Appeal DVLA fine or just pay it?

AliceBanned

Hi today I got a shock when I received a letter saying my vehicle was not taxed and a fine of £40 plus arrears duty of £25 if paid by 15/11/19.


I phoned the bank and looked into this in more detail. All I had wanted to do was change the monthly DD to a six monthly DD so that I am paying more up front. Bad decision probably. It turns out whilst thinking I then cancelled the monthly DD I cancelled a new six monthly DD. Despite receiving an email saying I had paid £157 (from DVLA) and set up a direct debit, it turns out the initial payment was never taken.


This all sounds a bit stupid of me but !!!! happens and tbh the DVLA website does not make it simple (nor phone) to switch from DD to annual or biannual. I did actually check a week or two after the 'payment' and online it was showing as taxed. In fact I paid a couple of weeks before I needed to.


I paid for six months immediately that I received the letter today and for one month's arrears. so vehicle now taxed but is there any point in appealing the fine based on it being a genuine error? Or would it be better to pay it to avoid any further trouble. When I phoned the fines number they were not pleasant to deal with so I gave up. I've been struggling with debt for some time but lack of money wasn't the problem, simply mistake as the direct debit did not state the amount so I thought it was an old one. I genuinely thought I was covered and the £157 had been taken but admittedly could have checked my statement. A lot going on financially and many DDs doesn't help but it is getting better, until now.


I am horrified that my insurance may have been invalid and I drove the car for some of that time. I am just back from hol so good job I saw the letter when I did as who knows what could have happened.

BrownTrout

Which debt collection agency is this with
Advantis?

AliceBanned

BrownTrout wrote: »

Which debt collection agency is this with
Advantis?

Its not with debt collection yet - just letter from DVLA threatening debt collection.

missile

If I were you I would pay it. DVLA are not noted for being sympathetic. I expect they have heard all manner of excuses.

BrownTrout

From what I know the dvla just send these over to toothless debt collectors

twhitehousescat

BrownTrout wrote: »

From what I know the dvla just send these over to toothless debt collectors

crapita ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The_Deep

Does not the bank operate a DD re-imbursement scheme if things go pear shaped?. IMO the fine is very lenient, and, although the DVLA may well refund it idc, they tend to do put up a huge fight first.


I remember them refusing to refund me £14 once and it took about six letters, each time escalating a pay grade, before they gave in. I can be a huge PITA when I want to be.

AliceBanned

There is an option on the form sent with the fine to explain or SORN. I am going to explain and see what happens. I am fully paid up as well as arrears as soon as I received the notification letter ie within minutes as I was so horrified at what had happened and worried.


I thought I had made a one-off six month payment and was planning on making annual payments from April. I have no idea how this was set up as a DD. If they don't accept this error then fine I will pay it and will make sure I am on DD in future. I think it is worth trying as it is £65 but fair enough it was mainly my error (I think but not certain yet).


I don't think DD indemnity will work as I spoke to Halifax and they were really helpful and understanding but said it is clear that I was the one who cancelled the DD. It is unfortunate that I got my DDs in a twist.:mad:. But amounts on DDs don't show, so I couldn't have known that I was cancelling a future payment that I thought I had made in early August. Could have checked my statements but I don't usually mess up in this way and wasn't expecting any confusion.