Strange Sigma Red letter

A question about : Strange Sigma Red letter

Hi all, I've had three letters through from Sigma Red DCA in the same day. They're addressed to me and with reference to 'a vehicle' that I had registered to that address. The problem is that I've never registered a vehicle to this address (although my licence is registered there) and my mother is in pretty serious debt. Has this debt transferred to me? I don't want to call the company in case I acknowledge the debt. Any help would be much appreciated.

Best answers:

• A quick Google shows them chasing a few DVLA late vehicle registration fines. You are sure you have nothing like that?
  Your mother's debts can't be transferred to you.
• You cannot 'acknowledge' any debt short of a formal written letter stating it is so, or making a payment. You can parade up and down outside their offices carrying a placard, and it wont count as 'acknowledgement'.
  Check your license registration. Mine runs out in 2015. All recently issued licenses have to be renewed every 10 years now and it is an offense to forget. I believe the DVLA are issuing immediate and automatic fines if they do not get a renewal request within a reasonable time frame. In any case, an invalid license, invalidates your insurance and should you be stopped by the police, or worse, involved in an accident, the Ј1000 mandatory fine for an invalid license will be the least of your worries.
• Thanks so far. I'm going to call them today and find out what it is they're chasing after me for. The letter has a 'dvla' reference number so it must be something to do with them. Thanks again, I've been worrying all weekend.
• Hmmm have to admit my car was taken away from me by police due to my licence being expired and I was quite unaware. The car was impounded on the basis that I was not insured. Actually after much investigating my insurance company (Admiral) once they had confirmed with DVLA that I hadn't been banned and my new license was in the post said that I would still have been insured in the event of a crash and the police should not have instructed my car to be impounded. The case went to court and was thrown out.
  It seems that driving with a invalid license in such circumstances is not illegal.
  Thanks to the Pepipoo website.
• when I renewed my license at the post office, the lady at the counter said I could have still driven with it being out of date, so not sure about what the situation is about being out of date.
• its legal to drive and doesnt invalidate insurance if its just the photocard that has expired
• Holding an out-of-date or otherwise invalid licence does not remove your entitlement to drive but further action, including the possibility of a fine, can come about if you need to show your licence to a policeman, hire a car or commit a driving offence abroad.
  Millions of drivers have an old name or address on their driving licence, and while this won’t affect their car insurance cover, having incorrect information on their licence puts them at risk of a large fine if their licence is ever checked by the police.
• https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/blog/entr...icences/46025/
  Michael Pace, partner and head of motor law and PI team, Andrew & Co LLP
  Despite a new driving licence design coming into effect this month, there remains one area of it that's still likely to cause drivers and fleet managers problems: the 10-year photograph expiry date.
  This past year, in my capacity as a motoring law solicitor, I've heard of a number of instances where 4b on the licence has caused confusion. It's the date at which your photo expires or, as the reverse of the licence puts it, 'licence valid to'.
  However, this is where the confusion starts as it suggests the licence itself expires on that date, which it doesn't.
  To find the actual expiry date, look at column 11 on the back of your licence where the date printed commonly coincides with your 70th birthday.
  Worryingly, the 'confusion' has led to some police forces threatening to impound vehicles for not having valid driving licences, and to driving instructors turning away motorists from driver improvement courses because insurance companies claimed they were not covered without 'valid' licences.
  Having contacted the DVLA, I can confirm that the date at 4b is when only the photo expires. Your licence remains valid until such time as the DVLA revokes it, and that requires written notice.
  Contrary to some police officers, out-of-date photos do not invalidate licences.
  The actual offence committed is failing to notify DVLA of up-to-date information, contrary to s.99.5 of the Road Traffic Act. Not, as has been suggested, 'driving otherwise than in accordance with a driving licence'.
  Failing to update your photo is a non-endorseable offence although it could carry a fine.
  When carrying out annual checks of employees' licences, fleet managers should ensure that photos are valid.
  This will avoid the need for legal advice if an overzealous police officer attempts to seize the vehicle or, if following an accident, an insurer refuses to indemnify.
  Companies could also face allegations of aiding and abetting if the offence is committed by employees driving on company business, whether in their own vehicle or a company one
• anyway all this is to do with a vehicle not a license
  Quote:
• I also received an odd letter from Sigma Red the other day with the same basic content "We are contacting you about a vehicle which has been registered to your address" with a DVLA/xxxxxxxx reference on it. I rang DVLA (0300 790 6813 and choose the option to make a payment, then they can look up any vehicle registrations for you) and checked that I have no outstanding penalties on any of my current or recent vehicles, then decided I needed to contact SR directly.
  I eventually got through to Sigma Red on the phone (I asked for another letter via the contact form first but I guess it will take them weeks to get to that - hopefully they won't reopen it at that point...) and after taking my reference, name and address (stuff they already had) they asked for previous addresses, which I wasn't willing to give. I was put on hold for a few minutes then she came back and told me the address they're interested in, which is not one I've ever lived at. I told her I'd never heard of it, so she said they had the wrong person and would update their records. Hopefully that's the last I'll hear from them. It's funny that they accepted it so easily - I can only assume they were fishing for detail on something they knew very little about at this point and so they were by no means sure I was actually relevant.
  One tip - though their website says that they are open 9am to 9pm, I've been on hold for 30 minutes twice after 6pm, whereas when I called at 09:03 today I got through to someone within about eight minutes.
  Oh, and withhold your number if you do call, just in case it IS you that they're looking for
  I was properly stressed about the letter and I feel much happier now, even if it was a little odd. Hopefully this might allay a little of the worry you might be feeling.
  Kev