Tag: DVLA

How Much? DVLA auction results reveal most expensive private number plates

Private number plate H1NDU was the most valuable registration auctioned off by the DVLA last year with one eager driver forking out £112,010 plus fees to acquire it.

The plate was one of thousands sold across nine DVLA auctions during 2023 with British motorists spending millions to grab them.

Private plate experts from Absolute Reg scrutinised the DVLA’s auction results to reveal the agency received £43.3 million from the sales of personalised number plates for the financial year 2022/23.

Most of that cash is transferred to the treasury making the sale of number plates a growing earner for the taxman.

Big money plate H1NDU was one of two registrations auctioned by the DVLA for over £100,000 each during 2023, along with 1 DEO, which had a final hammer price of £106,090.

With fees factored in the final sum paid for these plates is considerably higher. On top of the hammer price each plate attracts a seven percent surcharge plus VAT and an additional £80 transfer fee.

DVLA data shows that the government is making increasing sums each year from the sale of private number plates online.

The amount of cash raised has increased each year, almost doubling since 2016 when 12,419 plates were sold for a total of £22.8m.

By 2020 that sum had grown to just under £34m from the sale of 14,259 plates and the upward trend shows no sign of slowing down reaching £43m by last year.

Plates make solid investments with those spelling out religions, acronyms, initials, names or hobbies growing in value each year.

Many motorists also purchase plates to hide the age of their car or to display prestige. Three figure plates sold for tens of thousands last year, including 42 O with a final hammer price of  £96,670 and 5 PS which had a hammer price of £73,010.

The DVLA has run nine actions in the past year, each helping to reach the total sale cost of £43.3 million. This year will see another nine auctions take place, all online.

Jake Smith, Director of Absolute Reg said: “Sales of personalised number plates in the UK are booming, and the DVLA auctions mean British motorists are contributing millions of pounds of additional revenue each year to the taxman.

“Unique and ultra-flashy plates come at a high cost, with many motorists willing to spend over the odds for the most sought after mix of numbers and letters.

“The plate H1 NDU came at a very high cost to one keen motorist who paid over £100,000 to secure it.

“Plates with initials and one number always come at a high cost to motorists, some of the most expensive for 2023 were 42 O and 5 PS.

“When it comes to personalising your car, there is no better way than to have your own personalised registration. Many Brits also buy them as gifts for loved ones, some with funny acronyms and personal jokes.

“These super elite registrations come with a level of prestige many drivers are willing to pay for. If you are willing to invest, you may just get your hands on one of the top selling plates of 2024.”

The DVLA’s top five most expensive plates from 2023:

  1. H1 NDU – hammer price £112,010
  2. 1 DEO – hammer price £106,090
  3. 42 O – hammer price £96,670
  4. DEO 1S – hammer price £80,010
  5. 5 PS – hammer price £73,010
  6. 67 O – hammer price £72,910
  7. 82 O – hammer price £70,000
  8. 46 O – hammer price £58,500
  9. 51 O – hammer price £57,000
  10. BSK 1 – hammer price £53,010

For more information on how to secure your own personalised registration plate, visit https://absolutereg.co.uk/

Motorists warned of potentially deadly eye condition

Motorists have been warned about a potentially dangerous eye condition that distorts vision and adversely affects night-time driving.

Motoring experts at LeaseCar say thousands of Brits could unknowingly have an eye condition which causes difficulties with vision at night posing a safety risk on the roads. 

t is thought that as much as 40% of the adult population could be affected by Astigmatism, which occurs when either the eye’s cornea or the lens behind the cornea isn’t as round as it should be.

Astigmatism is an eye disorder which causes blurry or distorted vision, both close up and at a distance. 

Research suggests the condition could be on the rise as overuse of electronic devices can both bring it on and make it worse. 

Those who suffer from the condition commonly have a harder time seeing clearly at night because it increases sensitivity to glare and halos around lights, such as headlights or streetlights. 

This can affect motorist’s ability to perceive road signs, other vehicles, and potential hazards as well as making it harder for them to detect subtle changes in the road.

The experts are calling on anyone who experiences difficulties with night vision and thinks they could have the condition to head to the opticians.

Not only does failing to address the condition increase the chance of causing an accident on the roads, but it could also lead to hefty fines and penalties for motorists. 

