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The DVLA want unpaid tax and insurance fines on a car I sold - should I fight this?
I've recently been contacted by a company called Advantis to advise I owe the DVLA £180 in unpaid fines for no tax and no insurance. When I asked for details, it was related to my old car because the DVLA said they did not get the new keeper details I'd sent in to them. They said I should have contacted them four weeks after posting if I'd not heard from them, however the same week I'd moved house. I've appealed this as I'd sent back the documents. Also I updated my licence in the same week. So the DVLA did have my new address but made no effort to contact me in relation to this matter, they simply passed it onto a recovery agent. Do you think this is worth fighting? The garage I sold my car to are a big firm and are happy to step In to provide proof I didn't have the car at the time of the fines being issued.
Asked on 2 December 2017 by Martin Richmond
Answered by
Honest John
Driving licence details are treated entirely differently from Keepership details and are only used to eventually trace a keeper who has moved house. It is correct that if you receive nothing from the DVLA after informing them you have sold a car, you are supposed to check up on them to make sure they have done their job. But that is not and cannot be a legal compulsion. So tell Advantis you want them to take your case to Small Claims where you will plead your case. You will find that Small Claims judges are so fed up with the DVLA bringing cases against drivers that are the result of their own negligence, he will probably accept your version of events.
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