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

[Taz70]

Gef - you know me so well obviously. Well done! My words impressed you so much that you had to copy them out again.

[kempie]

This thread can continue for as long as you remain irrational and/or your posts contain contradictions.

In what way was my original post in any way derogatory towards you? Yet your first dig was aimed directly at me -

"But hey! Perhaps you're one of the perfect minority with a halo that you polish regularly obviously."

I responded by showing my distaste for your personal attack which prompted you to deny you had done so and then attack me further -

"What a sad little person you must be... Get a life you sanctimonious little person."


As to your claim

"I've got better things to do with my time, unlike [Gef] obviously."

that is patently absurd when you consider Gef has contributed 5 lines to this thread in comparison to your own 150-plus.

[Taz70]

You were wrong actually. I do have the right to appeal as it clearly states in the letter that we received. You obviously felt that to be compared to an angel was a dig. I do not see how you can call that an attack. You have come across as somebody who thinks they are perfect, therefore you have been likened to an angel. Is that really a dig? I didn't have a dig until you acted sanctimonious. And why did Gef contribute at all when the thread should have been over? Like I said, nothing better to do. Are you determined to have the last word or something? Why have you even responded if you have never had a fine? After all, that was the original question. To gain advice from somebody who had been through this. You obviously haven't, so you didn't need to reply.

[kempie]

I concede that my very first sentence was misleading - I meant to convey "no basis for appeal" rather than "no right..." - my bad!

However, how you can justify "halo that you polish regularly" as not being a dig or that "The DVLA has done nothing wrong. There is no statutory requirement for them to issue a V11 reminder" somehow indicates that I think I am perfect is beyond me.

[Taz70]

Perhaps it's just the way you were very blunt that you came across as being a little pompous. I just don't believe that this is all over forgetting to tax the car. Why does everybody have to be so condemning. Like I said before, if everybody had been helpful, I certainly wouldn't have jumped down throats. Can everybody honestly say that they've done nothing wrong, knowingly or otherwise. Why is everybody getting so uppity over car tax. It's not as if I had no intention of paying it, because it's obvious you're going to get found out as it's all held on record. I didn't realise until now that DVLA didn't have to send out a reminder. I thought that was how you taxed your car (with the reminder form). Come on then, I'm waiting for all the comments on how stupid I am because I don't know what all the forms are called....

[kempie]

I never condemned you nor called you stupid but I did childishly resort to flippancy when I felt under siege.

The only reason why I know the DVLA do not always send a reminder is because in the past three years I have received only one and that tends to concentrate the mind.

That being said, I am used to having to schedule various things for my car (MOT, servicing, etc.) and so do not see it as a great burden for me to include tax-disc renewal amongst them. If I was to fail (touch wood) in any of my responsibilities as a car owner I could/should/would blame myself alone.

[redcrx]

Try and appeal and see what happens but be prepared to accept the higher fine if it fails, which i would think is highly likely.

My car tax runs out in May. I dont have to check it but i know that i bought the car on 15th June as it was the date my baby was due and i was worried about expenses all coming at once. Im sure your husband (or yourself) will remember the date the tax is due in future, not just because of this oversight but because of the expensive month of december and christmas.

[Taz70]

Thanks for that redcrx. I'll definitely be writing it on the calendar in future. I tend to remember my own stuff, but hubby relies on me to remember his stuff too (typical). We'll probably wait until the end of the month to see if we hear anything and if not, just pay the cheaper fine. Have to put it down to experience.