Genuinely forgot to renew MOT & car involved in accident. Help!

spangles30

I have never been in a position like this before having always taxed, insured and MOT'ed my car at roughly the same time each year.

I bought a car in June 2008 and was told it didn't need an MOT as it was 'under the 3 years' so didn't require one. Naively I accepted this and when I got a reminder for road tax in October 2008 I applied online and got it. There must have been an MOT in place for me to get this, as I subsequently have found out over the last 2 days that an MOT was needed on the car in May 2008.

I recently moved house and sent my log book and driving licence to DVLA to update the address (yes, this IS all sod's law and horribly ironic). I also booked an MOT for next week. Then my car got hit (badly) by another driver while I was stationary waiting to turn right.

The police were called and told me, as is routine, to produce my driving licence, insurance documents and MOT certificate within 7 days. It was at this point that I realised with horror that there very possibly wasn't a valid MOT certificate. I am guessing it ran out May 2009 (can't check as haven't got my log book back from DVLA yet). It was a genuine oversight on my part and I am in a terrible state worrying.

I am concerned what the insurance company will do when they discover this. I don't think my car is a write off. Will the police tell the insurance company? What kind of punishment am I looking at?

On top of my innocence in a devastating car crash I am so upset at my total forgetfulness in sorting out my MOT. I've never had an accident in 20 years of driving, and nor have I ever forgotten to get an MOT done. I've never had a 'newer' car until this one, so always bought a car with a valid MOT.

I'm not making excuses, but this was not intentional and I have evidence that I had an MOT booked for next week. But I guess that will fall on deaf ears. I would appreciate any advice on what is likely to happen over the next few days. I am terrified of having to go to the police station and have no idea what will happen to me. Also what will happen to my insurance policy as both my car and the other are in a bad way.
Any advice offered will be appreciated.

markelock

it doesn't matter I don't think. I don't believe you need a valid MOT cert for insurance to be applicable. However I'm not sure of the other implications of not having one, when being asked for one by the Police.

what age is the car?

flea72

how old is the car, if you cant give the exact date, then at least the reg number should give an indication within 6m, as to when the MOT was due

you wouldnt have been able to tax the car online in October 08, if the MOT had run out in May 08 - so is that a typo, ie MOT run out May 09

Flea

spangles30

Markelock, the car is 4 years old. Feal, I am guessing the MOT ran out May 2009, but cannot check for sure as I don't have my logbook back from DVLA in order to do a VOSA check. But DVLA did tell me that the car required an MOT May 2008, so it must have had one in order for me to get road tax Oct 2008 even though I had no MOT certificate.

lugsie

As long as the accident was not your fault dont worry about it, the other persons insurance will fix your car as for no mot you moght get a £50 fine if the police prosecute you which is very unlikly as long as the accident was not your fault

[Deleted User]

Stick your Reg and car make in this site https://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk and it will tell you the date the car was registered on. MOT is required 3 year after this date. You don't need the V5 to check this.

flea72

why did the person you bought the car off, say it didnt need an MOT as it was under 3yrs old, if they knew for a fact they had MOTd it within the last month?

Any sane person would have just said, its got nearly a years MOT as it was only done recently

Telling a buyer it doesnt need one, seems a bit odd

Flea

dacouch

Not having an MOT will not invalidate most Insurance policies, it does however mean your car is worth less if its written off

spangles30

Thank you Lee. I have found out the car was manufactured May 2005 and so required an MOT May 2008. I was told from the seller it was 2005/2006 make and naively believed that. I don't know the history of the car and stupidly believed the seller. I then just completely forgot about the MOT....I can make no excuses for this except total memory lapse. I feel awful about it. I am not sure if the seller knew about an MOT as he bought it without one. I believed him when he said it was under 3 years old and so didn't require one. I rue the day I didn't question this.

flea72

spangles30 wrote: »

Thank you Lee. I have found out the car was manufactured May 2005 and so required an MOT May 2008. I was told from the seller it was 2005/2006 make and naively believed that. I don't know the history of the car and stupidly believed the seller. I then just completely forgot about the MOT....I can make no excuses for this except total memory lapse. I feel awful about it. I am not sure if the seller knew about an MOT as he bought it without one. I believed him when he said it was under 3 years old and so didn't require one. I rue the day I didn't question this.

I think you are getting a bit confused or making typing errors. if the car is on a 05 plate, then the previous owners would have had it MOTd in may 08 - so them telling you it didnt need one, makes me think they didnt get one done - in which case, you wouldnt have been able to tax it in October. so either they had it MOTd and for some reason didnt think this was a selling point, or they didnt get one done

Flea

flea72

spangles30 wrote: »

I was told from the seller it was 2005/2006 make and naively believed that

the only way it could be an 05/06 car, is if it was registered on a 55 plate

Flea