terrified but my own fault, need advice

[bjumper]

so yes as the title suggests i brought this on myself.

life was in shambles a year ago and my mother and i got evicted from her house. i moved to my own rented place but didnt tell the dvla I'd moved (not to spite them just purely pressure and worry made me forget the unessentials)
my car since broke down end of last year and i didnt declare a sorn (for the same reasons).

now my lifes getting pieced together a year and half on I'm trying to make good everything i have neglected and have pretty much done it.

But as im sure u all know the dvla just DO NOT care and im frankly terrified to approach them and find out how many fines and court appearances i didnt even no i had.

is anyone aware of a medium or way to approach the dvla without them emptying my already pitiful bank account?

[gwc1000]

Hi. When exactly did the tax expire on the car?

[buzby]

Do you still have the V5? Sending this in with a small note stating a family emergency/relocation caused this to slip your mind. As you wish to put the vehicle back on the road, you'd appreciate the necessary forms by return. No point looking for trouble when there might (hopefully) be none!

[poppynurse]

Did you not post a letter declaring change of address with your SORN (tongue in cheek)......the PO is so unreliable..

[bjumper]

gcw1000: the tax ran out last november, iv not driven it since so no laws in that sense have been broken.

poppynurse: yes i did also think of that but wouldnt the amount of time thats passed make it obvious im trying to play them for fools?


buzby: yes the honest option would be preferable but would they really take that for the truth? id imagine theres plenty of people already pulling this one.

thanks for your help everyone i really appreciate it

[buzby]

Look at it this way - you DID genuinely have a family emergency, and you don;t have the details necessary to get the vehicle back on the road. There is no choice it where you have to go, so you have to throw yourself at their mercy. A genuine problem if not laboured ot seen as a smokescreen can be taken under their discretion and be handled accordingly. If their proposed course of action appears to seriously disadvantage you, then you can still take it to your MP and state that you are being further disadvantaged and fell this is grossly unfair. Yes, you could try and bluff it out, but they've heard it all before, and perhaps a simple approach might just surprise you!

[gwc1000]

I would say that the first thing to do is to SORN it immediately. Do it online so that you get an emailed receipt.

[buzby]

That would be the LAST think I'd do. Firstly, the SORN will be for the incorrect address, and the DVLA would query why - family emergency or not - it suddenly became possible to do an online SORN when one wasn;t done at the required time. Old fashioned letters will help the situation, online will hinder it.

[gwc1000]

You don't give any address to SORN the vehicle. You just quote the ref number off the V5. A receipt will be emailed to you. I would still advise to SORN now, online. Then I would go down the route of writing to DVLA with change of address details and an explanation of the circumstances.My experience of DVLA is the quicker you SORN it the better.

[buzby]

In that case, when the appeal for any clemency is read, how would you answer any comment that since an electrinic SORN was recieved, why was it not done timeously? It's called the KISS principle.

[Hobbie]

I have to agree with buzby on this, doing it now online could make matters somewhat worse.

[gwc1000]

Well, the OP has been offered a choice of two roads to take. Either SORN now, or not. I am considering if the SORN is left the arrears (which DVLA will want) are increasing. I stand by my advice, but will bow out and let others advise.

[MrMT]

Hi, I moved last year and, like you I "overlooked" changing the address on a SORN'd vehicle. It came to light when I rememered my omission last month and immediately declared SORN online. Then I called DVLA and spoke to a helpful woman that informed me reminders and subsequent penalties had been sent to the registered (my old) address which I obviously didn't receive. I'd been fined £40 which doubled to £80 due to non-payment. She was willing to allow me to pay £40 "due to my circumstance of not knowing I'd be fined" so I gratefully paid there and then. Case closed.

Basically, put aside your fears and talk to DVLA asap is my advice.

[bjumper]

that really is quite helpful actually. im going to do the truthful route but ring up the dvla first before declaring it online. hopefully that way il get the the nice sounding lady that MrMT had get it all done in one.

whatever happens though il comment again to let u no how it turns out. thanks guys very much.

[bjumper]

ok so i rang them and explained in total truth to the woman who answered and she voided any fines owed to them, i now have a taxed car and im a very happy monkey!

again thank you everyone for your advice, it helped me pluck up the courage and now i can get on with my life!

[buzby]

That's really great to hear. When there IS a genuine issue, it's often easy for the DVLA to spot genuine cases which is why it is best not to be devious and give the story straight!