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#Post#: 103825--------------------------------------------------
Car tax fine > HMCTS > DC recovery - how will this pan out
?
By: user701137 Date: December 26, 2025, 1:11 pm
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Afternoon all,
I would appreciate some thoughts from the wise heads at how this
situation detailed below will likely pan out please. I accept
that my tardiness is ultimately to blame for this situation but
we all mess up from time to time due to other more important
things going on in our lives and I would like to know my chances
at blagging my way out of this. ;)
Back-story :
- Secondhand vehicle purchased 24/6/24 and change of keeper done
electronically on the day into my name and current address at
the time. (V5C shows this date as the last change of keeper
date).
- Letter from DVLA received some time after 7/7/24 (date of
letter) reminding me to tax it.
- Fresh V5C arrived the following week after receiving the
reminder letter.
- SORN declared online 30/7/24 and I have the email receipt with
reference number still on file.
- Vehicle not used on public roads during nor after these
events.
I was only living at that address between May and 21/8/24 before
moving permanently. No other letters about the car were
received during that period.
As the car was (and still is) offroad and SORN in the same place
as it was in summer 2024, I had neglected to file a registered
keeper change of address (same for my DL) until 7/6/25 at my new
address. Vehicle status is still SORN and hasn't changed.
November 2025 I receive through the mail at my current address
(and in my name) a Notice of Enforcement from a DC company
stating a HMCTS Financial Imposition Warrant of Control from a
court hearing date back in February 2025 with a total amount
payable of £430. Nowhere on the letter does it say what it
refers to beyond a court fine and not being aware of any issues
I naively rang the DC to enquire about the matter, giving them
my name, current address and confirmed receipt of said letter.
They were extremely vague and obstructive as they asked me to
give me my DOB and previous address(es) which I refused to do.
There was quite a tense stand-off as they refused to tell me
what it was regarding until I had passed their "security checks"
to which I responded I don't have to pass anything, because
afaik I am not aware of any court cases and thus the onus is on
you to prove you have the correct person and tell me what it's
all about.
After some back and forth they relented a little and asked me if
I knew anything about a [car make and model] and an address
[where I used to live]. Both of these were a match but as they
were still refusing to tell me what it was about I said I had no
knowledge of either as this just seemed to be a fishing exercise
at this point ::) . The conversation was ended and I said I
would ring the court to find out more, so I did. The court
admin person asked the same name and address details, which I
provided them with (my current address). Court said there's a
problem as the details I have given them do not match the
records they have on file so cannot discuss it further, you'll
have to revert back to the DC for more info, but she did tell me
it was car tax related but wouldn't divulge anything further as
"it sounds like there's been a mix-up somewhere".
Meanwhile, I ring back the DC and inform them of this
conversation and likely "mix-up" but they still refused to tell
me anything. They asked how long I've lived at my current
address so I said approx 18 months. They said to investigate
they would need to see a copy of my tenancy agreement or CT bill
and also the same from my previous property. I attached a copy
of this year's CT bill and also the AST from the previous to
last property (both in my name) but they are now claiming that
this is insufficient evidence to revert the case back to the
court.
==
I am working on a number of assumptions here :
1. this seems likely to be a fine from a late SORN declaration
(I don't know because they won't tell me!)
2. the DC have obtained my current address from DVLA who, given
their business, will no doubt have an account with him to find
out regd owner details and addresses. My updating of the V5C
with my current address in June 2025 has presumably put me back
on their radar.
3. I assume the HMCTS data "mismatch" they refer to is probably
because they only have my previous address on their case
paperwork, not my current address.
Possibly relevant additional info :
4. I have a contact who works in a legal capacity (not motoring)
and he said he would look-up the case for me on the Commons
Platform for the courts. I gave him the HMCTS 9 digit reg no,
Hearing Court details, date of Hearing, my name and my DOB and
it's coming back as no details found (!)
5. my DL was also registered at the same previous address before
I changed it to my current address on the same date I changed
the V5C.
6. I have no finances registered at my current address, nor
either of my 2 previous addresses ie. if the DC were to check my
credit reports they would not find any record of me at my
current address (although of course I have since given them this
over the phone) nor my 2 previous addresses. My thinking here
is that if they can't find evidence of the address where the
fine was served on my credit report then that may throw them off
the scent trail. I don't believe they know my DOB anyway.
My questions are :
a. in these cases has the court effectively sold the debt to the
DC company and washed their hands of it and don't care if the DC
get the money or not, or is the court still enforcing it and
have to power to impose an arrest warrant if you don't pay it or
can categorically prove that it isn't yours? Does the DC have
to respond back to the court with progress updates and feed back
any evidence from the "defendant" or is this nonsense?
b. I've read that car tax related fines are considered civil
matters rather than criminal matters and also for such a low
amount then an arrest warrant would never be issued. Is this
true or urban myth?
My current feelings are to keep communication channels open via
email (after sending them the docs they requested) but to call
their bluff and await their next move. You can't SORN a vehicle
without the latest issued V5C ref no. and that took about 2
weeks to land after filing the change of keeper - so around the
2nd week of July. Personally I don't think it's the crime of
the century to not file the SORN declaration until the end of
that month, but the rulez is the rulez..
I am willing to give the DC the run-around until they get bored
and give up as it appears they have very little to go on beyond
"AB12CDE Ford Focus was rgd to John Smith at x address and now
AB12CDE is rgd to a John Smith at y address, ergo it's the same
person, even though John Smith has said he knows nothing about
said Ford Focus nor the previous address", however my concern is
what - if anything - happens at the HMCTS end? Would they just
write it off or would they issue an arrest warrant and have the
police opening my door at 5am with their big red key?
I don't have any vehicle at the moment other than the one in
bits 100 miles away.
I welcome your opinions on how you think this will pan out if I
continue down this "don't know nuffink about it guv" road.
Thanks.
#Post#: 103826--------------------------------------------------
Re: Car tax fine > HMCTS > DC recovery - how will this pan
out?
By: fraser.mitchell Date: December 26, 2025, 1:36 pm
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This forum is for council and Transport for London penalty
charge notices (PCNs) served for parking and minor traffic
contraventions. It is based on civil law.
Your case comes under the criminal law and needs moving to the
Speeding and other criminal cases forum.
I have reported this to the moderator
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