MR STEVE ALEXANDER DVLA FOB OFF LETTER

Following on from DVLA gross incompetence and actually making a claim for compensation I get a letter back from the beleagured Head of Customer Services at DVLA, as follows:

Thank you for your email of 27 August 2009 responding to my letter.

Despite the detailed exchanges in this matter, you remain dissatisfied with the actions taken and the explanations provided to you. Having re-examined the details of your case I find no reason to change the original decision that the enforcement action taken by the DVLA in respect vehicle registration number ******* was both correct and proportionate. The matter now rests with the Courts.

My letter of 27 August also advised that the Agency had not received any further evidence from you regarding your claim for compensation. Should you wish to pursue this then I suggest you resubmit copies of the relevant details to Mr Evans, CSM Support Manager, Contact Centre, Sandringham Park, Swansea Vale, Llansamlet, Swansea, SA7 0EE. However DVLA will accede to your request to refund the fees paid in respect of the cherished transfer.

I believe there is nothing more that I can do to help you in this matter, and that it is time to draw it a close. We will consider with care any further correspondence you may send to us about your complaint, but if we conclude that it does not raise any new issues of substance we will only acknowledge it.

Yours sincerely
Mr S Alexander
Head of Customer Services and Compliance

What had actually happened was that DVLA had taken my money when I purchased a cherished number plate and paid for vehicle transfer. They then failed to provide a new V5 certificate for the vehicle (which I had paid for). They then provided a V11 certificate for my original registration number not my new registration number!!

They then fail to honour a previous claim for compensation.

We now call on Mr Steve Alexander to be sacked.

Message to Steve Alexander:

If you are not prepared to accept liability for your department's own failings then I think it is high time you cleared your desk and shipped out.

The perils of moving house. Especially when it always goes so wrong - guardian.co.uk (DVLA NEWS)

The perils of moving house. Especially when it always goes so wrong - guardian.co.uk

The perils of moving house. Especially when it always goes so wrong guardian.co.uk So the French chap at Avis, slightly too efficient and good-looking for his own good, called DVLA in Swansea and a phenomenally helpful Welsh woman – why ...

Source: news.google.com

IT contractor faces striking workers - Public Service

IT contractor faces striking workers Public Service Fujitsu staff that provide IT support to the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) driving licence system and tax enquiry services at HM Revenue and ... Fujitsu UK.gov workers cast votes on strike threatRegister all 2 news articles »

Source: news.google.com

Speed Cameras Only Catch Good Guys - PocketGPSWorld.com (DVLA NEWS)

Speed Cameras Only Catch Good Guys - PocketGPSWorld.com

Speed Cameras Only Catch Good Guys PocketGPSWorld.com Neil says: "Cameras will photograph about 3 million speeding vehicles this year, but will camera partnerships check with the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle ...

Source: news.google.com

Perfect timing as couple win car in DVLA competition - South Devon Herald Express

Perfect timing as couple win car in DVLA competition South Devon Herald Express He added: "At first I thought it was a wind up, but I phoned Linda at work and asked her to check the DVLA website for confirmation. ...

Source: news.google.com

Don't let criminals cash in on car scams - Easier (press release)

Don't let criminals cash in on car scams Easier (press release) All cases involved the swindlers using stolen DVLA V5s to accompany stolen vehicles that had had their identity changed to match that of a similar ... Drivers may benefit from thinking about cloning before car insuranceYes Insurance all 2 news articles »

Source: news.google.com

Doctored driving licence to get a job - Spalding Today

Doctored driving licence to get a job Spalding Today Then in October last year, after various inquiries with the DVLA over a digital tachograph card, it came to light that Handley did not hold a class two ...

