Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds

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Thu 5 Oct 2023 13:39
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - nick62

As title.

When are these muppets going to come into the 21st century?

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Thu 5 Oct 2023 14:12
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - badbusdriver

If you have a banking app on your smartphone, you can pay a cheque in by simply "scanning it".

A cheque may be a bit antiquated but as long as you get the money, does it matter?

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Thu 5 Oct 2023 14:20
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - nick62

If you have a banking app on your smartphone, you can pay a cheque in by simply "scanning it".

Unfortunately this option is not available on my business account. WTF can't they just do what everyone else does, and refund it via the original payment method?

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Thu 5 Oct 2023 14:28
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - Bromptonaut

If you have a banking app on your smartphone, you can pay a cheque in by simply "scanning it".

Unfortunately this option is not available on my business account. WTF can't they just do what everyone else does, and refund it via the original payment method?

Because their political masters have not provided the means to do so properly and securely.

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 11:16
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - badbusdriver

If you have a banking app on your smartphone, you can pay a cheque in by simply "scanning it".

Unfortunately this option is not available on my business account. WTF can't they just do what everyone else does, and refund it via the original payment method?

Still not sure why it would be a big issue unless you never actually go into your bank?. I also have a business account and i go into the branch once a month to pay in my takings. I don't have a lot of customers pay by cheque but there are a few, the cheques get paid in along with the cash. Only difference being that the cheques don't clear until the next (working) day. Wasn't that long ago that it took about 5 working days for them to clear!.

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 11:45
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - mcb100
I’m self-employed and can’t remember the last time I went to the bank.
All online payments nowadays.
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Sat 7 Oct 2023 12:14
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - badbusdriver
I’m self-employed and can’t remember the last time I went to the bank. All online payments nowadays.

Depends on what you do I suppose, not sure what nick62 does?

As a window cleaner, I would say roughly 10% cheques, 35% cash and the rest online. I do know that some window cleaners will only take online payments, but I don't think that would be fair on the older customers I have who don't do online banking. And I don't feel it too much of a hardship having to go into the bank once month!

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 13:44
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - Chris M

"I don't think that would be fair on the older customers I have who don't do online banking."

We do a little shopping for our elderly neighbours. Started during Lockdown. He is 91 and is cash only. All bills used to be paid by going into their bank and getting hold of cash was difficult for them in Lockdown. I said the cash machines are still working, to which he replied he had never used a cash machine. I was just a little gobsmacked.

When they started having to pay for their TV licence I suggested monthly DD. Horror! "I'm not giving them my bank account details". He's not thick, although he does read the DM and Express daily. "All immigrants are criminals you know".

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 18:39
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - Andrew-T

<< I do know that some window cleaners will only take online payments >>

Perhaps some of then feel they will not be mugged for the cash they have collected ?

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 07:24
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - Will deBeast

Behind the scenes, DVLA still operates a huge mainframe system. This assumes that road tax is paid monthly.

They've done a good job, at relatively low cost, of putting in some more modern systems for user interfaces. But those are just a veneer.

Tax refunds haven't been a priority so far. It's been a while since I did any work there so I don't know where they are on the to-do list. It could still be a viable option - it will save money on postage.

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 11:20
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - John F

We are getting to the stage when some bank clerks clearly have a problem with reading characters on a piece of paper. Last month my Natwest branch's robot successfully swallowed a four-figure clearly typewritten cheque from Santander bank plus my paying in slip. It was 'bounced' the following day. Took them over a week to re-credit me. (The human error is understandable - the delay in restitution unacceptable - and apologies for thread drift).

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 12:22
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - Falkirk Bairn

Agreed refund using known bank details.

On the other hand - how often do you change cars ?

Once a year or more?

Hardly a problem to pay in a cheque

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 13:06
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - FiestaOwner

Agreed refund using known bank details.

On the other hand - how often do you change cars ?

Once a year or more?

Hardly a problem to pay in a cheque

Pretty much this. Had my car for 4 years, plan to keep it for another couple. Used my banking App to scan my last DVLA refund cheque.

However, if getting to a bank is an issue, you can also pay it into your bank account at a Post Office. This has the advantage in that you decide if it has to be paid into your Business or Personal Account.

www.postoffice.co.uk/everydaybanking

"Access your personal or business bank account at any of our 11,500 Post Office branches. Pay in cash and cheques, withdraw cash and check your balance over the counter."

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 14:44
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - movilogo

If you have a banking app on your smartphone, you can pay a cheque in by simply "scanning it".

If your bank not offering it, ask them why. Majority of banks now offer this.

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 15:07
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - badbusdriver

If you have a banking app on your smartphone, you can pay a cheque in by simply "scanning it".

If your bank not offering it, ask them why. Majority of banks now offer this.

nick62 says his business account doesn't offer that. I'm not sure if there is a charge for paying a cheque into a personal account but there certainly is for a business account, which may be why.

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 16:29
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - Chris M

I believe Santander offered free business banking on the understanding that cheques were deposited in a box rather than at the counter. Staff would deal with the cheques when they were less busy.

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Sat 7 Oct 2023 18:42
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - Andrew-T

We are getting to the stage when some bank clerks clearly have a problem with reading characters on a piece of paper.

You're lucky to have a bank - five years ago there were 4 in this small town. Last one (TSB) went a year ago.

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Tue 10 Oct 2023 21:38
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - nick62

Same, TSB were the 'last man standing' here but it closed about the same time.

To be honest, I helped my son open an account there a few years ago and it's virtually a waste of time anyway. They wouldn't entertain opening an account there and then, (he all his ID). Everything had to be done 'by appointment'. Talk about take the p***.

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Tue 10 Oct 2023 21:34
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - nick62

Cheque was posted last Thursday and as of yet still is not showing on my Santander Business account.

Last cheque I had before this one was August 2021 (from HMRC)............. there's a pattern emerging here!

I've never been to a Santander branch to conduct any business, ever, (since 2003).

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Fri 13 Oct 2023 21:42
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - Mike H

On a related topic, I had to send them a cheque for £2.50 earlier this year with a request for information following a hit and run accident. Had they accepted my request, surely it would have cost them more than the value of the cheque to process it!

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Sat 14 Oct 2023 09:01
Any - DVLA - Still sending out cheques for VED refunds - Bromptonaut

On a related topic, I had to send them a cheque for £2.50 earlier this year with a request for information following a hit and run accident. Had they accepted my request, surely it would have cost them more than the value of the cheque to process it!

I'd expect a lowly paid staff member to be able to process cheques pretty smartly but then they'll need a security firm to collect then too.

What's certainly not true is that government make millions of profit from charges of this type.

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