Cheers Roymondo.
D2 ordered. I like to do stuff early if possible. I always keeps a photocopy of both parts of my license in my wagon just incase the real ones get lifted/eaten/burnt/spontaneously disappears. So at least I would have something to show the men in the local nest should I get felt on my way through.
Dafpower, a few years ago while awaiting DVLA to liven up with my renewal,i got nicked for speeding, so as per usual, plod sends me a charge sheet and a letter telling me to send my licence to get the stamps put on, so i wrote to them with the fine, and a letter explaining that it was with DVLA, so they gave me an extension, and a month later it still hadnt been returned, so i contacted plod again to explain the circumstances, even asking them to verify with DVLA, but of course i promised to send it when i had it, and being an impatient lot, i received a fine for failing to send it, i even got my MP on it, but got nowhere so had to pay up in the end thats something that really ■■■■■■ me off and in hindsight, i should have sent the fine to DVLA but probably would just get a sympathetic letter and a note explaining it was beyond their control.
the flying foden:
trashman2013:
DVLA cover note accepted anywhere in EU…^
this is correct i also get a letter from work and a photocopy of my license both paper and plastic . just in the process of renewing mine this month . just had to have a eye test at a opticians because i wear glasses £30 thank you very much
Tell that to an employment agency and then to the company your sent to who require to check your licence before they let you out in their truck.
Got a letter from DVLA yesterday, stating they have found a new problem, in fact they did the same last year, said i was suffering from sleep Apnoae, anyway i had a form to fill in about my sleep patterns, and they stated that if i didnt return the form within 17 days, my licence would be revoked, thats a laugh in itself, cos my licence ran out on the 12th march, and theyve got it, what a bunch of twerps. All this nonsense came about because i dared to tell the doctor i had trouble sleeping, so be warned what you go to the doctor for, i have added a nice letter to the twerps in Swansea, and a letter from the hospital stating i do not have the condition, which is what i did last year, but heres hoping.
um
truckyboy:
Got a letter from DVLA yesterday, stating they have found a new problem, in fact they did the same last year, said i was suffering from sleep Apnoae, anyway i had a form to fill in about my sleep patterns, and they stated that if i didnt return the form within 17 days, my licence would be revoked, thats a laugh in itself, cos my licence ran out on the 12th march, and theyve got it, what a bunch of twerps. All this nonsense came about because i dared to tell the doctor i had trouble sleeping, so be warned what you go to the doctor for, i have added a nice letter to the twerps in Swansea, and a letter from the hospital stating i do not have the condition, which is what i did last year, but heres hoping.
truckyboy:
I think its disgusting that the DVLA can take so long to process a licence renewal, they already had mine for a month, and yesterday i received a letter sayingSorryfor the delay, and its going to take a further 12 weeks, so 4 months to renew a licence. So for the international trips, it means practically no work, because although you can ask for a paper to cover you, i believe that most euro countries will not accept a piece of paper, so i guess its a case of sit tight and wait. For the regular international drivers, it possibly could mean at least a couple of months without money or work, unless they can get uk work.
Hi. To All of you with this problem.
In 2012 I had this very same problem, it took exactly 6 months to get my HGV Licence back, in which time I was out of work as I worked at the time for a German Company on Heavy Haulage. The plan is to write to the Customer Services with a copy of your loss of earnings, at DVLA first Address as follows:-
D.V.L.A.
Customer Complaint Resolution Team
D11
Longview Road
Swansea
SA6 7JL
You will not get any joy from them, this is just a formality. Then you write to the I.C.A. Address as follows:- Independent Complaints Assessor
c/o ICA Administration
Agency Sponsorship Team
Department for Transport
Zone 4/33. Great Minster House
33, Horseferry Road
London. SW1P 4DR.
They will take your case on, no charge, BUT YOU MUST SEND A COPY OF ALL YOUR CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE DVLA AND A COPY OF YOUR CLAIM FOR LOSS OF EARNINGS.
