Thanks for the support and advice. I am not 100% sure regarding the V5 check. The guardian article and the DVLA person seemed to suggest a V5 check was not required by an ATF. AI overview suggests they do. In all of the reports an ATF has been the source of the error. I sent my evidence email this morning at 9am and I have not received any acknowledgement from the DVLA. They state it takes 48 hours before they will even acknowledge the email has been received. How long will my application take? You will get a response confirming receipt of your email within 48 hours however the full investigation will take 6 weeks. No further advice can be provided within the above timescale. While DVLA are carrying out the investigation the vehicle will need to be kept off the road. It is crazy that you can just lose the use of your vehicle like this. No warning, no letters, nothing. I have owned the car since 2015. Even the dog the impacted. He can't go to the forest because my car is the dog taxi!
From a Reddit thread Someone will have incorrectly produced a COD. (Cert. Of destruction) An easy way to check is bang the reg into free car check, if it comes up not available for most of the characteristics its been cert. Destroyed. The check to produce one is cross referencing the last 6 of the chassis against the reg. Often, these are done by employees who produce 1000's of them and don't really care as to validation. Unless you've ticked someone off that works in an ATF. You need to speak to DVLA and demand they tell you which ATF registered the COD. They may give the run around and say they won't, keep pushing, and do not let up. You go to the ATF and send them an email along the lines of Beleive you have incorrectly produced a COD. Here's info on the car please reverse it. Be nice. If no joy crank up the heat and offer to make the local council for their area aware. (Control over their ATF licence) Go from there. Don't bother with the DVLA process you send all the images in the world, they come back saying they can't do anything. It might sway them into giving the ATF details though...
Posh name for a scrapyard! An Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) is a government-licensed site required for safely scrapping vehicles, ensuring proper depollution and recycling (over 95% of the vehicle) to meet environmental regulations. They are authorized to issue a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) for DVLA
The thing is if you keep using it and get pulled by the filth they will seize the car and then you have a new set of problems. This country is great at screwing you from every angle.
If this does not get resolved what can I do with the car? It can not be scrapped, because it is already scrapped. So far my options are: 1. Bury it in the garden. 2. Turn it into statue or memorial. 3. Turn it into an Air BnB for anyone who wants to spend the night in the back of a Volvo. Maybe I could enter it for an appearance on George Clarks Amazing Spaces. Still no response from DVLA even acknowledging my email.
Its seems to me clearly a typo that has been entered, if you are not getting anywhere I would complain! Is a DVLA phone number 0300 790 6801 chase through that? can you find out which scrap yard completed the form? Have you played around with your registration number in the vehicle smart app see if you can find something that is one digit out from you an E for an F etc ... it may not even be a Volvo but im guessing the correct one to be scrapped would have no tax ins and mot markers on the app...
I have been using 6802. Will try 6801 next time. I need to find out the scrap yard responsible, they might not tell me, or they might not know until they start their investigation. Tried a few different registrations in the vehicle smart app. Found a scooter with no MOT and SORN'd with one letter difference, (Y instead of T - adjacent on a keyboard) but I am not sure if this really helps. I have raised a formal complaint via the DVLA and I have just emailed by local MP.
couldn't see, have you also logged it with the police got an incident number or better got someone to investigate it for you. Id say you can't be expected not to use your car, you /we pay enough for it, perhaps they could put a marker on PNC to confirm your information. At least that might mean you can use the car, you can carry your insurance and licence with you until its sorted, cash the tax returned and re tax it? All the time I would be keeping a tab on what it has cost you ie when they cancelled the tax you lost part of a month, when you retax it you may lose part of the month. travel and visits to police etc, time to create emails letters. must all be part of your claim.
The DVLA emailed requesting an additional picture of the stamped chassis VIN. I had originally provided the VIN in the windscreen and VIN plate but I could not find a stamped VIN. After some searching and the magic of you tube, the stamped VIN is under the drivers seat carpet. You have to slide the seat back and lift a flap to find it. At least the DVLA email contains an email signature with the name of someone in the Vehicle Team. No direct phone number or email though! I joined a DVLA complaints group on Facebook and found a guy who had the same problem in August 25. It took 3 weeks to resolve and he received £130 compensation only after complaining to the ombudsman.
Maybe mentioning in your next email that you have been advised to contact the Ombudsman might encourage the DVLA to speed up?
I’ve had a read over the thread but unfortunately it’s not an issue I have any experience with so I can’t help WRT to how to resolve it. @andyb seems to know what he’s talking about though. I see there’s a couple of suggestions re: suing the DVLA for any losses caused by their screw up. Unfortunately however, as a general rule you can’t sue for pure economic loss (ie: lost earnings or the cost of hiring a replacement) arising out of negligence, although you can sometimes recover damages for breach of statutory duty, but that would depend on what duty has been breached and how that duty is worded in the legislation (it’s a complex area and not really suitable for general advice). I hope you sort it out. Sadly, incompetence and lack of accountability seems to be the default state in most public services and corporations these days.
