Who’s sorny now?

In July this year I part-exchanged my old motor home for a new vehicle with a West Country main dealer. I posted the V5C/3 document for the part exchanged vehicle stamped and signed by the dealer to DVLA Swansea together with a refund application for the outstanding road tax. In error the V5 document was sent to Post Code Swansea SA99 1AL together with the road tax refund document, the correct Post Code for the V5 document was Swansea SA99 1BD. The DVLA refused to acknowledge receipt of the V5 document and would neither return it to me in the same envelope as the road tax refund cheque so that I could re-submit it to the correct Post Code or transfer the document internally. The first indication I had that I had made an error in the submission of the V5 document was when I was issued with a late licensing penalty in October for the sum of £80 reduced to £40 if paid within 2 weeks for failing to make a SORN declaration. I have written to the DVLA twice explaining the situation and made several telephone calls. The end result was a letter from DVLA Enforcement Centre Manager refusing to withdraw the penalty and stating ‘As an organisation, DVLA is strongly committed to providing its customers with the best possible service’. What a joke. Not wishing to go to the trouble and expense of appointing a solicitor I paid the £40.00 penalty. Be warned DVLA is a ruthless organisation.

Asked on 17 January 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
I recently received a Failure to Relicense Vehicle notification from the DVLA for a car I sold back in July. I must confess that I didn't receive a confirmation letter, but it's more complicated than that. The car was old and knackered and one day I found it with a telephone number stuck to it, saying ring here if you want to sell. I did and a couple of blokes came around and we agreed that I'd get £120 plus the radio and current tax disc. They then loaded the car on to a lorry and took it away. I sent the logbook and old tax disc back to the DVLA (separately) and shortly later received my refund. The V14 has a section that states 'declare SORN unless you're selling the vehicle'. As I sold it, I left this alone. The DVLA received one of my notifications, even if it wasn't the one with new keeper details, so is the right? I returned the form with the above facts, but haven't heard back yet. The form stated that the fine would double if it wasn't paid by the 21/11/2008, so I'm also wondering if I should pay this now in case I'm held at fault, but does paying it admit fault?
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