It's a good thought but I don't want to have to check at all. I like the idea of estimating and charging regularly, then squaring up at WOF time. A bit like how income tax works.

[–] hitmyspot@aussie.zone 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Or meter readings for electricity etc. You could even put readings up voluntarily in the same way.

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 2 points 3 days ago

Yeah I like the idea of running it like provisional tax.

If you're an employee your tax is taken out each pay. If you're self employed, you don't wait all year you pay tax in various smaller payments through the year.

These payments are based on your previous year, and are an estimate of how much tax you should be paying. At the end of the year your file a return and pay any shortfall from the estimate or receive a refund if you pay too much. If you know your circumstances are very different, you can provide your own estimate of your income (with certain rules and consequences).

We could do this for RUC. The odo is recorded every WOF so you know how far each car drives each year. Estimate the km for the year and bill people installments (e.g. via direct debit). Let people tell you if it will be significantly different (e.g. change if ownership) and have a process so people can't lie (from memory, provisional tax has penalties if you tell them to change the estimate and you end up significantly undercharged).

Fancy new cars with odos that report like smart electric meters do exist and are nice but we need a system that works for the rest of us in the majority without these functions.