DVLA debt collection problem

SouthUKMan

Hi. Please bear with me on this one... I've received a letter from a company called Rossendales debt collectors saying they've been instructed by the DVLA to collect a Late License Penalty fee for failing to buy road tax or declaring a SORN on a car I used to own. The car was scrapped in June 2014 (very nearly a year to the day) by a reputable business that's been going for years. At the time I returned the V5 slip to the DVLA declaring the car had been scrapped, and the scrap yard retained the rest of the V5 for them to process. Stupidly, when I phoned Rossendales to query the claim I actually ended up paying the £80 fine as they told me it was my responsibility last year to inform the DVLA if I had not received confirmation that the car had been recorded as scrapped. And I believed them! Five minutes later I started to think this isn't fair, so I phoned the DVLA who told me I would have received three separate reminder letters from them prior to the Rossendales letter. I can honestly say I never received any of these. The DVLA then told me that instead of paying the fine today I could have appealed but because I did pay it amounts to admission that I have committed an offence. Seriously! I must add that neither the letter from Rossendales or their phone agent mentioned any form of appeal process. I'm really annoyed about my own stupidity but more importantly I want to know what my rights are so I can fight this. As far as I'm concerned I completed and returned the necessary paperwork about a year ago, I did not receive any reminder letter from the DVLA (and certainly not three!), Rossednales failed to mention my right to an appeal process that I could enter into BEFORE paying the fine, I've paid out £80 that I shouldn't have done, and I've effectively admitted a criminal offence when as far as I'm concerned I did everything correctly a year or so ago. I'm now worried this is going to affect my credit rating Please offer some advice or moral support...

wealdroam

SouthUKMan wrote: »

Hi. Please bear with me on this one...

Sorry, please bear with me... I didn't read any further... too difficult.

If you are looking for help, it is probably a good idea to put a little effort into making your story easy to read.

zaax

Ring Rossendales and say you have been mislead and you what your money back.