Hire car has no tax disc!

xband

I hired a car from a major car hire company today and just as I was parking it tonight and putting on a parking disc, I noticed it has no tax disc at all.

It's a brand new car, only 100km or so on the clock.

I rang them and just said that it is definitely taxed but the disc hasn't been sent on yet and they would take care of any fines !!

Seems a bit daft renting it out without all the paperwork though.

I'm concerned now as I have to drive to NI tomorrow (it is insured) and I'm just not overly keen on having to explain complicated nonsense about tax discs if I'm stopped anywhere.

Think I'm within my rights to just demand a new car from their other station in the morning?

*Kol*

They don't check for tax on "foreign" cars up the north. Anyway they don't have to display tax disks anymore in the UK and NI.

xband

It's more just the inconvenience of being potentially ticketed in the republic while parked or when stopped.

Just seems very sloppy to book a car our without being properly setup with documents.

testicle

xband wrote: »

It's more just the inconvenience of being potentially ticketed in the republic while parked or when stopped

None of which are your problem. The car is brand new I presume? If you owned it, would you drive it before the tax disk arrived?

Victor

*Kol* wrote: »

They don't check for tax on "foreign" cars up the north. Anyway they don't have to display tax disks anymore in the UK and NI.

Actually, there have been high-profile cases of them doing just this. http://www.inishowennews.com/07Clamped0145.htm

xband

If that happens I will abandon the car up there and they can bloody deal with it.

I think I'm going to just head into Dublin airport en route and insist on a car with all the correct legal documentation displayed though!

xband

testicle wrote: »

None of which are your problem. The car is brand new I presume? If you owned it, would you drive it before the tax disk arrived?

That's really my business and I can opt to discuss it with the Gardai if I'm stopped.

I'm not hiring it out to other people. I didn't hire a car without a tax disc.

NATLOR

Victor wrote: »

Actually, there have been high-profile cases of them doing just this. http://www.inishowennews.com/07Clamped0145.htm

Is that story not 7 years old ?,date showing 26/11/09 also sterling to euro conversion certainly isn't current

xband

NATLOR wrote: »

Is that story not 7 years old ?,date showing 26/11/09 also sterling to euro conversion certainly isn't current

Even so, it shows it could happen.
I'll just push to seal the car tomorrow. It's not my problem.

Charles Babbage

xband wrote: »

Even so, it shows it could happen.
I'll just push to seal the car tomorrow. It's not my problem.

Since the general legislation to display a tax disc no longer applies in the North the situation is now different. Quite what it is, may be hard to ascertain, probably they would have to check if it was taxed and it presumably is.

Del2005

Charles Babbage wrote: »

Since the general legislation to display a tax disc no longer applies in the North the situation is now different. Quite what it is, may be hard to ascertain, probably they would have to check if it was taxed and it presumably is.

They have ANPR for UK registered vehicles but not for Irish registered. So if they see an Irish car without a tax disc they have no way of knowing if it's taxed so could do the driver, since you need to be road legal it the country you're registered in.

slimjimmc

testicle wrote: »

None of which are your problem. The car is brand new I presume? If you owned it, would you drive it before the tax disk arrived?

Driver can get fined as well as the registered owner. Not a problem for the driver if the car was caught by a warden but could be if he was caught at a checkpoint.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1976/act/16/section/73/enacted/en/html#sec73

xband

Whole thing is very sloppy. I've now been advised by work not to travel any further in the car.

Fairly furious with the hire location as I'm going to miss a whole day's work in NI over it.

Marcusm

xband wrote: »

I hired a car from a major car hire company today and just as I was parking it tonight and putting on a parking disc, I noticed it has no tax disc at all.

It's a brand new car, only 100km or so on the clock.

I rang them and just said that it is definitely taxed but the disc hasn't been sent on yet and they would take care of any fines !!

Seems a bit daft renting it out without all the paperwork though.

I'm concerned now as I have to drive to NI tomorrow (it is insured) and I'm just not overly keen on having to explain complicated nonsense about tax discs if I'm stopped anywhere.

Think I'm within my rights to just demand a new car from their other station in the morning?

I had this about 6 months ago; wasn't a new car bu tthe tax had expired a week or more. I noticed when I parked the car (thankfully off street). I called them up and had to press the position hard; I wasn't willing to drive it back to them. Lo and behold they found the tax disc and had it brought out to me by taxi within half an hour.

If you're willing to drive it back, there's no reason why you shouldn't swap the car out if they haven't got the disc. Ultimately the car being taxed doesn't help you as you can still be done for non display. This might be unlikely but why should you have to risk it, after all you have paid for the rental.

xband

I've pressed it this morning. They're going to change me to a 152- reg car.

It's hired in a different part of the country but I'm not willing to get into a ton of tickets and potential stress later on if I park it anywhere or go through a checkpoint.

The Gardai are usually fairly reasonable to deal with but it's more the PSNI or local authorities up north being potentially able to clamp or that has me worried as proving its taxed wouldn't be so easy.

