Road tax is it a joke? Where can I complain.

custardy

Wig wrote: »

Ever heard of shifts?


It was my understanding that the comment 'ever heard of shifts' was supposed to refer to the people who work nights and cannot get to a PO because they are usually asleep.

anytime ive done nights its just meant getting less sleep

Lirin

Wig wrote: »

So you bought it on the 22nd
when does it say it expires?

Bought on the 22nd, expires on the 21st 12 months later!

ryantcb

OK here is why I didnt pre plan to buy the car and why i never had the dealer tax it.
I work shifts and only find out my duties the Thursday before the new week (week starting the Sunday). I also work a different locations and again only find out where and when on Thursday. My duties said I had to work until 2am and at a location outside the M25. As I didnt have a car I couldnt do the shifts so I spent friday trying to swap but no luck so I was stuck. On saturday I (day before I start work late) I decided i needed to buy a car. I didnt have a huge budget and not a lot of time. I went on autotrader found a car and bought it. I went home to insure and tax it. Only to find that as a new owner I wasnt eligable to tax online. So I had to walk 3 miles to my nearest post office that sold car tax. By the time I arrived it had closed! So thats why I was in the situation I was.

JimmyTheWig

Ryan, I think that you can probably appreciate that for most people the current system works. I can totally see how frustrating it would have been for you, but I'm not sure that having post offices open just in case someone else is in the same situation as you is a slight overkill.

What did you do in the end?
While the "right" answer is obviously not to drive it until taxed, I think I would have "chanced it" under those circumstances.

almillar

Can't wait until Ryan finds out that you can't just buy a house off the internet and walk into it the next day!
Anyone wanting DVLA offices to open on Sundays happy for their taxes to pay those staff double time 52 times per year?

masterlumps

masterlumps wrote: »

unfortunate and frustrating, yes - but writing to your MP because the PO isnt open on a sunday, no

Wig wrote: »

Who suggested that?

errrr the OP

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

It's just the way it is. But there is nowt an MP will do about it.

BTW, the last couple of times I have taxed a vehicle, the Post Office has refused cover notes, only accepting something entitled Certificate of Insurance.

It's generally easier to comply than fight it. And prebooking an MOT is the only way it is legal to be on the road without one. That way, if the police stop you, they can call through 'is XXXXXX booked for an MOT today? Yes? thank you very much' and tell you to make sure you get there.

Driving is hassle enough without getting in a stress about stuff you can't change, no matter how much you shout about it.

Wig

masterlumps wrote: »

errrr the OP

No he didn't. He said he would write to complain - and mentioned the "one-off" solution I had said earlier. Said nothing about complaining that PO should open on a Sunday.

Implying that he would complain, that under the current system you can
buy a car
buy insurance but have to wait for docs to be posted
get an MOT on most days but most people who buy cars get them with MOT anyway.

So for various reasons Road Tax is the only obstacle to enjoying your property immediately. It is this that he would complain about.

Possible solutions to suggest to the MP would include

Abolition of road tax like the French did 10 years ago

A temporary one-off tax purchased at PO and online 24/7 valid for 10 - 15 days without the need to submit documents.

A tax grace period where no tax is required if you have bought the car in the last 14 days, requirement would be to produce the V5 slip and carry it in the car whenever it is driven during the grace period. This however, could be open to abuse.

Make the VED available to purchase without ins & Mot, and require motorists to have an MOT disc and INS disc on the screen instead.

masterlumps

oh well thats me put firmly in my place

all the above reasons, fact still remains op could not tax car because post office was not open on sunday, and was going to complain to MP