Two days, two fines for no Road Tax

Felippe

surreysaver wrote: »

They can fine you for not telling them about your change of address too, can't they?

Yes it is an offence. But I am not arguing about why I did not buy the tax. I admitted it's my fault. The point I am trying to prove is what LandyAndy seems to be the only one to understand.

Anyway. If you are interested, here is a parallel thread for this topic with some interesting credible answers.
forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=39715&st=0&gopid=353877&#entry353877

gaz_jones

bevvy wrote: »

But isn't it 'just a little bit wrong' that you didn't pay any tax for the month of feb.
What would happen if I didn't bother taxing my car for a year, should I only get 1 fine.
The car wasn't taxed, plenty of other people change address/go on holiday and still manage to tax their car, stop moaning and pay up, you did wrong.

God forbid you never make a mistake!

Gordon861

I think when you paid the fine for the first offence they will also have charged you for the missing months tax(Can you confirm this?) and therefore you cannot be charged for the same offence twice.

I forgot my Tax Disc last year and got a letter through the post 3 months latter with a fine for the offence and the backdated tax that I'd missed. From what you have described they could have sent me a single fine for each day I was without tax.

It would be different if you had been caught driving after getting the frst ticket because then it would be a new offence. Otherwise if you park illegally someone could clamp you once and then come back the next day and stick a clamp on a second wheel and charge you for removal of each one seperately.

This is a good example of why it is a very good idea to photocopy any forms/letter that you need to return to the sender to pay up. You could then have just sent them a copy of the previous ticket from 24hrs earlier with a covering letter and it would probably have been dropped.

I would send them another letter with copies of whatever you do have explaining the whole thing again and asking for it to be relooked at. If you have copies of your holiday tickets showing that you were out of the country at the time and therefore couldn't fix the problem straight away it might help.

The letter from the DVLA should explain what your options are, probably pay the fine or go in front of a magistrate(assuming the CPS don't look at this and think they are wasting their time). Otherwise you could be looking at more letters through the door in the next month or so.

Also I'm not sure of this, but are they required to issue a NIP(Notification of Intent to Prosecute) within 14days of the offence for failing to display your Road Tax? If they are the sticker dated the 24th Feb will count as the NIP for the first offence but they then should have added a second sticker for the second offence.

Felippe

Thank you, I have already sent them a letter as a reply to the second fine with my flight ticket confirmation and dates. And also with the explanation of the circumstances.

What they replied is:
"I have considered the information you have supplied, but as the law requires that any motor vehicle that is used or kept must be licensed, I cannot find any reason to alter the original decision. It's keeper's responsibility to ensure full compliance with the law."

KeithP

Felippe, go and see a solicitor.

Felippe

KeithP wrote: »

Felippe, go and see a solicitor.

Do you think it's worth it for £54??? I'll pay the solicitor more during our consultation than I get back from DVLA.

KeithP

Ok, pay twice then. I really don't mind... its up to you... you decide.