I is. I have safely returned from my forray into That London.
One step forward ...but another step still to go.
The paperwork appears to check out O.K, but because it's a brand new build, rather than a modified, existing vehicle, they want to inspect it.
Had a bit of a worrying start- I sat down at the counter & plonked my folder of forms & receipts on the desk. The nice DVLA lady took one look & said
Ahh, I remember this one. We destroyed all your paperwork.
Ha ha.
No. Seriously, we destroyed your paperwork.
....what?
Seems they had an audit a few months ago because they're shutting the Wimbledon office down & they were told to get rid of any "cold cases" -ones where people had started the registration process but not continued with it. I first went there about 2 years ago, so they assumed I wasn't coming back.
Argh!Fortunately it just meant I had to rewrite a couple of forms, but it all got a bit panicky there for a moment.
She's the same woman I dealt with before, who missed her train home to fill in my forms -I did wonder if she'd screwed them up & thrown them in the bin as soon as I'd left! She's obviously their custom build specialist & knows exactly what she's talking about, but was really pleasant & helpful too -so they're making her redundant in 2 months time. She said they sometimes keep particular case files that interest them, just for future reference if something similar comes along. She'd kept me on file for about a year longer than normal before eventually deleting me.
So. She took some of the receipts for major components
-"I love your engine sale receipt, written on the back of an envelope -classy" -& a couple of my build photos & stapled them to the forms I'd filled out & handed the rest back. She also took 275 quid from me for a years road tax plus their registration fee.
She had a quick check through everything & said she couldn't see any problems, but I'd have to bring the truck in for them to inspect, (because it's a new registration, they have to check it's actually what I claim it is & that the VIN number's correctly stamped etc). The earliest appointment I could make was 3.40 next Tuesday afternoon, which happens to be my next day off. Nice DVLA lady only works a couple of days a week & won't be there that day. So one of her colleagues will take a look at it, then she'll complete the paperwork the next day. She said I could go back then to pick up the tax disc, but if she posts it to me she can date it from the first of March, so I don't lose a month's tax, which was nice of her.
The office is right in the middle of Wimbledon high street, on the corner of a really busy road junction. They've got a tiny staff carpark, down a steep, narrow slope. I pointed out we'd struggle to get the Pop down there, on the back of a recovery truck, for them to inspect. No problem, press the buzzer & we'll come out & look at it outside. Should be interesting -I've got visions of Scottie the hotrod haulier having to drive round & round the block while we complete the paperwork!
I know some forumers have had real problems with their local DVLA offices, but I have to admit, Wimbledon couldn't be more helpful or knowledgable. Shame their office is due to close down at the end of April.
So very nearly there now, but just prolonging the tension just that
little bit longer.
