DVLA problems

[Little Boo]

Hi All, My partner recently sold his motorcyle with 2 months tax left to run. He sent the log book off to the DVLA when he sold the bike. However he has just received a fine to say that he has failed to tax the bike. We know the owner and he says he forgot to put a sorn on it as he is storing it for the summer.


Do we have to pay this fine or is there anyway we can appeal?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[freakyleaky]

I thought there was a section on the form so that you can appeal?
Check the small print on the form they have sent and see if there is anything about appealing the fine.

[Little Boo]

Hi, just checked there is a form which we can appeal, but I noticed in small print we are also being charged for backdated tax. We just assumed all was ok as we never received a tax reminder for the bike. If we had of we could have sorted it then. The so called mate will not pay the fine either even though its his fault for not putting it on a sorn

[freakyleaky]

If you supply the DVLA with proof that you had sold the bike before the tax ran out then that will put you in the clear.

[crem]

Originally Posted by Little Boo

The so called mate will not pay the fine either even though its his fault for not putting it on a sorn

Originally Posted by freakyleaky

If you supply the DVLA with proof that you had sold the bike before the tax ran out then that will put you in the clear.

My guess is if it was sold to a "mate" then no proper receipt/date of sale was recorded. I always photocopy a V5 with all the relevant signatures and date of transfer on before sending to DVLA. Not cast iron proof of course but I hope it would go some way to proving my innocence, although I am pleased to say I have never had to put that theory to th test yet.

[freakyleaky]

Ok so if your "mate" is denying buying the bike at the time you have told the dvla that you sold it to him, when is he telling them he did buy it? Or is he denying all responsibility for the bike?

[crem]

Originally Posted by freakyleaky

Ok so if your "mate" is denying buying the bike at the time you have told the dvla that you sold it to him, when is he telling them he did buy it? Or is he denying all responsibility for the bike?

Ooohh that could be interesting freakyleaky. If he is denying all knowledge of the transfer, perhaps Little Boo can demand the bike back if he appears still to own it. On that basis it would be worth paing the SORN fine and selling the bike again.

[patdavies]

Originally Posted by crem

Ooohh that could be interesting freakyleaky. If he is denying all knowledge of the transfer, perhaps Little Boo can demand the bike back if he appears still to own it. On that basis it would be worth paing the SORN fine and selling the bike again.

No. You are falling into the common trap of confusing ownership with registered keepership. A V5 does not have anything to do with ownership.

Little Boo,

Presumably, both you partner and his mate had completed and signed the relevant section on the V5 before he sent it off. The dates written in is the date of change of keepership.

It would appear that DVLA are denying receiving the V5 and that your partner is still the RK - that is where your argument lies. As the bike was disposed of with 2 months VED still to run, no liability should fall on your partner for renewal/SORN. All the talk of renewal notices is to a certain extent irrelevant; although, it would not be unreasonable to infer that the lack of a V11 renewal notice was an indication of change of keeper being completed properly by DVLA prior to the liability of VED/SORN arising.

[Little Boo]

Hi all thanks for your advice. Needless to say our so called mate is no longer a mate. My partner told me a porky as he did not send off the log book. Instead he signed it gave it to his mate who promised to send it off. Obviously he didnt do it as we received a letter from the DVLA. Anyway to cut a long story short we have retrieved the log book and sent it off. Also paid the fine as it was his fault for trusting his mate to do it and his ex mate efused to pay as he was skint. Sorry for wasting anyones time but take my advice and even if it is your best mate do everyting by the book and dont trust their word they will do it.