Hi All,

My car broke down at the end of OCT (timing belt broke) engine ruined

- no money to do repairs,

car was towd to my house and car left on my drive,

a few days later (4th Nov) I declared it SORNED as I had no idea when I would be able to get it repaired not exactely a cheap job!)

then after much debate decided that I could not get anyting for this car as it was a non runner ,

but running it was still worth around £6,000

could not afford new car, I decided that it would have to be repaired.

Called a specialist engine company who came with a flatbed and picked up the car to be repaired

- they're based in Wales.

took a couple of weeks and I need it back the week before christmas,

on the 21st I rang them and they said it was on it's way back to me.

It arrived around 1.30pm but had been driven to me!

I did not know that this was how they were going to deliver it to me as all conversations with them about pick ups and deliveries had involved whether they had truck drivers and transporters available,

the guy who delivered it was a mechanic who had been told to drive mine to me and pick up the courtesy car as the garage had a lot of cars to return to people before Christmas.

I have today received a letter from the DVLA saying that my car had been photgraphed at 9.22 on a road close to the garage.

I taxed it again at 14.30 only an hour after receiving it back,

after doing the paperwork for that and the guy checking the courtesy car

- this was the quickest I could do.

There is no option on their letter apart from are you the keeper or not

- but I think this is an unusual circumstance?

Am I stuffed??

Was the garage using 'trade plates' (red/white) when driving it to you?

Placing these on the dashboard and rear shelf would not get captured by an ANPR system.

Unfortunately I don't know if they were

- it seems that they do all transport by transporter so I'm not sure if they would have any

- they're a specialist in engine replacements so I suppose all cars they pick up are non runners and as I said this seemed to be a one off because they were short of staff and trying to get peoples cars returned before Christmas,

unfortunately I did not tell them it was sorned,

I just didn't think as I expected it to come back on a lorry and for the courtesy car to get taken away as it did when they picked up my car,

they arrived with the courtesy car on the lorry, dropped that off and loaded mine.

no getting away from the car was on the road whilst sorn sadly me thinks?

should the garage have checked it was taxed before they drove it on the road, I doubt it....

Isn't it the drivers resposibility to ensure the car is road legal and safe?

Any company I've worked for has always stressed this point.

Unfortunately this will probably fall to the guy who drove it back, if you push it.

Hi All,

I reliased I didn't update on this one.

I paid the fine from the dvla and filled in the form they sent to me - there was a section to detail any circumstances etc so I attached a letter to that details below, not sure if there's any hope of me getting a refund or even a reply? as I sent this approx 2 weeks ago now!

Dear sir or Madam

My car broke down at the end of October 2016 (timing belt broke) the engine was ruined and I had no money to do the repairs, The car was towed to my house by the breakdown company and left on my driveway.

On 4th Nov) I declared it SORNED as I had no idea when I would be able to get it repaired as it was going to be very expensive.

Then after much debate decided that the car as worthless as it a non runner,

but running it was still worth around £6,000

I could not afford new car, I decided that the only option was to repair it.

Called a specialist engine company who came with a flatbed lorry and picked up the car early December 2016 and took it to be repaired - they're based in Wales.

On the 21st Dec they rang me and told me that my car was on its way back to me.

It arrived around 13.30 but I saw then that it was not on a transporter and had been driven to me!

I did not know that this was how they were going to deliver it to me as all conversations with them about pickups and deliveries had involved whether they had truck drivers and transporters available.

The guy who delivered it was a mechanic who had been told to drive mine to me and drive the courtesy car back as the garage had a lot of cars to return to people before Christmas.

I taxed it again at 14.30 only an hour after receiving it back, after doing the paperwork for my car and the guy checking the courtesy car - this was the quickest I could do.

I believe that this is an exceptional circumstance and I ask for any discretion please, this has already cost me £2,226.00 to get a new engine fitted, and I had no idea that the company were going to drive it back to me!

I have already paid the fine as the deadline was close but if you could consider a refund it would be appreciated, I would never knowingly allow my car to be untaxed, and you can see that I never have in the past (I have been driving for 13 years!)

Hi, probably grasping at straws here - do you think there's any point in chasing the DVLA? should I be expecting a reply at all from them? - I know what they're like, never seem to bother replying, which is a bit rude! but they're a law unto themselves as far as I can make out!

as you paid the fine they wont take any notice of anything else you say. Not interested in the law, just the money.

In short, you did not cause the car to be on the road, the garage did so they are culpable. as said, all it needed was a set of trade plates. You can start an action against them to recover the fine if you feel like it.