Car Tax Problem

[Edwardo]

Hi everyone, I am hoping for some advice on a car tax problem I'm having.

I received a letter about a month ago saying that I had missed a court date and that I owed £190, the letter didn't mention what this was for or when the offence was supposed to have occurred. So after about half an hour of phoning around I found that it was a fine for my car being untaxed in December 2007. They had been sending correspondence (fine letters, court summons etc...) to an address I have not lived at since 2003 which was why this letter was the first I had heard of it. So I requested that they resend me the original letter and I would pay the fine. However today I have received another court summons which requires I attend court on 21st April, I can't do this as I am currently doing an MSc and that is right in the middle of my exam period. I have contacted the court who were no help watsoever and told me I must attend on this date.

So I guess I am asking for general advice, I have no problem at all paying the fine. I can't actually remember my car being untaxed for any period of time but it is possible as I am not the most organised person in the world. So, do I have the right to just pay the initial fine?
Does the fact that the courts have been sending letters to the wrong address for over a year have any bearing on things?
Will I be expected to pay court fees/charges for not appearing in court even though I was not informed that I even had committed an offence?

Thanks in advance to any help or advice anyone can give me on this.

Ed

[Mark Hewitt]

I can't do this as I am currently doing an MSc and that is right in the middle of my exam period. I have contacted the court who were no help watsoever and told me I must attend on this date.


Do you actually have an exam on this date? If so get your uni (probably your tutor) to write a letter stating this fact and I have no doubt the court will reschedule.

However if you don't have an exam at that exact time but it is just 'in the middle of things' I doubt the court would be that sympathetic.

[Hintza]

Send your lawyer.

[AdrianHi]

Perhaps a word with Citizens Advice Bureaux or a small fee to a solicitor for him/her to write a letter on your behalf might get a more sensible response to your problem.
What address is on the registration document of the car? Was this address up to date when you moved? If not up to date your at fault for letters going to the wrong place.

[Edwardo]

Hi, thanks for the replies.

In answer, yes I do have an exam on this date.
I am currently a student so can't afford a lawyer, I would love to get one involved but really can't afford it at the moment.
I've tried contacting Citizens Advice but can't get through on the phone so will try going to one of the walk in appointments I guess.
The car was registered (I don't own it anymore) to my home address (i.e. my parent's house) and not to my university address. However they didn't receive any correspondence about it at all except for the letter saying that I had missed a court appointment which they immediately phoned me about. All letters were sent to an address in London I lived at briefly 5 years ago.

It is just so frustrating because I am perfectly happy to pay the fine! I just don't have the time to waste with endless telephone calls and letter writing to the courts who don't seem to know what's what.
Cheers
Ed

[AdrianHi]

If CAB is no good give a solicitor a call, quickly outline what your problem is and ask them what it's going to costs for the right assistance. A letter would probably be enough. Likely to cost you a lot less than having to turn up to court.

[MX5huggy]

Was the car ever registered at the London address?

Who is taking you to court in April? I would think that you can ring them and pay and they will close the case if you are happy to pay.

[Edwardo]

No, the car has only ever been registered to my parents address in Manchester.

It is North Somerset Council who are taking me to court, I live in Bristol. I tried calling them to pay but they wouldn't allow me to. They said that I had to appear in court, which seems strange as my car was untaxed once before (in 2002 I think) and I simply had to pay a fine and buy a new tax disc. Also on the DVLA website it says a fine of £80 will be issued for an untaxed car but not that a court appearance will be required.

I am going to try getting in touch with a solicitor but I'm not sure I can afford their fees for dealing with it.

Thanks again

[Mark Hewitt]

I think it may well be get a solicitor and pay now or pay a lot more later.