Following an earlier link in particular comments about 14 days "Grace" I feel that I must clarify the porsition, lest any Backroomers finf themselves lumbered with large penalty bills from the Excise people.
What Richard Turpin says is true BUT in the event of you being summoned whilst witing for your postal application you will find yourelf in a position where the burden of proof IS ON THE ACCUSED (yes I know I'm shouting) to prove that the application was actually in process. Guess who the Bench will believe unless you have full documentary evidence of your application.
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Hardly worth the risk, really, as it's not going to save you any money anyway. I got nobbled with a disc that was a few days out of date when I was parked in a Council car park. Apparently, they have powers to fine you, even though you're not on the highway (in the end, I managed to avoid payment by showing that my new disc and its predecessor were consecutive, but this may have been a concession).
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I once gave some advice to someone who was spotted mid morning on the 1st and bought his new disc at lunch time. Advised him to go 'not out' and take his previous discs to court. Found guilty and well fined plus a bit extra as he decided to tell the Magistrates what he thought.
Don't suppose there is a job going now Pug?
Andrew.
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Yep -- I may need a driver soon (said he enigmatically)
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Pug
Oh dear, oh dear. would you like to talk about it?
Andrew.
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My tax expired 31/10/01. Renewed it on 2/11/01. It fell out of my duff windscreen sticker-holder the same day when the passenger door was opened to the wind. Didn't notice until I arrived at Sainsburys, then dashed back to where passenger got in, but no sign of disc.
Told police, got a lost property report number, and waited a few days in case some kind soul handed it in (don't laugh).
No luck, so went to local DVLA to pay £7 for a duplicate. They took my cheque, but couldn't issue a disc because I renewed at a post office & it takes 3 weeks to reach DVLA computer. Went back 3 weeks later & got a duplicate.
End of story? Not on your life...............
Whilst waiting for DVLA records to update, an eagle-eyed traffic warden spotted me driving by & reported my reg. to the same local DVLA office.
Result........I received a £40 ticket from that office on 2/02/02......3 months after I had renewed.
In extreme state of miff, went to DVLA & asked WHY?
Nice man got my file out, said he knew a duplicate had been issued (after verifying tax had been renewed in November), but he had nothing on site to confirm this now. Seems my renewal payment date wasn't showing on his monitor, so he had faxed Swansea for a photocopy of the post office date stamped document. Swansea faxed back details of another vehicle in error, so he requested another fax.
When this didn't appear, what did he do? Sent me a fine, that's what.
Does anybody see the logic here? It escapes me.
His supervisor dropped the fine when I handed him the original lost disc stamped 2/11/01.........my son found it stuffed down the side of a seat 2 days earlier !
Annoying little anecdote, but consider this...................
DVLA are using spy cameras to catch unlicensed vehicles. How many people renew at post offices? Almost everybody, I would guess.
So, at any time, there are going to be millions of taxed vehicles that are showing up as untaxed on DVLA records because of the 3 week update delay. All those photographed will get a ticket, then have to go through the same fiasco that I did.
Anyone care to place a bet on how long it'll take for DVLA to sink under the strain?
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the sooner they sink the better, what about we help them on the way? From now on no one buy a Tax disc!!!
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If you think that having your tax disc details at Swansea three weeks out of date is bad, try checking up on how up to date your income tax and national insurance contributions are on the Inland Revenue and DHSS computers.
You will be in for a nasty shock.
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