Road Tax - in Spain forgot to renew (1 Viewer)

[Dave and Ginny]

What a total plonker!

It just dawned on me this morning that road tax ran out end December so I probably now have a number of escalating fines sitting on the mat at home! Can only renew on line from 1st March which would not be correct and a warning pops up about the lapsed dates. Been parked here in Spain since November so not been on UK or Spanish roads but I suspect I'll get clobbered with a fine for not renewing or Sorn.

Can't believe I've been so lax. Can't really blame no longer having disc in window as wouldn't have noticed through silver screens!

Clearly I need to ring DVLA on Monday, what's the best line of excuse to go with?

The truth?

 

[pappajohn]

You dont need a line of excuse.

If you can produce your own death certificate you may get away with it.

Short of that, just tell them you are out the country and forgot then pay the fine.

 

[MillieMoocher]

Ouch! But so easy to do..

Honesty is always the best policy in my book. As @pappajohn says, they'll probably only accept proof if your own death as a reason not to screw you.

For what it's worth, we are moving all our car taxes over to monthly DD as they fall due, just to avoid the situation you're in. Although there's a charge for the DD it's less than a fine...

Worse thing they ever did was get rid of the reminder in your windscreen..

Good luck on with your call!

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[pappajohn]

Worse thing they ever did was get rid of the reminder in your windscreen

Still got my windscreen reminder....unfortunately, according to that, its well over a year overdue.

For a bit of fun I thought of scanning the disc, altering the expiry date to later this year then printing a new one.....that would confuse the local traffic wardens.

 

[pappajohn]

The last time I got a fine was on my suzuki jeep off road toy.
I didnt want to scrap it as the chassis was good but everyrhing else had had its day so put it on SORN.
Completely forgot about it til the fine notice arrived.
I rang DVLA and told them I had sent the V5 as scrapped before the SORN expired.

They cancelled the back duty, around 6 months worth, but the fine was upheld.....around £45 from memory.

 

[Don Quixote]

As @pappajohn has stated just call them explain you are out of the UK and have been since? and you want to correct the problem can they help. As long as your MOT if required is in date. Call them direct and not via email as speaking to someone will make it more personal and helpful at both ends.

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[Treeeev]

What a total plonker!

It just dawned on me this morning that road tax ran out end December so I probably now have a number of escalating fines sitting on the mat at home! Can only renew on line from 1st March which would not be correct and a warning pops up about the lapsed dates. Been parked here in Spain since November so not been on UK or Spanish roads but I suspect I'll get clobbered with a fine for not renewing or Sorn.

Can't believe I've been so lax. Can't really blame no longer having disc in window as wouldn't have noticed through silver screens!

Clearly I need to ring DVLA on Monday, what's the best line of excuse to go with?

The truth?

I forgot to renew the tax on my car a couple of years ago. I spoke to DVLA and explained the situation. I was advised to obtain the tax from the current month and pay the back tax seperately. Your situation is different, but I think it would be best to speak with them, then confirm the conversation with an email

Cheers

Trevor

 

[John & Joan]

Guardia Civil Trafico in Spain, have had the ability to check the status of UK vehicles with DVLA since the beginning of this year. Graham Skelton in The Costa Blanca News, reported that he has had a lot of Brits requesting help to put their vehicles legal as a result of them being stopped and checked.

 

[busby]

Just claim insanity,,,if they knew you they would believe it,,,BUSBY

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[MR. FUSION]

Guardia Civil Trafico in Spain, have had the ability to check the status of UK vehicles with DVLA since the beginning of this year. Graham Skelton in The Costa Blanca News, reported that he has had a lot of Brits requesting help to put their vehicles legal as a result of them being stopped and checked.

From 2017 they will be able to fine you as if you committed the motoring offence in the UK under the EU motoring Directive. Looks like the party is over for speed cameras etc!

 

[Bailey58]

I've mentioned this on other threads already but I scanned and added an expiry date to Jim's smiley download which serves as a reminder on all the vehicles - as long as it's not covered by silver screens.

 

[Dave and Ginny]

Thanks for the replies, I had expected to find more similar cases on-line but can't. Seems to be lots of folk caught out by buying secondhand and then discovering that existing tax expired at point of sale. £80 fine seems standard but I can't seem to find any info on how that escolates, but it seems it could be passed to recovery agency .

I shall have to just get pissed as I can see a sleepless night coming on until Monday when I can ring them

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[Wickolad]

I know it's too late now, but almost everyone has a mobile phone which has a calendar. It could be worth setting a warning date the month before expiry as a reminder. To be honest, I've not done this on my phone, but I've now got the MH and car tax on DD plan to overcome the problem. It goes against the grain paying the extra, I thought there ought to be a reduction.

 

[Gromett]

I know it's too late now, but almost everyone has a mobile phone which has a calendar. It could be worth setting a warning date the month before expiry as a reminder. To be honest, I've not done this on my phone, but I've now got the MH and car tax on DD plan to overcome the problem. It goes against the grain paying the extra, I thought there ought to be a reduction.

If you sync it with google calender it will pop up on your computer as well .

 

[Minxy]

This makes interesting reading:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=104604

It appears that if you have been issued with the £80 fine already, it reduces to £40 if paid within 28 days, so depending on WHEN/IF it has been issued it might not be more than £80, but could be less. It also appears that they don't always ask for the full 'unpaid' back-tax to be paid either.

You could do your road tax on line now so that you can show that you did it as soon as you realised and wait to see if a fine is forthcoming (get someone to check at home if there's one already waiting for you) or ring them afterwards and ask anyway - this would mean that you have only 'defaulted' for 2 months.

