Have You Tried To Renew Your Vehicle Tax Today?

[Dai Fledermaus]

We deliberately waited until to this morning to renew the road tax on our Renault Megane, which expired yesterday, because I wanted to know how much it would cost us to pay by direct debit.

Despite assurances that their system would cope, The DVLA web site has crashed due to the huge demand on it this morning. I tried to use it at 11.00am only to find that the Direct debit option is NOT available, and when I tried to pay in full by credit/debit card the system stalled.

Well done DVLA!! I'd use a few well chosen Anglo Saxon words to describe it but I know the Mods are watching.

[kc]

Don't you have to do it before the end of the month -not on the first? Otherwise you should have declared S.O.R.N.

Maybe going to a Post Office today is the safest option now? ( not all PO do car tax)

[Ultymate]

Did mine three days ago no problems at all, probably down to last minute panic and ne'r do wells checking out the new system on the website and overwhelming said website

[Bucksboy]

I've used the system for years and it's always been first class. As said before, just overloaded today when people are trying it out. You can tax the car 14 days before and after the first day of the month. Remember, they want your money so they do make it easy to pay.

[John F]

Many have tried to use the DVLA system today but their system has been swamped :

**LINK**

The funny thing is we already knew it would do this. It would seem that every new system always crashes on the first days of use so why does no-one who implements these systems learn, especially those sites which are expected to serve the whole country?

[ericrw]

Or, deliberate non-payers of road tax, feel that they had better start paying, as it`s going to be more easily picked up electronically.

[Braddock, VC]

Well I hope the those who waited till today to test the system fall foul of the cops who waited till today to test their system. Either you are taxed or not so no tax = more money to the exchequer via on the spot penalties.

And it'll serve you right.

I had no problem taxing mine a week or so back, the only issue I have is they charge £2.50 for using a credit card which is highway robbery in my eyes.

I have taken the precaution of printing out my receipt and popping it in the glove box just in case the cops' system crashes.

I just wonder if the tax monitor is linked to the MOT system so that if one allows their MOT to lapse the tax goes down with it. If not current I expect it'll come in as one can have the mot carried out up to 30 days before expiry so there is no gap between mots. Just a thought.

[flyeruk]

You can only use the direct debit option if you tax runs out on the 1/11/14. I tried the website last night but couldnt get on so phoned up and taxed mine instantly.

[Dave Hopkin]

Posted by John F on 01/10/2014 12:41:59:

Many have tried to use the DVLA system today but their system has been swamped :

**LINK**

The funny thing is we already knew it would do this. It would seem that every new system always crashes on the first days of use so why does no-one who implements these systems learn, especially those sites which are expected to serve the whole country?

Its a question of server & network capacity - do you spend a LOT extra to provide the bandwidth and computing power to handle the "day 1 traffic spike" and then have unused capacity OR do you design and implement a capacity that will handle normal traffic levels with a bit to spare and keep costs (your taxes) down?

[Dai Fledermaus]

Posted by Ultymate on 01/10/2014 12:18:18:

Did mine three days ago no problems at all, probably down to last minute panic and ne'r do wells checking out the new system on the website and overwhelming said website

That's a bit judgemental Ultymate if I may say so. I said I deliberately waited until today to explore the Direct Debit option - not an unreasonable thing to want to do. It wasn't a last minute panic. I didn't know the DD option wasn't available until November, although I've been following the story in the Motoring and National Press. I even watched an interview on TV recently by the guy who runs the DVLA and he made no mention of it. As it happens we have another car, so I didn't have to use the Renault today.

Exactly what is a "ne'r do well" in the context of this story anyway?

[Wiltshire Flyer]

Did ours at 8am, was ok but slow.

[avtur]

Posted by Colin Ashman on 01/10/2014 16:59:12:

..... . I even watched an interview on TV recently by the guy who runs the DVLA and he made no mention of it. .....

 

The guy from the DVLA seems only to want to tell us about the £10m that will be saved on printing and postage costs from not issuing discs. Since when did a £10m item (in terms of government spending) deserve a mention, it is not even peanuts in the scheme of things.

What the guy from DVLA is conveniently forgetting to tell us about is the additional revenue generated by the double charge for 1 month for almost every second hand car sales transaction that will take place in future. This isn't a one off benefit it will continue as long a VED exists. I've heard one commentator suggest this gain will be in the order of £90m per year.

The rounding off to full months for a refund (when selling) and back charging to the first of the month (when buying) is a blatant double charge. With all the technology why do we have to round to the nearest month?

To be fair about the online renewal system I used it a 6pm yesterday (30/9) and it took less than a minute to complete the transaction.

Edited By avtur on 01/10/2014 17:37:20

[Peter Miller]

Are you all awaare that if you sell your car the new owner has to re tax it at once, the tax does not go with it. NOR DOES IT TRANSFER to your new car.

Now that is a real rip off. You pay for a years tax, you car gets written off. You then have to tax the replacement .

I wonder if you would be allowed to cancel the direct debit? I doubt it.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Andy48]

Not a rip off at all.

You get a refund for full unused months when you sell it or scrap it or it gets written off.

Part of one month will be taxed twice, but apparently 60% of all car sales were sold without a valid tax disc.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Codename-John]

Posted by Andy48 on 01/10/2014 20:23:15:

Not a rip off at all.

You get a refund for full unused months when you sell it or scrap it or it gets written off.

