DVLA Penalties for untaxed vehicle

SheepDip82

Hi all,

I moved in May 2016, and sent my V5 away to update my address (or at least, I assume I did - because I didn't have it, and I specifically recall sending it away alongside my licence).

I did not receive it back with the address updated (though I did receive an updated drivers licence), and unfortunately I did not chase it up. I've no excuse for this really, other than neglect on my part. Moving is a pretty disruptive thing.
The DVLA had not received it, and as such all correspondence relating to my vehicle tax was being sent to my old address (which I did arrange mail forwarding on, but only for 6 months, the tax reminders didn't come until almost 12 months after I had moved).

So when the time came for my actual car tax renewal (May 2017) - I received no notification. I didn't follow up on this despite being conscious of it - as my tax was always done in August (neglecting to remember I purchased a new car in the April before the move ). So when August rolls around when my car is on the roadside waiting for an MOT it is clamped - and I have been using the car for almost 4 months with no tax.

I contacted the DVLA, updated the address on the V5, paid the release fee, fines, back tax, charges, taxed (via monthly direct debit) and MOT'd the vehicle, and paid any other fines/penalties that were incurred (all within 12 hours of learning about the clamping) and assumed that was the last of it.

About a month ago I received a penalty notice from the DVLA for about £60, for using the vehicle without tax. It stated the date and time the vehicle was clamped - I checked with the DVLA that it was correct - and I paid it. Again assuming that this was the last of it.

Today I received another penalty notice for using the vehicle without tax - in the middle of June this year, for £59 - which I have paid.

Does anyone have any experience with this? When is this going to stop? Am I going to get innumerable retrospective penalty notices for all the times the vehicle was picked up on a traffic camera between May and August?

Why isn't there one fine for the period of missed tax? I know for certain that I used the road in question (A48, South Wales) at least a few more times in that period.

I'm not trying to make out that this wasn't ultimately my mistake - but this process seems excessive. Having the salacious crumb of intermittent £60 penalty notices hanging off my shoulder for the foreseeable future is incredibly frustrating.