DVLA During Covid

[Hedd_Jones]

Has anyone any experience of the DVLA during Covid? Are they processing stuff as normal, or are they on stop?

I've got a car here that I need to recover the number for, and I've been putting it off since September. 

The car is currently in one piece (which is necessary for the process), But as its got to the point where I could now start the resto and could take it to bits. 

So I need to bit the bullet and get the paperwork done and sent off (assuming one of the club signatories is also happy to assist in the current climate).

I'm just concerned that the DVLA might all be on Furlough and my paperwork goes missing. 

Does anyone have recent experience?

[Howard Wright]

Hi Hedd

Can’t help much but during lockdown one virtually everything stopped, but once it got going registrations of classics and vintage cars were the last thing back on stream. My papers for the special were sent off in May and only came back towards the end of August.

Now, apparently 500 staff have tested positive for COVID and there is a bit of a problem with unsafe working conditions. According to some sources the technology being used is so out of date that very few can work from home.

Cheers

Howard

[Steve Jones]

They pretty much stopped all but things that could be done on-line early last year but, slowly, re-started in the summer. Things like age related and re-claimed registrations slowly came back mid/late summer but there was quite a back log to clear. However, towards the end of the year they were working near normally. Regretfully, as Howard says above, they now have a significant COVID outbreak and are being questioned regarding working conditions and virus precautions so I imagine things might be slowing down again.

Certainly, historic registration work is something they can only do office based.

Steve

[dickie65]

I got an Imported car registered during the first lock down, It took a long time and a couple of phone calls to get it all sorted, the car came into the country pre Nova which meant that I had to apply for a self import Nova. I also had a special number plate allocated at the time.

So they were working slowly.

[Hedd_Jones]

Sounds like If I can get the assistance from a club then it might be worth going for it. Or at least as soon as lockdown is eased

[Nigel Ricardo]

I sold my RN last July, the car was shipped to Jersey but was going to be registered to the purchaser's parents address in The New Forest, in October I received the licence application so renewed it online for the new owner, in December I received a letter from the Motor Insurance Board that the car was uninsured ( most probably insured in Jersey ). I wrote to DVLA explaining that in July I took the car to Poole for it to go to Jersey, I had sold it and could prove the sale as the purchaser paid by bank transfer etc . 2 weeks ago I received a letter from DVLA to say they had removed my name from the ownership.

[MartinH]

We deal with DVLA regularly on behalf of two (non Austin 7) clubs. Following the standstill during the first lockdown things have now returned to normal for both v55 and v765 applications; taking 2-3 weeks. There has been some news of the DVLA office having significant Covid infections among staff but it doesn't seem to of slowed things yet.

[Hedd_Jones]

I got a V765 through in 4 days last spring. Pre covid

[Edgar Lowe]

Changed my address on my Austin got my new V5c 7 days after sending the old one.