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Tuesday 03 March 2020 11:36 am

DVLA says excuses for not paying car tax include too many chickens and looming jail time

By: James Booth

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(Getty)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) said today that excuses it has received for not paying vehicle tax included their van being full of chickens.

The agency said that inventive excuses it had received for nonpayment included:

  • “I’m about to start a prison sentence, so is there any way you could hang on to my ice cream van for six months ‘til I get out?”
  • “I would’ve taxed my van but my bitter ex put four live chickens in it.”
  • “I know it was untaxed, but I didn’t think you’d clamp cars in a heatwave.”
  • “I forgot to tax it as I was looking after the kids [aged 19 and 26].”
  • “I couldn’t tax my car as I’ve had man flu and have been stuck in bed for four weeks.”
  • “I would’ve taxed the car, but you clamped it so early in the morning [the car was clamped at lunchtime].”

DVLA chief executive Julie Lennard said: “While we know that the vast majority of motorists tax their cars on time, there are still some who choose not to.

“Taxing your car is so easy to do online, so there really is no excuse – even if it is filled with chickens.”

The DVLA said it sends reminders to motorists when their vehicle tax is due. It motorists can also check their vehicle’s tax status on the DVLA’s website.

Read more

Lawyer struck off for using fake AI evidence in his own disciplinary case

The SRA has criticised law firms that handle high-volume consumer claims for poor practices

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