Help - Car impounded for no tax!

madeupname1

Can someone help me? I let my car tax expire. I usually wait until I receive the reminder from the DVLA and then take the papers to the post office to get a new disc. However, this year, no reminder came and I forgot about until last Friday when I came home to found the car had been clamped. I accept I am in the wrong here but this would not have happened if I had received the reminder.

The note on the car stated that "If you do not arrange for it to be released within 24 hours, it will be taken to a vehicle pound". I called the clamping office on Saturday morning and paid the fine and the surety fee. I was told that the car would not be released until Monday, but later on Saturday the car was released.

To get a new tax disc I usually take the reminder from the DVLA together with my insurance and MOT certificate. However, since this had not arrived, I was told that I needed to find the log book / V5C and take that to the post office to get the new disc. I am looking for the paperwork but not yet found it. The notice also states that "If you pay the surety fee you can get this refunded if you bring a valid tax disc to the vehicle pound or a DVLA local office withint 14 days of the vehible being released)."

Anyway, I came home today to find the car gone - I assume to the pound. Does this sound right?

DUTR

You get plenty of notice to renew the VED , and this can be applied for online.
No need for them to nag you to renew.

madeupname1

DUTR wrote: »

You get plenty of notice to renew the VED , and this can be applied for online.
No need for them to nag you to renew.

Yes you usually do, but for some reason this did not come this year (I think this is the V11?). I am not sure why but when I called to pay the fine I was told that they had stopped sending the reminder and this is the reason I would not have received it. I am not expecting them to nag me to renew. I accept that I should display an up to date tax disc. My question now is, once I have paid the fine and the surety fee, how much time to I have to get the disc. The notice suggests its 14 days but my car has gone 3 days later.

forgotmyname

Get it taxed & back ASAP i presume every day they keep it just adds to the cost £20 a day?

madeupname1

OK so whilst you get 14 days to produce the new tax disc in order to reclaim your surety fee, you really only get 24 hours to get the new disc because without it, even if you have paid the fine and the surety fee, if the car is on the road, they will continue to clamp it or remove it until the disc is displayed. Would have been nice if they had been clearer about that. Oh well ...