DVLA Very Slow.......... Dam COVID

[Wellsy]

Hi all,

Just wanted to share a little frustration but maybe as a heads up for everyone else. So some will remember I had a medical condition come to light towards the end of last year. Ending up being under Cardiac Investigation and needing a Reveal implanted heart monitor. As such my doctor advised me I need to inform DVLA. As soon as I did this they revoked my license and said I need to wait 6 months from my last episode. October 21st was last episode so 4 weeks ago my doctor confirmed he would sign me fit to drive from April 21st.
Straight away I get the paperwork from DVLA filled it all in and sent back, rang them Friday only to be told, "oh it takes 3 to 4 weeks for your forms to be booked in then a few weeks for someone to look at them, then if we need to contact your doctor can take another few weeks.
So here I am 2 days from being medically fit to drive and waiting on DVLA because they are short staffed and everything is taking so much longer.

Keeping fingers crossed I'm back behind the wheel before the main shows start up again.

[Bob]

That must be so frustrating for you Mark!

[Norrie]

Whilst I would not condone it, but probably some people don't advise them of any medical impairment?

[Wellsy]

Whilst I would not condone it, but probably some people don't advise them of any medical impairment?

yh I know I'm sure there are some people that would not tell them, but like my doctor said to me because it is now in my medical history if anything were to happen I would have the book thrown at me.
Hopefully is just a few more weeks of waiting.

[Norrie]

My neighbours continued to drive in their very elderly years , the gent had dementia and it was only when he hit the gates where we live his wife suggested it was not safe for him. I suspect that he had not been safe for a while. He has passed away, she carried on despite being 89 and having a serious heart condition. Ironically her daughter in law, an American was involved in an accident which was alleged not to be her fault. Personally I think she stopped at a roundabout when nothing was coming and another car hit it in rear. The old vehicle own by the neighbour was written off, it was a Y registration and they bought it from new.

[ScooBeeFive]

I can understand it being frustrating Mark, but the main thing is you are getting your license back. That is great news. First drive is going to be sweet!

[Wellsy]

I can understand it being frustrating Mark, but the main thing is you are getting your license back. That is great news. First drive is going to be sweet!

Yh very true, as soon as DVLA inform me I'm good to go, I'll be driving somewhere. Car needs a good run too.

[ali]

I'm trying to take a private plate of the D3 biturbo and DVLA insist I send them a Postal Order or bankers draft for £85 before I can proceed as there was an issue with road tax in the past 5 years so I cannot do it online
WTF is a Postal order or Bankers draft?
What century are we in again ?

[Wellsy]

So I started this thread, feeling a bit frustrated on April 19th. . Its now May 27th any progress.... Nop nothing. Last time I tried to contact DVLA I rang them 152 times in one day just to be put through to someone who said and I quote "I'm working from home what do you expect me to do".
I nearly said "I don't care if your working from the moon you answered the BLEEPing phone so do something".
The call ended with DVLA telling me " there really is no point you called to chase us as we wont give you an update and we cannot and will not give you any indication of how long this will take".

I've been carrying this condition for 4 years and its never effected my driving. I tell you what when I do get it back, I wont be voluntarily submitting anything again.

Sorry Rant over.

[Norrie]

You might write to them, enclosing a letter of clearance to drive from your consultant or Doctor. Due to extraordinary circumstances the normal protocol you might claim does not apply and that and temporary suspension of you valid licence is now null and void. Therefore the only thing hindering you getting back behind the wheel is an administrative obstacle which has prevented fair and proper use of the licence.

I would say that due to their negligence by failing to put proper emergency procedures in place to reinstate the licence, that the licence is in fact totally valid whether in your possession or not and their actions are not reasonable or justified. If you were for example denied ability to earn a living you may be taking litigation for consequential loss.

Its a risk assessment, but how long are you prepared to wait? Unfortunately, thousands of uninsured drivers, no licence, never had a licence, provisional licence, licence overseas not valid in UK and so on and so forth.

It may be totally illegal, of course, but life is a gamble.

[rc944]

Whilst I would not condone it, but probably some people don't advise them of any medical impairment?

Insurance void in event of claim and its fraud in any event

[Wellsy]

It may be totally illegal, of course, but life is a gamble.
[/quote]

Hi Norman,

I have managed to speak to someone at DVLA and their attitude stinks, I said to them that my consultant has cleared me for driving so all I need is for them to send me my license back or give me something that says I can drive while I'm waiting. This was the response "It does not matter what your Cardiac Consultant has told you, its up to DVLA if we decide to give you your license back"
Apparently it is with their medical team now to review but once again they will not commit to any timings and tell me to stop ringing and bothering them. "it will be done when its done".

[Norrie]

Once again ( Yes we know it will invalidate the insurance) its not too difficult so see why people do not front up problems. If for example you had never told them and then been cleared it is possible you would be driving now? I am not suggesting you should, or saying it is ethical or legal, I was simply trying to point out that many people with conditions do not advise the DVLA. Although they should.

[Charles]

I have managed to speak to someone at DVLA and their attitude stinks, I said to them that my consultant has cleared me for driving so all I need is for them to send me my license back or give me something that says I can drive while I'm waiting. This was the response "It does not matter what your Cardiac Consultant has told you, its up to DVLA if we decide to give you your license back"
Apparently it is with their medical team now to review but once again they will not commit to any timings and tell me to stop ringing and bothering them. "it will be done when its done".

Unfortunately for you, Mark, DVLA clearly have a process that they are following and that will take whatever time it takes. You have tested that to see if it can be expedited and it appears that there is no flexibility in their bureaucracy. Does the DVLA website state any time period within which they must reply or reach a decision? If there is and you are now outside this, then you might want to see if there is a appropriate Ombudsman for the DVLA and if there is, then have a conversation with them.

I understand how frustrating it is for you given that you have "done the right thing". If you (or anyone else in this situation) were to drive without clearance and/or drive without declaring in the first place, then you would be driving without a valid driving licence - which is an offence in itself - together with invalid insurance. As I am sure you are aware, both of these would mean you would be heavily penalised in the event of an accident or a police stop.

[Wellsy]

Hey Charles,

"Does the DVLA website state any time period within which they must reply or reach a decision?"

Normal timings are 6 to 8 weeks, which even that is ridiculous but of course "due to COVID that doesn't apply".

I fully understand COVID has meant a lot of things have had to change and has made things a bit different. it's the attitude that really me off. There is no contact details for the team dealing with my paperwork, there is no method of complaining, other than a generic e-mail address which also states all queries are delayed due to COVID with no expectation of when my e-mail will even be read.
Just Typical Government Service, who have no one to answer too so they just do what they want and me being one voice can do nothing about it.