Part of one month will be taxed twice, but apparently 60% of all car sales were sold without a valid tax disc.

the new system is the rip off, you are not able to pass on any remaining tax if you sell your car, you have to cancel the tax and the buyer has to tax it immediately, as you can only purchase or refund whole months, the WHOLE of one month will be taxed twice for the same vehicle

[avtur]

Posted by Codename-John on 01/10/2014 22:51:55:

the new system is the rip off, you are not able to pass on any remaining tax if you sell your car, you have to cancel the tax and the buyer has to tax it immediately, as you can only purchase or refund whole months, the WHOLE of one month will be taxed twice for the same vehicle

I agree and that is the interpretation that most people seem to have given what I've read on a number of motoring web forums.

What I can see happening is that some people will buy cars and take a chance not taxing it straight away and then submit their new owner documentation to the DVLA starting the first of the following month. DVLA will then see a gap between the sale date (as notified by the previous owner) and the date notified by the new owner, that gap is permissible IF the new owner/keeper is willing to declare SORN status for that period of time. I expect that some people will try it on, it will be interesting to see how the DVLA deal with that.

Detection will only occur "if" the vehicle is seen on the road during that untaxed period, likely to be one or two weeks. Apparently the DVLA only have a dozen enforcement vehicles themselves (for the UK) so the chances of being spotted by them are quite remote. The more likely detection will arise from ANPR equipped police vehicles, I'm not convinced that the police will see taking action on a vehicle which is out of date on road tax by a a few days as a high priority item.

[avtur]

 

Posted by avtur on 02/10/2014 05:50:08:

Posted by Codename-John on 01/10/2014 22:51:55:

the new system is the rip off, you are not able to pass on any remaining tax if you sell your car, you have to cancel the tax and the buyer has to tax it immediately, as you can only purchase or refund whole months, the WHOLE of one month will be taxed twice for the same vehicle

I agree and that is the interpretation that most people seem to have given what I've read on a number of motoring web forums.

What I can see happening is that some people will buy cars and take a chance not taxing it straight away and then submit their new owner documentation to the DVLA starting the first of the following month. DVLA will then see a gap between the sale date (as notified by the previous owner) and the date notified by the new owner, that gap is permissible IF the new owner/keeper is willing to declare SORN status for that period of time. I expect that some people will try it on, it will be interesting to see how the DVLA deal with that.

Detection will only occur "if" the vehicle is seen on the road during that untaxed period, likely to be one or two weeks. Apparently the DVLA only have a dozen enforcement vehicles themselves (for the UK) so the chances of being spotted by them are quite remote. The more likely detection will arise from ANPR equipped police vehicles, I'm not convinced that the police will see taking action on a vehicle which is out of date on road tax by a a few days as a high priority item. A good reason to stop and ask questions certainly, but if everything else is in order I'm not sure that enforcement action would result if the tax was only a week or two out of date.

I should say that I am not in anyway advocating such behaviour and would not condone it, however I'm applying a degree of pragmatism which I believe is likely to occur in the real world.

 

Edited By avtur on 02/10/2014 05:57:22

[Codename-John]

Posted by avtur on 02/10/2014 05:50:08:

Detection will only occur "if" the vehicle is seen on the road during that untaxed period, likely to be one or two weeks. Apparently the DVLA only have a dozen enforcement vehicles themselves (for the UK) so the chances of being spotted by them are quite remote. The more likely detection will arise from ANPR equipped police vehicles, I'm not convinced that the police will see taking action on a vehicle which is out of date on road tax by a a few days as a high priority item.

Have you not noticed the extra little white Cameras being put up on routes in and out of towns, stuck to the side of lamp posts etc, I wonder what they might be for

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

There was a piece in the paper the other day about ANPR cameras only being 96% accurate....nationally the system reads some 30 million number plates per day.....

I agree about the rip off that you can't transfer the tax.....so if you sell the car on the 15th of the month you can only claim back from the start of the next month whilst the buyer has to tax it from the beginning of the month.....should generate a few quid for the Exchequer. Talk about having your cake & eating it..... surely it wasn't beyond the wit of the Government to design a system of vehicle tax that you paid daily....

And ayway it should be placed on fuel so those who use the roads most, pay the most.......I do around 30,000 miles a year & my car tax is £30 a year.....my wife has an older car & only does about 5,000 miles per year but her car costs £175 a year to tax......Go figure as the Mericans say.....

[Ben B]

If you buy a car how are you supposed to instantly road tax it? As an aside I taxed my car online Tuesday evening at 11pm - took 45 minutes!

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

I wonder if you are allowed to drive a newly purchased car home without Tax.....or could you tax it before you pick it up from the seller I wonder....that wouldn't help if it was a private sale & you bought it as soon as you saw it & drove home though would it....

Have to say I've always found the online system to work well.....one tip is to pay using a debit card & avoid the credit card surcharge

[Ben B]

I think the whole thing is disingenuous. They say the new system will prevent purple from buying a car and driving off without realising it doesn't have road tax. But there is an easy way of finding out in tha circumstance in days gone by- you could just look at the tax disc. What are you supposed to do if you borrow a relatives car now? Assume it's taxed? Not trust them and go online to check? And in that circumstance if it transpired it wasn't taxed what happens- points and a fine for the driver despite the fault not being their own???

[Bob Cotsford]

Credit card charges - the credit card companies charge businesses to use CCs so is it unreasonable for a Government dept to pass this charge on? The alternative would be that it is built into the tax then everyone not paying by CC would be paying extra.

No transfer on sale of vehicles - that double charge really is small beer in terms of national budgets, but what it does mean is that scumbags can't buy cars with 12 months test and tax and drive them for a year with no insurance. Seems to me that is A Good Thing. It was a widespread problem in some areas and difficult to police.

If you change your insurance you are subject to admin charges, we all accept this, why should road tax be any different?

Never thought I'd see the day I defended ANY government action!