Blast over car tax changes

Reporter: HELEN KORN
Date published: 20 August 2014


OLDHAM garages say they have been left in the dark over impending changes to car taxation.

Motorists could face big fines if they don’t conform to the new rules from October 1.

Paper tax discs first introduced in 1921 are to be replaced by an electronic version applied for online or at the post office - in line with the government’s general intention to take more day-to-day administration online.

Cars will in future be checked by number plate cameras that track cars in use against tax and insurance databases.

But there is still confusion over car sales and how the new owner can legally drive a new purchase.

A new owner would need to pay the duty immediately on purchase, before driving it home; meanwhile the seller’s money for remaining duty will be refunded.

Optima Cars owner Martin Thomas, says his Chadderton garage has not been informed of any of the changes: “We should have heard something by now — it’s an absolute joke. I”m just having to guess what will happen.

“I guess that if someone buys a car from a private seller or a garage, they’d have to tax it there and then online — otherwise they’d be driving untaxed.

“I think the idea is that no used car will ever be sold taxed. I assume we will still be able to drive around untaxed cars on trade plates.”

Paul Kenny, owner at C & A Motors in Royton, said: “Customers are always saying they will buy a car if we throw in 12 months’ tax. The new rules will put an end to that. They’ll have to tax it themselves!.”

The AA’s Paul Watters explained the changes make handing unused portions of the duty to new owners impossible.

“An insurance check is no longer made by DVLA or Post Office when you tax a vehicle. That doesn’t mean it is legal to drive uninsured. But if you have insured the new vehicle but don’t yet have the certificate, or it is not on the database in time, you won’t be refused a disc.

“Theoretically you should be able to get a car taxed at a Post Office instantly — and the DVLA system should be amended so it can be taxed online too.

“There will be no disc to display so providing it was taxed online or at a Post Office the vehicle will be legally taxed. Though it might be handy to keep the DVLA receipt with you.”

A DVLA spokesman said: “We have sent information to trade bodies such as the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association and the Retail Motor Industry Federation for them to be distributed and shared with their members and customers.

“There is also information on www.gov.uk/dvla/nomoretaxdisc.”

If you have a tax disc with months left to run after October 1, the DVLA suggests removing and destroying it.

A vehicle’s seller is responsible for telling the DVLA of a change of ownership — not the new owner - by filling in a V5C form and returning it to the DVLA.