My father is 55 years old and has been driving car and riding motorcycles since 1974 when he passed both tests. He has never had any driving offences of any kind in that entire time.
He has been working in and around the motor trade since 1974 even when he went to work for the NCB as a shaft man/ fitter. He has held motor traders insurance for about 15-20 years and had to show his licence to the brokers to prove his entitlement to the insurance.
He NEVER had a problem until he had an accident in 2003 when his transit van was totalled while on his way to nottingham. His green driving licence was lost in the accident as well as money and other items from his wallet.
He applied to the DVLA for his new licence which had to be the new photo licence. He filled the paperwork and sent it off. It came back a few weeks later and he noticed they hadn't put his car entitlement on the licence. He rang the DVLA and they said not a problem, send it back with a cover letter and it will be rectified. Well he did that and his licence came back few weeks later, Still without his car entitlement.
He rang the DVLA again and spoke to a manager and they said it seems to be a mistake on our system. Send us a copy of your pass certificates and we will rectify the problem. My father tried to explain that he took his test in 1974 and they didn't have photocopiers at that time. The manager then asked him to go to the test centre that had conducted his tests and see if they have a certificate to prove hi entitlement. My father then tried to explain the test centre had been closed for a number of year and still He took his test in 1974.
Well the manager continued to try and help and said if you can supply us proof you had this entitlement you can have it back. Well my father spent a month tracing any old employers that he had worked for. He asked them to proved him a letter stating if they had seen his licence and what entitlements were on it. He sent these into the DVLA and they STILL refused the entitlement and asked for a copy of the licence.
Well I finally got sick of talking to the DVLA. I went direct to my local police station and showed them the pile of paperwork he had got and what's the problem is and they said they had checked the licence details and it shows that I had PRE 1990 licence and my entitlements were A C D E. They said not to worry and if you have any problems to refer the DVLA to them. Most of the police know where we live as when he got stopped a 15 years ago they had an arrest warrant for a Melvyn Booth. It was only because the policeman knew who my father was and where he lived that he let him carry on.
He then went back to the DVLA and told them what the police said and the person He spoke to said that they DON'T BELIEVE THE POLICE. In fact the DVLA said that they would be instructing the local police station to investigate my father for having a fake licence. This has NEVER happened
Well He has carried on doing his business and carried on with his motor traders insurance and the police station has always been happy when He has been asked to produce his documents and the police have always checked his licence details and they have been correct.
That was until yesterday (27th nov) when he was involved in a minor accident and he went to the police station to report the accident. He was asked to produce his paperwork as always. Because he couldn't produce his licence yet again, the police carried out their checks again and NOW I suddenly have got entitlement to drive a car. The police then threatened him with impounding his pick up truck that I purchased for him because he didn't have a licence. They then decided to allow a friend of my fathers to come collect the vehicle and put it on my father drive.
This situation is now STOPPED my fathers ability to do what he does (car servicing and MOT runs) and also take my 85 year old uncle to his hospital appointments. HE cannot do anything. He is now getting totally stressed out with this whole situation and he is actually being held GUILTY
Following this problem, I have been searching about this problem and there has been NUMEROUS (too many really) of peoples entitlements either going missing when licences have to be updated or entitlements have been given that the licence holder hasn't took a test for. It's getting totally out of hand and the DVLA will not accept they made a simple mistake.
THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND QUICKLY
He has been working in and around the motor trade since 1974 even when he went to work for the NCB as a shaft man/ fitter. He has held motor traders insurance for about 15-20 years and had to show his licence to the brokers to prove his entitlement to the insurance.
He NEVER had a problem until he had an accident in 2003 when his transit van was totalled while on his way to nottingham. His green driving licence was lost in the accident as well as money and other items from his wallet.
He applied to the DVLA for his new licence which had to be the new photo licence. He filled the paperwork and sent it off. It came back a few weeks later and he noticed they hadn't put his car entitlement on the licence. He rang the DVLA and they said not a problem, send it back with a cover letter and it will be rectified. Well he did that and his licence came back few weeks later, Still without his car entitlement.
He rang the DVLA again and spoke to a manager and they said it seems to be a mistake on our system. Send us a copy of your pass certificates and we will rectify the problem. My father tried to explain that he took his test in 1974 and they didn't have photocopiers at that time. The manager then asked him to go to the test centre that had conducted his tests and see if they have a certificate to prove hi entitlement. My father then tried to explain the test centre had been closed for a number of year and still He took his test in 1974.
Well the manager continued to try and help and said if you can supply us proof you had this entitlement you can have it back. Well my father spent a month tracing any old employers that he had worked for. He asked them to proved him a letter stating if they had seen his licence and what entitlements were on it. He sent these into the DVLA and they STILL refused the entitlement and asked for a copy of the licence.
Well I finally got sick of talking to the DVLA. I went direct to my local police station and showed them the pile of paperwork he had got and what's the problem is and they said they had checked the licence details and it shows that I had PRE 1990 licence and my entitlements were A C D E. They said not to worry and if you have any problems to refer the DVLA to them. Most of the police know where we live as when he got stopped a 15 years ago they had an arrest warrant for a Melvyn Booth. It was only because the policeman knew who my father was and where he lived that he let him carry on.
He then went back to the DVLA and told them what the police said and the person He spoke to said that they DON'T BELIEVE THE POLICE. In fact the DVLA said that they would be instructing the local police station to investigate my father for having a fake licence. This has NEVER happened
Well He has carried on doing his business and carried on with his motor traders insurance and the police station has always been happy when He has been asked to produce his documents and the police have always checked his licence details and they have been correct.
That was until yesterday (27th nov) when he was involved in a minor accident and he went to the police station to report the accident. He was asked to produce his paperwork as always. Because he couldn't produce his licence yet again, the police carried out their checks again and NOW I suddenly have got entitlement to drive a car. The police then threatened him with impounding his pick up truck that I purchased for him because he didn't have a licence. They then decided to allow a friend of my fathers to come collect the vehicle and put it on my father drive.
This situation is now STOPPED my fathers ability to do what he does (car servicing and MOT runs) and also take my 85 year old uncle to his hospital appointments. HE cannot do anything. He is now getting totally stressed out with this whole situation and he is actually being held GUILTY
Following this problem, I have been searching about this problem and there has been NUMEROUS (too many really) of peoples entitlements either going missing when licences have to be updated or entitlements have been given that the licence holder hasn't took a test for. It's getting totally out of hand and the DVLA will not accept they made a simple mistake.
THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND QUICKLY