Source: news.google.com

Ambulancemen 'refuse to treat swine flu child' - South Wales Evening Post

Ambulancemen 'refuse to treat swine flu child' South Wales Evening Post Meanwhile, rumours the DVLA has been heavily hit by an outbreak appear unfounded. A spokesman said: "Of the 5500 staff in the Swansea-based DVLA, ... and more »

Source: news.google.com

SEAT Celebrates 12 Months As DVLA Prize Provider - carpages (DVLA NEWS)

SEAT Celebrates 12 Months As DVLA Prize Provider - carpages

carpages

SEAT Celebrates 12 Months As DVLA Prize Provider carpages, UK SEAT is celebrating the first anniversary of its remarkably successful association with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) innovative online road tax renewal campaign. It was 12 months ago that SEAT UK announced the Ecomotive had been ...

Source: news.google.com

Worcester driver's licence details sent to complete stranger - Berrows Journal

Worcester driver's licence details sent to complete stranger Berrows Journal, UK By James Connell » A WOMAN was shocked to see on TV show Watchdog that her driving licence had been sent to a total stranger by licensing chiefs in a DVLA botch-up. Jo Brown, aged 27, of Whitewood Close, off Whittington Road, Worcester, did not see the ...

Source: news.google.com

MTTU To Check Abuse Of DVLA Plates - Ghanaian Times

MTTU To Check Abuse Of DVLA Plates Ghanaian Times, Ghana By Patrick Baidoo The Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) is to undertake a nationwide exercise to clamp down on persons who abuse the use of “trade Licences”, or “DVLA plates”, Unit Commander Daniel Avorga has disclosed. ...

Source: news.google.com

Fresh embarrassment for Swansea's DVLA - WalesOnline

Fresh embarrassment for Swansea's DVLA WalesOnline, United Kingdom Yesterday the DVLA made it clear that while the disclosure over the stolen registration forms came this month, the actual theft took place three years ago. A spokeswoman for the Morriston-based DVLA said yesterday: “We have done everything we can to ...

Source: news.google.com

MTTU To Check Abuse Of DVLA Plates - Ghanaian Times (DVLA NEWS)

MTTU To Check Abuse Of DVLA Plates - Ghanaian Times

MTTU To Check Abuse Of DVLA Plates Ghanaian Times, Ghana By Patrick Baidoo The Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) is to undertake a nationwide exercise to clamp down on persons who abuse the use of “trade Licences”, or “DVLA plates”, Unit Commander Daniel Avorga has disclosed. ...

Source: news.google.com

Road Safety Commission introduces road safety devices - Ghana News

Road Safety Commission introduces road safety devices Ghana News, Ghana Accra, May 20th, GNA - The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), in collaboration with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) yesterday introduced two road safety devices to reduce motor accidents in the night. ...

Source: news.google.com

Fresh embarrassment for Swansea's DVLA - WalesOnline

Fresh embarrassment for Swansea's DVLA WalesOnline, United Kingdom Yesterday the DVLA made it clear that while the disclosure over the stolen registration forms came this month, the actual theft took place three years ago. A spokeswoman for the Morriston-based DVLA said yesterday: “We have done everything we can to ...

Source: news.google.com

Nicked ...over colour of MoT - The Sun

The Sun

Nicked ...over colour of MoT The Sun, UK Cops were called to a DVLA office where Michael had gone to pay for car tax because staff thought his new MoT document was too light a shade of green. He was released only when police had established it was real. Grandad Michael, a self-employed roofer ... Apology after driver's arrest over MOT Northumberland Gazette Driver arrested over MOT certificate's shade of green Telegraph.co.uk Apology for 'fake' MOT arrest TeleText all 8 news articles

Source: news.google.com

DVLA abandons online driving-licence checker - Road Transport

DVLA abandons online driving-licence checker Road Transport, UK The DVLA has scrapped plans to implement an online driving-licence checking system next year due to an estimated budget shortfall of £25m-£30m for the 2009/10 financial year. Scheduled to start in 2010, the online checker has already been trialled by ... DVLA abandons electronic licence check plan BusinessCar all 2 news articles

Source: news.google.com

SEAT Celebrates 12 Months As DVLA Prize Provider - carpages

carpages

SEAT Celebrates 12 Months As DVLA Prize Provider carpages, UK SEAT is celebrating the first anniversary of its remarkably successful association with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) innovative online road tax renewal campaign. It was 12 months ago that SEAT UK announced the Ecomotive had been ...