Then when you have your result back from them and it is in your favour as mine was, you then write back to the DVLA giving them 28 days to pay your loss of earnings, but they will want your wage slips for 12 weeks prior to the start of your application, and a letter from your employer.
After the 28 days you get nothing, then write to:-
Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman
Mill Bank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Mine is still in there after February this year, it is a long drawn out process. I do have an Government E PETITION on the go against the length of time the DVLA are taking, so log on the Government E petition site and sign it.
BUT YOU MUST KEEP A LOG OF ALL CALLS MADE AND KEEP CPIES OF ALL CORRESPONDENCE
“THE DVLA HAVE DENIED YOU THE RIGHT TO WORK”
Make sure you take a photo copy of the license before you send it off, there have been cases of them coming back with no entitlements on them & you’ve no come back.
It took me 5 months to get mine back after losing it through diabetes. Dont forget to photocopy it before sending especially if your car insurance is due for renewal in the next 6 months. I didn’t and I had to stay with car insurance as I couldn’t send a copy to a new insurance company,it cost me an extra £83.37 to stay with current insurer 
Bigben, thats very informative and it seems we do have redress. Unfortunately i am retired and do not have a regular employer, so it wont affect me, my intention was to only earn a few quid for my holiday money, but that info would be useful for a full time driver suffering hardship because they have no licence to show. My last company was on the ball and photographed all licences every 3 months, and gave out reminders of renewals, but so long as you had the permission to drive letter from DVLA all was ok. Maybe there are instances of drivers who cannot work because companies wont accept the fact My licence is at Swansea
I have recently sent off all my papers now, and hopefully it should be returned shortly, i have however asked them not to renew it with the anniversary date, but a date that is 3 months older, the time it has taken them, heres hoping.
Received a reply from DVLA today 14/05/2014 stating that due to their enquiries, this could take up to 12 weeks, in my eyes thats 3 months, seeing as they have had everything they need since February, and if it runs for the full 12 weeks it would have taken them up to 6 months, thats is why i have asked them for the correct start and finish date on the licence, and not just to back date to its anniversary, because i would have lost 6 months. I think that DVLA are taking the ■■■■, i do understand there are checks to be made, but surely a phone call is quicker than a letter, seeing i provided all numbers required, doctor, consultant, hospital, and i cannot claim anything because i am not employed but a casual driver who works as and when i want, so i will have to wait patiently and also try and find someone to complain to, but seeing as they are all on the same level, and in the same club ( ie government ) i dont think i stand a chance of retribution.
Great post,from BIGBEN,
I too have a problem with DVLA, back in sept 2013, I was told to book a exercise test at my local hospital
I rang umpteen times,and was allways told,the appointment will be in the post. (14/5/14 still waiting)
on 28/4/14. I received a letter from DVLA, stating my LGV/PCV licence was revoked unless I booked a ex/test within 7 days.
I duly rang the hospital,well you can guess the rest, I have been out of work since,
Any advice would be appreciated
I applied for a hgv provisional entitlement to be added to my licence in February,i rang in april and was told my application had been forwarded to the medical dept on 14 march, they informed me it was being dealt with . today wed 14 may I received a letter saying “blood pressure must be consistently below 180/100. as your blood pressure readings show your blood pressure is above this limit we have decided that you must have 3 more readings taken by (name of my doc) .” any way walked into surgery and by chance my doctor was speaking to the receptionist so showed him the letter . he then asked me " do they mean 3 tests in succession ? or over 3 days ? , will they accept the test being done by the nurse (much easier to get a nurses app than a doctors one )and he will sign it ?. tried ringing Swansea today while parked up at birch services and got the usual “our operators are busy please be patient , followed by a series of options , followed by please be patient” etc etc , after 18 mins it was time move and by the time I got home it was after 7 . so can anyone enlighten me or do I have to endure being patient again tomorrow ? 
thanks in advance
got through pretty quickly this morning (9am) and they say 3 tests on the same day but they must be at least 20 mins apart. got appointments at 9-20. 11-20 and 12-20 Monday . so I don’t think I will be working at all on Monday 
, shame ive got docs in the morning ,I could have gone for a pint sunday night .
