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DVLA (Read 61,918 times)
aerobatique
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Re: DVLA
Reply #15 - Jun 21st, 2006 at 10:24am
 
A bunch of 21st century Shylocks, even our local crime line has moved to 0845. Have written to my MP. Will advise in due course.
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NonGeographicalMan
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Re: DVLA
Reply #16 - Jun 21st, 2006 at 10:52am
 
aerobatique wrote on Jun 21st, 2006 at 10:24am:
A bunch of 21st century Shylocks, even our local crime line has moved to 0845. Have written to my MP. Will advise in due course.


Ask your MP to write to the Parliamentary Ombudsman asking him to investigate where Ofcom is actually implementing the central mandate given to it under primary Parliamentary Legislation and especially section 3(i) of the Communications Act 2003, which stated the primary duty of Ofcom was to protect the best interests of uk citizen consumers.
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derrick
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Re: DVLA
Reply #17 - Jun 21st, 2006 at 3:48pm
 
Received the following from ASA a few weeks ago after complaining about a VOSA leaflet, but don't expect to much as I complained about the same thing about 3˝ months ago, and got the same reply.


ASA
Advertising Standards Authority
Mid City Place 71 High Holborn London WC1V6QT Telephone 020 7492 2222 Fax 020 7242 3696 Textphone 020 7242 8159 E-mail enquiries@asa.org.uk Online www.asa.org.uk

Please Quote: A0

9 May 2006

Dear Mr

Your Complaint – VOSA

Thank you for sending copies of the VOSA leaflet you object to, on the basis that it describes an 0870 number as "national rate".
Because I agree with you that this is a problem under our Code, I have passed your letter to our Compliance team, which will follow it up.
As you know, the Compliance team will not respond to you or publish the result of its investigations, but please be assured that they will note your comments and deal with the problem.
The Advertising Standards Authority website, www.asa.orq.uk, contains information about the ASA and the work we do, including the results of our investigations into recent complaints about advertisements.

Yours sincerely,^

Marie Almond Complaints Handler

We shall use the information you have given us, together with other information from or about you, to deal with your complaint. We may contact you to assess the quality of our services or to give you information about our activities, which might interest you. If you do not want to be contacted for that purpose, please let our Data Protection Officer know at the above address or by e-mail at data.protection(5)asa.org.uk. For further information about our Data Protection Policy please refer to our website www.asa.orq.uk .

Chairman Lord Borrie QC • Director General Christopher Graham
ASA council (Non-broadcast) Jean Coussins • Christine Famish ■ Sunil Gadhia ■ Mike Ironside • Colin Philpott • David McNair • Susan Murray ■
Dan O'Donoghue • Martyn Percy • Diana Whitworth ■ Donald Trelford • Neil Watts
The Advertising Standards Authority Limited, registered in England No 733214, Mid City Place, 71 High Holborn, London WC1V 6QT.
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« Last Edit: Jun 21st, 2006 at 3:50pm by derrick »  
 
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NonGeographicalMan
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Re: DVLA
Reply #18 - Jun 21st, 2006 at 6:53pm
 
It isn' t really the fault of the ASA who are trying their very best under the impossible circumstances they have been placed in by Ofcom who have totally failed to stop BT and other companies showing National Rate and Lo-Call on every phone bill published.  It is from that central lie that all these secondary lies permeate.

Ofcom have huge "backstop powers" under the Communications Act 2003 but they actively neglected to make use of them to deal properly with this issue.

And of course this has nothing at all to do with certain major call centre operating companies who just happen to have made some very large permanent loans to New Labour? Roll Eyes Wink
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« Last Edit: Jun 21st, 2006 at 6:53pm by N/A »  
 
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Heinz
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Re: DVLA
Reply #19 - Jun 21st, 2006 at 7:14pm
 
Had my dear old car MOT'd yesterday and received (the first I've seen) a new-type MOT certificate (which isn't really - it's just an official-looking notice to tell you that 'on the computer' there's a record of whether the car in question is MOT'd or not).

I was also supplied with an explanatory 'Vehicle & Operator Services Agency' (another quango) leaflet (a VOSA/MOT Comp/1226/Nov 05 SBSEVL) which told me that all calls to their 'MOT Enquiry Unit' on 0870 60 60 440 would be charged at the national rate.

As I pay 3p connection and 0p per minute to national 01/02 numbers using 1899, it's reassuring to know that'll be what I'll be charged if I call them.   Undecided
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« Last Edit: Jun 22nd, 2006 at 9:43am by Heinz »  

After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015
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NonGeographicalMan
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Re: DVLA
Reply #20 - Jun 21st, 2006 at 7:22pm
 
Heinz wrote on Jun 21st, 2006 at 7:14pm:
As I pay 3p connection and 0p per minute to national 01/02 numbers using 1899, it's reassuring to know that'll be what I'll be charged if I call them.