Source: news.google.com

Wales News DVLA in tax disc blunder - WalesOnline (DVLA NEWS)

Wales News DVLA in tax disc blunder - WalesOnline

Wales News DVLA in tax disc blunder WalesOnline, United Kingdom THE DVLA has apologised for a massive blunder that led to approximately 62000 duplicate tax discs being sent out to motorists. The Swansea- based government body, part of the Department for Transport, has sent letters of apology to its customers who ...

Source: news.google.com

Criminals out to benefit from scrappage - Dumfries and Galloway Standard

Criminals out to benefit from scrappage Dumfries and Galloway Standard, UK The DVLA first announced that there were a large number of stolen V5s in circulation in 2007. Although the police have recovered in excess of 700 vehicles with false documents they recently expressed concerned that there may be a significant number ...

Source: news.google.com

Money helpdesk: Dilemma over car cover claim - Scotland on Sunday

Money helpdesk: Dilemma over car cover claim Scotland on Sunday, UK The snag is that the insurer would have to inform the DVLA, which means it will have to be recorded as being written off. I understand that written-off cars are specifically excluded from the scrappage scheme so this would immediately disqualify your ... Residents like Fiesta's added technology The Herald-Sun Road trip! in name of marketing The Herald-Sun all 4 news articles

Source: news.google.com

Car doesn't need a current MOT and tax - Parker's (DVLA NEWS)

Car doesn't need a current MOT and tax - Parker's

Parker's

Car doesn't need a current MOT and tax Parker's, UK To declare a car SORN is free of charge and can be done through the DVLA website. Any car that is used in the scheme still has to be registered to the buyer for at least a year, but with this rule anything that is unlikely to pass an MOT could still ...

Source: news.google.com

Equal pay challenge launched against DVLA - WalesOnline

Equal pay challenge launched against DVLA WalesOnline, United Kingdom The Public and Commercial Services union is taking a claim on behalf of 38 women who work in Swansea, at the DVLA, an agency of the Transport Department, saying they earned £5000 as year less than men doing similar jobs. ... Equal pay case against DfT begins tomorrow PersonnelToday.com all 3 news articles

Source: news.google.com

Operation Targets Knottingley - West Yorkshire Police (press release)

Operation Targets Knottingley West Yorkshire Police (press release), UK The operation was supported by British Transport Police, Wakefield and District Housing, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), the DVLA, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit. ...

Source: news.google.com

DVLA UK FIELD OFFICE ADDRESSES

Here is a list of DVLA office in the UK with address details and telephone numbers.

Unfortunately we cannot guarantee your enquiry will be treated in a professional manner. Financial disputes with staff, wages, management etc has impacted on office moral.

