Advice please - SORN'd/Not SORN'd vehicle and fines

Saintorsin2000

Hi,

I was hoping for a bit of advice. I have a car that has been sitting on privately property since around March 2013 and not been used in that time. It was initially a 'nice to have' but over the following years, finances became tight and the running costs and tax were too expensive. We said when the money situation got better, it could be dusted off and put back on the road. Until that time, we would use my wife's 'sensible' car.

As things are better financially, we were looking to get this up and running or sell. I am pretty clueless when it comes to cars, so was on the DVLA website to check how to un-SORN the vehicle, which seems pretty straightforward, but highlighted a potential issue. Through playing about on the site, I looked on their vehicle checker and it says the car is untaxed and without MOT since 2013. I was sure I had sent a SORN to the DVLA, however, I am now doubting myself as I cannot find any documentation to confirm the SORN was received (it was three years ago) and the website suggests one was not processed.

It is a bit confusing as there have never been any letters relating to tax renewal reminders, SORN confirmation or issuing fines/chasing penalty payments. If it was not SORN'd I would expect to have received a fine or at least a letter of some sorts. Should there not be at least one of those letter types sent over the past three years?

I'm not sure what to do next, part of me wants to contact the DVLA and complain why this has not been processed, but I have heard horror stories about massive fines for similar circumstances, which makes me reluctant to stick my neck out at this time. Alternatively I was thinking of writing them a letter saying I an 90% sure I sent this but plead to their better nature, while highlighting there has been no fines if this was a problem. The other option is I just brass neck it and try to tax the vehicle and hope nothing bad comes out of it.

Has anyone experienced similar or know the best course of action and their end result. Any advice would be appreciated to avoid the worst case scenario (in my head) of having a fine to pay and then a backlog of road tax on top of this....which would put me back into a bad financial situation.

Hopefully some of you good people out there, who are more clued up and have better memories than me, can offer some pointers and shared experiences.

Thanks

forgotmyname

Tax and insure it and its no longer SORNd.

The DVLA website will show if its SORNd or unlicenced.

Saintorsin2000

Thanks for the quick response. However, I get how to unSORN a SORN'd vehicle now. My question is more around the DVLA showing it as not SORN'd and wanting to avoid a large fine.

forgotmyname

Sell it..

Is it registered to your address? Whats the online status of it?

Saintorsin2000

Yes, it is registered to my address. The DVLA status says it has been without tax or MOT since 2013. I'm sure I sent a SORN though.

Geodark

Saintorsin2000 wrote: »

Yes, it is registered to my address. The DVLA status says it has been without tax or MOT since 2013. I'm sure I sent a SORN though.

When you check here, what does it state for vehicle status?

https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/

AdrianC

Saintorsin2000 wrote: »

I was hoping for a bit of advice. I have a car that has been sitting on privately property since around March 2013

I looked on their vehicle checker and it says the car is untaxed and without MOT since 2013

Are you sure it wasn't SORNed a few months before that, in late 2012?

If it was SORNed before the end of December 2012, then SORN declarations were annual, and needed to be re-declared every year.

That stopped at the end of Dec 2013 - so anything SORNed on 1/1/14 would still be SORNed now.

The only other potential change would be if the keeper had changed - that has always, since SORN was introduced in 1998, cancelled an existing SORN.

paddedjohn

Just do what you have got to do and if the DVLA come after you then you tell them you informed them that the vehicle was sorn by post and stick to your guns as they will chase you and threaten you for years but won't dare take you to court.

Saintorsin2000

"When you check here, what does it state for vehicle status?"


Hi Geodark, that is the link I was using that said it was untaxed and no MOT since 2013.

Saintorsin2000

"Are you sure it wasn't SORNed a few months before that, in late 2012?

If it was SORNed before the end of December 2012, then SORN declarations were annual, and needed to be re-declared every year.

That stopped at the end of Dec 2013 - so anything SORNed on 1/1/14 would still be SORNed now."

Hi AdrianC, I'm thinking it was right at the beginning of 2013 that I sent away the paperwork. However, if it was late 2012 and I didn't re-do for late 2013, I'm guessing I would be in the same situation as I am just now? Wanting to make sure I don't get hit with a tax bill covering three years!

Saintorsin2000

"Just do what you have got to do and if the DVLA come after you then you tell them you informed them that the vehicle was sorn by post and stick to your guns as they will chase you and threaten you for years but won't dare take you to court."

Thanks Paddedjohn, I don't suppose you know if that's the kind of thing that would affect a credit rating? I guess I would be okay to take the hit on what I understand is an £80 fine, it's the three years of backdated tax that would worry me as that would be a decent amount. It's one of these things were I'm sure I sent the document but didn't feel the need for recorded delivery etc. Sigh.