Bloody DVLA / VOSA!

GreatOldOne · #1 18th August 2010, 12:57

Amazing.

I've got my first tax disc reminder for Vikki a couple of days ago (only did 6 months when I IVA'd). Brought it into work today to renew, but the website says on your bike, as there is no current MOT for the car...

Ok - fair enough, maybe the website isn't clever enough to understand that I don't need one for the first year due to the IVA. So I ring up DVLA.

"You need an MOT, as IVA doesn't cover you"
"Really? How did I get my first 6 Months road tax from you then?"
[Silent Pause]
"We don't deal with MOTs. Please ring VOSA"

So I ring VOSA

"I'm having issues re-taxing my car. It was IVA'd this year in March."
"You need an MOT"
"So how did I get tax in the first place?"
"You need one after the first 12 months"
"It's only been 6 months! It was IVA'd in MARCH"
"Is it on an age related plate?"
"Yes"
"You'll have to check your V5 for date of first use..."

I gave up at that point. Whilst I don't have my V5 with me, I know that the age of first use will be the date of manufacture, and that is 2010... As written on my IAC.

I may have to dig out that MOT I had done prior to the IVA, and get the gargae to transfer it from the chassis# to the Reg number.

GreatOldOne · #2 18th August 2010, 15:33

Ok - At home, looking at my V5. Date of first registration: 01/03/2010

I'll take that, along with my MOT with the chassis number on it to the local PO and see if I can get a disc the ole fashioned way.

peterux · #3 18th August 2010, 20:46

I think they make it up as they go along! They always claim to be 'following policy'. The trouble is they don't publish any so called policies, so you can't check.

I believe this was a subject of an article in Kit Car mag.... i'll see if I can find it.........

Does the Tax Renewal letter say that you need a valid MOT printed on it?
If not, the PO will not be looking for one. I wouldn't show them your chassis based MOT as that will probably confuse them or worse make them a bit suspicious.

You might need to get another MOT on the car reg, but what a lot of nonsence.
When I got my first MOT on the chassis number, the MOT guy mistyped the chassis number and then refused to correct it. (He said the computer wouldn't allow him).
The only way out was to pay him another fee and he pretended to MOT it on the correct chassis number. So there is a 'virtual' Marlin Sportster MOT'd in DVLA cyberspace that isn't taxed or registered and doesn't exist in the real world!

Mike · #4 18th August 2010, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by peterux

.......
The only way out was to pay him another fee and he pretended to MOT it on the correct chassis number. So there is a 'virtual' Marlin Sportster MOT'd in DVLA cyberspace that isn't taxed or registered and doesn't exist in the real world!

What a lovely thought ...............a virtual Sportster out there in cyberspace!

raasayphil · #5 18th August 2010, 21:31

One can only hope that the current government that is showing some signs of tackling the inefficiencies of national and local government may get around to the wonderful DVLA, VOSA and any other of these bodies whose sole aim in live is to be as awkward as possible if something does not fit into a pre defined slot!

I'll stop there before i get carried away!

nil illegitimi carborundom

GreatOldOne · #6 18th August 2010, 21:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

What a lovely thought ...............a virtual Sportster out there in cyberspace!

It's got an uncredited role in the new Tron movie, don'tchaknow.

Chris Cussen · #7 19th August 2010, 09:33

I went through exactly the same process as you Jason, except I was re-taxing my Cabrio on-line and it still had abut 2 weeks of MOT left. So I tried to find out if I neeed to re-MOT it.

My conversations with VOSA and DVLA were nearly word for word identical to yours. I even went to the local plod station and asked them. They then phoned VOSA and DLVA and came back and said had not got a straigh answer either but since the V5 said year of manufacture 2009 I PROBABLY didn't.

GreatOldOne · #8 19th August 2010, 09:55

Annoying, isn't it.

Rang again today, and was put through to a specialist team. They took all the details again, put me on hold, had a cup of tea, and then came back and said that I needed to tax the car at a post office.

They also told me not to use the MOT certificate I had, as the PO wouldn't accept one with the chassis number on it. They also told me that if I was questioned over lack of MOT, I had to fill in a V112 for exemption from MOT.

Fair enough - if the PO is on the ball enough to know what these forms are. And to be honest, if I've just gone through all that on the phone with DVLA, the people who issue tax discs, and they agree that it's OK, why can't they fracking well just take my money whilst I'm on the phone and send one out in the post?

Deep Breath. Calm. Happy Thoughts.

GreatOldOne · #9 19th August 2010, 10:08

Here's the V112:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum.../dg_065277.pdf

Which is interesting. As by filling this out, and declaring that the car was built in 2010, the form seems to indicate that the car wouldn't need an MOT for 3 years...

Chris Cussen · #10 19th August 2010, 10:19

When DVLA inspected my car for registration they issued me with a duplicate MOT showing the registration number. So they didn't do that for you?

GreatOldOne · #11 19th August 2010, 10:21

Nope.