Aberdeen Greyfriars House, Gallowgate, Aberdeen, AB10 1WG - 0870 850 0007
Bangor Penrhos Road, Penrhosgamedd, Bangor, LL57 2JF - 0870 850 0007
Beverley Crosskill House, Mill Lane, Beverley, HU17 9JB - 0870 850 0007
Birmingham 2nd Floor, Edward House, Edward Street, Birmingham, B1 2RF - 0870 850 0007
Bournemouth Ground Floor,Bourne Gate, 24 Bourne Vally Road, Poole, BH12 1DX - 0870 850 0007
Brighton Mocatta House, 4th Floor, Trafalgar Place, Brighton, BN1 4UE - 0870 850 0007
Bristol Northleigh House, Lime Kiln Close, Stoke Gilford, Bristol, BS34 8SR - 0870 850 0007
Cardiff Archway House, 77 Ty Glas Avenue, Llanishen, Cardiff, CF14 5DX - 0870 850 0007
Carlisle Ground Floor, 3 Merchants Drive, Parkhouse, Carlisle, CA3 0JW - 0870 850 0007
Chelmsford 2nd Floor, Parkway House, 49 Baddow Road, Chelmsford, CM2 0XJ - 0870 850 0007
Chester Norroy House, Nuns Road, Chester, CH1 2ND - 0870 850 0007
CR Enforcement Centre Alhambra House, 45 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6HE - 0870 850 0007
Dundee Caledonian House, Greenmarket, Dundee, DD1 4QP - 0870 850 0007
Edinburgh Dept. of Transport, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3XE - 0870 850 0007
Exeter Hanover House, Manaton Close, Malford Business Park, Marsh Barton Trading Estate, Exeter, EX2 8EF 0870 850 0007
Glasgow 46 West Campbell Street, Glasgow, G2 6TT - 0870 850 0007
Inverness Longman House, 28 Longman Road, Inverness, IV1 1SF - 0870 850 0007
Ipswich Podium Level, St. Clare House, Greyfriars, Ipswich, IP1 1UT - 0870 850 0007
Leeds 1st Floor, 42 Eastgate, Leeds, LS2 7DQ - 0870 850 0007
Lincoln Firth Court, Firth Road, Lincoln, LN5 7WD - 0870 850 0007
Luton 2 Dunstable Road, Luton, LU1 1EB - 0870 850 0007
Maidstone Coronet House, 11 Queen Anne Road, Maidstone, ME14 1XB - 0870 850 0007
Manchester Trafford House, Chester Road, Manchester, M32 0SL - 0870 850 0007
Newcastle Eagle Star Road, Regent Farm Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE3 3QF - 0870 850 0007
Northampton Ground Floor, Riverside House, Riverside Way, Bedford Road,Northampton NN 5PE - 0870 850 0007
Norwich 11 Prince Wales Road, Norwich, NR1 1UP - 0870 850 0007
Nottingham Business Park, Unit D, Orchard Place, Nottingham, NG8 6PX - 0870 850 0007
Oxford Ground Floor, 3 Cambridge Terrace, Oxford, OX1 1RW - 0870 850 0007
Peterborough 88 Lincoln Road, Peterborough, PE1 2ST - 0870 850 0007
Portsmouth The Connect Centre, 5th Floor, Baltic House, Kingston Crescent North End,Portsmouth, PO2 8AH - 0870 850 0007
Preston Fulwood Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 9NZ - 0870 850 0007
Reading 77-81 Baisingstoke Road, Reading, RG2 0ER - 0870 850 0007
Sheffield Cedar House, Hallamshire Court, 63 Napier Street, Sheffield, S11 8HA - 0870 850 0007
Shewsbury Whitehall, Monkmoor Road, Shewsbury, SY2 5DR - 0870 850 0007
Sidcup 12/18 Station Road, Sidcup, London, DA15 7EQ - 0870 850 0007
Stanmore Government Buildings, Canon Park, Honeypot Lane, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 1BD - 0870 850 0007
Stockton St. Marks House, St. Marks Court, Thornaby, Stockton on Tees, TS17 6QR - 0870 850 0007
Swansea Heol Pentrefelen, Morriston, Swansea, SA6 7HG - 0870 850 0007
Truro Pydar House, Pydar Street, Truro, TR1 2TG - 0870 850 0007
Wimbledon Ground Floor Connect House, 133-137 Alexandra Road, Wimbledon, SW19 7JY - 0870 850 0007
Worcester Clerkenleap Barn, Broomhall, Worcester, WR5 3HR 0870 850 0007

How Long for DVLA to Return a Log Book?

MJK 24 asks:

"How long will it take the DVLA to return a log book after you've changed the engine number and cylinder capacity?

Cheers"

Jamer replies:

"up to 7 weeks sometimes and they may decide to view your car at th local DVLA office if they want to.

