Taxing car online problems

Joe_Horner

Just a quick heads-up for people changing cars that there's a small bug in the beta service for this that may leave your car impossible to tax for a week or so.

Last weekend we transferred our 5 series to a friend (which is why we know what's happening on "both sides" here). It was on our drive so we SORNED it on Saturday (30th) to avoid paying the extra month ourselves, and they collected it and went to tax it online on Sunday (1st).

The system wouldn't let them tax it using the 12 digit "new keeper" reference from the V5C/2 because "a successful application for tax or SORN" has been made in the past 5 days". It suggested that we try again using the 12 digit new keeper reference from the V5C/2 and just kept taking us round that loop!

On Tuesday we did the transfer online without a problem, but it still wouldn't allow the car to be taxed for the same reason.

Then, this morning, it won't allow it to be taxed because the new keeper reference isn't valid. That means they also can't tax it at the post office or by phone . So they're stuck completely unable to tax it until the new V5 turns up.

The fault with the system has been notified by email (when it first came to light) but there's been no response to that (no real surprise there!).

They're not bothered because ANPR is very rare indeed around here, they'll get it sorted as soon as the form arrives, and - if DVLA tried to pin a failing to tax on them - it's a clearly documented fault with their system which has prevented it so would get fought as required.

But people might want to be aware that the system as it stands won't let you swap at the end of the month to avoid a double payment unless you take the car off road at least 5 days before AND make sure any tax application with the new keeper supplement is done BEFORE an online change of ownership!

pappa_golf

I used the system late last week and on the 1st of the mth on sat the 30th I went to https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle and entered the new keepers details , and the seller and buyer received emails etc , then on sun the 1st , the new keeper went online and taxed the vehicle


the online sold your car , removes the time delay with post

Joe_Horner

pappa_golf wrote: »

I used the system late last week and on the 1st of the mth on sat the 30th I went to https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle and entered the new keepers details , and the seller and buyer received emails etc , then on sun the 1st , the new keeper went online and taxed the vehicle


the online sold your car , removes the time delay with post

Just bear in mind that, technically, that leaves the new keeper liable for April's tax.

The seller's tax will be cancelled from the start of April (but only refunded from the start of May) because the system only works in whole months. That leaves a month gap between the "old" and "new" tax which the system may, or may not, spit a penalty out for on its next reconciliation.

facade

Can't they tax it at a post office with the green new keepers slip off the V5?

Joe_Horner

facade wrote: »

Can't they tax it at a post office with the green new keepers slip off the V5?

No for two reasons:

We did the change of ownership promptly and the magic DVLA box has updated the reference numbers to a new V5, so the number on the new keeper slip is no longer valid. Not sure if the PO actually checks the number but, given that the online system won't allow it to be used, any payment made under it is likely to float round n the system (possibly forever????) before it's sorted out.

Also, they want to pay by direct debit, which you can't do at the PO - you have to buy it the old way there.

Like I said, not really an issue in this case because it's otherwise all legal, the chance of being picked up by ANPR is virtually zero around here, and if it is then the tax will be sorted before any notification comes through there's a perfectly good reason for the few days of delay.

It is a beta system after all, and the idea of that is for the unsuspecting users to find the bugs

pappa_golf

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Just bear in mind that, technically, that leaves the new keeper liable for April's tax.

The seller's tax will be cancelled from the start of April (but only refunded from the start of May) because the system only works in whole months. That leaves a month gap between the "old" and "new" tax which the system may, or may not, spit a penalty out for on its next reconciliation.

yes the tax would be cancelled as of (in this case 17.30 hrs) on the last day of the month , and the seller would receive a refund for the following mths .


the new owner taxing the vehicle the following morning (at 00.01am) would be liable for the full previous mths VED IF the vehicle was spotted by a ANPR setup between the hours of 17.30 and 00.01 ,


as this was a Saturday evening the new owner parked it on his drive , and went by taxi for a meal with his wife


perhaps when the "declare the car sold" beta web page gets in full swing , it might be possible to declare sold at 11.59 and 59 secs , and the new owner tax at 00. 5 seconds

BeenThroughItAll

Joe_Horner wrote: »

No for two reasons:

We did the change of ownership promptly and the magic DVLA box has updated the reference numbers to a new V5, so the number on the new keeper slip is no longer valid. Not sure if the PO actually checks the number but, given that the online system won't allow it to be used, any payment made under it is likely to float round n the system (possibly forever????) before it's sorted out.

Also, they want to pay by direct debit, which you can't do at the PO - you have to buy it the old way there.

Like I said, not really an issue in this case because it's otherwise all legal, the chance of being picked up by ANPR is virtually zero around here, and if it is then the tax will be sorted before any notification comes through there's a perfectly good reason for the few days of delay.

It is a beta system after all, and the idea of that is for the unsuspecting users to find the bugs

No you don't. You can set up DD at the PO, I've done it about four times.

Joe_Horner

Odd that, I've seen half a dozen people turned away at our (main) post office and told to do the direct debit online because they don't do them. The staff are always very helpful to me (I'm in 4 or 5 times a week sending out repaired watches by special delivery) so assumed it was a DVLA / PO Counters policy rather than just can't be bothered staff!

Anyway, fair play to the DVLA, the new V5 arrived today (after notifying the change on Tuesday) so all sorted now,