Clamped following DVLA not taking DD.

[TheoMilo]

Evening all,

 

I have an odd one here. I'm planning to call the DVLA first thing I'm the morning, but wondered if anybody more informed than myself could weigh-in on my particular situation.

 

I returned from work this evening to find my car clamped by the DVLA. The reason being (according to the giant yellow sticker also attached) "Untaxed Vehicle".

 

For the last 3 years, the tax has been paid by a monthly direct debit (£20), which has always automatically renewed every September.

 

So, after checking the DVLA site to confirm it is untaxed, I've checked my online banking and although the Direct Debit is still live, DVLA have not requested it since September.

 

Following this, I checked the automated renewal email from August 2019, and it states at the bottom: 

 

"When it is time to renew your vehicle tax:

Your vehicle tax should renew automatically and we will send a new payment schedule.
You do not need to wait for us to take the first payment before you use the vehicle on the road."

 

Finally, sorry to state the obvious, but we are now in June. Between September and now, I haven't received one email or letter from DVLA advising me my vehicle is untaxed. Not one. 

 

All of this aside, when I leave for work in the morning (in a company van) I block my drive with my car, to prevent others parking on it (we live opposite a cemetery and this is quite common during funeral's for the traveller community). So now, my clamped car is blocking my drive, so I am having to park my company van down the road. 

 

I've got no problem back-dating the tax payments to September, despite (IMO) this being a fault on DVLA's part, but I really object to paying the £100 to remove the clamp. I'm also reading about additional fines for the unpaid period, could I also be hit with these?

 

Thank you for reading, and i'd appreciate any advice offered.

[FruitSalad1010]

No doubt someone from the site team will be along soon.

The registered keeper is responsible by law for taxing a vehicle or delcaring it SORN. Not receiving reminders won't fly as a defence, as most people are aware ignorance is no defence.

Personally if you require use of the vehicle I would take steps to tax the vehicle immediately, if you have the available funds and are able then perhaps by way of the online payment system. This puts you in the position of having taken all reasonable steps to correct the issue as soon as you became aware it was untaxed.

When you say you "I block my drive with my car", perhaps you could clarify where exactly the car is parked while clamped, is it on a public road?
 

Quote

Following this, I checked the automated renewal email from August 2019, and it states at the bottom: 

If the tax was automatically renewed in September 2019 this would only cover a period up to and including August 2020. It is now 10 months on from that date, did you receive any notice of an autmatic renewal beginning in 2020?

When was the last payment taken by the DVLA?