If it is determined bad vision is a factor in a driving accident, motorists will be fined £1,000 and have three points on their licence if they had not notified the DVLA of their condition prior to the accident. 

In more serious cases, failure to notify about vision loss or sight issues could even result in a driving ban. 

Those with the condition may require glasses or contact lenses to correct it, but in more extreme cases doctors could need to use surgery to treat astigmatis. 

The DVLA says motorists must wear glasses or contact lenses every time they drive if they need them to meet the ‘standards of vision for driving’. 

Tim Alcock from LeaseCar.uk said: “It is extremely important that any motorists who think that they could have an eye condition get to the opticians and seek treatment. 

“Common symptoms of Astigmatism include trouble seeing at night, blurry, hazy and double vision, as well as needing to squint to see clearly. 

“With an estimated 40% of the adult population suffering from the condition, anyone with the symptoms should avoid driving until they have been checked out. 

“It is very dangerous to drive with any condition which impairs vision as it puts the motorist and other road users at risk. 

“The condition is particularly dangerous for drivers as the days get darker because it increases sensitivity to glare and halos around lights which affects being able to see the roads and potential obstacles. 

“It is also important that the DVLA is made aware of any condition that affects the ability to drive safely because if a motorist is involved in an accident and it is found that the condition was a contributing factor, they could be prosecuted and their insurance invalidated.”

Diabetic drivers need to declare condition, says insurance experts

A leading Insurance comparison website is warning that many motorists with diabetes risk a hefty fine if they fail to declare the condition to the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA).

Quotezone.co.uk also warns that policies could be void and claims disputed if diabetic drivers have not declared the disease to their insurer – and that includes those newly diagnosed.

As the pandemic-induced lockdowns forced people to alter their lifestyles with the closure of gyms, restricted exercise and reported spike in fast food takeaways – elements which can increase a person’s chances of developing the disease – it may lead to a surge of people being diagnosed with diabetes.

According to research from Manchester University, the first lockdown in April 2020 led to diagnosis rates falling 70% on the 10-year average.  

It estimates that more than 45,000 type 2 diagnoses were either missed or delayed between March and July alone, creating an imminent surge in new diabetes patients as things slowly begin to open up. 

Diabetes UK states that there are nearly five million people with the disease in the UK: 90% with type 2, 8% with type 1 and the remainder with rarer types. The charity predicts diabetes could rise to five and a half million by 2030 and 13.6 million are at risk of becoming type 2 sufferers.

The charity shared the following advice to show the various levels of restrictions for drivers with diabetes:

  • Those who have suffered a severe hypoglycaemia (hypo) attack at the wheel or while awake in past year-stop driving and tell the DVLA straight away.Driving licences will be revoked but can be applied for again after three months. Severe hypo attacks do not need to be declared if sufferer experiences it asleep.
  • Prescribed insulin – apply to the DVLA for a restricted licence – one to three years. Temporary insulin users do not need to tell the DVLA.
  • Medication that can risk hypos –a severe hypo while awake in a 12-month period, stop driving and tell the DVLA. Driving licence will be revoked, but can be reapplied for 3 months later.
  • Other diabetes medication or new exercise and diet – no need to tell the DVLA.

The penalties for not declaring a medical condition can result in a £1,000 fine and the risk of prosecution if the driver is involved in an accident.  

In addition to diabetes, motorists with heart issues and other conditions such as epilepsy, sleep apnoea, strokes should visit  the DVLA’s website for more information.

Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk, comments:  “A serious medical diagnosis on top of the fear of losing transportation and independence can be devasting. On a more positive note,  many conditions and medications won’t impair driving, which the DVLA and insurers recognise.

“However, anyone whose condition or medication could affect their driving needs to keep the DVLA up to date. It won’t necessarily mean a permanent loss of a licence and many successfully reapply when their condition is managed and the risk declines.  It is however essential that all drivers are properly covered with an accurate policy, to protect themselves and other road users.

“If a motorist sees their premiums go up due to the insurer’s updated risk assessment, and it looks like they might be priced out of affordable insurance, they should shop around for new quotes – insurance comparison websites are a good place to start.”

Quotezone.co.uk is one of the country’s leading price comparison platforms, helping over 3 million users find a more competitive deal each year on everything from car insurance and motorbike insurance to caravan and motorhome insurance. 

