I got a car a year ago - it was an old banger, cost me 200 quid. I used it where I was living, but when I moved, I had a dilemma. I didn't know how public transport or parking would work out where I was going to be, so I might need the car - but didn't know for sure. Conversely, I was still going to be back where I did live and could use the car too.
The ideal solution seemed to be that a friend would look after it - I wouldn't transfer it over to them, in case I decided I wanted it where I was now living. If I decided I didn't, my friend would have it.
As things happened, I decided after a few months that I didn't want it. I asked my friend what they wanted to do - have it, declare it off road, or scrap it. As the tax disc was running out, I was getting slightly anxious, so I sent them a few more emails.
I went away for a two-week holiday, and when I got back, an email from my friend said they'd scrapped it. Whilst this made sense, as I was away, and I had the registration docs, they'd not been able to get the scrap dealer to sign all the papers and then notify the DVLA that they now had the car.
Fast forward, and I get a letter from them, saying that their records show they've not had a renewal of tax, nor a transfer of ownership, nor a SORN declaration. As a result, they've sent me a letter saying I'll be fined.
The easiest thing to do is to say 'we got rid of it two months ago' but the letter says that disposing of a vehicle without notifying the DVLA is an offence, as is, I suspect, a scrap merchant accepting a car for scrap without seeing the registration docs. I don't want to get out of paying this fine, and end up being liable for a bigger one, not get my friend into trouble. Any tips? What's the story with scrap merchants who do this? What do the DVLA do if they find you've disposed of a car and not told them?
― Normally very law abiding but still logged out, Thursday, 9 February 2006 23:29 (nineteen years ago)
After having had an accident on it, my bloke had his motorbike in the garage for several months after the tax had run out and we had forgotten to declare it SORN. They wrote to him saying he'd be fined, and he wrote back apologising and declaring it SORN straight away - they were perfectly okay with that and we heard nothing more from them.
They're not out to catch people who have genuine mix-ups/forgetfulness, I don't think. I think it's designed to try and stop the persistent tax dodgers. I'm sure you'll be okay if you sort it out pronto.
― C J (C J), Friday, 10 February 2006 12:05 (nineteen years ago)