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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be very upset we’ve been driving around in uninsured vehicle

272 replies

BlueFairiesinthesky · 05/09/2021 16:49

Just stopped by police with young children in car, very upsetting as was accused of driving an unregistered/ uninsured vehicle.

Our car was purchased new from the official dealership 3 years ago. We’ve had two official services and been insured through legit insurers since. The number plate is wrong by one letter! All documentation has the wrong license number. However the ownership paper does state a different license number, which I assume is the correct one.

Obviously we should have picked up on the discrepancy, my only excuse is we had a newborn at the time!

The police said we’ve been driving around uninsured for 3 years and If we’d had an accident would be fully liable for damage and personal injury.

We plan to visit the dealership tomorrow but just after any advice as I feel really angry about it. I don’t understand how this could have happened and feel really angry that we’ve been driving around at risk.

I don’t think we should drive the car until they can install the correct number plate. Which is an inconvenience. I’ve also paid £650 of useless insurance.

OP posts:
DynamoKev · 05/09/2021 17:18

@Skelator1

Yes don't drive the car. I second called Citizens advise so you know what to do/where you stand/what needs to happen next. I am really surprised you haven't been pulled over before now though!
I am really surprised you haven't been pulled over before now though! I'm not. There are hundreds of obviously illegal vehicles around here - we obviously don't have enough Police.
PheasantsNest · 05/09/2021 17:18

@BlueFairiesinthesky Are the MOT and tax for the V5 correct number or the incorrect registration on the car?

Clymene · 05/09/2021 17:18

@LadyPenelope68

Whilst yes, an error has been made, it’s your car and ultimately you are responsibly for checking the documentation is correct and everything matches. You cannot solely blame the garage, you are as much to blame. Plus, having a newborn is a ridiculous excuse for such a major error.
The OP bought her car new from the dealer. It's reasonable to expect they put the right licence plate on it and that the documentation also had the right plate. P
SusieBob · 05/09/2021 17:20

Did the police actually charge you with anything?

The most I think the dealership will do is give you a free set of number plates with the correct reg on them. You might find your insurance can be transfered to the new reg just for an admin fee and you will need to transfer your tax, but you can get a refund on the unused months so that shouldn't cost you too much either.

Yes, it's not ideal but you haven't had an accident so you just need to sort it out and move on.

Original poster
BlueFairiesinthesky · 05/09/2021 17:20

@Miniroofbox I just filled in all the boxes online and it told me to call up, because they couldn’t process it online.

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueFairiesinthesky · 05/09/2021 17:21

@LadyPenelope68 it wasn’t my error though, it was the dealership. They put the wrong number plates on the car. The license numbers look very similar, I would say a lot of people would miss it at a glance.

OP posts:
Chloemol · 05/09/2021 17:23

This doesn’t make sense. When you first insure the car you have to give the number plate. They then confirm with you the make a s model of the car and issue insurance paperwork in that number

Therefore you must have made an error somewhere

SusieBob · 05/09/2021 17:23

It wasn't your error but ultimately you own the car and it's your responsibility to ensure it's legal to drive. When you buy a car one of the things you definately should check is that the licence plate on it matches the V5C.

Reallybadidea · 05/09/2021 17:23

So is the tax under the v5c number or your licence number? Because when you tax your car don't you use the special number on your reminder letter, which will have been based on the details that the DVLA have on record? And this should surely match what's on the v5c?

Miniroofbox · 05/09/2021 17:24

Didn’t you use a comparison site for your insurance?

Original poster
BlueFairiesinthesky · 05/09/2021 17:24

@Fairyliz thank you! That’s really reassuring to hear

OP posts:
LegendaryReady · 05/09/2021 17:24

Surely when you tax or insure it, it would flag up if the reg number you're using doesn't exist/is a different car?

Miniroofbox · 05/09/2021 17:24

And I really don’t understand because when you tax your car you have to put the check letter from the log book in?

luckylavender · 05/09/2021 17:25

@Soontobe60 - of course you tax a car before it's 3 years old. You tax it every year. You don't MOT it until it's 3 years old.

Tara336 · 05/09/2021 17:26

Something similar happened to me, I have a private plate and was stopped for driving uninsured. I have had the plate 10 years had been on this car for 3 years without issue, but for some reason known only to the insurer they had insured my car under the original plate. All my paperwork was correct, what they had it insured under was wrong, luckily the police checked the database and found my car exact make and model insured to my home and told me what they thought had happened. Insurers were real cocks about it tried to blame me until I proved I had the right reg and was there error. When I reinsured this year the rentention team asked why I was leaving I explained and his response was “oh that happens a lot”

LadyPenelope68 · 05/09/2021 17:27

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

GoWalkabout · 05/09/2021 17:27

It's really lucky that they pulled you over and you know now, and no real harm done - you would have paid for insurance anyway. I would go in calm and reasonable to the dealer with an idea of what you want (eg an apology, changing their system so it can't happen again) let them try to put it right for you to your satisfaction. You've had a shock but its ok now.

BeaucoupFish · 05/09/2021 17:27

@BlueFairiesinthesky
Have you checked on DVLA website to see what vehicle your incorrect registration is or if it exists

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 05/09/2021 17:27

Something like a 2 instead of a z?
(This is a mistake we had on a security pass and its really hard to see)

AdobeWanKenobi · 05/09/2021 17:28

If it's one letter different chances are it will be the same make and model of the car so OP wouldn't necessarily notice.

PheasantsNest · 05/09/2021 17:29

www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla

This should tell you if you have a valid MOT and tax and the vehicle information.

Booknooks · 05/09/2021 17:29

@AdobeWanKenobi

If it's one letter different chances are it will be the same make and model of the car so OP wouldn't necessarily notice.
But then it would be flagged as being insured by 2 people or whatever. None of this really makes sense to be honest.
Anonadviceinapickle · 05/09/2021 17:29

I've worked in car dealerships for 20ish years. It happens, it's a mistake and I'm sure the dealership will change the plate for you and apologise. If you incur any costs from your insurer to change the policy they'll normally cover that too.

The service technicians in a dealership will probably be working on 8-10 cars each per day and their priority is making sure the service is done properly and checking the vehicle is safe and roadworthy - I wouldn't expect a service tech to notice an incorrect plate, they might but then you also might have in the last 3 years.

Miniroofbox · 05/09/2021 17:30

If it was the same male and model and insured by someone else they wouldn’t be able to insure the op and she couldn’t claim no claims discount.

TheWeatherWitch · 05/09/2021 17:30

How?

I put my car number into an online insurance company, it tells me the make, vehicle, year and even the colour of my car. Same if you go into an insurance brokers or phone them.

How the fuck have you managed to insure your white Honda Civic for the last three years when the vehicle registration is for a Massey Ferguson tractor or a black BMW what ever?