A little observation on the accelerated pace of operations at the DVLA lately.
On Tuesday, September 30th, we exchanged our two vehicles at a Mercedes Main Dealer and acquired a replacement on the same day. Notification of the sale of both vehicles to the trade was conducted online at the dealership, along with the registration of the new vehicle in my name and the payment of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
I was slightly astonished to get the replacement car's V5C (logbook) in our mailbox on the morning of Friday, October 3rd, and even more astonished to receive the confirmation of disposal and reimbursement of VED for both swapped vehicles on the morning of Monday, October 6th. Excellent work, DVLA!
Now about the "predominantly" aspect.
Why is it not possible to request that any Vehicle Excise Duty return be paid straight to the bank account from whence it was withdrawn by Direct Debit when reporting them online of the disposal, along with receiving confirmation of disposal via email? Individuals who want a check and a paper confirmation may still get both if desired; nevertheless, it would be far more convenient for those of us who prefer not to visit the bank to deposit a cheque.