Why does DVLA still send out refund cheques??

Conrad3000

I can't believe in this day and age, a massive Government department like the DVLA sends cheques out instead of processing refunds on your card (if that's how you paid originally).

Very frustrating I'm sure you'll agree.

Mildly_Miffed

It's easier now to pay in a cheque than it ever used to be, ironically.

Take a photo of it in the bank app on your phone.

If you really want to be old-school, just pay it in at any post office.

paul_c123

Because it takes a few days to go through, and a proportion of people never pay them in?

Mildly_Miffed

Anyway, let's take a fairly common situation...

You buy a used car. The dealer taxes it as part of the deal.
Six months later, you sell it.
Do you want the dealer to get that refund?

Conrad3000

Mildly_Miffed said:

It's easier now to pay in a cheque than it ever used to be, ironically.

Take a photo of it in the bank app on your phone.

If you really want to be old-school, just pay it in at any post office.

To pay a cheque into a post office, you need to go to your bank to obtain some sort of slip.

But if you're there anyway, you might as well cash it there.

Ectophile

The DVLA have a name and an address.  They have no idea if the payment made for the original road tax was made by the registered keeper, or by someone paying on their behalf. Or maybe that account is now closed.  Keeping track of all the different payment methods is more trouble than it's worth for them.  Sending a cheque is easy.

A machine spits out a cheque and letter.  Another machine sfuffs the letter into an envelope.  Job done.

facade

Conrad3000 said:

Mildly_Miffed said:

It's easier now to pay in a cheque than it ever used to be, ironically.

Take a photo of it in the bank app on your phone.

If you really want to be old-school, just pay it in at any post office.

To pay a cheque into a post office, you need to go to your bank to obtain some sort of slip.

But if you're there anyway, you might as well cash it there.

A couple of years ago I paid a DVLA cheque into the Post Office, there were some blank(ish) paying in slips that you fill in with your bank details.

Lately I have discovered that I can take a crude photograph on my mobly and it magically gets paid in.

So much for any form of security on the paper copy as it went in the bin.

Hoenir

The fact the the department is massive is a good reason for simplifying the refund process.  

Mildly_Miffed

Conrad3000 said:

Mildly_Miffed said:

It's easier now to pay in a cheque than it ever used to be, ironically.

Take a photo of it in the bank app on your phone.

If you really want to be old-school, just pay it in at any post office.

To pay a cheque into a post office, you need to go to your bank to obtain some sort of slip.

No, you don't.

Post offices have all the paying-in paperwork you need for all the major banks.

force_ten1

Conrad3000 said:

Mildly_Miffed said:

It's easier now to pay in a cheque than it ever used to be, ironically.

Take a photo of it in the bank app on your phone.

If you really want to be old-school, just pay it in at any post office.

To pay a cheque into a post office, you need to go to your bank to obtain some sort of slip.

But if you're there anyway, you might as well cash it there.

the post office have paying in envelopes for all the major banks 

ask for a (insert bank name here) paying in envelope pop the cheque in it add your account number and sort code and hand it in at the post office job done 

born_again

Conrad3000 said:

I can't believe in this day and age, a massive Government department like the DVLA sends cheques out instead of processing refunds on your card (if that's how you paid originally).

Very frustrating I'm sure you'll agree.

Because they have all the details required to send a cheque out. Name & Address
If you pay via card, then they do not have to go to the trouble of storing card details.

it's all about cost & the system they have works. Card cancel or account closed leads to no end of issues.