One of our customers got pulled over for a Full COF check by the Police near Rotorua. They found nothing but a missing Certificate of Loading so they issued a fine of $200 to us. We bought the truck from Turners Auction Christchurch and they have had a COF done at VTNZ and never had a COL on the window. That sticker cost nothing to print at VTNZ so we printed one to stick on the screen and told them that it has been done. They still wouldn't waive the fine. I don't know what we should do now. We bought the truck fully road legal checked by VTNZ. We were not trying to hide from payments or anything like that, they police had the information for the Certificate of Loading of that vehicle in their system anyway. They can see it anytime, on that day the whole truck weight was 3400kg. No where near overloading. What is the best way to deal with this one? just pay the $200? or worth going to court?
martin11,
Mar 3, 3:27pm
Pay the fine you have noting to argue in court for failing the display the COL only wasting your time going to court .
vancy_rentals,
Mar 3, 3:44pm
Good advice guys. But I'm not the one who has done anything wrong though. We bought the truck as a customer from a reputable dealer. shall we pay the fine and try recover the cost from the dealer?
woki,
Mar 3, 3:48pm
There is no justice in NZ anymore . JUst pay the fine or the revenue collectors will add more to it . You are up against a beauracratic money making enterprise , you will never win . Say Baa like a sheep and roll over !
upnorth,
Mar 3, 3:50pm
If your renting out vehicles then even more reason to be totally compliant.
A cheap lesson learned here.
vancy_rentals,
Mar 3, 4:13pm
True, but who do we really need to punish, VTNZ? or Turner Auction? We paid money to them so they can make sure we are compliant.
3tomany,
Mar 3, 4:17pm
the sooner you pay it the sooner you will forget about it. $200 is not worth suing anyone for just get over it
vancy_rentals,
Mar 3, 4:24pm
Very true, we are just a customer who paid VTNZ and Turner Auction trusting them to have a road legal truck for our customers. Now I'm pretty sure they will be denying any wrong doing and make it too hard for us to get to justice. Oh well we shall get over it and get on with our business. We've got customers to serve !
martin11,
Mar 3, 4:25pm
Think you should have fill in a MR14 form for change of use to your business for a rental vehicle from what it was previously .
vancy_rentals,
Mar 3, 4:28pm
We bought it from Turners Auction and it was registered as a Rental for us on day one, as it was a fresh import with a new cof. We were the first owner.
kazbanz,
Mar 3, 4:52pm
Vancy rentals -sorry to be blunt but YOU allowed that vehicle to go out on a rental without a COL displayed. I get that the dealer didn't put it in the vehicle on sale but YOU are responsible to check your vehicles are all in order before sending them out on a rental.
saxman99,
Mar 3, 5:02pm
Just pay the $200 and make sure to claim it back on your tax return as Legal Expenses.
martin11,
Mar 3, 5:40pm
I suppose that you think that of the COF and Registration cards also .
richardmayes,
Mar 3, 5:54pm
You could ask Turners for a "Please explain, Sir" but really. if it's your truck, it's your responsibility.
bashfulbro,
Mar 3, 6:11pm
A friend of mine had exactly the same issue, bought a small truck, there was no loading cert in it when he bought it, he had not owned a truck before, and didn`t even know what a load cert was. He owned the truck for 7 years before he got ticketed. Every 6 months, that truck went to the same VTNZ for COF checks, so that was 14 times, VTNZ had issued a COF, when the vehicle had no COL. When he approached them, they just shrugged and printed one out, there and then. They could have done that on 14 previous occasions, if they had been doing their job properly. I think his fine was $600 ,not certain. There was no issue with weight, it was just a light truck. Like another poster mentioned, CVIU have immediate ,online access to the records, and the ticket was not necessary at all, just plain money grabbing .
Maybe OP,could contest the ticket, go to court and let the judge see just how petty the CVIU are,
lusty9,
Mar 3, 6:23pm
it never had the cof displayed, before going on the road with any vehical check to see if it displays all required certs plain and simple really. Hard lesson learned but you learned. hahahaha
kazbanz,
Mar 3, 7:55pm
Could you show me ANYWHERE that is says that the WOF/COF/REGO/COL issuer is responsible in any way for affixing that lable to your vehicle. have a good look through all the legislation. For gosh sakes you are advocating the OP accepts NO personal responsibility whatsoever.
martin11,
Mar 3, 8:02pm
The WOF and COF are to be put on the windscreen if the vehicle has one by the following :
The WoF label must be affixed by the vehicle inspector or a delegated employee of the inspecting organisation in one of the following positions:
a) if the vehicle is fitted with a windscreen:
This is in the warrent / cof regs .
pauldw,
Mar 3, 8:02pm
It's in the COF test that no COL when one is required is a fail.
martin11,
Mar 3, 8:09pm
Perhaps it was there when the COF was done but got lost before the CVIU inspection it does happen
vancy_rentals,
Mar 3, 8:16pm
Yes, agreed. But this system we have at the moment just does not work financially if we follow this through with the Police or VTNZ. So I guess, we can just take this fine and hopefully one day when finance is not a problem, we shall set this straight and fight till the end, I guess that will be some entertainment for me when I retire.
nightsky1,
Mar 3, 8:20pm
harsh -but nail on the head stuff.
vancy_rentals,
Mar 3, 8:20pm
COL is not usually required on a light truck. unless it has a over all weight more than 3500kg. So most of our vehicles don't have that ticket in the window and its not a safety issue to anyone. We don't understand why it is required.
martin11,
Mar 3, 8:23pm
Probably because it is a rental vehicle ? and can be loaded up to over 3500kg ? What sort of truck is it ?
kazbanz,
Mar 3, 8:40pm
Again being blunt--it is YOUR job to know the law regarding what is and isn't required. Its also your job arguably to know WHY the COL is required
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