Sharp rise in DVLA scams

DVLA has revealed a 20% rise in scams reported to their contact centre, with 1,538 reports about suspected vehicle tax scams during the last 3 months of 2019.

DVLA has released pictures of some of the cons being used by scammers to trick motorists into handing over their money.

It comes as new figures show a 20% increase in scams reported to DVLA, with 1,538 reports made to agency in the last three months of 2019.

The reports of suspected web, email, text or social media scams were up from 1,275 in the same period in 2018. DVLA has released the images of recent scams reported to help motorists be aware of what to look out for and issue a clear warning that if something offered online or by text message appears too good to be true, then it almost certainly is.

Scammers are targeting unsuspecting customers with links to services that don’t exist and messages of tax refunds, all of which are fake.

The reports also show that driver and vehicle documents are for sale on the internet. DVLA is advising anyone with concerns about any calls, texts, emails or suspicious activity online, to always report these to the police via Action Fraud immediately.

DVLA chief information security officer David Pope said: “We’ve released examples of real life scams to help motorists understand when a scam is at work. These websites and messages are designed to trick people into believing they can access services that simply don’t exist such as removing penalty points from driving licences.

“All our tax refunds are generated automatically after a motorist has told us they have sold, scrapped or transferred their vehicle to someone else so we don’t ask for anyone to get in touch with us to claim their refund.

“We want to protect the public and if something seems too good to be true, then it almost certainly is. The only trusted source of DVLA information is GOV.UK

“It is also important to remember never to share images on social media that contain personal information, such as your driving licence and vehicle documents.”

A spokesperson for Action Fraud said: “This can be a stressful time of year, sorting out finances for the year ahead. Fraudsters are aware of this and are using different ways to trick people.

“Taking a couple of minutes to familiarise yourself with a few simple online safety tips can be significant in protecting yourself from becoming a victim of online fraud.

“You should always be cautious when sharing personal information online and avoid being scammed by only using GOV.UK for government services online, such as the DVLA.

“If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, please report it to us.”

Tax It Or Lose It!

DVLA is back on the road targeting motorists across the UK with a communications campaign that has a clear message for those who take a chance on not taxing their vehicle – tax it or lose it.

The campaign is targeting the 20 regions of the UK where vehicle tax evasion is higher:

Area Total enforcement actions in 2019
Belfast 78,501
Birmingham 61,531
Bristol 24,747
Cardiff 28,857
Coventry 23,739
Doncaster 17,885
East London 26,005
Edinburgh 24,779
Glasgow 34,375
Leicester 23,174
Manchester 34,106
Newcastle 22,996
Northampton 18,729
North London 24,766
Nottingham 26,134
Peterborough 23,271
Romford 18,325
Sheffield 30,467
South London 29,336
Swansea 18,237

During 2019, DVLA took nearly 590,000 enforcement actions in these 20 regions against the keepers of untaxed vehicles.

The campaign will focus on showing the real consequences to those who don’t tax their vehicles – from penalties and fines to clamping, and ultimately losing their vehicle.

A giant clamp is at the centre of the campaign images, making it clear that DVLA takes action against untaxed vehicles on streets across the country every day, just like those in the image.

DVLA doesn’t need to spot an untaxed vehicle on the road to take action, but any vehicle spotted on the road that isn’t taxed, or is wrongly declared SORN, risks being clamped or impounded by one of DVLA’s enforcement teams. These teams travel in vehicles equipped with number plate recognition cameras, and are based around the UK to take action against untaxed vehicles.

DVLA’s Chief Executive, Julie Lennard, said: “The number of untaxed vehicles on the road is falling, but we are determined to reduce this even further. We operate a range of measures to make vehicle tax easy to pay and hard to avoid, so there really is no excuse if you fail to tax your vehicle.

“While the vast majority of motorists do the right thing and tax correctly, this campaign highlights the real consequences that motorists face if they don’t tax their vehicles.”

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “While the vast majority of motorists abide by the law and tax their vehicles correctly, high-profile enforcement campaigns like this are needed to make sure the consequences of not doing so are fully understood.

“This DVLA campaign gives a very clear warning of the action that will be taken on untaxed vehicles. Having your vehicle clamped is expensive and inconvenient so it’s far simpler to make sure you tax it.

