Screwed by the DVLA

[Kontiki]

I have been going through renewing my license to retain my C1. Last year reaching 70 I had the full medical D2, D4, did the treadmill test only to get a license for 1 year, this wsa told it would be simpler, the letter I recieved said when I renew I will not need to get a D4 medical exam. Filled in the forms they sent, due to being misinformed I found I also needed the D2 so filled it in emailled it to them. Rang today to check prgress only to be told there was a letter in the post with a D4 form & I was required to have a D4 medical report. The woman I spoke to was really abrupt informing me EVERYBODY over the age of 70 needs to have a D4 medical every year, I said no I have friends one of which is 76 has renewed his license just the 2 times each time for 3 years. She was adamant that EVERYBODY over 70 has to have a full medical every year. The renewal letter they sent me this year also stated that I would not be required to have a D4 medical if I had one within the last 3 years.

At the end of the line now can't spend another few weeks/months even having to pay for a medical & maybe having to have a treadmill test again (I asked if this would be also required only to be told I would be told after their medical department had recieved my forms). JUst a a loss at what to do you can't deal with these little hitlers who seem to change the rules part way through. There was one question on the form as to my heart condition asking if it had got any worse, I could understand if I had said yes but no I haven't had any heart related problems & the last time I saw a consultant was in 2009 as part of an investigation of a problem which turned out to be unrelated.

It is looking like I will just have to lose my C1, it is just too expensive & more importantly time consuming having to go through the medical every year.

 

[alcam]

I have been going through renewing my license to retain my C1. Last year reaching 70 I had the full medical D2, D4, did the treadmill test only to get a license for 1 year, this wsa told it would be simpler, the letter I recieved said when I renew I will not need to get a D4 medical exam. Filled in the forms they sent, due to being misinformed I found I also needed the D2 so filled it in emailled it to them. Rang today to check prgress only to be told there was a letter in the post with a D4 form & I was required to have a D4 medical report. The woman I spoke to was really abrupt informing me EVERYBODY over the age of 70 needs to have a D4 medical every year, I said no I have friends one of which is 76 has renewed his license just the 2 times each time for 3 years. She was adamant that EVERYBODY over 70 has to have a full medical every year. The renewal letter they sent me this year also stated that I would not be required to have a D4 medical if I had one within the last 3 years.

At the end of the line now can't spend another few weeks/months even having to pay for a medical & maybe having to have a treadmill test again (I asked if this would be also required only to be told I would be told after their medical department had recieved my forms). JUst a a loss at what to do you can't deal with these little hitlers who seem to change the rules part way through. There was one question on the form as to my heart condition asking if it had got any worse, I could understand if I had said yes but no I haven't had any heart related problems & the last time I saw a consultant was in 2009 as part of an investigation of a problem which turned out to be unrelated.

It is looking like I will just have to lose my C1, it is just too expensive & more importantly time consuming having to go through the medical every year.

If this test is not required [despite what this person says] you have to try and speak to the organ grinder . Also contact your MP . I know most of us have little time for our politicians but some of my least favourites are actually excellent constituency MPs

 

[rugbyreddragon]

Note on D4drivers.uk website as follows:

Drivers who passed their car test up until the end of 1996 normally have the C1+E category as acquired rights and must have a medical every 3 years with the first at 70.
Drivers who passed their C1 practical test from 1st January 1997 onwards automatically receive C1+E category provisional licence. If a driver gains the full entitlement a medical must be renewed every 5 years from 45 up to 65, then annually from 65.

From this clearly says only every 3 years from age 70?

 

[Kontiki]

When I got the license last year the letter clearly says I will not be required to have a medical when I renew. What can you do when the person you speak to refuses to accept any of it just saying I need a medical every year. Going to try ringing tomorrow see if I can get some clarity, at least a reason why the letter last year & the one that came this year clearly say I need a medical every three years. I will then make a formal complaint on the grounds that they are being unreasonable changing what they have asked me for part way through renewing this year. When I received the renewal on the 31st Dec I did ring the DVLA to check what would be required & was also told them that a medical would not be needed.

 

[wineciccio]

Goodness what a balava?? I have to do that this year, may ask as how many months before one needs to apply and what is the proper procedure re. the medical and so forth?? :scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared:

 

[maxi77]

I have been going through renewing my license to retain my C1. Last year reaching 70 I had the full medical D2, D4, did the treadmill test only to get a license for 1 year, this wsa told it would be simpler, the letter I recieved said when I renew I will not need to get a D4 medical exam. Filled in the forms they sent, due to being misinformed I found I also needed the D2 so filled it in emailled it to them. Rang today to check prgress only to be told there was a letter in the post with a D4 form & I was required to have a D4 medical report. The woman I spoke to was really abrupt informing me EVERYBODY over the age of 70 needs to have a D4 medical every year, I said no I have friends one of which is 76 has renewed his license just the 2 times each time for 3 years. She was adamant that EVERYBODY over 70 has to have a full medical every year. The renewal letter they sent me this year also stated that I would not be required to have a D4 medical if I had one within the last 3 years.