Heinz,

You seem to have neglected to make use of the rolling eyes sarcasm emoticon when writing the above statement? Huh Undecided
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Dave
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Re: DVLA
Reply #21 - Jun 22nd, 2006 at 7:11am
 
Quote:
It isn' t really the fault of the ASA who are trying their very best under the impossible circumstances they have been placed in by Ofcom who have totally failed to stop BT and other companies showing National Rate and Lo-Call on every phone bill published.  It is from that central lie that all these secondary lies permeate.

I complained to Trading Standards months ago about a company describing its 0845 numbers as being the "Price of a local call" on its website. I provided links to the pages on the ASA website, the guy at my local TS completely agreed that it was misleading. Just checed the company's website again....and it's still there.

What's the point in complaining? I think we can safely say that there is enough work chasing companies lying to customers about the rates of their numbers to keep TS busy.
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Barbara
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Re: DVLA
Reply #22 - Jun 26th, 2006 at 2:38pm
 
Have just received the usual ridiculous reply from the DVLA regarding my complaint & would love to post their email & my (angry) reply but am not sure how to do it.   However, they deny they have ever used 0845 for their enquiry line (pointed out that the no they give has changed from 0845 on old style MOTs to 0870 on new style, even for reporting abuse of MOT system & that that was my point).   They say they believe they do comply with COI guidelines by offering internet & letter access (pointed out this was discriminatory as older & poorer people were less likely to have internet access).   They say most people are seeking info already available & basically why shouldn't they pay 0870 charges (pointed out that this not always the case, my enquiries were specific and, in more than one case, necessary to correct THEIR errors).   They claim to have had "verbal confirmation" that their attitude complies with COI guideline - I have asked for the name of the person at the COI who is so unaware of their own rules & threatened an FOI request if this is not forthcoming.   Anyone else like to join this campaign?  The email was from C Evans in their Customer Enquiries.
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NonGeographicalMan
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Re: DVLA
Reply #23 - Jun 27th, 2006 at 12:11am
 
Hi Barbara,

I thought you would appreciate this email which I sent to the DVLA's senior management and their main IT contractor (IBM) after their website was down all day last Wednesday when I wanted to order a tax disc online.  Basically they only send out the notice that lets you renew online 14 days before it is due and then even if their website is up it takes them 5 working days to print out the tax disc and get it in an envelope.  Yet issuing tax discs online must save them at least a quid or two a time compared to paying the Post Office to do it.

Below is the email to Mr Nic Walters who works in some kind of link role between the DVLA and their highly incompetent website IT contractor - IBM.

Clive Bennett is the DVLA's CEO.

-----Original Message-----
Sent: 21 June 2006 22:34
To: Nic Walters
Cc: clive.bennett@dvla.gsi.gov.uk; graham.pritchard@dvla.gsi.gov.uk;
richard.ley@dvla.gsi.gov.uk; simon.humberstone@uk.ibm.com
Subject: Online Tax Disc Relicensing System Down All Day Today - June
21st

Dear Mr Walters,

Finally I get an "Invitation" from the DVLA to renew my tax disc online (even though I managed to renew it online in January without receiving an "Invitation" to do so) only to find that your whole tax disc website licensing area has now gone completely down the tubes and had some pathetic apology and advice displayed to call the DVLA's appalling ripoff 0870 number (which breaches COI guidelines and Best Practice advice and also guidances from Ofcom and the ASA) for most of today when I tried to access it.  Although it now gives the appearance of being back online the site then crashes after the first stage when you have put in the Invitation number from the tax disc renewal form.

Is this the usual multi billon pound software contract agreed by the government with some incompetent and lethargic large software development company that knows it can get away with murder with a government agency where business profitability is not at stake?

What incentive is there for the public to renew their tax discs online when it is no cheaper, the site does not work reliably and/or at all and the 5 business days taken to despatch the disc (but then finally first class) are a sad joke given that customers can only apply to renew the disc no more than two weeks before it expires.

Also the nearest Post Office shown on the renewal form in Dorking High Street was incorrect as my nearest tax disc licensing post office is actually at Carters Garage in The Street in Capel.  Or doesn't the DVLA like to assist the small number of sub post offices who have tax disc licensing status?

Yours in extreme dismay.

Regards,
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« Last Edit: Jun 27th, 2006 at 12:12am by N/A »  
 
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NonGeographicalMan
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Re: DVLA
Reply #24 - Jun 27th, 2006 at 12:21am
 
And below is my latest email to their CEO, Clive Bennett, after finding their whole wesite totally offline tonight whilst www.easyjet.com was of course still operating as normal........................

You will note that I refer to Mr Bennett as "King of Govt Agency 0870 Ripoffs".

