Anybody had a fine for no car tax?

[Taz70]

My husband received a letter today from DVLA issuing him with a fine as his car tax ran out end of Dec 06. I went straight to the Post Office to tax it and the lady behind the counter stated that lots of people had been in with fines because they didn't receive a reminder. My mum also said that there was a postal strike in Dec. We honestly didn't receive the reminder (I know we shouldn't have relied on that and wrote it on the calendar). Do you think it's worthing appealing about? The lady at the Post Office said it was worth a try. Trouble is, the fine is �40 if you pay by end of March, or �80 if you pay by end of April. If you write a letter of appeal, surely they're going to not bother replying until after the the cheapest fine date. They're just going to want to make money aren't they? I've just taxed my car at end of Feb, and we haven't ever not had tax before, it was a genuine case of forgetting when it ran out. Do you think it's worth appealing or just put it down to experience? TIA

[milly143]

I don't believe you should appeal, especially as it had lapsed by more then 2 months. I realise it may have been a genuine mistake and that having a fine is unpleasant, however it is your responsibility to ensure you car is kept up to date with tax, MOT and insurance. Getting a �40 quid fine is nothing in the big scheme of things and having to pay this might serve as a reminder to keep it up to date in future.

[Taz70]

I appreciate what you're saying milly, but for one mistake in a lifetime? Why don't they catch the real culprits, like the ones with no insurance that kill people. Let's face it, it's just another way for them to make money, out of the genuine people instead of the scum that drive round deliberately without mot and insurance, stolen vehicles, drink drivers etc.

[milly143]

I see what you're saying but if they just let people off then nobody would bother in the first place. And what about if you or your husband had an accident whilst it was untaxed? I don't know for a fact but pretty sure that your insurance would be invalid if your car was not taxed. We all make genuine mistakes but you have to accept that car tax is a legal requirement and simply forgetting to renew it does not excuse you from paying the fines.

[Taz70]

I've been checking out other peoples experiences on different sites and it seems quite a common occurrence to not send out reminders, although DVLA state that they try to send one out to everybody. After all, the lady at the Post Office, stated that hundreds had been in with fines because they hadn't had reminders. I know we shouldn't rely on it, but it does make you wonder if it's just another way for them to keep the money rolling in, especially when the real culprits are getting away with it. If you really want to, you can get away with no tax, mot or insurance and they can't seem to do anything about it. It's all done with false names and details. By the way, you're not a member of DVLA's workforce are you? You seem really anti-appeal, lol.

[wduk2005]

try appealing its worth a try just make sure in the letter you send to them say that you would like the status of the fine frozen untill the appeal has been accepted or declined.
I say that every time and every time when they reject it thay say i can have still 14 days (the original reduction time).

[milly143]

ha ha, certainly not. Just a bit uppity sometimes!

[kempie]

You have no right of appeal.

The DVLA has done nothing wrong. There is no statutory requirement for them to issue a V11 reminder.

[Taz70]

Kempie - I know they don't have to issue a reminder, but they do say they try to send one out to everybody, which just isn't true as my local Post Office pointed out. She stated there had been hundreds of people complaining about no reminders. Bit fishy surely. They're just trying to make a load of money out of genuine people. If they put as much effort into catching the real criminals, I'm sure the world would be a better place. In fact, the letter that we received does state that you can appeal to them in writing, which I will be doing.

But hey! Perhaps you're one of the perfect minority with a halo that you polish regularly obviously. In the real world, genuine people can forget things sometimes.

[Panic Button]

You do have a reminder.

It is stuck in the corner of your windscreen

[NORMANTHEDOG]

how on earth,can you not know your tax has run out.

[Coobeastie]

The reminder would be printed automatically, by the DVLA computer. It's possible that yours could have been in a batch that went astray in the post or it could just be that lady at the post office was exaggerating.

People often think that government bodies spend all their waking hours working our ways to trick the innocent out of their wages but its rubbish.

They'll have a procedure by which you can appeal and they'll follow that accordingly when you write in. If they accept appeals at �40 and it goes up before they can reply then they are as more than likely to ask you for the lower amount as they go on the date that they received your appeal.

[Taz70]

Panic Button - how often do you walk round to the passenger side when you drive your car. I would have thought that people had more to their lives than checking their windscreen every day.

Normanthedog - another perfect person I take it? Oh well, most people these days lead pretty hectic lives, that checking when your tax is out is the least of your worries. I suppose you've never been disorganised in your life. Good for you!

[milly143]

I have to be honest now as it seems you are just trying to come up with excuses not to pay. I would say I personally frequently walk past the passenger side on my car due to the way it might be parked and are you or your husband never passengers. It's your fault that you allowed your tax to lapse for whatever reason and even it was a genuine mistake, you need to pay the fine and learn. It's �40, they aren't trying to send you to prison.

[Taz70]

Milly - my husband uses his car to get to and from work only. He works long hours, usually going to and from work in the dark, so, no, I wouldn't say that checking the passenger side would be something he felt he had to do. When we go out, we use my car, so, no, he very very rarely has passengers.

You're right, it's not prison, but �40 is a lot of dosh for an honest mistake that's never been made previously. Particularly when they grab enough money off of us for nothing - look at the state of the roads.

[Ethel]

I honestly do not think this is worth appealing. The post office clerk would be unlikely to back you up in this - it was just idle chit chat.

I have a calendar on my pc, and a wall calendar. I make notes of due bills so I can't forget.
It only takes a minute or so.

And the pc calendar pops up to remind me!

[Taz70]

I usually write everything on the wall calendar, but I obviously forgot to write this down. Probably something to do with the fact that with christmas and new year, car tax was simply not on our minds, particularly without a reminder.

[kempie]

Any sympathy I had for your situation was lost the moment that you resorted to making personal attacks. This issue is simply a case of you crying over spilt milk. It is the registered keeper's responsibility, and nobody else, to ensure that their vehicle has valid VEL, MOT, etc. no matter what else is happening in the world. You have failed to do so and now will suffer a consequence. Such is life.

There is no need for me to polish any halo just because I endeavour not to break the law. I consider that a civil duty.

[Panic Button]

I know exactly when my tax runs out.

[Taz70]

Kempie - I certainly don't need your sympathy anyway, so you can keep it. If I wanted to make a personal attack, you would know it. Have you never done anything wrong in your life? Your holier than thou attitude is your downfall obviously. What a sad little person you must be - trying to be perfect all the time must waste a lot of energy. What would you say I wonder, if I stoke a car when I was pi$$ed out of my face and ran a young child over? We forgot to tax the car, for crying out loud. Big deal. Get a life you sanctimonious little person.