lOST DOCUMENTS

[jolajo]

DVLA lost 2 very important documents, my Passport and Birth Certificate?
They informed me that due to my new address not being logged they had been sent to my previous address which i left 2 yrs ago?
I believe these type of documents lost should be reported to the police, due to the risk of being used 'Fraudulently'?

Dvla admitted in writing they were at fault, Yet ....they were claiming back the cost of replacing my new documents from the Royal Mail???

Due to this I requested a refund of the £19 I sent to replace my licience in the first place, Seen as they had the cheek to claim from RM.
I did not receive a responce from them, although I was informed via a telephone call to them that the documents have never shown up.
For all I no I could have x amount of bank accounts and debt

[patdavies]

Anybody can legally get a copy of your birth certificate - so no security breach there.

If the passport was 'chipped' then it is very difficult to alter the photograph as it is printed directly onto the passport, not laminated. There is also a copy of the photograph on the chip - together with all the other passport details.

The passport issued immediately prior to the 'chipped' ones also had the digital photograph printed directly onto the passport.

However, since you sent your passport off to DVLA, rather than just give then the number to obtain your photograph from the passport agency, I assume that it was one of the older, laminated passports.

A passport alone is insufficient ID for most purposes as there is no address verification.

Lastly, and this is not generally realised; it is not your passport - it remains, at all times, the property of HMG

[jolajo]

Originally Posted by patdavies

Anybody can legally get a copy of your birth certificate - so no security breach there.

If the passport was 'chipped' then it is very difficult to alter the photograph as it is printed directly onto the passport, not laminated. There is also a copy of the photograph on the chip - together with all the other passport details.

The passport issued immediately prior to the 'chipped' ones also had the digital photograph printed directly onto the passport.

However, since you sent your passport off to DVLA, rather than just give then the number to obtain your photograph from the passport agency, I assume that it was one of the older, laminated passports.

A passport alone is insufficient ID for most purposes as there is no address verification.

Lastly, and this is not generally realised; it is not your passport - it remains, at all times, the property of HMG

I assume that it was one of the older, laminated passports.

correct

A passport alone is insufficient ID for most purposes as there is no address verification.

Thank you for putting my mind at rest..

Regarding the refund i requested, what is your opinion on that? Taking into consideration DVLA were claiming of the RMail when they didnt loose the documents,Dvla were at fault for not changing my details?

[buzby]

They're quite entitled to claim from RM. They were the sender, and if the letter was undelivered to the correct address it should have been returned. The issue is the COST of replacing the documents, clearly DVLA have a responsibility to pay for this, so any costs incurred in replacing them should be met - so the claim to RM remains justified.

[jolajo]

Originally Posted by buzby

They're quite entitled to claim from RM.

Even though they failed to update my details?

[QUOTE) They were the sender,

Yes but due to the above they went to the wrong address?

[QUOTE) and if the letter was undelivered to the correct address it should have been returned.

You've got me here? Do you mean if the letter was delivered to the wrong address it should of been returned?
If so yes I agree.

[QUOTE) The issue is the COST of replacing the documents, clearly DVLA have a responsibility to pay for this..

Yes as it was there error, I still dont understand why the RM should compensate? They receive a letter with an address on it, post it through that address, how have they done wrong?

so any costs incurred in replacing them should be met - so the claim to RM remains justified.

The issue was that if the DVLA were in the wrong (that is why I was trying to justify the error they had made) yet claiming from the RM, couldn't I then request DVLA refund what I had paid to have my driving liceince updated? A goodwill gesture for inconvience caused....after all I was the innocent party in all of this?
ps I dont work for the RM lol

[buzby]

Irrespective of whether DVLA made an error, it would still be up to the RM to deliver the letter to you, and in absence of this, return it to the DVLA. The fact you wouldn't have been at the first address would not in itself excuse RM from returning it to the DVLA due to non-delivery.

I can't see why you want a refund, as they would still require to issue you with a licence and the revised details. If you decided not to proceed, then a refund might be realistic.

DVLA and 'goodwill' do not go together. This is a government agency, and gestures (goodwill or otherwise) are few and far between. Since you cannot go to anyone else for your licence, they can and do pretty much as they please!

[patdavies]

Buzby's absolutely right.

In law, there is only one other person that can grant you a licence and he isn't about to; you are stuck with DVLA

[jolajo]

Thank you Buzby and Pat for your time and knoledge, I can at least close the chapter.

[slick132]

Hi Jolajo,

What about the cost of replacing your passport, or have I missed something.

Surely DVLA are responsible for this as it is they who sent the docs to the wrong address.

Slick

[danny_kiernan]

Thats a sticky one,

Did you clearly put your new address on the form?

If you did, all the costs are down to the DVLA, but as for goodwill payments - I wouldn't hold your breath.

However, if someone does try to steal your identity, the DVLA are an accomplice, so you can quite rightly bring criminal charges against them.

I am pretty sure this is a breach of the data protection act.

The first agency to contact about the data protection act is the information commissioner Information Commissioner's Office - Information Commissioners Office - if you clearly stated that your address was different, the DVLA is in breach of the data protection act as they supplied your personal data to whoever is living at your old address, without your permission.

You are in a very good position, as you can sue them for disclosing your personal data (if you included your new address) and as you are obviously worried about it, you should claim damages for the stress it has/is causing you.

Hope that helps

Dani