Think i may be in a spot of bother with this model of what a government organization should be. I went to SORN the sierra that i have stripped and was not aware of the law that if a vehicle changes hands on a SORN it no longer applies to that vehicle, and has to be re SORN'd at the new address. So today i found out via an automated voice thing that sounded a cross between a welshman scot and an indian (not a joke), that it should have been done in march when i acquired it not when the SORN that the previous owner had on it (30/9/08), which is why i was on it today.
Ive not really been able to shine any light on it using the website all you seem to do is chase a never ending series of loops, but what i did find out was that they "check their records monthly." If this is the case why wasn't i informed 5x seeing as i got the v5 through on the 18/3/08. It not as if im trying to avoid paying the phone bill FFS.

Also would it be in my interest to declare the vehicle dismantled?

What can i do next when i get a letter through and possibly a fine?

Any help much appreciated

John

[Edited on 25/9/08 by focijohn]

Don't know the answer to your question, I'm afraid, but you may need to prepare an answer for the question " how did iy get from where it was SORN'ed to where it is now?

John

Trailered

I've found the best policy with the DVLA is to just be honest with them. Ring them up and tell them you weren't aware straight - be proactive about it and tell them before they tell you. Hopefully you will find that they will take a logical approach to it and sort it out without a fine - after all you have found out by trying to renew it on the annual date you thought was applicable so clearly (to me at least) havent deliberately left it.

I think I'm going to compile a letter or a email tonight stating this. Like i said it was only a fone call and even if i did have to pay i would have still done it!!! As to ringing all i got for 20 minutes was an unclear voice recorded menu maze.

I'd write and send it (with the SORN application unless you've done it already) to your local office. They'll likely just file it but then if anything happens you can refer them back to themselves and they'll no doubt get lost in the paper maze!!!

The error you made you see was trying to apply logic to the DVLA. You would have thought if a car has SORN status it would continue to have it until road tax is applied for!!!! Who cares if it moves......?

I had similar problem, I just wrote to my MP giving her all the facts my letter was forwarded to dvla by her I received a letter stating that after consideration they had decided not to persue, I then sent in the v5 telling them it was scrapped but kept the vin plate and number plate, it just wasn't worth the hassle
Tony

This just doesn't make sense. If you buy a car with road tax remaining, the tax is automatically transfered when you send the V5 in to the DVLA for updating to your details. The next time you hear from the DVLA is when you have to renew the tax or Sorn the car. Why should it be any different on a Sorn?. You don't have to re tax the car when you buy it unless the tax has run out, and yet it seems you do with a SORN.
Should you be daft enough to drive your car on a sorn, then if caught the fine will go to you because your name is down as the regisitered keeper and not the previous owner. So I repeat, why the need to re sorn????
I know the DVLA do some strange things sometimes, but this is creating work just for the sake of it. It's just plain daft.

If there was a problem, surely you would have been notified by now of an impending fine (they certainly don't waste time if you miss renewing your road tax by as much as a day!!)

I'm in the same boat as you as I too bought a car in March to restore which had been sorned by the previous owner. I have heard nothing from the DVLA about having to re sorn it.
Irrespective of who owns it, the vehicle of registration No. xxxxxx is SORNED.

I'd be very interested in how you get on. Please keep us updated.

Cheers

Dave

My donor wasn't sorn'd at all. no problem with DVLA when it came to register the kit.

i've always gotten a form when i've bought a sorned car.

Basically a tick box and send cheque etc to tax or tick the other one to declare sorn!

I always wondered why it doesn't transfer. And why do they need to know where its kept? Do they make spot checks . If they do and say cars at a spray shop what happens then?

[Edited on 25/9/08 by johnston]

My thoughts exactly, its SORN'd end of they know it is, i know its a pile of bits now in my shed with the No plates in my room since i have owned the vehicle, where can it possibly go. If you daft enough to use it on the road then ....... speaks for its self.
As on the previous page I'm trying to make sense of the DVLA. Suppose its just another way to have a bigger and better xmass bonus/party for them all???
The problem is today when i used their never ending answering machine message system was the first i knew that it should have been re done in march, and as for speaking to someone PHA! If i knew before hand i would have got straight onto it simple suppose its easier for them just to sit around and then when i come forward to do what i think is right then they raise their heads!!

[Edited on 25/9/08 by focijohn]

I recenlty declared my Laguna as SORN. It was only by chance that I realised it wasn't. I put the details in here DVLA Vehicle Check and it came back as unlicensed. As soon as I got the tax reminder, I went to the PO to declare SORN. However, as it was before the date that I could apply for the new tax disc, it was too soon to apply for SORN. So, dispite having a reciept from the PO, the car was not on SORN!!!
As it happened, I popped back to the PO and they put it right. Clowns.

You can in theory declare SORN online if the system is in a good mood or you have the tax renewal form with the reference number.
Tony

link to sorn

[Edited on 26/9/08 by mad-butcher]

When I bought my mondeo, I left it about a month from buying until I got round to SORNing it online. When I did SORN it, the automated system gives you a message something like 'You haven't kept your SORN up to date as the previous one expired on change of ownership - you are lible for a fine of up to £5000. Do you want to continue and SORN the vehicule?' I did continue and now have the relevant documents, and haven't heard anything since about the fine.
Regards
Hugh

Make sure you state in any letter you write that since purchase the car has not been driven on the road and that as the purpose of purchase was for use as a donor in a kit car it was trailered home.

Sounds obvious, but it's oft overlooked!

Ok I've been onto DVLA.

Chap I spoke to was very businesslike.
I sorned the car with him. Explained that it was a genuine mistake on my part.

He advised me to write to my local DVLA office (Nottingham) and explain the circumstances to them and wait for them to advise if I'm to be fined or not.

Depending on how the mood takes them, I could be in for a £40.00 fine plus road tax (historic car so at least the tax will be nil) or a wrap on the knuckles for being a numpty!!
If it goes pear shaped, I'll be on to my MP

It still seems over officious to me!

I'll keep you posted

Dave

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dave J

It still seems over officious to me!

---

well they have been in touch with me and there was no mention of a fine and was stated that :
"If the authorities contact you it would be necessary to explain to them how the vehicle remained untaxed and unsorted for such a relatively long period." i can post the whole message if ppl would like to see.

Hopefully it wont go any further.

Yes in the email i mentioned that i have had it stored off road since i have owned it and i have personally stripped it and will be used towards a kit car!!

Feeling a bit better now