Safe Speed Forums

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Local Operations Manager
unit 3
Sandringham Park
Swansea Vale
Llansarnlet
Swansea
SA7 OES
Telephone: 01792 76 5001
Fax: 01792 76 5050
GTN : 1226 5001
Email:
Website: http://www.dvla.gov.uk

Your reference:

Our reference:

Date: xxxx

Dear Mr xxxxxx

Thank you for your letter of March 2005 addressed to the Rt. Hon. Alistair Darling, about the enforcement action taken against you in respect of vehicle registration number
xxxxx

Unfortunately, the Secretary of State cannot reply individually due to the extensive volume of correspondence received, and it is, therefore, usual to forward correspondence to the Department responsible for the issue which is of concern to the writer. As the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) Local Operations Manager, I have been asked to reply.

I have also seen your letter addressed to Mrs xxxx at the Agency's Continuous Registration Enforcement Centre (CEC) in Northampton. As you had referred the matter for Mr Darling's attention, no separate response has been sent, of which you have been informed. This is normal practice, and I trust that this reply will now address all of the concerns you have raised in this matter.

At the outset I would ask you to accept my sincere apologies on behalf of the Agency for the inconvenience you have been caused in this matter. I was concerned to read that having complied with the current legislation by submitting a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) a penalty letter was issued. Regrettably the notification failed to promptly update the DVLA's computer record. I very much regret that the high standards that we set ourselves were not met on this occasion. I can confirm that the penalty offer has been withdrawn and the case against you is now closed.

DVLA is charged with maintaining and improving the integrity and accuracy of the vehicle register on behalf of the Secretary of State. Records are maintained to assist revenue collection, road safety and law enforcement. The Police rely heavily on the DVLA register for all vehicle-related investigations.

Since the introduction of Continuous Registration (CR) statistics show that the tighter controls on registration are working, with over 1 million more vehicle keepers meeting their statutory obligations. This makes the roads safer for all of us. I very much regret that you have found yourself in this position, but it is obviously in everyone's interest that the CR scheme continues to be a success.

Each month a computer check of the vehicle register is carried out to identify vehicles without a valid licence or SORN. Regrettably, due to a delay in the receipt of your V1 1, by the department responsible for the updating of the vehicle register, the scan erroneously identified that you had failed to comply with your statutory obligations and a penalty letter was therefore issued. I would ask you again, to accept my sincere apologies on behalf of the Agency for the delayed handling of your declaration and for the subsequent correspondence generated.

Whilst not wishing in any way to excuse the actions of staff, I should explain that the Agency deals with high volumes of correspondence daily and it is extremely rare that these are not dealt with accurately. I do accept the consequences when they are not, can be serious indeed.

Please be advised that it is not the Agency's intention to persecute honest motorists, either is it our aim to issue penalties as a means of raising revenue. The revenue generated from the CR penalty is used to fund the administration cost of the scheme and other road safety and crime reducing initiatives. Any money collected from fines goes directly to the Treasury to cover a range of Government spending. The purpose of the new scheme is to improve existing registration and licensing procedures.

I will take this opportunity to address the issues that remain of concern to you. Your contention regarding your receipt of a V11 in June 2004 is noted. You will be aware that prior to your licensing of vehicle xxxxxx on April 2004, the SORN which you had previously declared was not due to expire until 30 June. The V11 is produced some 8 weeks in advance of the renewal date to allow for printing and posting through the Royal Mail at a preferential rate for the Agency and the taxpayer. Therefore I do assure you, that whilst it is accepted that you did not require the V11, it's issue was not erroneous.

Turning now to your comments regarding the use of registered post to send correspondence to the Agency. Registered keepers of vehicles may elect to use recorded or registered post as a more traceable means of postage, but this is not an Agency requirement. The Agency's commencement in January 2004 of the issue of acknowledgement Letters in respect of both SORN and disposal notifications is designed to inform the registered keeper that the vehicle record has been successfully updated, and should help eradicate cases such as this arising in the future.

I trust that my explanation and apology will go some way towards easing your concerns, and I sincerely hope that all your future dealings with the Agency will leave you with a more favourable impression of our operation.

Yours sincerely

Name removed.
Local Operations Manager

I'm still arguing with DVLA over the fine I received for not renewing a SORN declaration. They are insistant that the reminder was sent, so I've invited them to prove it.

In the mean time I want to make a FOI request to try and see how many reminders they do actually send and how much money they make from fining people who forget to renew SORN's.

So far I have this:

Information Requested:
The total number of UK registered vehicles which have had SORN declarations in force for over 12 months – the declarations could be current and still in force or expired (i.e. the vehicle has now been re-taxed, exported or scrapped.) Of those vehicles, the total number of renewal reminders sent out to the recorded address of the registered keeper. Total number of £80 fines issued for failing to renew a SORN declaration and the total profit made by the recovery of such fines.

Any advice or input would be greatly received!

If I do end up paying I'm tempted to send them 8 cheques for £10 each...

I'd make it 80 cheques for £1.00

I'd at least make it apparently random numbers which add up to £80. Then they would have to do some maths!
Like, for example...

£5.67
£11.32
£32.14
£3.66
£4.96
£6.73
£1.25
£4.67
£1.19
£8.41

That's plain nasty, that'll go right against their automated processing system. It would in effect probably cost them more to process those cheques in personnel time and money so worth it IMO.