F-ing DVLA 😡😡😡

[GoodnightGrandma]

Applied for DS’s provisional on-line back in the summer. Money taken out, then nothing.
About 4 weeks ago I finally got to speak to someone after trying hundreds of times. She said we should have had a letter, she’d send another. Nothing.
Tried ringing again, ‘we’re really busy so push off’ message.
What can I do, I want to complain to someone who will listen 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

We have a tiny update. DS provisional tracking has now changed from overall status "in progress" to overall status "completed". And says says licence should be here "within 6 WEEKS."

DVLA are an absolute fucking joke since covid. I tweeted them and told them so many times whilst waiting for my dd’s licence and got a shitty sorry for the delay message back. If you have a valid passport and can do it online it will come in days/weeks because it is all computerised. If your passport has expired or you don’t have one and it has to be processed by hand be prepared to wait months. They are still trotting out the Covid excuse and have been working from home for the past two years, which doesn’t work when you have to deal with paperwork sent to the office by customers. Waited months for a replacement licence for dd when she lost, hers purely because her passport ran out a month before; dh received his in 3/4 days because his passport was in date. Purposely renewed ds’ passport before applying for his provisional and got it in around a week or so. Last I heard, a friend had been waiting over 6 months for her ds’ provisional. Poor lad couldn’t even start lessons until it arrived. No idea if it’s eventually turned up or if he’s still waiting for it to be processed. Absolutely abysmal Government department to deal with.

@mum11970 I have tweeted dvla a couple of times but never had a reply. Our MP has been in touch with DVLA on our behalf and he was promised an update by Friday just gone. I wondered if that is why the status has recently changed.

Here's hoping postman pat delivers it some day soon.

@GoodnightGrandma

To whom and how do I make a complaint?

I’m so stressed 😡😡😡

I tweeted with no reply.
Go on the DVLA website and look for the complaint page.
Make sure you put dates and your application number.

We moved in June and DH immediately did the change of address form online which also told him to return his old licence at once.
He got the new licence in December. (After much chasing)

Google ‘DVLA complaints’. It will take you to a YouGov site.
Go down to ‘making a formal complaint step 1’ then find the green writing that says ‘contact our complaints team’ and hit it. Then follow the procedure.
Write about how long ago you applied, how many times you’ve phoned the helpline with no answer, say that you’re disgusted with the service etc.
We got a message saying we’d hear about our complaint in 24 hours but it actually was a couple of days before we got an email.
Hopefully if they get enough complaints they will get their arse into gear.

Please ‘quote’ me if you want a reply from me . Thanks.

@GoodnightGrandma thanks very much

At long last, the provisional finally arrived. Now the stress and worry really starts.

Our local authority is still working from home ‘due to Covid.’. You can’t contact anyone, despite hundreds of attempts. They just don’t pick up the phone.

Then they should get a boot up the backside, along with any other organisation that still doesn't have it's act together.

I work in the public sector. I have IT provided so I can work from home. Initially I was given a basic mobile phone to take calls on, and that gave our IT section time to sort out a VOIP system, which works great.

And while laptops were in short supply initially, there were other solutions. EG, some of us in our organisation were put on furlough initially due to a reduction of work at the start, which created a space for setting things up for wfh. When I returned to work, I was given a desktop PC (the "tower" was quite small and sat on the back of the monitor, took up hardly any room). We were also given a one off small allowance to get bits of kit that might be tricky to retrieve from the office, including things like computer chairs, etc.

I now have a laptop, enabling me to attend the office more easily if required (we're not going back full time). Kept the large monitor, which attaches to the laptop.

DVLA have had plenty of time to come up with a proper plan and back up plans, including how to deal with post for those wfh.