Oops - “last chance reminder” - vehicle tax

[Myles (Mr Fox) Davison]

Just picked a DVLA brown envelope out of my letterbox - my '63 should've been taxed (zero cost, obvs) from 1st August but I either no reminder was sent or I didn't get it.

All sorted without drama but I suspect if I'd been off on holiday for the next few weeks I'd have been in a pickle.

[ZebraDriver]

Just had the same for my work van due 1st August and no reminder received. Yet my LR and my bike are due on 1st Sept and I have had reminders for both of them. I wonder if they couldn't be bothered for the August ones?

[Crumbly65]

Oddly enough, same here. I received a "Last Chance" reminder today in the post for the first time ever.

No problem with the zero tax rate, just a frisson of "Ooh - er, oh I forgot" when obviously I didn't.  The DVLA just can't be bothered to send out 2 reminders for zero tax?

[Beowulf]

Signing up for MOT reminders via text & email is very useful, so wouldn`t it be a good idea if the same could be done with VED.

Of course the same problems of missing or not getting them would still arise, and just like the paper reminder, not getting one is no excuse for not paying. But it would at least help keep more people safe from getting a fine, genuinely forgetting is not an intentional response to something, although it might be something that happens a little more often as we get older     

[Serious Series]

Just checked mine and no tax since beginning of August [certainly no reminder and they have my email address] had not driven it since 7th but now sorted.
Only have two days left on my insurance as AF have not rerplied to my email re changes in my health ie pacemaker fitted 9th August. Cannot drive for another few weeks but it,s annoying that they have sent me lads of reminbders but not answered my queries I think AF used to be on the old forum but not sure if thay are on here.

[Serious Series]

Apparently DVLA are no longer sending paper reminders, but I cannot find out how to get text or email reminders.

[Calum]

Just checked and surely enough the Carawagon ran out on 1st August too! Oops! Taxed now, better check the rest!

[USY561]

thanks for posting this, I haven't had any reminder at all on this, but checked on the DVLA website and discovered that my tax ran out at the end of July.  Just as well I haven't been out on the road in it!
It does seem a bit strange that they won't send a reminder for the LR, but I get reminders for my other cars, I can't see the logic in it.  I'll just have to put my own reminder in my diary for next year....

[richardhula]

Apparently DVLA are no longer sending paper reminders, but I cannot find out how to get text or email reminders.

I recall getting paper and email reminders but was surprised when I received none for my 2018 car recently. Fortunately remembered and assumed it was just a glitch.

The DVLA must be really shooting themselves in the foot here removing reminders especially without large scale publicity. Are they going to be relying on ANPR to offset a trend of reduced renewals by handing out fines for untaxed vehicles or just expect the police to pick up the slack

[Noddy]

Received a reminder for our Volvo for 1st Sept. Noted that tax rate changed 1st August may be that reminders were not sent out because they didn't have the new tax rate on them.

Alec

[109+1]

Had paper reminder with new tax rates on it last week, all taxed now.

[w3526602]

Hi,

I don't think that "somebody" at DVLC "forgets" (or remembers) to send reminders. I assume that the computer checks the full data base of every vehicle registered, every three days (that's one third of the the data base ... over 20,000,000 vehicles, every day.) In my day, DVLC received about 7 tons every day.

DVLC have to pay postage on each and every letter, presumably at 2nd class rate. I'll let you do the math. There is (or was) a REBATED RATE, which I understand is less than 2nd Class.

Doh! One of my carers is demding I get my kit off ... NOW!

602

[w3526602]

I return, all "done and dusted". Brief discussion about the order of disrobing.
! wanted my socks off, before dropping my "kex". I cannot (easily) get my socks on and off, my feet are too far away.

In the event she yanked both trousers and pants off, in a single tug, and then my socks.

All my Carers admire my long handled shoe horn.

Continuing my earlier mail, it is possible that a "Jobsworth with Clout" decided to make a name for himself, by implementing an economy measure. We will never know.

Wayback when, before I took Medical Retirement, I  had had a team of clerical staff, five of which had the full time job of closing cases that required NO action. There were four other teams doing the same job.

I tried telling my manager that a few lines of computer .coding  could prevent such cases being opened in the first place. He was not interested ... end of! So I put it in as a Staff Suggestion. I know my suggestion was investigated, but I never had a reply, although I believe my suggestion WAS implemented.

Years after my retirement, I heard of a Staff Suggestion that saved the Department £20,000 per year. Consternation! The Suggester was entitled to 10% of the first years saving, but nobody in authority was willing to approve a £2,000 award. Occasionally, I wonder if that was MY suggestion? It's possible!.

602