gov.uk view driving licence

I am assuming in this day and age this forum is not exclusively grumpy/old/men (maybe it should be re-named Grumpy Old Men's Community Forum )- because this forum seems the best place for my post/question.  I have just wasted over half an hour trying to obtain a code from "gov.uk view driving licence".  At least six times I put in driving licence number, N.I. number and post code and it says it can't verify my details/licence.  The usual case of  going round in a circle and getting no-where.  Has anyone else had this problem?   The reason I was trying to do it is the car is going in for its MOT tomorrow at Arnold Clark and they require this code thingy to check ID etc. so that I can have a courtesy car.  I am becoming increasingly ed off with online this and online that and IT generally that JUST DOESN'T WORK!!!  And while I'm in the moan zone....I have to pay for this "courtesy" car.  I thought the whole  point of courtesy anything is that you don't pay for it.  Or am I wrong?

Hi Macv , just passed my mot on the van 2 days ago at Arnolds but waited while it was done. I know what you mean re gov site for mots etc My antivirus now blocks access as certificates do not check out. Read something only a couple of weeks ago from a web expert who was panning the gov website as being full of holes and a security risk ! Good luck for MOT , lets hope you dont need a welder again!
     I have used the Gov website to get the code for  Arnold car hire and for yearly works check on driving licence details and it worked ok but a couple of colleagues had a mare. I think they eventually rung DVLA.

Hi Kaspian - it's the car that's being MOT'd, not the van - and guess what, the van got through its MOT last month with  flying colours - no work required and no advisories!   Re Govt. website - AC will deal with it tomorrow.  I don't see why they need this  kind of check.  Why can't they make do with the licence and some other form of ID - gas bill or something?  I had a big problem with the HMRC site too a while back - couldn't do what I wanted to do online because they - it - didn't recognize my details.  They ended up sending me a paper form.   Good old paper!

macvanessa wrote: Has anyone else had this problem?   

I obtained a code three weeks ago as we were holidaying abroad and needed it for the hire car.

Only it wasn't needed or asked for!
This also happened last year as well.

The time I don't get it will be the time I am asked for it!!

But no, didn't have any problems.

PB

Thanks Ploughlin - that makes sense.  However...latest is this - I took car in this morning to find there was no courtesy car available as the one I would have had was still needed by other customer from yesterday as parts were required for his car - so the govt. check thing wasn't needed.

Re Kapian's comment:"Read something only a couple of weeks ago from a web expert who was panning the gov website as being full of holes and a security risk !" 
This afternoon a message was left on the landline to the effect that HMRC is filing a lawsuit against me.  I know for a fact that HMRC do not make first contact by phone and certainly not by leaving a message like that plus so far as I know they have no reason to sue me! I googled it to find that there is such a scam going  around but...has this arisen as a result of my attempts to do the licence check thing last night???   Makes you wonder...

And re "Good luck for MOT , lets hope you dont need a welder again!"  Car passed MOT.

Macv