*another* dvla question, a slightly strange one...

[cairyhunt]

Well.....

We've just receved a letter from the dvla, addressed to my mother about a fine/court action about not telling them about selling a car, you know the one I'm sure!

But my mother died 9 years ago. And the car sold 10 years ago. We've never had a tax reminder/sorn for the car since it was sold.

We got a letter a few weeks ago addressed to her stating that someone had applied for the logbook for that car, saying the if she nolonger owned the car, then she should ignore the letter, but if she still owned the car then she should get in touch with them. So we just ignored it.

Now, I'm going to ring them up on Monday, tbh, I'm quite looking forward to giving them a *verbal two fingers* down the phone line!

But, I just wanted to check where me and my farther stand legally? Can the fine and responsibility be passed to the next of kin?? What can they do??

Thanks in advance.

[guslopez]

No, nothing to do with you or your father . Give them a good slagging.

[🇿🇼Kingludba🇬🇧]

How can the govt let an organisation/mafia such as the dvla run in this way? every forum that I am a member of has various posts about various issues that just don't seem to make sense, and yet, they still get away with it, time and time again!

DVLA = untouchable.

Good luck pal!

[crazymonkey]

that sounds like the dvla to me

and its only going to get worse I fear when / if they shut local offices. in my opinion they're the only ones that actually know what they're doing.

[chaseracer]

Have all correspondence in writing, and keep records. If you do call on Monday, back it up in writing. The paper trail is vital.

[damageandy]

shes been dead 9 years, you don't need to keep a paper trail lol. Nothing they can do at all, even if she was still alive, all they do is send a few nasty letters then give up, because they know full well that if they took you to court if you said you have sent the letter off they would instantly lose, that applies to sorn fines aswell.

[cairyhunt]

Dec 17, 2011 15:02:59 GMT chaseracer said:

Have all correspondence in writing, and keep records. If you do call on Monday, back it up in writing. The paper trail is vital.

Good point! I will do. For some reason the dvla office that sent the letters is in Newcastle?!?

[kent]

if the vehicle is in the Newcastle area then the local office deals with it.
I had a snotty letter from Sidcup dvla when the owner of one of my cars applied for a logbook and they were telling me I hadnt sent my part in

[ben711200]

I reckon giving them a call and having a friendly, polite conversation is going to be a much better bet than calling and getting shouty straight offf.

My personal plan of action would be to call, explain what you said in your first post to them so that it is noted on their system if nothing else (I don't know if the people on the phone have the power to stop legal action?) and then send a letter stating the same.

It's ultimately nothing to do with you in the eyes of the law, so you are just letting them know for their records that the car was sold by your late mother 10 years ago, that she passed away shortly after and that it would be a waste of their time and money to pursue legal action against a deceased person.

After that it'd obviously be up to you whether you wanted to make some sort of formal complaint about undue distress caused by the incompetence of the organisation.

Hope you get it sorted with minimal fuss

[86mike]

Totally agree with ben711200, I had an issue with the DVLA where i had sold a car and sent off all the relevant paperwork, i got the letter saying thank you for telling us you have sold you car, followed a few months later by a fine for not taxing it! They simply would not believe that I had the letter. They owned up to the mistake eventually but it took a good few weeks.

[fogey]

Can't see that they can hold you liable when the car is in someone elses name - I'd let them take your dead mother to court and then make sure that every newspaper in the land got to hear about it ;

[akku]

No point in getting shirty with them, the DVLA don't know you or your mum or any circumstances. They just know a car they never received a notification of sale on is changed hands. Standard letter goes out.

You send standard reply: I sent the V5 back when I sold this car. This is your error or the post offices. KAITHANXBYE

In this case you could return the letter unopened marked as "Addressee Deceased" except that you opened it.

So just tell them what you told us. Job done.

Nobody is taking anybody to court.

[doobie]

don't ring them they make £3 million a year from people ringing them to tell them they made a mistake send a letter keep a copy and get proof of posting.

[quattroste]

Dec 17, 2011 21:57:40 GMT doobie said:

Don't ring them, they make £3 million a year from people ringing them to tell them they made a mistake.

Jesus, The DVLA have definitely got every base covered. Bunch of crooks.

[jrevillug]

The DVLA does (now) provide geographic phone numbers (starting 01/02/03). Do a search for DVLA on Say No to 0870:

www.saynoto0870.com

[cairyhunt]

Cheers guys,

I wasn't going to unleash a verbal barrage down the line at them, but I may have a slightly blunt attitude towards them. lol

The way I see it, my is covered, what can they do after all!?!

Cheers guys

[rmad]

Crikey, it's a hard world for some of you chaps isn't it?