DVLA tax renewal

Just had tax renewal notice arrive today (26th April), tax runs out 30th April. Always had at least 14 days notice not 4. What would have happened if I'd been away and not opened the envelope until after the 30th? With no tax disc in your windscreen, it's easy to not know the tax is due.

I tried to unSORN mine from 1st May last night and was only given option to tax from 1st April!
Last year I applied a couple of days before 1st April and had opportunity to tax from 1st March OR 1st April!

It's the latest DVLA money making scam, even charging some people twice for changing their car mid month.

One of the political parties should put an overhaul of DVLA into their manifesto, they'd walk an election (maybe)

I sorned my van (taxed until end November) in mid November '14 , and due to circumstances  had to re-tax it from 1 Dec. When I tried on about 29 Nov, it tried to tax it from 1 November! Had to wait until after midnight on 1 Dec. No option offered in 2014 for tax start date.

Otherwise I think the new online system works pretty well.

Paulmold wrote:Just had tax renewal notice arrive today (26th April), tax runs out 30th April. Always had at least 14 days notice not 4. What would have happened if I'd been away and not opened the envelope until after the 30th? With no tax disc in your windscreen, it's easy to not know the tax is due.

That is very late.  Our car was due on April 1st, but our reminder arrived early March.  I thought they were always sent out just after the 1st of the preceding month. 

As you say, without a tax disc, it is very easy to forget exactly when it's due.  I think I'll mark ours on the kitchen calendar, both car and MH, but I'll date it about a fortnight before it's due, just in case.

What's really annoying is that the car will be sold (hopefully) within the next two weeks and as I can no longer pass the tax to the new owner I will get charged a full month deducted from the refund and the new owner will have to tax it again from the 1st May, but that's another moan which we can do nowt about.

Yes, a good little, no, BIG, earner, for the DVLA, both seller and buyer pay tax for the same month.

I thought I got the reminder for my Smart about 1 month before it was due.As its FREE I took little notice of the reminder until I applied only to be told I didn't have an MOT! Fortunately I managed to get a service & MOT arranged before I needed to use the car.

Found an app for phone/tablet that sends reminders (30 days, 7 days and 1 day before expiry) for both tax and MOT.
It's called Cartaxcheck.

Anyone noticed how the regime covertly sneaks another fiver/tenner on to the licence every year??

Paulmold wrote:Found an app for phone/tablet that sends reminders (30 days, 7 days and 1 day before expiry) for both tax and MOT.
It's called Cartaxcheck.

This app doesn't require you to enter your own details (other than the registration and make) so does that mean anyone can access the info for every car in the land, as once you enter your vehicle details it tell you when your tax and your MOT are due to expire, it has all the info and it's bang up to date as I renewed my tax on Tuesday and it already has that information. It's a free app so unless it belongs to the DVLA, who pays the DVLA for the information?

modelman wrote:Anyone noticed how the regime covertly sneaks another fiver/tenner on to the licence every year??

Yes I did, when I renewed on Tuesday.

Paulmold wrote:

Paulmold wrote:Found an app for phone/tablet that sends reminders (30 days, 7 days and 1 day before expiry) for both tax and MOT.
It's called Cartaxcheck.

This app doesn't require you to enter your own details (other than the registration and make) so does that mean anyone can access the info for every car in the land, as once you enter your vehicle details it tell you when your tax and your MOT are due to expire, it has all the info and it's bang up to date as I renewed my tax on Tuesday and it already has that information. It's a free app so unless it belongs to the DVLA, who pays the DVLA for the information?

maybe somebody has gone to https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax and has copied all the data across.

modelman wrote:Anyone noticed how the regime covertly sneaks another fiver/tenner on to the licence every year

The rate for my PHGV hasn't changed in three years, still £165. Any increase isn't covert anyway. Rate changes are always announced in the Budget.

Perhaps it is memory that is covert?

inspiredron wrote:I tried to unSORN mine from 1st May last night and was only given option to tax from 1st April!
Last year I applied a couple of days before 1st April and had opportunity to tax from 1st March OR 1st April!

I was able to do the job this morning! Nice that they have SO muchtrust isn't it?!

I left the last historical tax disc in my Landrover so I can remember which month it is due. MH is easy as the imprint of the huge purchase invoice is under my eye lids complete with the date.