If your unsure ring DVLA Swansea and they will tell you where it is in the system, every time we have rung wondering where they have got to on say a Thursday they miraculously turn up the next week"

Ecosnige responds:

"Well ive just waited 3 months for a log book to come"

Iguana writes:

"Im at 5 months at the mo, despite the wtf is my v5 letters sent etc."

MORE DIABOLICAL SERVICE FROM DVLA SWANSEA

More horror stories to pile the pressure on beleaguered DVLA bosses Noel Shanahan and Ian Broom:

This post is from Yahoo and seems to be recurring theme across the internet.

Is anyone having problems with the DVLA not receiving documents?
They have recently not received a cheque I sent, then sent me a fine because they say they haven't had my log book, which I know I sent.

My friend has had the same thing happen also. It seems to me they are "not receiving" a lot of stuff, which is unfair on us as we are paying the cost. Or do they have a certain quota of fines to dish out. I have no proof of postage so I don't have a leg to stand on.. not happy

Source of article

DVLA staff strike over 'pay gap'

Thousands of staff at the DVLA in Swansea are taking part in a UK-wide one day strike in a dispute over pay.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said there was a 16% pay gap compared to other Department for Transport (DfT) workers.

The union said it was costing the staff in Wales £13m a year and was "completely unacceptable".

The DVLA said its policy was to align pay rates to the local market. It hopes to minimise disruption to customers.

Three-quarters of the 4,500 DVLA staff work in Wales at the agency's headquarters in Swansea and they will be joined in the action by workers at three offices in other parts of the UK.

'Separate pay systems'

The union is also bringing test cases to an industrial tribunal under equal pay legislation.

Two-thirds of staff at the DVLA are women, while men make up the majority of workers in other parts of the DfT.

Preliminary hearings into the 38 test cases, comparing the pay of women officers at the DVLA with men in other parts of the DfT, will begin in September.

Jeff Evans, PCS's officer for Wales said: "The existence of separate pay systems in the different agencies of the DfT is being used, quite cynically, to reduce the pay bill by paying people at inadequate rates where they can get away with it."

"A majority of staff in the DVLA - unlike DfT staff as a whole - are based in Wales, where economic conditions are already worse than other areas of the UK, and the lower pay rates are costing the Welsh economy £13 million every year," he added.

A spokesperson for the DVLA said: "There is a difference between DVLA and Department for Transport salaries at some grades, but it is DVLA's policy to align its pay rates to the local market in which it competes for staff.

"Maintaining a service to customers is a priority and the agency will ensure disruption to customer service is minimised.

"However, it is possible that some of our local offices may be closed or offering a restricted service. Our contact centre will also be offering a restricted service."

They advised customers to contact the agency on another day if possible.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: "Pay decisions are taken by each agency in line with the public sector pay policy. They are best placed to make decisions based on skills, business needs and competitive pay rates."

DVLA paid double its estimate for IT

THE DVLA paid £33m to change its IT supplier – nearly twice as much as the estimated cost, we can reveal.

Now, although the Swansea agency’s new chief executive has told staff he has renegotiated the terms of the current computer contract, some believe that is shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Last week we told how workers at the DVLA, which is responsible for licensing all drivers and vehicles in the UK, had taken generous severance packages and then come back to work at the agency as consultants paid up to £800 a day. The matter is now the subject of a review.

After our story we were contacted by another DVLA whistle-blower, who told us about a major IT contract called Pact, which the DVLA signed in 2002. The contract’s expensive repercussions have lasted until today.

The whistle-blower told us: “The Office of Government Commerce warned the former chief executive and board that they were not satisfied the Pact contract could show it could achieve value for money, but the DVLA went ahead anyway.

“The new chief executive Noel Shanahan, who took over at the beginning of this year, has just written to staff to say he has managed to renegotiate that contract in some small ways, but it is shutting the stable door.

“If you review the DVLA annual report after the contract was let, you’ll see that the DVLA paid £33m just to transfer their IT systems from EDS to IBM/Fujitsu, including £5.6m to reorganise the [DVLA] IT department.”

