Stupid SORN Declaration (my fault)

[sillychap]

Hi,

 

A while ago, my car failed its MOT and so I wasn't able to renew my VED and so declared SORN, stupidly. Stupidly, because I left the car outside my house (at the very end of a cul-de-sac), but on the public road.

I fully intended to get the car taken to a garage to be fixed, but due to life's pressures, never got round to it. The car simply sat there for over a year, never being driven.

Of course, at some point it was noticed and towed away.

I paid the release fee, plus the surety, which was lost because I was unable to tax the car immediately due to its MOT failure and the fact that it needed serious work after sitting for such a long time.

From the holding pound, I had the car trailered to the garage, fixed, MOTed and taxed.

Subsequently, I have received a notice of prosecution, mentioning £2,500 fines etc.

I am entirely in the wrong here and will have to accept the court's judgement, but my question is simply what can I expect? I had no intention of using the car untaxed or MOTed, but simply had nowhere to put the car. My idiocy was to let things slide for so long.

Many thanks for any replies...

[buzby]

Expect? Anything from a 'don't do it again' - to a fine, but I doubt it'll reach 3 figures, never mind 4! Peoviding you provide a short and complete response to the judge (as you did hear) stating that the lack of tax was because you were actually prevented from renewing, not for any other reason, confirming that the car could not and was not used due to the requirement for repairs, and nowhere else to put the vehicle as it was disabled.

 

It's those the try to avoid taxing that they save the most ire for. Tell it like it is, as it may not be as bad as you think. It IS a slam dunk for them, but the sentencing isn't. You would have been happy to retax and fix at your leisure but you were prevented from do so, and had no other options available.

 

Welcome to CAG, BTW!

[sillychap]

Many thanks for your quick reply... Do you think it is worth speaking to a solicitor to represent me, or would it be simpler and easier to represent myself and read out a short statement, as you have suggested?

I am pretty articulate and come across well in person, so am not worried about doing this, but I would like to pick the best course of action.

 

Thanks again.

[buzby]

Well, there are times formal representation is useful, and other times it doesn't make a blind bit of difference, so you have to pay the curt and him for representation.

 

Providing you carefully work out you plea in mitigation, and present it yourself, I cannot see whow you would be additionally disadvantaged by not having a solicitor. If money is no object, then why not?!

[spanner16]

I mounted a similar defence for a motorbike and it worked OK without too much fuss, I paid a £60 fine and that was it

[snowy101]

Sorry to

hijackthis

thread but i could be in a big mess.

 

I own a classic scooter [

Vespa

] 1964, i have had it for ten years but it has been in a friends garage for 9 of those years. I registered it at the address i lived at ten years ago [ different to where its stored]. I have not ridden it nor re registered to stored address, now i have secured a garage & want to put the scoot back on the road. I have never SORN the scooter. can anyone tell me where i stand?.

 

 

Middx

[buzby]

Your off-road period has coinsided with the introduction of Continuous Registration. They'll know it has nit been on the road too, so you shouldn't have too hard a job convincing them but be prepared as they try to give you a guilt trip.

 

1) take a copy of your V5 and fill out the address change section posting it to the DVLA. They'll issue a new RED V5 to replace it.

 

2) add a note explaining scooter has been a restoration project and you shortly plan to put it back on the road. Give the correct date you changed your address, as this will explain away any non response to earlier SORN letters that may have gone unanswered.

 

3) keep your fingers crossed!