Fine for not renewing road tax

Sorry, no dice.

The reminder is a courtesy (IANAL). The renewal requirement is your responsibility. Again (IANAL)

tripled wrote:

Hi guys,

A few months ago I forgot to renew my road tax, as the month before it was due I moved home so didn't receive a renewal notice. I had said up redirection, but due to delays with Royal Mail it wasn't set up until nearly 3 weeks after I moved.

Next thing I know, in October a letter plops through saying I owe an £80 penalty (which I have to admit I only paid a couple of days ago).

So I was wondering, would it be an 'unreasonable penalty', so I could claim it back like a bank charge? Very unlikely I know, but I wondered if anyone has tried such a thing before? Imagine loads of MSE'ers claiming back income and road tax fines off Gordon... *dreams*

It is not a charge for breach of contract so not an unreasonable penalty like bank charges.

My s-in-law was fined for not renewing her tax on a car that had been scrapped,they said they had not been notified!!!She sent them notification,they must have lost it.

She never had any joy with them and did not receive a refund,they seem to be a law unto themselves.

I got back £190 from the DVLA last month that I had to pay out as a result of my vehicle being clamped and impounded for not displaying a valid tax disc. I had just returned from four months abroad with my car and they clamped it the morning after I returned (i had no time to tax it). Before I had left for British shores I had realized my tax would expire whilst away and I phoned the DVLA for advice. I was told I couldn't re-tax now because you can only re-tax a maximum of 8 weeks before your old disc expires. The guy I spoke to said to just tax it as soon as I return. As it turns out this advice was wrong, there are a couple of ways round the problem but he failed to suggest them. When the car was clamped I refused to pay for a number of days because I thought once I explained what had happened they would release the car from the pound. NOBODY at the DVLA would even give me the time of day and a couple of advisors stated that they didn't believe an advisor would have told me what he did. In the end I paid the fine, which had continued mounting, to stop my vehicle being crushed. I then wrote in a letter of appeal...they wrote back saying they had no record of my original phone call. I got Orange to send me a copy of the appropriate phone bill and I sent in copies of my ferry tickets and an insurance document. A couple of weeks later I received a cheque for £190 from DVLA. It wasn't easy but it can be done if you are in the right and you can prove it. I know my situation is not the same as the one you were in....I just wanted to demonstrate that it is possible to get money back from the DVLA. I'll leave your decision about whether or not to appeal up to you.
Good luck.

Crabman wrote:

Wig is correct - a guy from Worcester tried unsuccessfully to get out of his parking ticket using that "Bill of Rights". Shame

I always thought they issued the £80 fine even if you were a day late?!

Do you have any links on the bill of rights case? Do you know if he stupid enough to appeal?

"A day late" well you see when you renew during the month that you expired it is back dated to the 1st of the month, meaning you pay for the full month, so the DVLA is happy because they have their money, and your car did not become untaxed.

It's always better to do it in advance of expiry ofcourse. and if you do forget the sooner you do it the better really, because you want the computers to know that you are taxed.