If you do ring them and they ask you have if you been using your MH on the road SINCE the tax ran out your answer will be ... of course not, it's been on a campsite for the whole time ... hasn't it???

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[Dave and Ginny]

If you sync it with google calender it will pop up on your computer as well .

It's a good idea and I've now added to mine.
What's annoying is that insurance and tax fell due at the same time. It went out of sync when I used Sorn when I couldn't drive due to a broken achiles tendon, that's what threw me...a move of four months difference!

 

[abforfun]

What a total plonker!

It just dawned on me this morning that road tax ran out end December so I probably now have a number of escalating fines sitting on the mat at home! Can only renew on line from 1st March which would not be correct and a warning pops up about the lapsed dates. Been parked here in Spain since November so not been on UK or Spanish roads but I suspect I'll get clobbered with a fine for not renewing or Sorn.

Can't believe I've been so lax. Can't really blame no longer having disc in window as wouldn't have noticed through silver screens!

Clearly I need to ring DVLA on Monday, what's the best line of excuse to go with?

The truth?

We realised 2 days ago we had done the exact same thing, we have now renewed online but our neighbours have opened a letter from DVLA and we have a £40 fine that has to be paid by 23rd or else I think it goes up, but we can't seem to find how to pay it

 

[Dave and Ginny]

This makes interesting reading:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=104604

It appears that if you have been issued with the £80 fine already, it reduces to £40 if paid within 28 days, so depending on WHEN/IF it has been issued it might not be more than £80, but could be less. It also appears that they don't always ask for the full 'unpaid' back-tax to be paid either.

You could do your road tax on line now so that you can show that you did it as soon as you realised and wait to see if a fine is forthcoming (get someone to check at home if there's one already waiting for you) or ring them afterwards and ask anyway - this would mean that you have only 'defaulted' for 2 months.

If you do ring them and they ask you have if you been using your MH on the road SINCE the tax ran out your answer will be ... of course not, it's been on a campsite for the whole time ... hasn't it???

Lol...one Minxy Girl, yes that thought did cross my mind whether to do it today on line which it would let me from 1st March with this warning message saying about the lapse of two months, then I hit the back button.

But the truth is, the van hasn't moved from our pitch on El Racó since December, so I've not knowingly committed a moving traffic violation .

I have all the phone numbers for tomorrow, at least it's an 0300 number and my 'three' all in one covers it!

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[Dave and Ginny]

We realised 2 days ago we had done the exact same thing, we have now renewed online but our neighbours have opened a letter from DVLA and we have a £40 fine that has to be paid by 23rd or else I think it goes up, but we can't seem to find how to pay it

Sorry to hear you as well. Can I ask how long your tax had lapsed and do you have any idea how long it lapsed before the fine letter turned up?

Also, did you get the warning about a lapsed period when you renewed on line?

As I'm ringing DVLA tomorrow, I'll find out about paying the fine so watch this space

 

[abforfun]

Sorry to hear you as well. Can I ask how long your tax had lapsed and do you have any idea how long it lapsed before the fine letter turned up?

Also, did you get the warning about a lapsed period when you renewed on line?

As I'm ringing DVLA tomorrow, I'll find out about paying the fine so watch this space

It was due on 1st January same as yours, I don't know when the fine letter arrived but we have until 23rd to pay the £40 or else it's £80.
Got no reference about the lapse when we renewed.
we were home until 4th January and definately didn't receive a reminder letter.
Will keep an eye on here to see if it's possible to pay online

 

[Dave and Ginny]

It was due on 1st January same as yours, I don't know when the fine letter arrived but we have until 23rd to pay the £40 or else it's £80.
Got no reference about the lapse when we renewed.
we were home until 4th January and definately didn't receive a reminder letter.
Will keep an eye on here to see if it's possible to pay online

Thanks, how interesting is that!

So I presume like me, the system let you renew from 1st March, which means, that even taking into account a £40 fine, you have saved some money??!!

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[abforfun]

Thanks, how interesting is that!

So I presume like me, the system let you renew from 1st March, which means, that even taking into account a £40 fine, you have saved some money??!!

Ohhh yes if I can get it paid, due home on 25th which is 2 days late on top of which we are broken down in middle of Spain at moment

 

[Dave and Ginny]

Ohhh yes if I can get it paid, due home on 25th which is 2 days late on top of which we are broken down in middle of Spain at moment

Oouch... Hope you get sorted whatever the problem is. I will send you a pm as soon as I find anything out. I wonder what music they play whilst on 'hold'!

 

[Gromett]

Thanks, how interesting is that!

So I presume like me, the system let you renew from 1st March, which means, that even taking into account a £40 fine, you have saved some money??!!

I think you have to pay the back tax + the fine.

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[Hammie]

I hope you manage to sort it all out. I too have put my MH and car onto monthly DD it only costs £9 per annum per vehicle. An international call to sort out a problem would be more never mind the stress. Good luck with it.

 

[pappajohn]

I would expect the back tax to come out of the new tax payment....ie: pay for 6 months but it expires in 4 months (if its 2 months overdue) plus pay the fine separately.

 

[Larrynwin]

Perhaps setting up a monthly direct debit would ensure renewal takes place.

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[pappajohn]

it only costs £9 per annum per vehicle.

You wish.

Edit.....I now see what you mean, £9 EXTRA for the priviledge of using the dd facility.

 

[busby]

I've mentioned this on other threads already but I scanned and added an expiry date to Jim's smiley download which serves as a reminder on all the vehicles - as long as it's not covered by silver screens.

Can always stick it on facing into the cab...BUSBY.

 

[Clickem]

My understanding is that there is no additional cost for paying by DD, if it is a single annual payment. The charges are incurred if the payment is made monthly, and spread over the year

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