DVLA / Inter-Credit International Fine

japmis

*Re-posted to correct forum*

Help!

My tax was due in July 2012, I paid on time but unknowlingly with an expired cheque book. The DVLA wrote to let me know so I immediately called them and paid over the phone (October 2012).

I thought that that was the end of it, except yesterday I received a letter from Inter-Credit International saying I must pay an out of court settlement of £80 or my car might be seized/court action may commence.

I haven't received any letters from the DVLA regarding this fine, so I was very alarmed to receive a letter from a debt collection agency.

What should I do now? I don't really understand why I've been fined as I've always shown willingness to pay for my tax (as far as I'm concerned, the payment just took time to process).

I'm about to apply for my first mortgage and I *REALLY* don't want any of this showing on my credit ratings.

HELP

japmis x

Coupon-mad

Expired cheque book? I use ancient old cheque books and used to work for a Bank, never knew there could be such a thing.

I would email the DVLA and state that you paid in time then paid again when informed the first one had for some reason not been honoured through no fault of your own.

Do not try to resolve this over the phone. Emails or letters, as you need a paper trail.

japmis

I couldn't work out why the cheque had bounced as there was ample money in my account; I had concluded that the cheque book must have expired as I couldn't find any other reason for my bank not to honour it :-/

I'll email the DVLA today, thanks for your help.

Coupon-mad

There is no such thing as an expired cheque book (if you never reported it missing) - but you could simply ask your Bank to let you know why that cheque was 'returned'. Often it's simple stuff like forgotten to sign it, wrong date, or 'words & figures differ', i.e. a little error on your part that you were unaware of. Maybe it was that, and maybe the DVLA has a rigid policy not to get cheque errors put right by a signatory and then re-present the cheque (which is an option but big businesses could well find that sort of back-tracking too cumbersome - it's easier to ask for a new payment). So they then asked for alternative payment - but at no point did you knowingly not pay.

You do need to ask the Bank what the reason for the 'return' was as you can then have a more informed approach to your emails/letters to the DVLA.

Guys_Dad

If you paid and the money was taken, then there will be a record of it on whatever account you paid it with.

Check. If you didn't actually part with the money, regardless of whose fault it is, then you need to pay. If it was taken, get proof and then contact DVLA and the credit chasers.

japmis

Guys_Dad wrote: »

If you paid and the money was taken, then there will be a record of it on whatever account you paid it with.

Check. If you didn't actually part with the money, regardless of whose fault it is, then you need to pay. If it was taken, get proof and then contact DVLA and the credit chasers.

There's nothing showing on my bank account for the cheque payment to the DVLA, the first recording of that is in October 2012. (I could try and dig out the letter from the DVLA returning the cheque if you think that would help?) So I guess I should pay the fine.

I would *REALLY* like to know why the DVLA didn't inform me of this fine when I was on the phone to them in October, or at any date since then??? :mad:

SodG24

Sounds like a scam to me. DVLA don't use debt collection agencies to collect their money - it's outsourced to Equita ( part of Capita ). No company can DEMAND an out of court settlement - they may suggest it as a way of avoiding all the court costs but DVLA / Equita wouldn't offer this.

Do you have more detail on this Inter-Credit demand ( i.e. the exact letter wording ) ?

As Coupon Mad has said, cheques don't expire - and I used to work for a bank as well.

japmis

SodG24 wrote: »

Sounds like a scam to me. DVLA don't use debt collection agencies to collect their money - it's outsourced to Equita ( part of Capita ). No company can DEMAND an out of court settlement - they may suggest it as a way of avoiding all the court costs but DVLA / Equita wouldn't offer this.

Do you have more detail on this Inter-Credit demand ( i.e. the exact letter wording ) ?

Letter dated 28 January 2013
Debt Recovery Notice
Vehicle Registration (XYZ)
As you have ignored all previous letters, the DVLA is currently preparing a claim against you as the registered keeper of an unlicensed vehicle.

Should you wish to avoid this action, you must pay an out of court settlement of £80 immediately, otherwise legal action through the Courts may commence and your vehicle may be clamped and impounded.

The intended action will be made in accordance with Section 7A of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. Please be aware that you are (or may be) also contravening Section 31A of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (or of the Act), which commands a minimum fine of £1,000 if convicted.

The payment of £80 by credit/debit card must be made by telephoning 020 7107 1227 (24 hours) quoting your payment reference number. Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to Inter-Credit International Ltd and sent to the above offices quoting your case number.

If you have made a payment directly to our client in the last 3 days, please contact 020 8447 6977 between 9-6 Monday to Friday.

Yours sincerely, K King

Enforcement Officer

Inter-Credit International Ltd
2nd Floor
South Point House
321 Chase Road
Southgate
London
N14 6JT

//

This is the first correspondence I have received from them. When I questioned why it said I've ignored previous letters, they said they sent them to my previous address (?!).

My vehicle IS fully legal, taxed, insured, MOT'd, registered etc.

Nowhere does it mention a fine (?!).

All seems very peculiar especially as I have heard nothing from the DVLA since October 2012.

japmis

Re: the cheque expiry, the cheque did not bounce, but was returned. I assumed it had expired but perhaps I had reported it lost donkies ago and had found it at a later date. Is it important to this thread?

SodG24

japmis wrote: »

Letter dated 28 January 2013
Debt Recovery Notice
Vehicle Registration (XYZ)
As you have ignored all previous letters, the DVLA is currently preparing a claim against you as the registered keeper of an unlicensed vehicle.

Should you wish to avoid this action, you must pay an out of court settlement of £80 immediately, otherwise legal action through the Courts may commence and your vehicle may be clamped and impounded.

The intended action will be made in accordance with Section 7A of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. Please be aware that you are (or may be) also contravening Section 31A of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (or of the Act), which commands a minimum fine of £1,000 if convicted.

The payment of £80 by credit/debit card must be made by telephoning 020 7107 1227 (24 hours) quoting your payment reference number. Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to Inter-Credit International Ltd and sent to the above offices quoting your case number.

If you have made a payment directly to our client in the last 3 days, please contact 020 8447 6977 between 9-6 Monday to Friday.

Yours sincerely, K King

Enforcement Officer

Inter-Credit International Ltd
2nd Floor
South Point House
321 Chase Road
Southgate
London
N14 6JT

//

This is the first correspondence I have received from them. When I questioned why it said I've ignored previous letters, they said they sent them to my previous address (?!).

My vehicle IS fully legal, taxed, insured, MOT'd, registered etc.

Nowhere does it mention a fine (?!).

All seems very peculiar especially as I have heard nothing from the DVLA since October 2012.

Still looks like a scam. Tell them you want to see copies of all previous correspondence. Given you're fully taxed etc I fail to see what case they have ?

Regardless, as I've said DVLA don't use DCAs - just Equita and the courts. I'd ring DVLA if I were you and confirm with them that they have no outstanding action against you. Then tell Inter-Credit to go away.

SodG24

Strange that they don't mention DVLA as a client on their website ( you'd think such a high profile client would be a good reference ) :

https://www.intercred.com/content.aspx?Page=Testimonials