You couldnt make it up

Hi, Back in May of this year my Wife and I attended Trafico in Malaga to exchange our uk driving licences for Spanish one. We presented all documents they required including medical certificates and up to date padrons.We were given receipts and left.

6 months having passed and nothing heard I this morning received an email from Trafico requiring me to produce a medical certificate and a padron.

I cant believe how inept these people are. They all know that medical certs and padron last only 3 months yet sit on my application for 6 months.

To say I am angry is putting it mildly and I am anxious to complain about Trafico staff and suggest to them that I will re-sit the medical provided thay pay. I know this will not get me anywhere but I will have the satisfaction of "having a go"

Would anyone please have an email address to whom I can lodge a complaint.  Opinions with alternative actions would be very welcome Thanks

Just like everywhere else, they have complaints form in the office. Ask for them and complete.  I suspect, when they see you are serious,  they will try to put things right before you actually complete the form.

In many cases where driving licences are delayed, it is the DVLA at fault and not trafico. The certificate of entitlement can be held up and it has even been known for them to send it back to the wrong trafico department.

Of course, it could be either but check with DVLA to see when they received the application and who they sent it to.

Hi, many thanks for your help. I emailed DVLA who confirmed having heard from Trafico on the 8th of October and they replied that same day.

For the benefit of others who may find themselves in this situation the local foreigners dept of your town hall will help.

Prepare a letter of complaint [ in spanish ] together with a copy and take both to the foreigners dept.The complaint will be registered and the dept then send the complaint to Trafico and the copy to the local Ombudsman. I am asking for reimbursement of all fees and expenses that my Wife and I will incurr in duplicating up to date documents.I shall up-date events as they occur.

nicbax

This could be a great help to many and well done

I wish you all the best in your complaint and a lesson to all that it can be done and maybe we should do more

I look forward to the next installment

For the benefit of others who may find themselves in this situation the local foreigners dept of your town hall will help.

Well that all depends on the quality of the service provided. I have had experience with four foreign residents’ offices.  One has been excellent for the 25 plus years I have known them. The other three have  been poor to practically worthless. 

However, if you have a complaint then the very best way (the official way) is to use the complaints forms.  That system is backed by law, and as I said, very often produces immediate results.  Had you tried that route you may been issued with your DL there and then.

PS    I am sure that most will already know, but for newcomers, in Spain one must have a valid DL  in their possession when they are driving.  Also, if a driver does not have a valid DL, expired for example,  then their insurance will be invalid.

Hi, The  foreigners dept of our local town hall is extremely good. We were told that the easiest method of complaint is to write a letter containing all salient points. The complaint is entered into a register and a number is alloted

. The letters are then dispatched to Trafico and the Ombudsman.We also get a receipt.

This method is also "backed by the law"