Bloody DVLA Criminals!

aix0 · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:30

Hi Folks

I received a letter yesterday from a debt recovery agency stating that I had to pay a fine of £80 because I hadn't declared my car as SORN. However, the odd thing is, I sold this car approximately 18 months ago!

So I did a bit of calling, and didn't really get anywhere. But, it turns out that the DVLA 'never received' the V5C and I am still on their system as the registered keeper of the vehicle, I have also changed address since selling the car which explains why I wan't aware of this situation up until now.

Now, it's obvious that I don't want to pay a fine for a car that I haven't owned for a long time, so has anyone got any advice on how I can tackle this? Has this happened to anyone before? I sent the V5C to the DVLA, as you do when selling a car, not a difficult task at all, but somehow, they have never received. I have read on the Internet that the DVLA's speciality is losing documents etc, so I can't be the only person that this has happened to.

The people at the debt recovery agency told me that I'm at fault because I am supposed to wait for an acknowledgement from the DVLA stating that the transferral of the vehicle is complete, but short after selling the vehicle, I changed address.

Any advice anyone?

Thanks

Dracata · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:32

aix0 said:
The people at the debt recovery agency told me that I'm at fault because I am supposed to wait for an acknowledgement from the DVLA stating that the transferral of the vehicle is complete, but short after selling the vehicle, I changed address.

Any advice anyone?

Thanks

I do sympathise mate, as it's not actually your fault if you did send the V5 form off, but at the same time you are *technically* at fault, as you should've waited for the acknowledgement, and if you were moving you probably should've setup mail forwarding (or picked your old mail up regularly).

mattyfez · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:34

First step is to send a recorded letter to the debt company, advising that the debt is in dispute, therefore they cannot lawfully persue payment utill this is sorted out.

If they continue to hound you for payment they are commiting harrasment.

Glaucus · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:35

Phone debt agency and say you are disputing it and please pass the debt back to the dvla.
Phone dvla say what's happened they will ask you to write in saying you no longer own the car.

Weather this gets you of the fine I'm not sure but i expect so.

aix0 · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:36

mattyfez said:
First step is to send a recorded letter to the debt company, advising that the debt is in dispute, therefore they cannot lawfully persue payment utill this is sorted out.

If they continue to hound you for payment they are commiting harrasment.

Is that legally correct, because I contacted the debt recovery agency and told the operator that I wanted the debt to be held because it's in dispute and they said that only the DVLA can do that?

What are my legal right with regard to disputing the debt?

mattyfez · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:38

aix0 said:
Is that legally correct, because I contacted the debt recovery agency and told the operator that I wanted the debt to be held because it's in dispute and they said that only the DVLA can do that?

What are my legal right with regard to disputing the debt?

send them a recorded letter stating the dispute, dont call them as they will just try to fob you off, theys how they get thier money.

Your dispute is with the DVLA, not some cowboy debt company.

Glaucus · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:39

aix0 said:
Is that legally correct, because I contacted the debt recovery agency and told the operator that I wanted the debt to be held because it's in dispute and they said that only the DVLA can do that?

What are my legal right with regard to disputing the debt?

When I disputed a British gas bill. I simply told them over eh phone it was in dispute and they sent it back to British gas, I then sorted it out with British Gas.

aix0 · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:42

I'm so frustrated and hacked off!

I can't believe I pay ridiculous rates of road tax to these criminals and then get shafted over a vehicle that I haven't owned for 18 months. It's absolutely criminal.

Lopéz · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:42

I am currently in a very similar battle with the DVLA. I firstly politely requested that they review their case against me. They have ignored the bulk of my letter and insisted the fine must be paid. I am now asking my MP to get involved.

The DVLA bully people into paying these "penalties" and often have very little legal grounds to do so - I think of them as being a bit like the TV Licensing people. I will ask them to take me to court if they don't drop the case.

Azagoth · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:44

The DVLA is a ****ing joke! Did you see that report not long back where people have been driving around illegally due to the DVLA putting the incorrect entitlements on their new licences? Then to top the lot, they come out with "Sorry, but there's nothing we can do" and wash their hands of the situation.

Clum · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:48

I know they can be a pain in the **** but if the v5 got lost in the mail then it's hardly their fault either is it?

Have you spoken to them about it yet? Lucky the boy you sold it to hasnt been done for speeding or a hit and run or something!

aix0 · 29 Oct 2009 at 18:56

It's not my fault either, but I'll be shafted with an £80 fine for it.

How can I prove that I haven't owned the vehicle for the past 18 months?

Clum · 29 Oct 2009 at 19:09

If the guy that bought it doesnt know about the fine yet then i'd suggest not telling him until after he's contacted the dvla to tell them when he purchased the car.

I assume he would have insured it to take it home so if it comes down to it then they could prove it for you?

mattyfez · 29 Oct 2009 at 19:14

Have a read here:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/dvla/

Glaucus · 29 Oct 2009 at 19:26

Clum said:
I assume he would have insured it to take it home so if it comes down to it then they could prove it for you?

for removing your name of teh registartion documents you do not need to. All you have to do is write to them saying you sold the car giving as much detail as possible.

My letters was basically

I sold the car in Jan 2007 or something like that. That's all the details I could remember and they removed me.

However Lesson learnt i know check for eh acknowledgement slip.

Dup · 29 Oct 2009 at 19:46

Every vehicle I've had has been the same story of not recieving the letter. I just call them and tell them the letter was sent, recorded, and you've not a leg to stand on. Kindly leave me alone.

Never hear from them again.

Clum · 29 Oct 2009 at 19:59

AcidHell2 said:
for removing your name of teh registartion documents you do not need to. All you have to do is write to them saying you sold the car giving as much detail as possible.

My letters was basically

I sold the car in Jan 2007 or something like that. That's all the details I could remember and they removed me.

However Lesson learnt i know check for eh acknowledgement slip.

Of course, but what i meant was if the op could find out the guys insurance provider, then they could inform the dvla of when the buyer took out insurance. Would at least support the claim that the car was sold on the said date.

Biohazard · 29 Oct 2009 at 20:01

The DVLA are nothing but lol. I'm fighting two apparent fines for sorns not arriving. I had to chase them up about the other sorn when I recieved the fine letter, if they wanted to play silly about the first I thought I'd drag both in to show their lack of skillz. So now the case is two, but they won't win. And already look stupid.

The_Abyss · 29 Oct 2009 at 22:17

A few years back, Powergen sent in debt collectors to retrieve a 'debt' incurred by incorrect meter readings. I lived in a flat, built from new, and there were plot number tags on the meters in addition to flat numbers - they were different and Powergen read the wrong ones - repeatedly.

It ended up going to a solicitor to recover the £67 that Powergen insisted I owed. At that point I was able to 'remind' the solicitor that as a financial adviser, my work relied upon me having a clean credit history and being a financially 'fit and proper person'. ? I may have also mentioned future earnings....

The solicitor dropped the case immediately. Strange....

allllec · 29 Oct 2009 at 22:22

Write the DVLA a letter detailing everything. Send recorded post.

This is what I did when they decided to fine be £80 for not sorning/taxing the car (was actually the previous owner claimed it back)

I wrote a strongly worded letter. And made it very clear I wanted some human contact ASAP. Got a PHONE call the next day (rare for the DVLA to ring tbh!) saying case dropped, received the same in writing a couple of days later!