I taxed my E36 a couple of weeks ago, I've owned the car for a few months but it's been in the garage over winter so I wasn't using it.

Anyway, when I went to tax the car it said that the SORN had expired and the car had been unlicenced for about a year. Although I have not recieved anything in the post yet I do expect to recieve a letter about it, but my question is, how am I supposed to know if it's on SORN or not when I bought it, is it legally my duty to check, and also, if I recieve the fine, I would only be willing to pay from the point I acquired the car, I don't see why I should have to pay for someone elses' mistake.

IMO when the DVLA issued me the V5 in my name they should've cross referenced this and sent me a reminder saying the SORN had expired, but no, i only find out when I go to tax the car.