As well as the item in the DVLA’s annual report, the way the IT deal was handled has been strongly criticised by the House of Commons’ Transport Committee.

In a report, the committee said: “An outline of some of the spending decisions taken by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency was included in the previous section on administration costs.

“The largest item here was the £33m transition costs for a new partnership deal with IBM and Fujitsu to develop agency services.

“We were told: ‘Business Plan forecasts for 2002-03 were prepared well before negotiations with suppliers had been concluded, so there was a range of expectations relating to the different possible outcomes. The range estimate for transition was between £13m and £29m. From this the agency used a lower quartile estimate of £17m for the purposes of the Business Plan’.

“The final transition cost was £33m, nearly twice as much as budgeted.”

The Department [of Transport] set out the main reasons for the excess over the original estimate. The excess came about through extra preparation work with the new suppliers before the transition (£5m), the extra costs of “change management” and “complementary professional services” that were outside the range of the original contract (£5.8m), the extensions of the contract with the original supplier to ensure the DVLA had a viable fall back in case the transition was not initially successful (£5m).

“Each of these decisions may have been correct, but we are concerned that the original estimate was so inadequate. Realistic estimates must be used for planning purposes; it cannot be acceptable to use a lower quartile estimate for budgeting purposes when there is so much uncertainty about outcomes.

“The executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies spend very large sums of public money. We are concerned that the department does not have a firm grip on expenditure or accounting, either centrally or through its agencies.”

A DVLA spokesman said: “The current IT supplier contract was awarded in 2002 as one of the first IT partnership agreements in Government, and as such was subject to scrutiny and approval.

“Earlier this year we took advantage of a contractual opportunity to re-negotiate the contract delivering best commercial terms.”

The spokesman said the DVLA was not prepared to release the text of Mr Shanahan’s letter to staff without IBM’s approval.

DVLA SWANSEA PROBLEMS - PATHETIC STAFF

After all the problems I had with the DVLA I would have at least expected them to make sure my log book was in the post first class - but no!!

It's Monday now and still no log book. The department is on the verge of imploding, rotten to the core. Pathetic state of affairs.

DVLA sick leave amazingly high - Staff Demoralised?

MPs have criticised "amazingly high" levels of sick leave among staff at the DVLA and the Driving Standards Agency.

On average, employees had three weeks a year sick leave, although that figure was bumped up by "a few people on long-term sickness," MPs said.

Public accounts committee chairman Edward Leigh said it was surprising the agencies could "function adequately".

The Department for Transport said it was improving procedures to help cut absences and address underlying causes.

The committee's report follows a critical report by the National Audit Office published in June.

Stress

The MPs' report said that overall sickness leave at the DfT and its seven agencies averaged 10.4 working days per full time employee in 2005 - which they said cost the taxpayer £24m.

While sick leave rates at the department itself and four of its agencies were below average - at the DVLA and DSA, which together employ more than 50% of all DfT staff - they were "significantly higher".

The fact that both agencies seem to function adequately despite this amazingly high rate of absence is a matter for surprise, to say the least

Edward Leigh
Committee chairman

They said the DfT had only recently made tackling sick leave levels a priority, but said 75% of staff at those agencies had taken 10 days or less.

The main reasons for absence were mental health and stress, particularly among those on long-term sick leave. The Swansea-based DVLA said the most common reasons for stress were not related to work.

The report said there was a link between high levels of sick leave and relatively low-paid, repetitive, administrative jobs. It said measures had been taken to strengthen management, which was particularly important in those areas.

Minimising absences

Mr Leigh, a Conservative MP, said: "Sick leave seems to be a way of life in two large agencies of the Department for Transport, the Driving Standards Agency and the DVLA.

"On average, each employee is off sick for nearly three weeks each year. The fact that both agencies seem to function adequately despite this amazingly high rate of absence is a matter for surprise, to say the least."

