DVLA Direct Debit for vehicle tax

uknick

For the last few years, my other half has paid her vehicle tax using a direct debit.

In the past she's had a letter telling her to expect the payment to be taken and how much it will be.

This year DVLA sent her a letter a week before it was due to be renewed telling her to expect the payment to be taken and make sure she had a valid MoT or the tax can't be renewed. The letter never mentioned how much will be taken.

The day the payment was taken they sent her an email telling it had been paid, but still not saying how much had been taken

Now, the Direct Debit Guarantee says;

"If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit the organisation will notify you (normally 10 working days) in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request the organisation to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request"

Has DVLA broken the rules of the scheme?

Specifically because their site says;

"After you’ve set up your Direct Debit
You’ll need to make sure there’s enough money in your account on the payment date. Payments are taken on the first working day of every month – except for the first payment, which can vary.

If you miss a payment, we’ll try again in 4 working days. The Direct Debit will be cancelled if there still isn’t enough money."

If they're not telling you how much the payment will be, how can you ensure there's enough in the account to cover it?

Yes, there are many who know our vehicles's CO2 emission and can look it up, but I'm sure that are far far more who have no idea. She being one of them; she'd no idea what the 179 g/km meant on the letter they sent her a week before renewal.

AndyMc.....

Has the amount changed?

unholyangel

Are you sure she didn't receive a payment schedule? I can't remember what I get via physical post from DVLA but I know I get an email from them at the start of the year giving a payment schedule - how much will be taken each month and on what dates.

Also, even if DVLA have broken the mandate, it would only allow you to reclaim the payment, it wouldn't affect the payment being owed. Sometimes you just need to pick your battles.

wgl2014

What would you do if it had gone up?

There's no shopping around for a cheaper option.....

Can't really see the problem here?

Marvel1

Bank statement online.

Any email in the spam folder?

Chances are it has gone up £5 as it does most of the time 1st April.

custardy

Just had a look,my email from the DVLA has a mandate attachment which includes payment schedule.

System

uknick wrote: »

If they're not telling you how much the payment will be, how can you ensure there's enough in the account to cover it?

Don't run the account on empty, make sure there's always a running balance of several hundred quid.

AdrianC

uknick wrote: »

For the last few years, my other half has paid her vehicle tax using a direct debit.

In the past she's had a letter telling her to expect the payment to be taken and how much it will be.

This year DVLA sent her a letter a week before it was due to be renewed telling her to expect the payment to be taken and make sure she had a valid MoT or the tax can't be renewed. The letter never mentioned how much will be taken.

The day the payment was taken they sent her an email telling it had been paid, but still not saying how much had been taken

Now, the Direct Debit Guarantee says;

"If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit the organisation will notify you (normally 10 working days) in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request the organisation to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request"

Has DVLA broken the rules of the scheme?

Specifically because their site says;

"After you’ve set up your Direct Debit
You’ll need to make sure there’s enough money in your account on the payment date. Payments are taken on the first working day of every month – except for the first payment, which can vary.

If you miss a payment, we’ll try again in 4 working days. The Direct Debit will be cancelled if there still isn’t enough money."

If they're not telling you how much the payment will be, how can you ensure there's enough in the account to cover it?

Yes, there are many who know our vehicles's CO2 emission and can look it up, but I'm sure that are far far more who have no idea. She being one of them; she'd no idea what the 179 g/km meant on the letter they sent her a week before renewal.

179g/km is Band I - £250 annual, up from £240 annual last year in the Autumn 2017 budget. Add the 5%, when paid by monthly DD, and that's an increase of 83p/month.


Yes, DVLA may have breached the DD guarantee. If you complain, they'll refund the payment and cancel the VED for you.


Is 83p difference on the monthly debit a budget-breaker?

uknick

She does it on annual direct debit, not monthly, and in all past years received a letter telling her the increase. The price increase is neither here nor there as she'll always have enough in her account to cover the increase as she's aware when it's due and will do what she did this year, find out the amount.

And, yes I know there's no point in complaining, as the tax has to be paid one way or the other so even if she were to get her bank to refund the amount, she'll end up paying it again.

The point is that DVLA broke the DD mandate rules. I did wonder if there was an earlier renewal letter sent indicating the increase that got lost in the post. But, as nobody has yet said they received a renewal letter with the amount highlighted, I can only assume DVLA have changed their system. For the life of me I can't think why as it doesn't seem to save any administration costs.

AdrianC

uknick wrote: »

If they're not telling you how much the payment will be, how can you ensure there's enough in the account to cover it?

...but...

uknick wrote: »

The price increase is neither here nor there

<scratches head>

Iceweasel

The clue is here:

the Direct Debit Guarantee says;

"If there are any changes .......

So if the amount is the same as last year, there will be no notification, because they have nothing new to tell you.

The time to complain is if and when they take a different amount.