Wrong tax disk

[denis567]

I wonder if anyone any idea if there could be any recriminations from the following scenario.
I bought a second hand Fiesta in October which had a tax disc on that expired end December 09. The car was bought from a dealer.
It is correctly insured and has a valid MOT and the log book has been transferred to my wife's name
Just after Christmas I realised that we had not received a renewal notice for it, so I tried to renew it on-line.
This was refused, stating there was some problem, but not stating what the problem was.
On applying at my local post office, the clerk asked me if it had been 'off the road' as her computer told her that it was. I told her it had not been off the road and we had used it since October.
She issued a tax disc to end of December 2010.
On getting home I went to put the new disk in the holder and found out that the disk that we had been displaying was for a different car.
So that means that since October we have been using it illegally.
What I would like to know is whether DVLA can come back to us demanding tax from October to December.
If so what chance have I got of going back to the dealer for recompense?
Many thanks for any advice.

[Androcles]

I would have said that if the dealer sold you a car with the wrong car tax disc, he has to be your first port of call - he must have known, or shjold have checked when he bought it.

[grasscarp]

They could, but chances are they wont as they are probably not going to get feedback of what you said in the local post office. If they did, yes of course you could go back to the dealer and complain.

[cherrychapstick]

hi denis was this a dealer or a private sale?

[cherrychapstick]

sorry read it again ,well even if you go back to the dealer they could say you bought it with no tax unless it states in the paperwork you got 3 months tax with the car ,

[magicmerlin]

If you have not committed any motoring offences between October and December then I can't see any reason for having any problems with them. Offences have to be notified within 14 day so if you do not receive anything upto 14th Jan then you are in the clear.

If you still have the old tax disc I would take a copy of it to the police. The car that the tax disc belongs to could be on the road illegally.

[saxy_jag]

You would be as well to cover your back and write to DVLA informing them of what you have said here. It may be important to them, especially if they're already following up enquiries into this dealer. They're unlikely to prosecute and even if they did, the court would most likely come down in your favour. I find that if you're honest with DVLA, then they're pretty lenient.

[denis567]

Thanks to all who have replied. I think I will just wait to see if anything happens. You are right EDDIE 51, I should have checked it when I bought it, but seeing that there was a disk on the car that was valid until December, I didn't inspect it, but I sure will next time I buy a car.

[cherrychapstick]

hi eddie there would only be one problem with taking tax disc to police for evidence, the disc was off another motor ,which he could then be done with displaying it ,having the disc is not proof that the garage sold him the car with that tax disc on it