his Corsa(?) while uttering ''They should have sent me a reminder'' came to mind. I feel his frustration.

 

[JattAmg]

I thought they no longer sent reminders - but the only way to tax online is with a number from a reminder. During the process, the guy smashing his Corsa(?) while uttering ''They should have sent me a reminder'' came to mind. I feel his frustration.

They still send out reminders.

 

[st13phil]

If I may diverge a little, does anyone know if the '30 day' rule for MOTs applies to the first test?

Yes, it does. It never used to, but it was introduced for the first MOT test once the system went fully electronic.

 

[st13phil]

Stick a copy of that email receipt from DVLA in your glovebox Phil.

Already done, Roger. I also have it available on my phone

 

[Deleted member 37751]

After an initial burst of enterprise after they closed the local offices, the DVLA have started going downhill in my experience and tend to revert to "Computer say no" type answers.

Hopefully it's only a few isolated incidents.

 

[KennyN]

It has taken us three weeks , numerous phone calls , numerous forms and three checks to get :

Daughters old car transferred into my sons name and put on SORN.

His private plate put on the above car.

Her private plate put on retention to be transferred onto her new car when the V5C come through.

All required forms (on their advice) completed and all docs sent in one envelope which has been returned twice (minus the checks that they destroy) due to the wrong parts of the from being completed even though they were completed as per their instructions

Kenny

 

[st13phil]

It has taken us three weeks , numerous phone calls , numerous forms...

This is my fear.

All the time things work with the DVLA, it's fine. However, once something goes wrong it requires Herculean efforts and the patience of Job to get things put right

This will go one of two ways: either they'll put it right quickly, or it will spiral downwards into a deep mire. If that happens, my strategy will be to engage until I reach the stage where it's clear that I'm having a dialogue with the deaf and then tell them to bring it on. By the time I've involved my MP, the Minister responsible and the national media they may get the message. I almost fancy a bit of sport...

 

[zipdip]

Well without the reminder I had to use the numbers on my V5C,after that it went smoothly,but a puzzle why I did not get a reminder same address as the V5C,lucky I sort of remembered.

 

[Red C220]

I've been to Swansea, I'm not surprised.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I've been to Swansea, I'm not surprised.

I've been to Swansea as well, once you get under the skin of the place it's fascinating.