Car Tax 6 months overdue!

24

Comments

  • peter_the_piper
    peter_the_piper Posts: 30,268 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    What does "settled" mean? You got a fine plus back tax? Someone paid it?
    I'd rather be an Optimist and be proved wrong than a Pessimist and be proved right.
  • garythehutch
    garythehutch Posts: 51 Forumite
    I don't know. The court (Leeds, I live nowhere near Leeds!) doesn't open until 9 but I have emailed them.

    IRONICALLY, I took someone to small claims court recently, won the case by default, but couldn't enforce the judgement because when the baliffs went round, his missus said he moved out. This obviously wasn't true, but the court wrote to me saying there's nothing more they can do.

    I doubt that is what has happened here. I am worried it'll effect my perfect credit score too.

    They also haven't made much effort to find me, my current address is registered with the DVLA for licence purposes, and insurance purposes...
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    edited 21 June 2017 at 8:48AM
    garythehutch wrote: »
    Now, the address on the form is my old address. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced I called the DVLA to advise them of a change to my address. I don't think I would be able to prove this.

    You definitely won't, because DVLA don't update keeper details over the phone. They would have told you to do it online or by sending the old V5C in. They also tell you to contact them if you haven't had a replacement within four weeks.
    garythehutch wrote: »
    She said that due to the tax gap, not only will I be fined, but the case has went to court. Not only has it went to court, but it's been settled. I was seen on the road on 11th January without tax (accurate) and the case was just settled in May. I'm amazed it's been settled without me knowing.

    I'm not, since you never updated your address. I presume you didn't have your post being forwarded from the old address?
    This is the first I've heard of such things!
    Well, yes, it would be. They aren't psychic...
    Obviously I am not only worried about what needs to be done to remedy this, but I'm also worried that it has affected my credit rating.
    It will have. You have been fined by a court, you have not paid the fine. You need to settle the (now substantially larger, with recovery costs) debt. You will then have to wait six years for the record of the now-satisfied judgement to be cleared from your name. The case was May, y'say? You may be in luck... If you are still within a month of the judgement, you can get it removed by paying it, and it won't stay on your record.
    garythehutch wrote: »
    They also haven't made much effort to find me, my current address is registered with the DVLA for licence purposes, and insurance purposes...

    That's irrelevant. DVLA don't hold insurance details. They do not assume that licence address changes and vehicle address changes go hand-in-hand (even if they definitely know that the keeper and the licence holder are the same person, which they don't always, because you do not have to put your licence number on keeper changes), simply because they aren't always.

    You have a legal duty to ensure the address for all vehicles registered to you is kept updated, as well as your licence. You can even put them all in the same envelope when you send them off...
  • garythehutch
    garythehutch Posts: 51 Forumite
    AdrianC wrote: »
    I'm not, since you never updated your address. I presume you didn't have your post being forwarded from the old address?

    Actually, I did, then it stopped. This was my previous landlord (housing association) - not that I'm blaming them.

    You say they aren't psychic, which I agree with, but surely they could have made more of an effort to find my new address which was registered everywhere else. I mean, if nothing else, but to come and clamp it!
  • pappa_golf
    pappa_golf Posts: 8,895 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    the DVLA dont use county courts and CCJs , its a magistrates thing with bailiffs
    Save a Rachael

    buy a share in crapita
  • garythehutch
    garythehutch Posts: 51 Forumite
    Yes, definitely a magistrates court - and I haven't had any visit from baliffs. Obviously, my old address may well have...
  • pappa_golf
    pappa_golf Posts: 8,895 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    garythehutch wrote: »
    I don't know. The court (Leeds, I live nowhere near Leeds!) doesn't open until 9 but I have emailed them.

    IRONICALLY, I took someone to small claims court recently, won the case by default, but couldn't enforce the judgement because when the baliffs went round, his missus said he moved out. This obviously wasn't true, but the court wrote to me saying there's nothing more they can do.

    I doubt that is what has happened here. I am worried it'll effect my perfect credit score too.

    They also haven't made much effort to find me, my current address is registered with the DVLA for licence purposes, and insurance purposes...

    and in reply to my post above , you clearly accept thaat it was magistrates , what has magistrates got to do with a number that expedion/clearscore make up ??

    1: magistrates nothing to do with credit score

    2: ctedit score is an imaginary number made up by 3 credit scoring agencies , and not seen by others
    Save a Rachael

    buy a share in crapita
  • garythehutch
    garythehutch Posts: 51 Forumite
    pappa_golf wrote: »
    and in reply to my post above , you clearly accept thaat it was magistrates , what has magistrates got to do with a number that expedion/clearscore make up ??

    Well I'm obviously not the legal expert you are but thanks for confrming regardless.

    So, I've contacted the court. The fine is £326.

    She said I can contact a local magistrates court and I can get a Statutory Declaration to reopen the case and for someone to rehear it.

    Or I can call and pay the fine.

    I am thinking it is just worth paying the fine. reopening the case is just going to result in me pleading guilty (which I was).

    Does anyone want to counter that or is that the option they'd take?
  • pappa_golf
    pappa_golf Posts: 8,895 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    garythehutch wrote: »
    Well I'm obviously not the legal expert you are but thanks for confrming regardless.

    So, I've contacted the court. The fine is £326.

    She said I can contact a local magistrates court and I can get a Statutory Declaration to reopen the case and for someone to rehear it.

    Or I can call and pay the fine.

    I am thinking it is just worth paying the fine. reopening the case is just going to result in me pleading guilty (which I was).

    Does anyone want to counter that or is that the option they'd take?

    rehear it , wgat then , admit that you failed to update your details with the DVLA , then have another fine of upto £1000 in the post
    Save a Rachael

    buy a share in crapita
  • garythehutch
    garythehutch Posts: 51 Forumite
    pappa_golf wrote: »
    rehear it , wgat then , admit that you failed to update your details with the DVLA , then have another fine of upto £1000 in the post

    Exactly my thoughts. Not worth it.
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