Car Tax Refund - Have Mum and Dad been taken for a ride?

angelavdavis

Hi everyone,

Hope you can help on this one.

My parents had a car accident two weeks ago and although they sustained bruising, they were OK. The car didn't fair so well.

Dad tried to remove the tax disc when the pickup collected the car, but he was told he wasn't allowed to remove it.

Tesco insurance have been dealing with the repair valuation. The car was taken by a garage based in Folkestone and after assessment, Tesco announced it was irreparable and would have to be scrapped.

My Dad then asked about the car tax disc as he had only renewed his tax at the end of August. Tesco told Dad he would have to speak to the garage direct. When he did, he discovered that the car had been removed for scrap and no one at the garage knew who had removed it (!)

Luckily Dad still has his receipt for the tax disc. Is it possible for Dad to claim this back even if he doesn't have the original disc?

Has anyone come across this one before?

I would appreciate the help.

Thanks in advance

mikey-mike_2

short answer...yes

write a letter giving as much info as poss and send it recorded delivery..you can only get whole months back so get the letter posted before the end of this month

simone2697

I used to work at a DVLA local office - this is quite a common issue with insurers.
Go to your local DVLA office and get a V33 form.
Fill it in and attatch a copy of the tax disc to it. Also a brief note explaining what happened.
If you just write a letter without the V33 they cant process it and will write back - meaning they will lose another month.

pinkfluffybabe

simone2697 wrote:

I used to work at a DVLA local office - this is quite a common issue with insurers.
Go to your local DVLA office and get a V33 form.
Fill it in and attatch a copy of the tax disc to it. Also a brief note explaining what happened.
If you just write a letter without the V33 they cant process it and will write back - meaning they will lose another month.

Yeah but she has just said she doesn't have it??

simone2697

Sorry should have explained - the V33 form is the one to use if you dont have the tax disc for what ever reason. And i meant the tax disc reciept! Sorry having a bimbo day today!!!

Bossyboots

I must admit Diamond were very good when one of their drivers wrote my car off. One of the first things they told me to do was remove the tax disc and remember to claim the unused portion back. Even the breaker who came to collect the vehicle reminded me to remove it before they came.

mikey-mike_2

another thought.....once the car is written off it becomes the property of the insurance company....surely then they can (and probably will) cash the tax in themselves?

mrbadexample

angelavdavis wrote:

Dad tried to remove the tax disc when the pickup collected the car, but he was told he wasn't allowed to remove it.

I'd be asking the recovery contractors why you were told this, because for the life of me I can't see that's right. You need tax to drive on a road. You do not need tax on the back of a recovery vehicle.

Bossyboots

mikey-mike wrote:

another thought.....once the car is written off it becomes the property of the insurance company....surely then they can (and probably will) cash the tax in themselves?

No, Diamond told me the the tax still belongs to the person who bought it.

angelavdavis

An update for everyone.

Tesco instructed Dad not to remove the car tax because it was due to be assessed as to whether it was viable to carry out repairs.

Things have progressed though.

Dad contacted the local VOSA office and they sent him a V33 form (thanks Simone 2697).

In the meantime, the breakers yard got back and said they had managed to find the tax disc and would return this via post to my Dad.

This arrived, so Dad is now able to claim, because he had already registered the issue with VOSA, he should still be entitled to receive the October payment, which was what he was concerned about losing.

Thanks EVERYONE for your help - much appreciated!!!!