You can easily check when your tax is due using DVLA’s vehicle enquiry service on GOV.UK: all you need is your vehicle registration. It’s also really important to tell DVLA straightaway if you move house, so you don’t risk missing the reminder letters that DVLA sends to all vehicle keepers.

When DVLA clamps an untaxed vehicle the motorist is charged a £100 release fee. If they cannot show that the vehicle has been taxed when it is released the motorist will have to pay a surety fee of £160. This is refunded if the motorists can show the vehicle has been taxed within 15 days.

If the release fee is not paid within 24 hours DVLA impounds the vehicle and the fee rises to £200. There is also a storage charge of £21 per day. Again, a surety fee of £160 must be paid if the motorist cannot show that the vehicle has been taxed.

Private parking companies and the DVLA

Why it’s YOU that’s in the wrong in the eyes of the law:  an insight from law specialists at Thorntons 

There is a common misconception that private parking companies have no legal recourse to pursue drivers for parking fines incurred while using their premises, but the truth is a little more complicated.

In the past, Scottish law has been unclear on the matter, but it is important that motorists are aware that not only is there very definite rulings in favour of the parking companies, but they also have access to DVLA records to track down infringers and begin proceedings against them.

Parking tickets

Parking tickets issued by private companies in private car parks are not fines, they are classed as Parking Charge Notices. This is different from Penalty Charge Notices which are issued by council traffic wardens and the police. Penalty Charge Notices are regulated fines, backed by legislation.

When you park in a private car park the terms and conditions of the car park must be clearly displayed along with a warning of the charge payable for failing to display a ticket/permit or overstaying. If the terms and conditions of the car park are clearly displayed and you park in that car park, you are agreeing to those terms and conditions.

You are entering into a contract with the car park operator. If you fail to adhere to the terms and conditions of the car park you may be issued with a Parking Charge Notice.

Failure to pay a Parking Charge Notice will result in the car park operator pursuing you for the sum contained in the charge notice. The car park operator will allow you an opportunity to pay and may permit you to enter into a payment arrangement. If you ignore or refuse to pay the Parking Charge Notice the landowner or car park operator can take legal action against you.

In order for the parking company to succeed at court they must establish, on the balance of probabilities, who was responsible for parking the vehicle. This differs from the approach in England where legislation exists holding the registered keeper as accountable for payment of Parking Charge Notices irrespective of whether they were the driver of the vehicle.

Failing to pay these tickets once issued can be seen in the eyes of the law as a breach of contract and the car park operators can then take the offending motorist to court to recover their losses. A recent example of this would be the Dundee woman who was ordered to pay a staggering £24,000 in fines racked up over a period of months that saw her ignore over 200 separate tickets. 

Data protection

The other issue with private parking tickets is just how they attain drivers’ information to issue the fines in the first place, but once again, the law is firmly on their side.

Far from being a breach of data protection regulation, gaining the information necessary from the DVLA is a simple process that anyone, not just the parking companies, can take advantage of for the sum of £2.50.

The DVLA will only give out this information if the requestor has reasonable causes. There are multiple examples of these listed on the DVLA website including finding out who was responsible for an accident, tracing the registered keeper of an abandoned vehicle and tracing people responsible for driving off without paying for goods and services, but crucially, giving out parking tickets is also on this list.

This means it could be difficult to bring a claim that a breach of the data protection legislation has been made when a parking company uses the DVLA to track down a motorist who they wish to issue a fine towards.

The only other condition which a private parking company needs to satisfy to get the information is that it must be a member of either the British Parking Association or the International Parking Community. These organisations are essentially not-for-profit trade bodies.

What should you do if you are issued with a Parking Charge Notice

If you have been issued with a Parking Charge Notice and were the person responsible for parking the vehicle, you should pay the fine.

If you have been issued with a Parking Charge Notice but you were not driving the vehicle at the time, you should explain this to the landowner or car park operator. They may ask you to prove this and state who was responsible for parking the vehicle.

If you have been issued with a Parking Charge Notice and you followed the terms and conditions of the car park you should explain this to the landowner or car park operator. Mistakes can happen and if you have been issued with a Parking Charge Notice when you clearly have a ticket displayed, keep your parking ticket and send a photocopy of it to the landowner or car park operator.

If you are unsure of your options when issued with a Parking Charge Notice or court proceedings have been raised against you, seek legal advice at an early stage.