Forgot to SORN car, no insurance penalty

[johnny2007]

As per title.
Apparently if you keep the car in your garage taxed, you must have insurance even if you don't use it.
I didn't know this and being sent a £50 fixed penalty notice.
WTF!?!?
Why do I have to insure a car when it's kept in a private place???
Anyone else knew about this?

 

[Mottie]

Yep.

Rules are, if it’s not insured, it must be SORNed. You would have then received an automatic refund on any unexpired complete months of road tax.

You can do it the other way round - road tax expires, you must still SORN it but it can remain insured in case of fire or theft.

You’re lucky it was only £50 - it could have been more.

"Your vehicle is off the road if you do not keep or use it on a public road, for example if it’s in a garage, on a drive or on private land. You must make a SORN in any of the following situations:
your vehicle is not taxed
your vehicle is not insured (even for a short time, for example because there’s a delay renewing your policy)"

When you need to make a SORN

How and when to make a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) to stop taxing and insuring your vehicle, including when the SORN is valid, penalties and rules for motor traders.

www.gov.uk

 

[norseman]

News to me. I know of two people who, for different reasons, have a car that's still taxed but not currently in use.
Both are on private property, but because the VED is zero in one case & only £20 in the other neither owner has bothered to SORN.

To the best of my knowledge neither person has received a penalty notice to date.

 

[ETAF]

yep, we almost had this problem , it was only because the garage told us to sorn , cant remember the details - i think it was TAX would run out before fixed because of parts , and off the road , but the garage did mention if not sorn, then a fine may result , we did not get the problem , that was a few years ago ....

 

[johnny2007]

Now, my question is: would I get a fine for every day I was uninsured, so 5 days from the first penalty?
Or they just do one?

 

[ETAF]

i'm assuming you have now sorn the vehicle -

Vehicle insurance

Rules on what motor insurance you need, what to do if you're in an accident, insurance for driving abroad, penalties for uninsured vehicles and drivers.

www.gov.uk

 

[johnny2007]

i'm assuming you have now sorn the vehicle -

Vehicle insurance

Rules on what motor insurance you need, what to do if you're in an accident, insurance for driving abroad, penalties for uninsured vehicles and drivers.

www.gov.uk

Yes, I have.
Immediately after opening the penalty letter.

 

[robinbanks]

Both are on private property, but because the VED is zero in one case & only £20 in the other neither owner has bothered to SORN.

Doesn't make sense, because you then have to pay for insurance. Better to SORN it and not have to buy insurance unless these cars are at risk of fire/theft.. In which case it still makes more sense to buy the insurance and not buy tax.. What am I missing?

 

[Mottie]

If the car is sorned but you still want it insured for fire and theft, you can get what’s called 'laid up' insurance.

 

[robinbanks]

I know about laid up insurance (even have some), I'm just not sure why someone would voluntarily continue to pay VED on a car that is not used on the road

 

[Mottie]

I know about laid up insurance (even have some), I'm just not sure why someone would voluntarily continue to pay VED on a car that is not used on the road

Forgetfulness maybe? Or it might be that it’s peanuts, our Audi is only £30 a year and it’s not like you’ll get much back of you SORN it. I don’t think there’s an option for monthly payments at that yearly rate so it’s not like you are continuing with payments.

 

[Notch7]

As per title.
Apparently if you keep the car in your garage taxed, you must have insurance even if you don't use it.
I didn't know this and being sent a £50 fixed penalty notice.
WTF!?!?
Why do I have to insure a car when it's kept in a private place???
Anyone else knew about this?

So one way of looking at is that you’ve been fined for not asking for a refund.

That does sound bonkers

 

[johnny2007]

So one way of looking at is that you’ve been fined for not asking for a refund.

That does sound bonkers

Exactly!
I was paying road tax and not using the road and they fined me!
They've found every way to extract money from us.
The thieving bastards!

 

[carmanmemoranda]

If its not sorned the system expects the car to be in use on the roads.

Only right that it is insured and taxed if so.

Even if the system does sound clumsy, it helps keep some of the "wrong" cars off the road

 

[JohnD]

Because of the road tax scandal (when you sell or buy a car, both seller and buyer have to pay tax for the month the car is sold), I SORNed my last car on 30th, and buyer bought it on 1st.