Traded my old car in last october, sent slip away to tell them about change of ownership, heard nothing. Letter in yesterday to say car is not insured, and only way out of it is to send confirmation slip I recieved from DVLA for transferring ownership.

This line on the letter is the winner ‘If you did not recieve confirmation, you are still liable for the offence‘ 😯

Short and curlies, any point contesting this, or suck it up?. I think I know the answer.

Send them a letter explaining the situation.
Then answer any reply accordingly.

Yes it is worth arguing, there is lots about this on various forums.
They tried a similar thing on me a few years ago but they eventually went away when I pointed out that I complied with my legal requirements by posting the slip off, its not my problem if they lost it etc..

Yeah keep arguing. I’m sure there must be a DVLA specific version of the phrase ‘You must kiss a thousand frogs before you find the real prince’.

Yes keep pushing. The letter is just sent out automatically by computer.

Thanks, I’ll give that a go.

Argue… I had an issue with them re: VED due shortly following a write off, they tried to fine me for not buying, I said please take it up with the insurer, it’s their car now. They relented, though technically they didn’t have to.

Keep arguing and don’t feel intimidated by them. A relative of mine purchased a new car back in March last year from a dealership in Newcastle but they live on the Isle of Man so the car’s insurance was through a broker over there. The DVLA kept sending them threatening letters about the vehicle not being insured and even when they sent the DVLA the insurance certificate they claimed it wasn’t valid because it wasn’t a UK one. Took them months to sort it out but eventually the DVLA backed down.

Yes it is worth arguing. Couple of threads on this on bike chat forums (motorbike) once you have sent it via post its up to THEM to prove you didn’t send it.
I had this in 2012, had the usual threats of we will take you to court blah blah. Nothing has ever come of it.

Back in 2006 same thing and I did get taken to court, sat round a big table and it was decided id done my bit and this was a complete waste of everyone’s time. The DVLA were made to reimburse my travel costs to court.

Write them a letter telling them to go f*ck themselves. Do not be bullied by these mugs.

It’s a good idea to follow up with them if you’ve not had a reply after a month.
I did this with a motorbike and they said just send a letter saying that you’ve sold the vehicle and that will sort it.
They send out a confirmation they’ve received it and you’re no longer the registered keeper.
Might be a bit late for you now though.
I’d write them a letter…

Worth arguing. They tried this a few years ago with me, funny that they’d processed the other slip that was in the same envelope…

I sold a car years ago to a dealer. Filled in the necessary gubbins and sent it off. I got a refund back for the unused VED. Then a few months later I get a letter saying I hadn’t told them I’d sold it and they were fining me. Told them to go forth and multiply and if I hadn’t told them then why did they send me a cheque for the VED. They passed it on to debt collectors. Told them the same story and never heard anything since. That’ll be about 8 years ago.

Customer just retired from work, bought new car traded old one in for a newer model, garage then resold his old car , and it was involved in a serious hit and run, Police knocked on his door and interviewed him.

He didnt let on he had just retired as an inspector in the traffic police, for another county, till they where on their way out.

Definitely challenge, the IT bureaucracy at the DVLA is going bonkers. They have sent similar letter to three of my family when all vehicles were insured, but they ignored the replies and kept upping the fine!! Eventually two got through but my 79 year mother, constantly car insured and taxed for 59 years felt so intimidated she paid the fine, so blinking annoying as we had the docs, insurance company call DVLA etc!!!

They are useless, but you have to tell them.

They wrote off my new car instead of my old crashed one. Then they claimed i had no VED for the old one, yet i was unable to buy any for the new one either because they thought it no longer existed.

I remember getting a threatening letter because my bike was taxed. Apparently if the insurance is out it has to be SORNed. so I SORNed it. Got another letter that my bike was still taxed but uninsured. I sent them a link to this:
https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax
and suggested they check my vehicle’s status on there as they obviously have no other way to access their own records.

They “let me off”.

A wee update.

After a couple letters back and forth, I finally got past the automated responses and got a letter yesterday stating that no further action was to be taken. And to think I was just going to pay it, thanks for the helpful posts above folks.