sorn

[lankeela]

I have today paid an �80 penalty for not declaring a vehicle off the road.

What peeves me is that the van failed its MOT last August, when the tax also ran out, so I left it at the garage who were going to scrap it, and bought another car off them, which I taxed from 1st September. I sent off the slip from the registration document. Months later I got a letter from DVLA saying I had not declared it 'off the road' and had to pay. I contacted the garage who had the log book and they said they would dome a letter to send to them, stating the date on which the vehicle was scrapped. I have now recieved another letter saying I have to pay the fine as they have never been notified it was off the road. I have no way of proving that I sent the SORN to them. They would not accept the letter saying the vehicle had been scrapped, as the date of scrapping was three weeks after the tax ran out. This could happen to anyone, you have no proof that your letter ever arrives. Should you send the SORN by registered letter?

[DirtyHabit]

You should have had a tax renewal form and used that to SORN the vehicle and not sent the slip to DVLA. Just take it to the post office you get your tax from and they would have recorded and stamped the renewal form with the SORN declaration. DON'T used DVLA, but if you do, make copies of everything you send them. They are useless and there is a big problem at the moment with drivers licences. They are missing whole groups of vehicles from renewals and then asking you to prove when you passed your test for that group.

[lankeela]

Problem was, I didn't expect the van to fail its MOT and thought I was going to tax it as normal. When I had to buy the new car I left the paper work with the garage, and just tore off the slip to notify them of the change of ownership.

Others be warned!

[agentprawn]

i also got tucked up for a �40 SORN penalty even though i had sent the form off. i rang the DVLA to be told they hadnt received it. i now send everything recorded delivery to them just to be on the safe side and so they have no excuse.

[lankeela]

This could be a scam just to get more money from us!

Do they accept recorded delivery as I was told they would not sign for them and there're no proof what is in it?

[agentprawn]

well the last 3 times ive sent stuff (2 V5's and a SORN) its gone recorded delivery and hasnt been returned, plus my documents have come back up to date or corrected etc so someone somewhere must be signing for them! either that or the postie doesnt worry about signatures...

[theplanet]

SORN "the garden tax" Cars in the garden made �57,106,839. between January 2004 up to the end of December 2006. not including money recoverd through the courts.It is not a scam just a little pin money collected, trying to catch real theifs using the road, without tax. Someone noticed you forget about cars when they are of road, nice little earner, with no outlay. If you have been stung, they do not like you asking questions under the freedom of information act, by law they have to answer you. Also sorn it anytime, every month or 6 months so you do not get ripped of again.

[lankeela]

Plenty of time on your hands, the planet? Thanks for your (rather delayed) reply!