I think I may have rather let rip after no longer being hidebound by the need to keep up the respectale mantle of an elected representative of the populace. Wink

-----Original Message-----
Sent: 27 June 2006 01:05
To: clive.bennett@dvla.gsi.gov.uk
Cc: Nic Walters; graham.pritchard@dvla.gsi.gov.uk;
richard.ley@dvla.gsi.gov.uk; simon.humberstone@uk.ibm.com
Subject: Time For The King of Govt Agency 0870 Ripoffs to Resign?

Dear Mr Bennett,

I tried to visit the DVLA website tonight to try to renew my tax disc online but once again the entire website was down even though all other websites on the internet I needed to access were working fine.

Please can you explain to me why it is that your highway robbery system (a rather appropriate analogy for your agency) of 0870 telephone numbers operates without problem 7 days a week but your free of charge website is down for most of the time.

I think the total downtime of the Easyjet flight booking website in the last 10 years is well under 24 hours but your website goes down for days at a time either completely or in respect of the tax disc ordering functionality.

You cynically continue to let your agency's staff send out endless responses to complaints about the use of 0870 numbers that falsely claim that their use does is not contrary to government policy and does not discriminate against the financially disadvantaged in a way that suggests you are in fact a wholly unfit and inappropriate person to run a government agency.

By your continued disregard for the public best interest over 0870 numbers and your incompetence in failing to fire IBM for breach of contract in failing to competently maintain your website you seem to me to show that you are wholly unfit to run the DVLA and I would demand your resignation forthwith in the hope that you might leave for Sky or some other commercial outfit where brazenly ripping off the public would not be considered to be highly inappropriate behaviour.

Yours in dismay.
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« Last Edit: Jun 27th, 2006 at 12:21am by N/A »  
 
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Barbara
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Re: DVLA
Reply #25 - Jun 27th, 2006 at 9:25am
 
Well done NGM!  I have extracted Mr Beenett's email address from your post & will now forward to him my original email & reply from his staff & see if we get any reaction at all.   (I have not yet taken this to my MP as I have had to call on his assistance for other, non-telephone related matters a few times recently so I don't want to overdo my calls on him as he is extremely hard working and dedicated, as well as being  deputy speaker.
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NonGeographicalMan
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Re: DVLA
Reply #26 - Jun 27th, 2006 at 11:15am
 
Barbara wrote on Jun 27th, 2006 at 9:25am:
Well done NGM!  I have extracted Mr Beenett's email address from your post & will now forward to him my original email & reply from his staff & see if we get any reaction at all.   (I have not yet taken this to my MP as I have had to call on his assistance for other, non-telephone related matters a few times recently so I don't want to overdo my calls on him as he is extremely hard working and dedicated, as well as being  deputy speaker.


Unfortunately I know my MP (Sir Paul Beresford) personally due both to him being a former Parliamentary colleague of my father and during my councillor career.  This makes it more difficult to take up with him what I know he is fairly ikely to see as a trivial matter from previous assessments of his personality type.

He is unfortunatly much more interested in any forms of allegation of child molestation or paedophilia which he pursues night and day with an almost unhealthy level of obsession.
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Barbara
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Re: DVLA
Reply #27 - Jul 10th, 2006 at 3:16pm
 
Have just received a reply to my email to Clive Bennett- apparently he receives too many emails to deal himself so this response was from the Operations Manager.   Following my complaint about the use of 0870 nos (see earlier post for details) he is contacting the COI again for claification!   Will keep the site updated on this.   Wonder if NGM has had a response to his email yet?
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NonGeographicalMan
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Re: DVLA
Reply #28 - Jul 11th, 2006 at 12:19am
 
Barbara wrote on Jul 10th, 2006 at 3:16pm:
Wonder if NGM has had a response to his email yet?


Mr Bennett's secretary acknowledged my email and promised a reply but so far no reply has been been received.

The primary thrust of my email was to complain about the DVLA online tax disc website being "temporarily offline for maintenance" for a week or more with an 0870 number being recommended as the alternative method of renewal while it was unavailable.

Although I have so far received no reply the offending 0870 phone number has been removed from the web page that is displayed on the many occasions when their online tax disc renewal page goes offline.  The suggestion now is purely that you visit a Post Office as an alternative.  However they cannot even get that right suggesting my nearest tax disc licensing Post Office is 7 miles away in Dorking when it is in fact only 1 mile away in Capel!  It appears that the DVLA wishes to try to put all sub post offices that still have tax disc licensing status out of business as soon as it can.
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Heinz
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Re: DVLA
Reply #29 - Jul 11th, 2006 at 9:30am
 
Quote:
It appears that the DVLA wishes to try to put all sub post offices that still have tax disc licensing status out of business as soon as it can.

Which makes me wonder why you didn't go there in the first place NGM!

Support your local Post Office
(yes, I live in a village too).
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After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015
WWW  
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