Aaaaarrrrgggghhhh!

I had a number plate on a V778 Retention Document and I tried online via the DVLA to put on SWMBO's car. The number plate was older than the receiving car, but the DVLA website rejected the transaction and gave a number to call. Called the number and the nice woman I spoke to couldn't understand why it wouldn't work, but said fill in the paperwork and post it to the DVLA. Did that and they wrote back saying they couldn't transfer the number plate as I wasn't the "Grantee" on the V778 form - poppycock, it said "Grantee" my full name and address. Cue a very annoyed me cursing and swearing about the DVLA's incompetence and about to write a very stiff letter telling them to remove their finger from their arse and get on with it.

Anyhow in the interim I tried again online and it worked first time for free no hassle at all. Changed the number plates last night and SWMBO will call the insurers today and tell them. DVLA website says they will post a new V5C logbook for her car showing the new number plate on it - didn't cost me a penny to do it either.

Now fancy writing to them to highlight the error of their ways

They keep telling me to get my personal plate back from a car that was stolen, I have to use a particular form which you can order from the .gov site. Everytime I have ordered it it doesnt turn up because its no longer relevant, and you should use the online form, which I cant do. They also ignored the letter I sent to them about it. Just glad it wasnt worth a lot as I cant see me ever getting it back.

I had similar games with the SORN system...

I got given a scimitar that's been off the road since 1984.
When I got its v5 changed to my name I was told that this then needed a SORN too. (something about the change of registered keeper negating the fact that its been off the road prior to 1998 or whatever the dates meant to be) so I did this and it was all accepted and fine until it needed the SORN renewed for the third time.

It wouldn't accept it on the phone system and after 3 different folk at the DVLA had had a look they eventually decided that it couldn't have a SORN on the database as its been off the road too long and it should never have needed a SORN in the first place yet somehow it allowed me to do it for 2 years

Neither story surprise me sadly

I'm not sure they know one end from the other really.

To ruin it SWMBO phoned the insurers today to notify them (as you're advised to do) and the cheeky thieves wanted £50.00 admin fee SWMBO told them where to go and the fee was dropped to £25.00, which seems OK to me. When the bloke wouldn't budge she told him to F off and she'd put the original plates back on the car - he soon changed his mind!

I thought once you had SORN in place then that was it and you didnt need to do it every year as it used to be?

^^^ that was a few years ago when you had to renew the SORN annually - which never made any sense, it generated lots of paperwork for the DVLA and didn't earn them anything unless you got fined.


The best bit was you could be fined £1000 for not renewing it, but they had no obligation to send you a reminder.....

Well - new plate is on the car front and back and insurance company have noted the change for £25.00.

Double white (front) and double yellow (rear) number plate fixings purchased on eBay to make it look right and job done.