Hi,

I have a small camper van that I don't use in the winter, so it is on my private drive and I don't tax it for 6 months. I can see by doing a check that this year I forgot to fill in a SORN and it was due to be taxed in November.

I cannot remember any reminder coming through, any letter from the DVLA saying the vehicle was not taxed or any fine from them. All I have is a letter from a debt collecting firm CCSCollect asking for £80

Non-payment of this penaly is a Civil Offence under Section 7a of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. We request you pay £80 within the next 7 days from the date of this letter.

If I have to pay then fine, it is my fault, I just want to know if I should pay these direct, not pay and deal with the DVLA, take it off the road now and ignore the letter. I am just very weary of debt collecting companies and dealing with them.

Any advice?

Thanks Paul

DCA's have no legal powers whatsoever

And even less!!! On a govt debt

Deal with the dvla

If they have no legal power then why do the DVLA use them?

By dealing with the DVLA, do you mean ring them and pay the fine, I'm confused as the DVLA have not sent me anything so I don't know how to deal with it apart from going through this debt recovery company

Thanks

They use them because they are a cheap form of debt control....but they have no powers in as much as it could be the milkman asking for the same amount.

Ring the DVLA with your details and ask what is this about and why have you not been informed.

Regards

andy

because its cheaper than court

or more probably

they know they wont win

so use DCA's to spoof you into paying.

a DCA is NOT A BAILIFF

and never can be

they can always be safely ignored when their letters say 'our client.'

only deal with the DVLA

didn't say pay them, ring them and findout what its all about

Non-payment of this penalty is a Civil Offence under Section 7a of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. We request you pay £80 within the next 7 days from the date of this letter.

as you'll see from your quote they are requesting payment

not demanding it..

just remember though

since the changes ro the road tax system last year? there are no longer any reminders sent out.

dx

Ring the DVLA with your details and ask what is this about and why have you not been informed.

But I guess I don't have a leg to stand on if I forgot to SORN it? So just admit and pay what penalty they tell me to pay?

Sorry just confused what to say to them

Ring the DVLA with your details and ask what is this about and why have you not been informed.

If thats what it is so be it.......but pay DVLA Direct...cut the milkman ooops I mean CCSCollect out.

Ok thanks, much appreciated for bearing with me

because its cheaper than court

or more probably

they know they wont win

so use DCA's to spoof you into paying.

 

a DCA is NOT A BAILIFF

and never can be

they can always be safely ignored when their letters say 'our client.'

 

only deal with the DVLA

didn't say pay them, ring them and findout what its all about

 

Non-payment of this penalty is a Civil Offence under Section 7a of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. We request you pay £80 within the next 7 days from the date of this letter.

 

as you'll see from your quote they are requesting payment

not demanding it..

 

just remember though

since the changes ro the road tax system last year? there are no longer any reminders sent out.

 

dx

I receive road tax reminders in the post. I pay at PO as I will not do DD because of problems like this.

Hi,

 

I have a small camper van that I don't use in the winter, so it is on my private drive and I don't tax it for 6 months. I can see by doing a check that this year I forgot to fill in a SORN and it was due to be taxed in November.

 

I cannot remember any reminder coming through, any letter from the DVLA saying the vehicle was not taxed or any fine from them. All I have is a letter from a debt collecting firm CCSCollect asking for £80

 

Non-payment of this penaly is a Civil Offence under Section 7a of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. We request you pay £80 within the next 7 days from the date of this letter.

 

If I have to pay then fine, it is my fault, I just want to know if I should pay these direct, not pay and deal with the DVLA, take it off the road now and ignore the letter. I am just very weary of debt collecting companies and dealing with them.

 

Any advice?

 

Thanks Paul

Has anyone actually read this Vehicle Excise and registration act?

Can anyone be fined if their vehicle is not on a public road, regardless of whether they fill in a SORN or not.

Are the DVLA using corrupt profiteering tactics regardless of the law? If so, they need to be challenged. Isn't that what these forums are about?

These questions are critical to the outcome.

Yes, unless it is exempt, a registered vehicle is required to be licensed wherever it is.

A SORN is one of the exemptions, and for that to be valid, the vehicle must not be kept or used on a public road.

I sent the DVLA an email and explained I have had no correspondence about this matter and won't deal with the Debt collector , this is their reply

If you have received a penalty letter from a debt collection agency, sent on behalf of DVLA, you should follow the instructions on the letter you have received.

Any view?

Ask them which legislation/Law does that conform to and which particular Practice Direction?

Oh and ask for clarification what is a " penalty letter " ?

They said if you want to challenge then do so by post, should I ring or post, email ? If I ring I could get myself in knots as I'm not sure on the law

Am I actually challenging this or just not paying the debt collector? The last thing I want is extra fines, but 100% I never had any reminder or any letter asking for payment from the DVLA

Just not sure where I am going with this

Thanks again and sorry for all the questions

Email back as Andy advises

Bottom line ignore the dca powerless can't add anything...

The £80 Late Licensing Penalty - s.7A, Vehicles Excise & Registration Act 1994 - is treated as a civil debt due to the crown, which is why the DVLA employ debt collectors to collect it on their behalf.

If an appeal is not accepted, and the penalty is not paid, the matter could become a claim in the County Court. An alternative is prosecution for keeping an unlicensed vehicle - s.29 of the same act.

I know this Thread is a little old so please accept my apologies for adding to it, if you need to make a new Thread I'll be more than happy to, but I have a question/situation which hopefully someone may be able to help me with.

I inadvertently forgot to tax my vehicle, my fault, hands-up, moved house, lots happened etc, I admit it, anyway, I came beck from work one day to find an 'untaxed vehicle' sticker on the windscreen, immediately, that day in fact, I both taxed & also MOT'd my vehicle.

Go forward a few weeks & I get a letter from CCS Collect, a debt collection agency who tell me they are chasing a fine on behalf of the DVLA & that I must pay an £80.00, I paid it, & thought nothing more of it.

Today I get a letter from the DVLA, it's a 'Single justice Procedure Notice, I have a number of choices, plead guilty, not guilty etc etc.

Now, I assumed, perhaps incorrectly that because I had already paid the £80.00 requested by CCS Collect, a debt they were chasing on behalf of the DVLA that the matter was closed, now I am being told another fine will be imposed by a magistrate in this Justice Procedure Notice

I'm confused as all hell, if someone could PLEASE guide me, tell me I'm missing something or the best way to proceed I would be eternally grateful!

Thank you in advance guys!

BRITKO

If you could start your own thread please