I sold my old bike, part exchange through a well known high street bike shop, and parted with a wad of cash for a very shiny, one previous owner, shiny shiny red VTR.
Call me fickle but I really was not thinking of my trusty, but knackered old ZZR600.
In the shop, im itching to get my hands on the key. First stop, my brothers house to make him insanely jealous.
But before that, there’s the paper work. I vaguely hand over the V5 documentation. I remember saying “should I do that bitâ€. The nice chap with the keys just said he’d sort it all out.
Roll forward a couple of years. I’m married, new house and gorgeous baby girl. The VTR is still sweeet.
Then I try to set up a joint bank account and find none of the banks will let me. I didn’t even want credit!
It turns out I have a CCJ against me, brought by the Dept for Transport for non payment of road tax and no SORN declaration received.
Because we had moved house we never got the letters and were not there when the bailiffs turned up!!!!!!
Of course, I never got the summons either. The DVLA just kept on plugging away at the old address.
So, I was “tried in my absenceâ€. Got a CCJ and a 6 year black spot on my credit record.
Anyway, Ive just been to court today with N244 form and cheque for £65 in hand, told my story to the Judge and got the CCJ deleted.
Having taken advice,,, I thought I had a good case,,, I thought I could sort it out.
BUT if the judge had been in a bad mood it could have gone the other way.
I would still have had a CCJ against me. God knows what my mortgage payments would have been. Move house, forget it. The wife would have loved that.
The moral to the story,,, don’t forget to send off your V5 documentation! Big brother is watching and apparently “trying me in my absence†is quite legal because its up to me to keep the DVLA informed. Its my fault if their database does not show my current address and that I am no longer the registered keeper of the bike.
So,,, I guess Id better do that then.
A cautionary tale
A cautionary tale
red is the fastest colour;)
its changed somewhat now.
the onus is now on the person whois selling the bike to send off the documentation, that way if you don't,the fines come thro to you!
you are however still responsible to keep the address correct should you move house, but you'd need to do that anyway when you tax it each year....
the onus is now on the person whois selling the bike to send off the documentation, that way if you don't,the fines come thro to you!
you are however still responsible to keep the address correct should you move house, but you'd need to do that anyway when you tax it each year....
Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
teh DVLA are muppets. Always always always make sure they know what vehicles you own and where you live. Otherwise, you can and will get done for road tax at least and driving offences for a vehicle you no longer own at worst.
There's no guarantee it will go away either when the error is explained.
Glad to hear your situation turned out ok and a good reminder to everyone.
There's no guarantee it will go away either when the error is explained.
Glad to hear your situation turned out ok and a good reminder to everyone.
Voted most likely to be found dead in park bushes following an act of autoerotic asphyxiation.
Vaguely related topic......
I got one of the new (expensive) MOTs for the car this week. Decided to do the road tax on-line. Amazingly it worked brilliantly and the disc arrived within 48hrs.
Bit of a result really, given the usual tales of nightmares from DVLA!
I got one of the new (expensive) MOTs for the car this week. Decided to do the road tax on-line. Amazingly it worked brilliantly and the disc arrived within 48hrs.
Bit of a result really, given the usual tales of nightmares from DVLA!
She's my idea of beauty and thats what I ride.