They even forgot to send out my reg plate certificate - I had to remind them.

peterux · #12 19th August 2010, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatOldOne

Annoying, isn't it.

Rang again today, and was put through to a specialist team. They took all the details again, put me on hold, had a cup of tea, and then came back and said that I needed to tax the car at a post office.

They also told me not to use the MOT certificate I had, as the PO wouldn't accept one with the chassis number on it. They also told me that if I was questioned over lack of MOT, I had to fill in a V112 for exemption from MOT.

Fair enough - if the PO is on the ball enough to know what these forms are. And to be honest, if I've just gone through all that on the phone with DVLA, the people who issue tax discs, and they agree that it's OK, why can't they fracking well just take my money whilst I'm on the phone and send one out in the post?

Deep Breath. Calm. Happy Thoughts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatOldOne

Here's the V112:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum.../dg_065277.pdf

Which is interesting. As by filling this out, and declaring that the car was built in 2010, the form seems to indicate that the car wouldn't need an MOT for 3 years...

So now you have official advice to go to the post office with said form and not need an MOt until 1st Jan 2014!

I'm going to slightly controversial now and say that I do not agree with this ruling. I think it's fine for a car built from all new parts but not for a kit built from donor parts.
I know that members of this forum have gone to great lengths to replace, refurbish and restore all their donor parts but the IVA doesn't stop you using donor parts, so long as that they pass the test critria.
Not to have a car built from used parts, MOT'd each year I think is contary to the purpose of having MOT's.
I know none of us like our cars to fail but, if done properly, an MOT is an indpendant check of a car by a trained eye for worn or deterorating items. Nicely cleaned and painted brake calipers and disks will easily pass the IVA, but they could already be 10 years old and ther's no guarantee they will keep going for another 3 years.
I think it's a small price to pay to have an annual safety inspection.

I'll take cover now....

GreatOldOne · #13 20th August 2010, 07:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by peterux

So now you have official advice to go to the post office with said form and not need an MOt until 1st Jan 2014!

I don't think it'll work that way, Pete. That's what the form says, but I bet I need an MOT again next year, as the Tax reminder will require one. The one I have now does.

Quote:

I'm going to slightly controversial now and say that I do not agree with this ruling. I think it's fine for a car built from all new parts but not for a kit built from donor parts.

I completely agree with you. Even if I could get away with it, I wouldn't, and I'd get her MOT'd next March. If only to stop this rigmorole next time I need to re-tax...

Chris Cussen · #14 20th August 2010, 07:26

Ah yes Peter!
I've planned to re-MOT my Cabrio as a confidence check, which I think is sensible, but there is a difference between having an MOT and being required to have an MOT.

I think both Jason and I MOTed our cars prior to IVA because it gave them an independent examination, and could potentially spot any IVA failure points.

GreatOldOne · #15 20th August 2010, 07:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by peterux

Nicely cleaned and painted brake calipers and disks will easily pass the IVA, but they could already be 10 years old and ther's no guarantee they will keep going for another 3 years.

Whilst I've agreed with you on the whole, I don't think an MOT is any more rigorus in checking brakes than IVA. In fact, The barage of tests thrown at my braking system during IVA was far and away more stringent than the pre IVA MOT I had.

My Calipers where / are 24 years old and they passed fine. I had of course refurbished them with new seals and covers, so they should be as new.

GreatOldOne · #16 21st August 2010, 14:00

Back from town, and Vikki's taxed again. Woman on the counter never even blinked when I handed over the reminder, insurance & the V112. What I didn't count on was getting the V112 back - I assumed that that would have been sent off to DVLA for entry onto their system somehow...

It's all so confusing!

Anyway - by the time she needs to be taxed again, she'll have an MOT in the system.

MartinClan · #17 26th August 2010, 08:24

I didn't get a new MOT on my car this year. After all it's only done 1000 miles since the first one! I renewed my tax on line at the start of the season - the MOT would have expired by then even if they were able to relate the chassis number on it to the registration. I wasn't asked for an MOT....

Robin

Chris Cussen · #18 25th September 2010, 12:34

Just re-taxed the cabrio. No current MOT in force. Did it online with no problems.

That means come 1st October I've been road leagl for a whole year!!!

I've put 6k miles under the belt, which since I didn't start using it until January when the paint job was done seems fine.

Only problem I've got now is a smokey engine, blue smoke particularly on idle, so its more than likely wear / valve stem oils seals. Methinks a re-build over the winter is called for.

Stuart · #19 27th September 2010, 20:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Cussen

Only problem I've got now is a smokey engine, blue smoke particularly on idle, so its more than likely wear / valve stem oils seals. Methinks a re-build over the winter is called for.

Chris

I had the same problem blue smoke on idle and smoke at start up i thought too that it was valve seals. Took car to local independant BMW dealer and he advised me to change oil filter for a genuine BMW unit I did this and it cured the problem instantly.

Stuart

Chris Cussen · #20 28th September 2010, 11:33

Ah! I'm using a Ford DOHC 8v motor, still its worth a try, though it did have a new filter and oil when I put the engine in.