DVLA - Tax Disc Refund

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Thu 12 Jul 2012 23:12
DVLA - Tax Disc Refund - kellyfries

I scrapped my car on June 6th, having bought a new tax disc at the end of May. I sent the tax disc off on June 8th for a refund and have today received a letter from the DVLA, my first correspondence and it's dated July 9th. The letter says I missed some information off my form and that they cannot process my application for a refund until I have provide it.

Fair enough, but the letter goes on to state that "we will only pay a refund from the date we receive your response to this letter"! Eh? It took them just over a month to write to me and let's assume they get my response on Monday 15th July, yet I have to miss out on a months refund??

How on earth can this be legal? They took a month to write to me - ok, they're busy, I get that but how is this my fault? I wrote to them promptly to get a refund and yet somehow I have ended up potentially having a refund minus a month? Is this something they can get away with, or is it worth writing a strongly worded letter to dispute this? Any help would be much appreciated.

Edited by Avant on 13/07/2012 at 01:33

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Fri 13 Jul 2012 01:32
DVLA - Tax Disc Refund - Avant

Moved to Legal matters.

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Fri 13 Jul 2012 09:40
DVLA - Tax Disc Refund - RT

The initial error was yours if you missed something off the form.

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Fri 13 Jul 2012 13:17
DVLA - Tax Disc Refund - kellyfries
I appreciate that I made an error, I did acknowledge that. My point is, though, that because the DVLA took a month to point this out to me, they think it's fair to dock a month from the refund. If they'd notified me within a day or so of having received my application, this would have been sorted almost immediately. It's not their fault I made a mistake but it sure as heck isn't my fault they took so long to notify me!
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Fri 13 Jul 2012 13:21
DVLA - Tax Disc Refund - Bromptonaut

I suspect that legally they're in the right. Requirements for a refund are (1) the disc (2) correctly completed paperwork. How serious was the ommission they're alledging on the form.

Worth a polite request pointing out delay, that disc has been in their hands since June and asking them to exercise discretion. Strong words tend to get backs up and are best avoided.

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