Please help I think I may be in huge trouble re continuous insurance

pendulum

I keep thinking "What would I do if this happened to me" and I'm struggling to think of a way out!

You need to move the car Off Road (otherwise it could be clamped or towed and could incur you very large fines) but you have nowhere Off Road to put it.
You can't even drive it anywhere as you have no insurance, tax or MoT.
You cannot scrap it because you have no V5, so you're stuck with it.
You need to SORN it for Tax and Insurance reasons but you cannot SORN it as you have no V5, V11 or V85/1.
You don't know what the letters said (they may have given you deadlines which you are unaware of) as they went to the wrong address.

Jesus...
I think I'd go down the pub if I was in your position and hope things take a turn for the better after a few pints.

Would your old address have kept your mail, as if so you may find the reference number somewhere. If not, the only semi-legal way to make this problem go away is to get someone with Drive Other Car cover (not you, as this clause never covers other cars you own) to drive it to a pre-booked MoT appointment, which just so happens to be very nearby to the Off Road parking space you have begged or paid someone to allow you to use. Drop it off there instead of going to the MoT station and most of your problems are fixed which will buy you some time to update your contact details and re-apply for the V5C - once you get that you can declare SORN.

At least then you'll be on top of things, and if a £100 fine comes your way just pay it. You could try playing the "I notified you ages ago of my Change of Address and SORN declaration, I sent them in together..." if that happens but obviously not recommended...

Once you get the V5C you could stick the car on eBay and that'll cover your fines (if any) and should have some left over. Cars without MoT can still fetch quite decent prices.

Wireless_2

The other option is to cut the car up into small pieces, and take these to a number of scrap merchants for disposal, or put the bits in the bin over a number of weeks, make sure there's no VIN plates on anything you send to the scrap yards, and chuck the VIN Plates in the bin with your household rubbish, or bury these at the bottom of your garden.

Then claim the car was sold months ago, to a private seller who you thought was Eastern European, and you filled out and sent off the V5C to the DVLA at the time.

As the car doesn't exist anymore, it can't be found parked on the road, and if the Eastern European exported it without telling the DVLA then that has nothing to do with you.

Wig

Ok, good point about the no insurance since June. But I don't think you had mentioned that before in the thread.

I was of the opinion that you only got hit for no insurance once the tax has run out, I now think this could be worng and yes, there could already be a cont ins charge against you. Phone up DVLA and ask them if they have taken any action for continuous insurance, tell them it is now off road and you have sent SORN V890 but at the very least you have to move it to a car park NOW, which is ok for SORN, but not ok for no insurance.

LadyLouise

Wig wrote: »

Ok, good point about the no insurance since June. But I don't think you had mentioned that before in the thread.

I was of the opinion that you only got hit for no insurance once the tax has run out, I now think this could be worng and yes, there could already be a cont ins charge against you. Phone up DVLA and ask them if they have taken any action for continuous insurance, tell them it is now off road and you have sent SORN V890 but at the very least you have to move it to a car park NOW, which is ok for SORN, but not ok for no insurance.

Right, I've moved it to the car park across the road.

I've found the registration doc registered to old address. Shall I SORN it over the phone then send it for change of address? Or could I try ringing them and claiming I sent V5 a few months ago for change of address and have just now realised as I've come to SORN it that I didn't receive new one in post?

LadyLouise

OK thanks for your advice so far. If anyone's still here, I couldn't get hold of anyone at DVLC today.

I think I'll post off an application to get a replacement V5 (with new address on) and attach a SORN declaration.

Does that make sense?

Wig

What sort of car park is it? Who owns it? It's going to be ok for a temporary stay, but the longer you leave it there the more attention you attract to your car. The car park will be ok to declare SORN from but you still need insurance and MOT in any carpark.

It will take you 4 - 6 weeks to get a new V5C you don't want to leave it there for 4 - 6 weeks.

That's why if I were you I would get a scrap man to come collect your car. Using the current V5C and keep section 9 sending it off to the DVLA.

You could declare SORN online http://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/
But make sure it allows you declare SORN from 30/09/2011 I can't see past the first page so I don't know what options they give you. If it doesn't let you, then stop the process and use a V890 and post it. Or declare by phone telling them to date it from the 30/09.

Do you still have access to the post at the old address?
Because all that will be sent there will be the confirmation of SORN and confirmation of passing to a motor trader. The SORN letter does not matter (if you don't recieve it) if you SORN online, then you get an email confirmation you can keep for about a year. The change of ownership letter will not matter (if you don't recieve it) as long as you phone up DVLA after 4 weeks to confirm the car is no longer registered in your name. Keep the reciept from the scrap man.

Job done, the only problem is the cont insurance charge of £100 which you may already have been charged with. You need to ask DVLA about that one. I would not admit that it was parked on the highway though for the last 2 - 3 months.

LadyLouise

Wig wrote: »

What sort of car park is it? Who owns it? It's going to be ok for a temporary stay, but the longer you leave it there the more attention you attract to your car. The car park will be ok to declare SORN from but you still need insurance and MOT in any carpark.

It will take you 4 - 6 weeks to get a new V5C you don't want to leave it there for 4 - 6 weeks.

That's why if I were you I would get a scrap man to come collect your car. Using the current V5C and keep section 9 sending it off to the DVLA.

You could declare SORN online http://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/
But make sure it allows you declare SORN from 30/09/2011 I can't see past the first page so I don't know what options they give you. If it doesn't let you, then stop the process and use a V890 and post it. Or declare by phone telling them to date it from the 30/09.

Do you still have access to the post at the old address?
Because all that will be sent there will be the confirmation of SORN and confirmation of passing to a motor trader. The SORN letter does not matter (if you don't recieve it) if you SORN online, then you get an email confirmation you can keep for about a year. The change of ownership letter will not matter (if you don't recieve it) as long as you phone up DVLA after 4 weeks to confirm the car is no longer registered in your name. Keep the reciept from the scrap man.

Job done, the only problem is the cont insurance charge of £100 which you may already have been charged with. You need to ask DVLA about that one. I would not admit that it was parked on the highway though for the last 2 - 3 months.

Thanks Wig. Don't think it will attract too much attention where it is.

Won't scrap man want a V5 with the address where vehicle is kept, or don't they care?

How can I ask DVLC about continuous insurance fine without giving them new address?

Wouldn't it be better to send off for new V5 as if current is lost but to new address and attach SORN applicationto that?

Wig

LadyLouise wrote: »

Thanks Wig. Don't think it will attract too much attention where it is.

Won't scrap man want a V5 with the addreds where vehicle is kept, or don't they care?

How is he to know you have changed address? He probably won't care, but just say you're away from home at the moment, if he says he will send you a confirmation of scrapping letter as him to send it to you at the current address as you are here for the forseeable future. Tell him he can put the old address on the letter itself, but to send it to your new address.

Once again keep & complete section 9 & send to DVLA. Follow up 4 weeks later to check the vehicle is no longer in your name.

LadyLouise

OK but how can I ask DVLC about continuous insurance fine without giving them new address?

qazitory

LadyLouise wrote: »

OK but how can I ask DVLC about continuous insurance fine without giving them new address?

You could enquire generally without giving any personal details?