The Government/DVLA is scamming motorists. In 2008 my wife sold her Vauxhall Corsa to the daughter of friend of a friend. The necessary slip on the V5C was completed and posted to DVLA, Swansea SA99 1BD. Some 9 months later, at the anniversary of the tax disc, DVLA notified us we had to re-tax the vehicle. Thank God no speeding offences, parking offences, or other misdemeanours had been racked up by the teenage driver in that time, which, apparently, we were liable for as the "registered keeper". On phoning the DVLA we were brusquely told "it is your fault, as you hadn't notified the DVLA that DVLA had not notified you that the DVLA had not received the V5C slip, you could be fined", so we contritely confessed to breaking the law and hoped we would not be jailed. Late in 2009, I sold, on behalf of a friend, his Smart Plus Two to a dealer. Aware of the last experience, with the DVLA, I took care to ensure the slip from the V5C was posted at the local sorting office rather than the village PO, which is deep in the country, 4 miles from town. No confirmation has so far been received from DVLA that they have received the slip. So I consulted the photocopy of the slip, and found a phone number to call when one has not received confirmation from DVLA. 0870 2400010. 15 minutes later, having followed a St. Ives Conundrum of 5 choices having 5 choices having 5 choices, I now know that not only is no-one going to St Ives, but no one can speak to a real person, and have to write to DVLA, Swansea SA99 1BA to tell them I haven't received confirmation that they have received the slip posted to DVLA, Swansea SA99 1BD. 2 cars sold, 2 failures of DVLA to log the sales. 100% failure. Say 1,000,000 car owners (that's only 5%) go through this every year. 1 million x 15 minutes on a 0870 number, 2x 1 million stamps, good grief, a transport minister could retire on that!