For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
By avtur3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1837092
My Triumph Spitfire has now turned 40 years of age so it's time to change the taxation class to (tax-free) 'Historic' from (payable) 'PLG'. Historically this change has been fraught with problems, but over the years the process is supposed to have improved.

According to anything I can find on the internet making the change from PLG to Historic has to be done in person at a Post Office, however, once changed the annual renewal can be done on-line.

I trotted off to the Post Office this afternoon, (a counter within a local branch of WH Smith) unfortunately the computer said 'no'. There was no question about the documents I had provided, all were accepted, but either there was something wrong with the computer system or the person trying to operate it. It was suggested I try on-line, but all information I've seen clearly states the change has to be done in person. So we ended up in something of a stalemate. The only option I was given was to return when there was a manager was on duty.

This may be a long shot but wondering if anyone has dealt with this themselves recently.

TIA
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1837093
If you have stalemate with the DVLA best bet is to trigger the complaints system, that's how I got my driving licence renewal sorted out last year.
By avtur3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1837099
johnm wrote:If you have stalemate with the DVLA best bet is to trigger the complaints system, that's how I got my driving licence renewal sorted out last year.


I'm trying to avoid dealing with the DVLA because that will have to be via post and there are horrendous delays in their systems at present.

I've already fired off a note of disappointment to the Post Office, quite frankly don't expect that to achieve anything. The Post Office has always struck me as a rather second-rate, unprofessional organisation that is unresponsive to anything to do with customers.
#1837100
avtur3 wrote: The Post Office has always struck me as a rather second-rate, unprofessional organisation that is unresponsive to anything to do with customers.


They don't have that great a track record with their sub-postmasters either.

Rob P
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By avtur3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1837102
Rob P wrote:
avtur3 wrote: The Post Office has always struck me as a rather second-rate, unprofessional organisation that is unresponsive to anything to do with customers.


They don't have that great a track record with their sub-postmasters either.

Rob P


I know, that is one of the most shocking mis-carriages I've ever seen, it really puts me off using the PO unless I have to. Even worse that no one in the Post Office has ever been held to account about it. :evil:
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1837127
I don't remember having to do anything with our Morris Minor Traveller except fill in a tax renewal form with nil paid. However we sold it before tax discs disappeared so I suspect something may have changed since....

Just realised that if I'd kept this it would be 40 years old :shock:
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By avtur3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1837135
Very nice, Fords of that era are making big money these days, much sought after by folks wanting to re-live the days of cars that their dad's had. Now many of those offspring have the disposable income to indulge, and so the prices rise.
By avtur3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1837402
Flying_john wrote:Find a bigger P.O in a larger town as when I changed my MGC to historic there were no issues with the counter staff.


It was a large counter in a town centre, chosen for that very reason. I was making the application within days of the 40th anniversary of registration, but after much more research it appears there is some fine detail that I had missed in the process to go tax free.

In case this may be of interest to anyone at a later date I'll explain what I've found out about the process of going MOT exempt and tax free.

Going tax free and MOT exempt have been harmonised to both be available to vehicles at 40 years of age on a rolling year basis. However, they are two separate processes which work in different ways. MOT exemption is by self declaration, the PO counter staff simply check that that vehicle was registered over 40 years from the date on the V5 using a very simple declaration that the keeper signs.

Tax exemption is a function of treasury rules and its rules are different to the DVLA rules on MOT exemption. The tax-free status for each year comes into effect on 1st April for vehicles that were 40 years old on the prior 31st December. The Post Office computer works off the date of first registration, in my case 20/03/81, which on the face of it falls outside the treasury rules (for this year), which is why my application was declined. When you get deeper into the treasury rules they refer to both date of registration and date of build, therefore if I can provide evidence that my car was built on, or before, 31/12/1980, then I qualify for tax exemption from 1st April (yesterday).

It appears that exemption based on build date can only be determined by DVLA, and it is for the keeper to provide evidence of the build date. Unless you want to get very heavily involved in the process the main source for build dates is the British Motor Museum in the Midlands. They can provide (for a price) a certified document, which is acceptable to the DVLA (I think it is called a Heritage Certificate) showing the build date.

As my car was registered in March 1981 there is a good chance it was manufactured in the late weeks of 1980, I've ordered my Heritage Certificate and can only wait and see what the build date turns out to be.

In the mean time I've taxed the car, at cost, for 6 months with an MOT exemption in place (it will be fully checked by an MOT inspector in the next couple of weeks) and hope resolve the build date/tax exemption issue in the coming weeks.

The car had been SORN'd, since last December, so now I'm legal for a drive whenever I wish to.
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By MikeE
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1837406
Many thanks Avtur3, that's interesting. I do hope the Heritage Certificate supports your application. I still have my 1962 mini MOTd even though it isn't needed, partly to have it checked over for mechanical soundness and partly to show the insurance company that it was sound should any claim arise.

Any pics to add to Johnm's and Flying-john's very pretty examples?

Good luck!

Mike
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By avtur3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1837450
Here she is, I've had her nearly 10 year and drive hood down just about all the time, probably less than 5% of my mileage has been hood up, great fun. I often find people wanting to tell me stories about the Spitfire they had "when they were a lad", the stories almost always end with a girl and marriage :lol:


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