Applying for a log book - weird letter sent out by DVLA

[Sarah-Beth]

Hi, I'm in a bit of a pickle trying to get a log book for my car - which I need to tax it and the tax runs out at the end of the month!

 

I filled in the form to request a new log book and I've been waiting about 3 weeks for it to come, then yesterday I got this really weird letter from the DVLA asking me to tell them a bunch of details. It's like a simple looking letter with blank spaces asking for the registration number, the VIN number, the make/model and some other stuff.

 

I sent it away immediately, but I just don't understand what the point in this letter is and I was wondering if anyone knows. All of these details (registration number, VIN, make/model) were on the original form I sent in (V62). In fact the only thing I can see that wasn't on it is a question asking "do you still have the vehicle?" (well, duh, of course I do otherwise why would I be sending in the form - you may as well ask if I'm a human being) and another question asking for the address of the person who sold me the car (but they would already have these details on the DVLA computer - the whole reason I'm sending the form in is to get the details changed from the old seller into my name).

 

Everything else was on the V62 so what's the point in the letter? The thing is it's taken 3 weeks for them to send that out so now I'm worried that I now have to wait ANOTHER 4 weeks for the form to be processed (they told me that it takes 4 weeks for the V62 to be processed so I was hoping to have it done by next week). Does anyone know why they send this letter out? I would ask them but I think they're closed for the bank holiday until Tuesday.

 

Starting to panic.

[Sarah-Beth]

The other thing which I maybe thought is that this is something they send out after they've processed the V62 (they want to confirm the situation before printing off the new log book). Is that likely? Surely they can't have sat about for three weeks without doing anything and then just sent me this letter.

[Britainsworstdriver]

If you apply for a V5 using form V62, DVLA will write to the previous regeistered keeper to inform them that someone has applied to register the car. This is where the previous keeper will usually either write back and say they know, because they sent in the V5c, they don't know because the car is still on tehir driveway or they may do nothing at all. If there is any dispute or discrepancy, DVLA will write to you for more information.

[Sarah-Beth]

So there is probably some discrepancy then?

 

I can't believe how much hassle it is to get registration details changed. Surely instead of doing this nonsense it would be a better idea to just have a way to prove that you own the car, not to spend 4 weeks asking the person who used to own the car whether they still own it.

 

So, so infuriating if I can't drive my car because of this. It basically has to be sorted out this week (two days of which are bank holidays) or my life is completely on hold - I literally can't get to work without a car. All so the DVLA can type a different address into a computer.

[Britainsworstdriver]

How long have you owned the car for?.

[patdavies]

I can't believe how much hassle it is to get registration details changed. Surely instead of doing this nonsense it would be a better idea to just have a way to prove that you own the car, not to spend 4 weeks asking the person who used to own the car whether they still own it.

 

 

1) How?

2) How would you manage with lease cars/hire cars/etc where the RK is not the owner

3) Ownership has absolutely nothing to do with registration or the DVLA

[WelshMam2009]

I may be wrong, but I'm guessing that the seller hasn't yet notified DVLA that he has sold the vehicle, which is why it is taking so long.

[Sarah-Beth]

How long have you owned the car for?

I got it in January. I thought I would be able to use the green slip, but I was told it had expired when I went to do it.

 

1) How?

2) How would you manage with lease cars/hire cars/etc where the RK is not the owner

3) Ownership has absolutely nothing to do with registration or the DVLA

 

I have no answers, it was just a frustrated suggestion. There are other suggestions - maybe not having the green slip expire after 6 weeks or two months, or whatever it is. Or I read a suggestion submitted to the better regulation executive (which I can't link to on this forum as I don't have enough posts) about issuing a provisional tax disc to cover the period taken to process the application. There are no doubt many other suggestions.

 

The first one would have solved my problem. Would you accept that a system that can essentially force drivers off the road due to an administrative procedure is undesirable? I'd say that's the absolute last resort and should be avoided at all costs given the disruption it can have to people's lives.

[Sarah-Beth]

I may be wrong, but I'm guessing that the seller hasn't yet notified DVLA that he has sold the vehicle, which is why it is taking so long.

 

I hope it is just that. From reading some of the other stuff on the internet about this it seems that there can be problems that can take up to 3 months. Four weeks seems to be the best case scenario.

[Sarah-Beth]

Well, got through to someone on the phone and they told me that they sent the letter out because "the date you indicated as the purchase date on the V62 is the same date as we have for the previous keeper's purchase date".

 

Nobody could explain why that might be the case, but the only thing I can think of is that the garage I bought the car from did in fact notify the DVLA of the sale and for some reason they've put the wrong details in so it's in somebody else's name. I don't know how else this could happen - how would you end up with somebody else registering your car on exactly the same date that you bought it?

 

At any rate, they haven't received the letter back yet and even though I'm simply confirming details that I originally wrote on the V62 you seemingly can't do that over the phone so they have to wait for the letter before changing anything. In short, absolutely no chance of it being sorted by next week, get the car on to private land by Sunday, fill out a SORN or we'll fine you, thank you very much and have a nice day.

[paul kennedy]

Can you sorn it if you are not yet the registered keeper? DVLA want it all ways ! I do understand though that it is important for this matter to be sorted carefully and make sure the correct person has the V5. Unlikely that theres any dispute in your case but occasionally there can be.

 

 

Best of luck PK

[ashmk]

I had one of these letter on my current car when I brought it. I don't know why they did it but after a short delay they sent the log book as normal. I guess they were just double checking something.