At the end of the line now can't spend another few weeks/months even having to pay for a medical & maybe having to have a treadmill test again (I asked if this would be also required only to be told I would be told after their medical department had recieved my forms). JUst a a loss at what to do you can't deal with these little hitlers who seem to change the rules part way through. There was one question on the form as to my heart condition asking if it had got any worse, I could understand if I had said yes but no I haven't had any heart related problems & the last time I saw a consultant was in 2009 as part of an investigation of a problem which turned out to be unrelated.

It is looking like I will just have to lose my C1, it is just too expensive & more importantly time consuming having to go through the medical every year.

I would suggest you pass all the relevant information to your \\mp who has a duty to resolve the problem.If he/she does not do this then pass all the information on to your local papers and hopefully get your MP sacked at the next election.

 

[slowpace]

think it is no more that 3 month befor

 

[portiapug]

think it is no more that 3 month befor

It is 4 months before (I am going through the process at the moment).

 

[malagaoth]

I feel your pain, I am diabetic and lost my C1 but Im still trying to work out why something which might weigh an extra 150kg is so dangerous when they happily let me drive 3500kg but not 3650kg!

 

[Deleted member 967]

I had a medical in April for my renewal at 73. The doctor THOUGHT he heard a heart murmur. He said he didn't think it would affect my renewal, but as he had heard it, he had to put in on the form. An Echo Scan was arranged which came back "satisfactory no further action".

In July I got a form from DVLA basically asking for the same details as on the D4 to be completed by my doctor and the optician and a copy of the echoscan result. This was promptly returned.

Hearing nothing from them by October I contacted them again and was told my application was with the Medical Group "I can confirm that the information we have received is with the relevant team waiting to be reviewed. I appreciate you have already been waiting some time and assure you that we will complete our enquiries as soon as we can". On line it says my licence is expired but DVLA informed me I can still continue driving as before for up to a year from the expiry.

Nothing heard again by January so contacted them again. This time they replied "I can confirm that the information we have received is still with the relevant team waiting to be reviewed as this time due to the current workload within the department. I understand you have been waiting for some time already so can only assure you that we will complete our enquiries as soon as we can."

I have since the original medical had appendicitis and have had a number of ECG non of which show any heart defect.

IMO DVLA (franchised to CAPITA) is no longer fit for purpose.
I am about to contact my MP on this matter.

 

[Deleted member 967]

Kontiki. I always contact DVLA in writing (email) and get a reply that way. I found that speaking to staff leaves no audit trail to follow up on. My first distrust came when they registered my S700 Hymer on import as a MAKE: Mercedes, MODEL: Renault Scenic, BODY TYPE: Pickup, despite having all the paperwork and pictures in front of them. I also had problems with the registered weight, as they took the factory weight ticket as the maximum weight (leaving no payload) not the makers MGVW in the specifications.

I suggest you contact them again by email.

 

[Kontiki]

Goodness what a balava?? I have to do that this year, may ask as how many months before one needs to apply and what is the proper procedure re. the medical and so forth?? :scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared::scared:

They should get in touch with 3 months to go, you can get the D2/D4 forms which includes the information booklets.
Looking at the booklet INF2D it says on page 6 that to renew the C1 with medical conditions a D4 is required at the age of 70 then every 3 years afterwards. There is some confusing information as on the previous page it says about lorry or bus entitlement that a D4 is required from 45 everey 5 years then from 65 annually. I think this is where it gets screwed up & they seem to be applying the lorry bus renewal rules or something.

 

[listerdiesel]

My licence application is in the system right now, C and CE, C1 and C1E.

My understanding, and that on the relevant information leaflets is that at 70, if you want a full C and CE licence, you must have the full medical yearly, while the C1 and C1E licence requires the full medical 3-yearly, and the groups are dated on your photocard licence accordingly.

I have written correspondence with the Driver Medical Group and have been in touch by phone, in all cases I have had good service and responses.

I'm off overseas in February so will call them Monday to see if I will get my licence back before I go, but they can issue a temporary licence to cover the trip if needed.

