The DVLA......aaarrrrgggghhhhh

[fatcatvera]

I just need to share some frustration with the DVLA and my ongoing experience with them to register my currently unregistered car....

Mid June I go all the documents together to support registration - letter of authenticity etc etc - ad sent it off.

9th August a package comes back from the DVLA - I hadn't provided correct proof of address. My fault as i had misunderstood their requirements. I'm on hol when this arrives soo...

17th Aug I send off everything again with new insurance cover note, proff of address, everything they need, as confirmed by their help chap on the general advice line - who also advises a 10 day turnaround. Excited I post off the fat envelope.

I wait
I wait
I wait

Monday (10th Sept). My frustration overcomes me and I call the DVLA. I'm told some confusing maths regarding dates but ultimately it means, apparently, that it's unlikley my application has been processed yet and I should call again in two days.

Wednesday (12th Sept) - today - I call again. Now it seems i was misinformed on monday. In fact my application should have been processed by 7th Sept. It has not as they have no record of it. So it's most likely been lost.

Now this causes me an issue. As part of the pack sent to the DVLA is the embossed Letter of Authentication from this club, so I no longer have it. Everything else i can easily send again, but not that.

So I'm going to send the pack off again with photos I took of everything I put in the envelope. God knows if this will actually work or not.

I just want to drive my car......

Yours frustratedly

Ray

[Steve Jones]

I just need to share some frustration with the DVLA and my ongoing experience with them to register my currently unregistered car....

Mid June I go all the documents together to support registration - letter of authenticity etc etc - ad sent it off.

9th August a package comes back from the DVLA - I hadn't provided correct proof of address. My fault as i had misunderstood their requirements. I'm on hol when this arrives soo...

17th Aug I send off everything again with new insurance cover note, proff of address, everything they need, as confirmed by their help chap on the general advice line - who also advises a 10 day turnaround. Excited I post off the fat envelope.

I wait
I wait
I wait

Monday (10th Sept). My frustration overcomes me and I call the DVLA. I'm told some confusing maths regarding dates but ultimately it means, apparently, that it's unlikley my application has been processed yet and I should call again in two days.

Wednesday (12th Sept) - today - I call again. Now it seems i was misinformed on monday. In fact my application should have been processed by 7th Sept. It has not as they have no record of it. So it's most likely been lost.

Now this causes me an issue. As part of the pack sent to the DVLA is the embossed Letter of Authentication from this club, so I no longer have it. Everything else i can easily send again, but not that.

So I'm going to send the pack off again with photos I took of everything I put in the envelope. God knows if this will actually work or not.

I just want to drive my car......

Yours frustratedly

Ray

I don't know what address you sent your first pack to but it's imperative that you use the right one. The problem is that the address shown on the V55/5 form, whilst being the one you should use for a modern car, is not the one to use if you are applying for an old registration number back or applying for an age related number. Sending your pack to the wrong address means that it's transferred to the correct one internally and experience says that that's when things get lost. 

The correct and only address you should use is:

K & R

D4

DVLA

Swansea

SA99 1ZZ

K & R stands for 'Kits and Rebuilds' and whilst that description doesn't relate to your car, it is the Dept. at Swansea that specifically deals with our sort of applications. Different Departments have different Post Codes so it's very important that you get that bit right as well. In addition, make copies of everything you send and send everything 'Signed For'. 

Steve

[fatcatvera]

Thanks for the advice.

My error then is most likely in using the envelope the DVLA 'kindly' included in the returned pack. I used it because the guy dealing with the case 'D Henshall' had addressed the envelope back to himself and I thought that would perhaps speed up my pack's return to him.

I am requesting an age related plate as I cannot have the original as it in use on another modern vehicle.

Because my original embossed Authentication certificate is now lost somewhere in the DVLA ether I will almost certainly need to get another made up as I cannot be certain the DVLA will accept a photocopy of this. Any experience here? 

If I get this wrong again it'll be another 4 weeks before I'll know about it....What a frustrating process.

[andrew34ruby]

I have been dealing with DVLA again and the letter from them gives a name, and a phone number. Phoning a couple of times they have seemed very helpful and understanding. Not quick though.

Two days ago I was told my V5 had been posted to me the day before, so all might be good. On the other hand nothing has arrived here.

[JonE]

The other hassle is that your insurance supplier will not want to continue to give you cover note on chassis number beyond a certain period. I worried about this, but in the end the worry was unjustified.

Get the club advisor - apologetically - to print off the letter again quickly as possible. They know it happens and won't hold it against you!

[Duncan Grimmond]

I waited for 10 months for the registration of a kit car. The original docs were lost somewhere in the bowels of DVLA because of a mis-typed post code and I was very glad I'd copied everything before sending it off

[JohnD]

I was always told never send original documents or paperwork, instead have a copy authenticated at the post office, the teller will inspect both the original & copy and stamp the copy with an official mark for the DVLA, you then retain the original. 

 Not much help now, but worth noting if sending again in the future.

[andrew34ruby]

V5C arrived this morning. It's taken 5 months but the date of first registration is now correct, rather than a date in 1986 when I first got a V5 from them.

Now, can I remember how to add a photo...

[fatcatvera]

Duncan - did they accept copies of the documents - did you need a certificate of authenticity?

Wise words about not sending originals. I didn't even think to get certified copies. You live and learn!

[Geoff101]

Hello,

I had a similar experience with loss of documents on the my recent application for what was effectively just a keeper change (now successfully resolved).

My advice is to raise a complaint through their website. I did so and was contacted by someone from the keeper case team who I was then able to scan and email replacement documents to. It was still an uphill struggle and I had to challenge their first decision as the person at the specialist vehicles team had clearly spent no time looking at the case before passing judgement.

In the end though, they agreed to provide my V5 and just having a direct contact that you could go through made all the difference. Eventually though, all the supporting documentation I sent with the original 'lost' application was returned to me so it clearly was only mislaid.

If you post anything to the general address, it will be at least 4 weeks before it is even opened.

Try to keep your frustration in check when dealing with them and just 'ask for some help' etc.

Having got the V5 in my name, I've now had to send it off again to get the tax class updated!