Special Circumstances

If I had written confirmation of them guaranteeing to pay all fines I'd park it near every police station I could find and walk away from it whistling.

Do these even get taxed... isn't there some loophole on VRT for hire cars under X months?

Del2005

Special Circumstances wrote: »

If I had written confirmation of them guaranteeing to pay all fines I'd park it near every police station I could find and walk away from it whistling.

Do these even get taxed... isn't there some loophole on VRT for hire cars under X months?

All Irish registered vehicles have to display a tax disc when used in a public place, even the Gardai have tax discs on all their vehicles.

Special Circumstances

Del2005 wrote: »

All Irish registered vehicles have to display a tax disc when used in a public place, even the Gardai have tax discs on all their vehicles.

They're all supposed to be vrt'd too. But I'm guessing your rejection of my "maybe there's an exception to the rule" is based on just quoting the rule. Without considering that there are almost always exceptions.

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2055930138

I'm not saying there IS an exception on the tax, merely suggesting that there may be based on the 6 month exception on VRT.

savagethegoat

it's the cars owner will get the tickets not you, you shouldn't have worried about it.

amdublin

I think you made a big fuss over nothing tbh.

I'd have rang them and asked for a car from a NI office if I wanted to change. I wouldn't be missing a days work over it.

If you were pulled over any gaurd/police officer could see it was not your responsibility to tax a hired car. Plus any tickets when it was sitting parked would be the hire companies responsibility.

Squall Leonhart

Woah, I understand you're a bit stressed about the tax disc, but...

If you have your paperwork from the hire car company, and you're stopped by the PSNI, surely it cannot be your problem if the vehicle isn't taxed? Any penalties would have to be Hertz' or Europcar or whoever's problem?

Mountain out of a molehill here.

Doodah7

I think OP you have completely overreacted. Firstly the chances of getting stopped in the first place. Secondly the PSNI even noticing that it has no tax disc and why would they even care as it is nothing to do with them, it being a separate jurisdiction. Thirdly it is a hire car!! Any fines accruing due to non payment of tax is their problem not yours.

First world problems tbh...

Special Circumstances

tallpaul wrote: »

I think OP you have completely overreacted. Firstly the chances of getting stopped in the first place. Secondly the PSNI even noticing that it has no tax disc and why would they even care as it is nothing to do with them, it being a separate jurisdiction. Thirdly it is a hire car!! Any fines accruing due to non payment of tax is their problem not yours.

First world problems tbh...

Indeed... the first question on any normal persons mind when they get a rental is "how long until..."

Del2005

amdublin wrote: »

If you were pulled over any gaurd/police officer could see it was not your responsibility to tax a hired car.

Doesn't matter who owns the vehicle it's also the drivers responsibility to ensure its road legal.

Del2005

Special Circumstances wrote: »

They're all supposed to be vrt'd too. But I'm guessing your rejection of my "maybe there's an exception to the rule" is based on just quoting the rule. Without considering that there are almost always exceptions.

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2055930138

I'm not saying there IS an exception on the tax, merely suggesting that there may be based on the 6 month exception on VRT.

There are VRT breaks for hire cars, there are no exemptions for using a vehicle in a public place without displaying a valid tax disc. Some vehicles have zero motor tax rates, but they still have to display a tax disc.

Victor

Special Circumstances wrote: »

If I had written confirmation of them guaranteeing to pay all fines I'd park it near every police station I could find and walk away from it whistling.

You can't park in PSNI stations. If you try it, they blow up your car.

bear1

I think you exaggerated a lot. They said they would pay the fines given to you so you're covered.
The car is insured and having no tax is not covered in the Vienna convention, the car must be nctd and insured. Foreign motor tax has no bearing in other jurisdictions.
In the end you yourself caused your delays and ended up with an older car.
Would you drive your brand new car if the tax hadn't arrived yet? Bet you would.

Mech1

I would have collected your car returned any funds paid, and refused rental of another, too much like hard work to deal with you!

Marcusm

Mech1 wrote: »

I would have collected your car returned any funds paid, and refused rental of another, too much like hard work to deal with you!

You wouldn't have been embarrassed at handing out a non road legal car to a customer?

Charles Babbage

bear1 wrote: »

I think you exaggerated a lot. They said they would pay the fines given to you so you're covered.
The car is insured and having no tax is not covered in the Vienna convention, the car must be nctd and insured. Foreign motor tax has no bearing in other jurisdictions.
.

Ah yes, the good old Vienna Convention. All of the laws relating to mutual recognition of motor tax dating back to partition are not relevant, only your interpretation of the Vienna Convention. Someone should have told the people in the link earlier in the thread, maybe they can still get their money back.

bear1

Charles Babbage wrote: »

Ah yes, the good old Vienna Convention. All of the laws relating to mutual recognition of motor tax dating back to partition are not relevant, only your interpretation of the Vienna Convention. Someone should have told the people in the link earlier in the thread, maybe they can still get their money back.

