Specsavers v DVLA - a waiting game

Who do I believe ?

Renewing my driving licence, usual request from DVLA to undertake eye test and visual field test. visit Specsavers on 2 Jan 2024 - everything went well no problems VFT = 100% and eye test 6/12. Was advised by Specsavers results would be forwarded digitally to their Head Office who in turn would check everything and then forward to DVLA. It is now 31 January and heard nothing, so I decided to drop the DVLA an e-mail to see how my application was progressing. I received a very fast response from them saying that had not received my results! What! - 4 weeks since test! Ok DVLA said they would contact Specsavers and request them urgently. I decided to contacted Specsavers DVLA Team to ensure they had the results from the local shop, yes they had .... they had been checked and forwarded to the DVLA digitally on the 3 Jan. explained what had happened and they agreed to forward the results again to the DVLA. DVLA now confirm they have received results and will give my application priority. I just wish I had e-mailed the DVLA earlier to check they had received my results. Paperwork I expect could go missing but a digitally sent document .... mmmm I wonder. Has anyone else had this happen to them

[Dumyat26]

Have not had that problem thankfully.

I would advise everyone to ask for a copy of Specsavers rest results. After 14 years of tests I only learned a few years ago that I was entitled to a printed copy.

[mike5399]

Yes, exactly the same thing has happened to me - 100% success in eye test on 4th January, waited 3 weeks and nothing from DVLA - when I rang on the 23rd they said the same, they had not received Specsavers results! Rang Specsavers and they said they had sent them to DVLA the same day, but agreed to resend.

DVLA confirmed receipt of second results on the 23rd and would forward to medical team as a priority!

And here we are, 2nd of February - a month after the eyes test, and over 3 months since I applied for a new licence - if I had been less certain of the eye test results, I would have been a nervous wreck by now!!!

Anyone got any ideas how I can get DVLA to hurry up??

[muddledme in reply to mike5399]

Hello mike5399,

Have you tried the special glaucoma email for the DVLA ?

[e-mail].

Good luck.

[mike5399 in reply to muddledme]

That appears to be an invalid address - does anyone have a new or different one?

[Hidden in reply to mike5399]

Hi...... Mike6399

I was in contact with them yesterday using "[e-mail]" and had no problems.

[Icanstillsee in reply to mike5399]

I involved my MP. The DVLA are notorious for long delays. His involvement certainly speeded things up. I had hoped things had got better 18 months down the line, but obviously not😢

[Cyclingalong]

Yes, I had a similar issue. Having done the test at Specsavers and been told 100% fine and everything would be sent on within two hours of my test I heard nothing. I was aware there was a backlog at the DVLA ( post covid) so waited seven weeks. I had heard nothing and so contacted the DVLA who told me they were still waiting for Specsavers to send them my test and they had also contacted Specsavers to chase up my results.

The Specsavers branch said they had sent them on to their “call centre “ for “quality control “ and as far as they were concerned their part was done. The DVLA were notified 4 weeks later that Specsavers were “checking “ the results and the DVLA had also then chased Specsavers!

The “ call centre” said there had actually been numerous communications with the branch as everything had to be correct before sending on to the DVLA. They couldn’t explain what hadn’t been done or what was wrong. This obviously differed from the account of the local branch. Eventually whatever hadn’t been done or whichever box hadn’t been ticked was done by the branch.

DVLA were more helpful than Specsavers. I got different explanations from the Specsavers and the Specsavers DVLA team . Not satisfactory at all. I complained to Specsavers but had no reply.

[Quiet_Lin]

Methinks a lot of derriere covering is going on.

[Hidden]

Happy to say that my driving licence arrived today. PHEW!