DVLA scam

mcjordi

mines due to be renewed next year i think...

photome

thenudeone wrote: »

Times change. They were not to know that in 20 years time another government would decide that we should all have photo driving licences (like everywhere else in the world already had).
There are different views on the legality of the photo expiry. My take is as follows: Your are probably still licensed to drive until you are 70, but if you fail to send the old one back for a new one after the photo expires you have technically committed the offence of failing to surrender it. No-one has ever been prosecuted for that
AFAIK.

However, if you are driving abroad or want to be able to hire a car, perhaps in an emergency, or avoid the possibility that an over-zealous copper seizes your car under the (possibly mistaken) belief that you don't have a licence, It's probably best just to bite the bullet and pay for a new one.

And how would any hire company abroad know that you have ever had a photo license. I have never had one and hire cars abroad regularly

photome

molerat wrote: »

What's a photocard licence ? I have an ancient pinky green piece of papyrus, with 3 points scribbled on it in crayon from 1990, which says it is good for another 13 years (if it doesn't disintegrate before then)

Mine has disintegrated, its been through the wash a few times and is in about 6 pieces but it is still accepted at home and abroad without a photo license to go with it

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Strider590 wrote: »

How about "legalised extortion" then?

For me and many others, it's the whole issue of fining people because the DVLA or Royal mail lost their V5 (DVLA conveniently loses a lot of correspondence). I actually do send any/all correspondence to the DVLA via recorded signed for post and I recommend anyone else does the same.
Once they issue a fine, even if they're wrong they have have pages and pages of small print they can still get you on.
Appeals are not read, they are simply automatically responded to with more threatening letters.

Someone makes a lot of money out of the DVLA and it's not the government.

I think "legalised extortion" covers it quite nicely.

you cut my post short so it can be taken out of context and the above is not what i was saying.

simply put this thread IS NOT A SCAM, no matter how you look at it,
therefore, if the DVLA WANTED TO could have this thread deleted or take legal action against the site this what i meant. everytime a new or relativly new poster mentions scam or fraud and mentions the company name and infact proven NOT TO BE a scam or fraud put the forum in a position where in certain situations could mean the end of it.

Flyboy152

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

I received a letter from the DVLA last week informing me that my driving licence was due for renewal and they wanted £20 to do so with a new photo.

Being 63 years of age, but not yet senile, I can remember that in the 1970's the government decided to stop issuing driving licences every three years for £1, and charged one £10 fee for a licence until you reach 70 years of age. They evidently wanted the money all at once.

Now they've cottoned on to this new scam of wanting to renew the photo licence every 10 years and want £20 for it, saying looks change and you need a new photo.

So what if I send them another copy of the photo used in the previous licence? It's identical but apparently the photo doesn't need countersigning or anything.

It's just a way of making you pay £20.

Plus my licence still says it's valid until 2018!

Sounds fair to me.

Flyboy152

mcjordi wrote: »

mines due to be renewed next year i think...

I have to renew mine every three years.

AnythingButChardonnay

spiro wrote: »

I'm guessing it will only be a matter of time before they decide the old paper ones are no longer legal and everyone will have to have a photo one. Even if we dont decide the EU could force it on us. As other have said many countries have had these for years before we did, they also have id cards which if we had them would mean we would not need a passport to travel in the EU.

You're absolutely right, that's what the EU's just done. The EU's "Third Directive" says everyone in the EU must have the standardised licence by 19th January 2033 - old style licences become invalid then. That will be regardless of the expiry date on the licence itself.

By my maths that means some people will end up shortchanged on their expiry date by as much as 19 years.

maxmycardagain

yes, its robbery

i had a 1 payment licence due to end in 2025, but somehow it now ends next year, but not if i pay, so its just a cash cow for HMG, plus your photo id licence is worth zilch cos everyone still wants to see the paper portion

BTW some classes/groups are coming off licences, be wary!

SandC

molerat wrote: »

What's a photocard licence ? I have an ancient pinky green piece of papyrus, with 3 points scribbled on it in crayon from 1990, which says it is good for another 13 years (if it doesn't disintegrate before then)

Same here from 1989 but no points (touches wood).

Bunter_2

It does seem odd that you dont have to get the photo counter-signed by someone who knows you where-as with a passport you do. But then maybe there is a case for abolishing this necessity for passports rather than the other way around.