Peter

 

[alwaysared]

As John Thompson said, always write, email (or install a call recording app on your phone) when contacting DVLA because sooner or later we all get screwed by them. My mate imported a motorbike and as per usual in order to register it he had to get insurance and MOT (no VOSA test as it was over 10 years old) which he did, they issued him with the V5 and tax, 12 months later when he took it for MOT they had 2 digits in the VIN number backwards and he couldn't MOT it! It took him longer to sort that out than to register it in the first place. :rolleyes2: Closing all the local offices was probably the worst thing they did.

Regards,
Del

 

[Kontiki]

I think maybe I see the confusion or reasons for misunderstanding this is the DVLA site showing the categories Driving licence categories - GOV.UK looking at this there is no difference in the wording between medium sized vehicles C1/C1E & large sized vehicles C/CE. So maybe the person I dealt with was only looking at the requirements for a C license (yearly medical) instead of C1 (medical every 3 years).

Managed to talk to somebody reasonable yesterday who read the letters that they sent me stating a D4 medical would not be needed, although unable to do anything (different department) said somebody will look at it monday & to call back then. Now I know about the C - C1 difference I will ask them to check on what rules they are applying in my case.

 

[Kontiki]

Sorry didn't miss your thread but failed to recognise that this might be a cause for the mis understanding when talking to the DVLA, the DVLA link I put on doesn't make it clear as it says the C1 is 3500 up to 7500 but for category C it just says over 3500kgs. I was trying to find a reason why the person I spoke to was insistent that a medical was always required every year. I know that the DVLA can impose different conditions depending on circumstances but the letter I recieved when I renewed last year said clearly that a medical would not be required when I renewed this year, the person who insisted a medical was needed would not even look at the letter saying it was irrelevant.

 

[Deadsfo]

I will be 70 in November 'how soon would you start procedings to retain The C1 (3500 TO7500KG) category

 

[Kontiki]

Some progress, spoke to the DVLA & they told me I don't need to complete the D4 medical form, so just waiting (god knows what for) for them to make a decision. Nothing in the information I supplied contains anything different since last year & the only relevant question was has my condition got any worse, my answer wasa no so I can't see there should be any problem. So I'll be calling them daily until I get a decision.

For anybody who doesn't know the D4 form has to be completed by a doctor, even the parts you fill in you are supposed to do when the doctor is present. Think they say it should take 20-30 minutes it took my doctor almost an hour, he only chargerd me £50 the normal rate is around £100 but some can get it done by companies specializing in filling them in. At this time of year my doctors surgery is struggling to provide appointments for people who are ill, I would feel really guilty taking up about 5 or 6 appointment slots to uneccesarily fill in a form which as seems to be the case was totally wrong,

I will be writing a letter of complaint when it is all sorted out as the woman who wsa insistent that I needed a yearly medical needs retraining & taught some manners when dealing with members of the public, her whole attitude was she was right I was wrong & nothing I said was listened to.

 

[Deleted member 967]

Some progress, spoke to the DVLA & they told me I don't need to complete the D4 medical form, so just waiting (god knows what for) for them to make a decision. Nothing in the information I supplied contains anything different since last year & the only relevant question was has my condition got any worse, my answer wasa no so I can't see there should be any problem. So I'll be calling them daily until I get a decision.

For anybody who doesn't know the D4 form has to be completed by a doctor, even the parts you fill in you are supposed to do when the doctor is present. Think they say it should take 20-30 minutes it took my doctor almost an hour, he only chargerd me £50 the normal rate is around £100 but some can get it done by companies specializing in filling them in. At this time of year my doctors surgery is struggling to provide appointments for people who are ill, I would feel really guilty taking up about 5 or 6 appointment slots to uneccesarily fill in a form which as seems to be the case was totally wrong,

I will be writing a letter of complaint when it is all sorted out as the woman who wsa insistent that I needed a yearly medical needs retraining & taught some manners when dealing with members of the public, her whole attitude was she was right I was wrong & nothing I said was listened to.

Kontiki. You are not taking up any NHS slot. The Doctor does these medicals on a private basis, separate from the NHS work (A hang over from before the NHS was started in 1948). The fee goes direct to him. The Medicals are done at a time when he/she is not roistered to be at the surgery, usually at the end of the day I have found. The Private Medical doctors that do the HGV medicals are contracting themselves to a company. They may also be GPs or Hospital doctors working on their day off.

I have today contacted my MP over the delays I have experienced with DVLA.

 

[listerdiesel]

My medical was done in regular surgery hours, three 10-minute slots to give 30 minutes.


I spoke with DVLA this morning, to check on progress on the licence, and to arrange for a temporary licence for when we go overseas.

Then had a call at 15.00 from DVLA to confirm that the temporary licence had been processed and was in the post, which was a nice touch.

Peter