DVLA fine for no insurance on vehicle, although vehicle was Sold?

JonnyE

Hi guys,

I'm looking for some advice on what I can do about a problem with DVLA.

I sold a vehicle on 01/10/2012 to a gentleman who was in the trade and said he was buying it for his daughter to use. I filled in all the necessary paperwork and sent this off to DVLA which they claim to have never received.

After I cancelled the insurance on the vehicle I get a letter from the DVLA Jan 2013 advising that as the car has no insurance I have to pay a fixed penalty of £50, unless I provide them with the details of who I sold it to. After trailing back through online phone records and ringing every number I could I eventually got through to the guy I sold it to.

He gave me all his details and advised to pass this on to DVLA, so I sent them his name, address, contact number and date the vehicle was sold.

After providing them all the details they asked for I thought it was safe to assume that was the end of the matter, however I have received another letter advising me that I now have to pay £100, so I sent them yet another letter advising them that this is now harassment as I have provided them the details of who is now the owner of the vehicle, but they have sent me a court summons.

I don't know what else I can do as I've given them everything they have asked for but they still want to take me to court.

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Jonathan

halibut2209

What does insurance have to do with the DVLA?

JonnyE

I completely agree its ridiculous how they can fine you for not insuring a car when it has nothing to do with them.. Anything to try rip people off.

I just don't know where I stand. I don't want to go to court and get court costs but I really don't want to be bullied into paying something I don't owe.

Stroma

Insurance ? Are you sure it's not road tax? And who is writing to you exactly, is it a debt collector on behalf of the dvla?

kirkbyinfurnesslad_2

halibut2209 wrote: »

What does insurance have to do with the DVLA?

continious insurance rules i believe?

[Deleted User]

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/uninsured-vehicles

Isn't the problem that DVLA are saying that they weren't notified of the change? When you sent them all the info, did you send it 'signed for'?

Stroma

Sleazy wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/uninsured-vehicles

Isn't the problem that DVLA are saying that they weren't notified of the change? When you sent them all the info, did you send it 'signed for'?

You don't need to send recorded mail to them, they like to have it all ways does the dvla, they send you a letter and its presumed delivered, you send them something and they say they haven't had it, and its up to you to prove they have. There have been a number of court cases where this practice has had cases thrown out.

The_Slithy_Tove

Sleazy wrote: »

Isn't the problem that DVLA are saying that they weren't notified of the change? When you sent them all the info, did you send it 'signed for'?

DVLA have a habit of losing change of ownership papers in the post. This crops up time and again.

Basically they are useless, as well as borderline corrupt in the way the mismanage our data and hand it out willy nilly without proper cause.

[Deleted User]

That's the reason why I personally would rather pay for a signature on delivery for stuff like this (though I completely agree that it shouldn't be necessary) ... at least that way I can prove that something posted was delivered to the address stated.

JonnyE

Stroma wrote: »

Insurance ? Are you sure it's not road tax? And who is writing to you exactly, is it a debt collector on behalf of the dvla?

basically there saying that whilst the vehicle was registered to me there was a period when it was not insured. I should have sent it recorded but I probable wouldn't have kept the slip for 2 months and assumed they got it.

They have given me a court date of 13th August which I will have to attend otherwise im assuming it will be ruled in there favour.

Thanks for the advice im new to all this

halibut2209

Similar thing happened to me but with road tax. I went to court, told them who I'd sold it to and when and it was dismissed instantly. They didn't look too favourably on the DVLA for bringing the non-case.