There must be somewhere we can all complain to, i know they must have thousands of applications to deal with, but the majority i would assume are bog standard ones, but those with medical issues are taking way too long to process, like i said, mine has been with them since February, and they are saying it could take another 3 months so 6 months to process a licence thats been held for a number of years without any issues, it seems the older you get, the worst they get.
Roymondo, thanks for that and i advise anyone on here complaining about the time its taking to renew their licence, to COMPLAIN…i will right now…
Please note: on reading the enclosed procedure for complaints, it states that you will receive an answer within 2 WEEKS of receiving your complaint, thats not progress, its showing their complete disregard for the public, should have kept to sheep shagging, at least they will get more satisfaction.
Roymondo:
…get yourself a passport photo done.…Send the form (with photo stuck in the place indicated) along with your old licence (both parts) and a cheque for £20. In a few days, you’ll get a shiny new licence that doesn’t expire for five years (even if you were anticipating needing to have to have a medical in October…)
Sadly, this is not exactly true. Your HGV entitlement is always subject to you having a valid D4 Medical Examination Report, whether it be a “one off” medical for the under 45’s, a five-yearly one for ages between 45 and 65 or a yearly one for over age 65.
Yes, you will get a “shiny new licence” with five years on the clock but you will still need a medical “on or before the original anniversary date.”
Trust me, FAILURE TO PASS YOUR MEDICAL BY THE ORIGINAL ANNIVERSARY DATE WILL REVOKE YOUR HGV ENTITLEMENT IMMEDIATELY. A NEW PASSPORT PHOTO WILL NOT BY-PASS THE DOCTOR.
Dieseldoforme:
you will still need a medical “on or before the original anniversary date.”
I’d be interested to know where that particular gem is quoted from.
Trust me, FAILURE TO PASS YOUR MEDICAL BY THE ORIGINAL ANNIVERSARY DATE WILL REVOKE YOUR HGV ENTITLEMENT IMMEDIATELY. A NEW PASSPORT PHOTO WILL NOT BY-PASS THE DOCTOR.
As we’ve already been around this particular roundabout in another thread, I’d also like to know the legal basis on which those IMPRESSIVE LOOKING CAPITAL LETTERS are based.
My understanding is that the Secretary of State (acting through his agents at the DVLA) is well aware of this anomaly in the new vocational licence arrangements, and has decided to leave it be. It only affects licence holders aged over 45 and only affects them once - when they change over from the ‘old’ regime (10-yearly renewals for under-45’s, 5-yearly aged 45-65 and annualy thereafter) to the ‘new’ regime (5-yearly renewals for all drivers up until age 65). My understanding is that he has decided that the potential for problems with drivers ‘missing’ a single medical exam is more than offset by the potential administrative nightmare of marrying up the different expiry/medical requirements of the ‘old’ and ‘new’ arrangements.
Roymondo:
I’d be interested to know where that particular gem is quoted from.My understanding is that the Secretary of State (acting through his agents at the DVLA) is well aware of this anomaly in the new vocational licence arrangements, and has decided to leave it be…
It comes from DVLA form D47P (Renewal of your lorry and bus driving licence entitlement) as notified to ‘Driver X’ that his “lorry entitlement ends at Midnight on ■■ Jun 2014” even though he previously (in April) renewed his photo and got the C&E entitlement extended on his licence card for another five years up to April 2019.
Can you really expect a Secretary of State to waive or postpone medicals? What if a driver wiped out a coach load of passengers because his autopsy discovered an undetected health problem and he didn’t have a “valid” medical? The SoS would be shot at dawn.
If it’s too good to be true, it probably is…
Hmm - I wonder if maybe Driver X was a tad too late with his photo renewal to take advantage of this particular anomaly, and renewed it after the automatic process had already begun?
I’ve asked DVLA to clarify this for me anyway, as I am one of those affected.