Missed DVLA Requisition letter to Magistrates

[MrPatrick]

So I scrapped a car, sent off the V5 and moved out of the house I shared my my ex girlfriend in September last year.

Exchanged a couple of texts with her last week and it turns out I 'have some mail'.

I have just got this mail and its a series of letters from the DVLA saying that they haven't received notification of a change of owner, followed by another threatening court action, followed by a 'Requisition' to appear at a magistrates court.

The magistrates date was 13/04/2012.

I will be phoning the DVLA tomorrow, and I assume the magistrates too. However I was wondering if anyone could help me with what I can expect to happen.

The maximum penalty is £1000, I'm assuming that they will have found me guilty in my absence and levied the maximum fine given that I didn't even acknowledge the forms, let alone return a plea...

Thoughts?

[labman]

Re: Missed DVLA Requisition letter to Magistrates

It is very unusual for the scrap yard not to deal with that side of things there and then. They should have a direct link to the DVLA computer. I would start by checking with them to see what happened regarding the reporting of the vehicle being scrapped.

Failing that, a letter to the DVLA explaining the circumstances will normally see them back down. Ask if they would accept a Statutory Declaration that the V5 was sent to them.

[bluebottle]

Re: Missed DVLA Requisition letter to Magistrates

Knowing the DVLA numpties, they've probably mislaid the paperwork at DVLA. I would follow Labman's advice and check with the vehicle dismantler to whom you transferred your car at the end of its life. If the dismantler is an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF), they should have a direct computer link to DVLA.

One question I have, though, is did the dismantler provide you with a Certificate of Destruction? If so, they have a direct link to DVLA. It would be a good idea to send a photocopy of that to DVLA.

[MrPatrick]

Re: Missed DVLA Requisition letter to Magistrates

Thanks for the answers.

I didn't take it to a scrap yard, they came and collected as it wasn't starting and wasn't taxed/insured etc. I signed them a receipt and got one myself, I then sent the V5 off.

Foolishly I've got no idea where the receipt I got is now (bin probably, I've moved house twice since then), and I haven't got the faintest who it was that I got to come and collect it, not expecting this to happen I wasn't really paying much attention to it all.

I'll phone them all today and come back with more info once I have it.

[bluebottle]

Re: Missed DVLA Requisition letter to Magistrates

Please note that anyone who disposes of end-of-life vehicles must be registered with the Environment Agency. Ask the dismantler who took your vehicle away if they can let you have a Certificate of Destruction.