The UK does not display any disks on their cars. Op drives into the north with only the insurance disc showing. They would not care that the tax isn't showing as the tax has been paid in its country of origin and hence is not in breach of any laws.
The car is fully legal, any guard could just call and find out if it is taxed and any Irish anpr cameras would also show it.
We are talking about a brand new car with 100km on the clock which tells me they just took delivery and you cant tax the car without the relevant docs.
When you rent a car you always have to check it over and tbh id notice if one disc is missing from the windshield, its not like its a new thing.
Op overreacted and was told all penalties would have been paid.
I fail to see the point of this thread.

Tails142

Yeah I had a hire car with no tax disc and got stopped at a check point and issued with a fine. Hire company covered it but it was hassle

xband

Mech1 wrote: »

I would have collected your car returned any funds paid, and refused rental of another, too much like hard work to deal with you!

Riiiiight... So I get a car without tax and I'm torn apart on the forum!

mickdw

Mech1 wrote: »

I would have collected your car returned any funds paid, and refused rental of another, too much like hard work to deal with you!

This just takes all the biscuits.

OP is entitled to a car with a disc as required by law. I dont drive my own car around without a disc. Last thing Id be happy to do is drive around a hire car that Id be paying through the nose for without a disc.

bear1

xband wrote: »

Riiiiight... So I get a car without tax and I'm torn apart on the forum!

You didn't get a car without tax, you received a car without the tax displayed but confirmed that it was paid.

xband

bear1 wrote: »

You didn't get a car without tax, you received a car without the tax displayed but confirmed that it was paid.

Whatever!

I received a car without proper paperwork.

It's resolved now. You can all stop making ratty remarks now.

As a customer I don't really see why I should be dealing with having to explain anything to Gardai or PSNI or having my day messed up by someone going off checking tax.

You hire a car, it works... The paperwork should be in order - end of story.

Sorry I bothered posting. This has to be the least helpful forum on boards.ie

bear1

xband wrote: »

Whatever!

I received a car without proper paperwork.

It's resolved now. You can all stop mankind ratty remarks now.

Sorry I bothered posting. This has to be the least helpful forum on boards.ie

You asked a question, did you expect that every single poster would agree with you? Some of us think you exaggerated.
If you don't like being disagreed with then maybe posting in any forum isn't for you.

xband

bear1 wrote: »

You asked a question, did you expect that every single poster would agree with you? Some of us think you exaggerated.
If you don't like being disagreed with then maybe posting in any forum isn't for you.

No but I don't expect to be given some of the nasty responses I got on here.

It was simple query and somehow turned into me being personally attacked on the forum.

Boards usually has a policy of attack the post not the poster.

Won't be bothering posting here again.

bear1

xband wrote: »

No but I don't expect to be given some of the nasty responses I got on here.

It was simple query and somehow turned into me being personally attacked on the forum.

Boards usually has a policy of attack the post not the poster.

Won't be bothering posting here again.

What nasty responses? You get easily upset dont you.

xband

bear1 wrote: »

What nasty responses? You get easily upset dont you.

Mech1 wrote: »

I would have collected your car returned any funds paid, and refused rental of another, too much like hard work to deal with you!

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Indeed... the first question on any normal persons mind when they get a rental is "how long until..."
]

bear1 wrote: »

I think you exaggerated a lot.

To point just a few out...

bear1

They aren't remotely nasty, they are critical.
As I said, you get easily upset.

Dermo123

Whenever I rent a car I never bother checking the disks.
Even if somebody pointed out a disk missing, I would just shrug my shoulders and carry on.
Some people I think are winding you up OP on the seriousness of this (non) issue.
You have created more hassle and complications for yourself by all this fuss that you would have by ignoring it. That is my opinion. Best of Luck.

VincePP

xband wrote: »

Riiiiight... So I get a car without tax and I'm torn apart on the forum!

Look up the meaning of Catastrophe Syndrome.

Your posts are a classic example.


ANPR systems detect tax details these days, so gardai won't stop you as it won't be flagged.

If you happened upon a checkpoint and the garda sees a 161 reg, they will wave you on, cos gardai have this thing called common sense.



As to why people attacked your post - maybe read them. Totally OTT.

xband

All I know is I made a simple enquiry on here and suddenly I'm being torn apart for being OTT and people suggesting that the car hire company shouldn't bother dealing with me.

It's this kind of inability or unwillingness to follow the law and basic common sense rules that is part of the reason why Ireland gets into such a mess a lot of the time.

Ah sure bend a rule here, that law doesn't really mean anything.. Ah sure it's grand... Anyone who says anything is OTT or possibly German...

Why should I have to deal with tickets at all for a car rental ?!

I don't really care what their bureaucratic processes are. I just want a car that works with all of its documentation in place.

Why should a car rental company put a car on the road until it gets the tax disc?

It's one thing with someone's private car when they opt to do that themselves. It's a totally different scenario with a car being provided to someone commercially.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a hire car has *all* of its documentation, a number plate, all four wheels etc etc

Yet for some reason I just got a big load of his hostile responses.