But a spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "Sickness rates in five of the eight DfT bodies are at or below the rates in comparable organisations in the public and private sectors.

"Where rates are higher we are committed to making improvements, supporting those who are genuinely sick while also addressing any underlying causes.

"We are also improving procedures to help minimise absences and allow staff to return to work as quickly as possible, for example through better management training."

MORE DVLA STAFF INCOMPETENCE

Drivers sent wrong DVLA details

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has admitted it sent confidential details to the wrong motorists by mistake.

The Swansea-based agency has confirmed at least 100 sensitive documents were sent to the wrong addresses.

The DVLA had sent out 1,215 questionnaires including drivers' names, addresses, birth dates, licence numbers and motoring offences records.

The agency said at least 100 people who have been affected have got in touch.

Officials said they did not know exactly how many people had been affected but a dedicated telephone line had been set up.

The DVLA admitted that "human error" had led to the "isolated incident".

It said all 1,215 drivers who were sent the questionnaires were contacted to advise them of the error, apologise and discuss its implications.

Couple warn of stolen DVLA forms

The couple said they had been told 80,000 blank forms were missing
A couple left £14,500 out of pocket by unwittingly buying a stolen vehicle say more must be done to warn motorists thieves are using "genuine" DVLA forms.

Tim and Julie Burden said the Land Rover had a V5 logbook and they have since been told up to 80,000 of the blank documents are in criminal hands.

The vehicle was seized from their Neath home shortly after they bought it.

The DVLA said it had "repeatedly issued public warnings" about the forms, which can give vehicles false identities.

Mr Burden, a builder, said he and his wife had saved for 10 years to buy the Land Rover which was advertised as second hand in an a motor trade magazine.

Before going through the purchase he said he paid to have security checks on the vehicle and made sure it had a V5 form.

"The thieves had done a very good job - including providing a genuine DVLA logbook," he explained.

DVLA ADVICE

The stolen forms have a different background colour on the Notification of Permanent Export (V5C/4) tear off slip on the second page, which looks mauve on the front and pink on the reverse. On legitimate documents they should be mauve on both sides.
Buyers are urged to check the serial number that appears at the top right hand corner of the registration certificate.

If if the serial number falls within the following ranges BG9167501 to BG9190500, BG9190501 to BG9214000, BG8407501 to BG8431000 and BG9282001 to BG9305000 call the police.

The public can check the validity of a registration certificate prior to purchase if they call the DVLA hotline on 0870 2411878
Source: DVLA

He said he had subsequently been told a batch of 80,000 of the blank forms, rejected due to slight discolouration, had gone missing.

"I have been led to believe they have found their way into the hands of criminals, en-route back to the printers, where they should have been destroyed.

"The potential risk to the second car market is obvious."

He added: "The rightful owner has been paid out the insurance, and the criminal has the cash.

"I, as an innocent party, am left with the no car, no money and the uncomfortable feeling that honesty and hard work count for nothing."

The BBC news website has put all the couple's claims to the DVLA.

The agency would also not confirm or deny 80,000 documents were in criminal hands.

In statement it said: ""DVLA does sympathise with any member of the public who unwittingly buys a stolen vehicle.

"We are working closely with the police to prevent abuse of the vehicle registration system and repeatedly issued public warnings about these documents."

This includes issuing the serial number ranges to all newspapers, post offices, DVLA local offices, police forces, motoring and car sale magazines and vehicle data checking companies.

"We also provide advice on buying and selling vehicles at www.direct.gov.uk/motoring to help those buying a vehicle better protect themselves," said a spokesman.

On its website the DVLA lists the serial numbers of stolen V5 documents and warns motorists if they come across a match to call police.

Mrs Burden said the serial number on the certificate her husband was given with the Land Rover did not match those the agency was warning about on its website.

A survey by the DVLA last year found 23% of motorists in Wales did not know what a V5 certificate was for, and half would not know how to check if a V5C is genuine.

But 23% used a car checking service when buying a second had car.