Sold car but still registered in my name

B

Bnage

Registered User
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Hi everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has experienced this problem??

I sold my car 3 months ago to someone I knew from my local. We did the paperwork in the pub (classy I know but it means I have witnesses) He insisted on taking the paperwork and posting it himself (as a favor)

Turns out he hasnt posted it and Im still the reg user. Now Iv had a letter from DVLA asking for £70 as the vehicle doesnt have tax. Iv called the buyer but he wont answer his phone.

Does anyone know where I stand? Iv written to the dvla today to inform them I am no longer the keeper. I dont want to be billed anymore.

Finally, Iv been told he has sold the car (for a profit) Is this illegal? Surely as it is registered under my name.

Any help is much appreciated.

Bnage
 
It looks to me like you should get onto the motor tax office and fill out the necessary form RF134 or RF200 to let them know you have sold the car. They will tell you what to do hopefully.
 
Bnage said:
Finally, Iv been told he has sold the car (for a profit) Is this illegal? Surely as it is registered under my name.

Any help is much appreciated.

Bnage
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Thats illegal unless he's declared as a trader.

Ring the local plod and see what they say
 
I don't see that the buyer of the car who has sold it on has done anything illegal. He was surely the legal owner of the car because he paid for it. The original seller has made the mistake of not passing on the details to the VRO so that the new owner would be registered. I'm sure this guy will however have the car registered in the new owners name as soon as possible to avoid the kind of letters you got. He is probably a small time dealer who does this sort of thing all the time. Moral of the story; The seller must forward sale details to the VRO not the buyer
 
Thanks for your comments. He is not a dealer, my brother actually knows him. I have tried contacting the dvla but they were less than useless and tell me everything must be in a letter..not email!

He has now swithced his phone off so I cannot talk to him about the matter. I think I may just bite the bullet and pay the £70, what Im worried about now is that its still in my name and I may be asked to fork out for the tax as well!
 
Bnage said:
He has now swithced his phone off so I cannot talk to him about the matter. I think I may just bite the bullet and pay the £70, what Im worried about now is that its still in my name and I may be asked to fork out for the tax as well!
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Sorry I didn't realise that you were outside the Republic. Think writing that letter to the DVLA is your only option. I would be slow enough to pay the £70 and fight it all the way!
 
Thanks. I have posted the letter today.

I hope its ok me from England being on here? I didnt realise it was Ireland based. Its very helpful though!

:eek:
 
It was your responsibilty to post the paperwork to get the change of ownership done, and any fallout from your failure to do so is also yours.

Secondly he cannot sell what he doesn't own.

If you want to bring this to a speedy conclusion ring the cops and report your car stolen.

He won't be long in getting his name on the logbook then.
 
I think you're right in writing to the dvla. With the car in your name any traffic offences,speeding tickets etc. will fall back on you,not pretty. A lesson learned me thinks!! Have a word with the local police as well they might take a spin over to your lost friend.
 
I think I will make a visit to see him this weekend. His phone is off so probably hasnt received any of my messages. Id rather sort this out as gents instead of concerning the local men in black.

Your right though, my main concern is the ticketsI may already of unwittingly clocked up
 
RS2K said:
Secondly he cannot sell what he doesn't own.

If you want to bring this to a speedy conclusion ring the cops and report your car stolen.

He won't be long in getting his name on the logbook then.
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I would suggest he does own the car. He paid for it therefore it is now his to do what he wants with it.

I imagine the cops would take a very dim view of the op reporting the car stolen. It clearly was not. The op sold it in good faith and was paid for it. His error was in not posting the documents to the dvla.
 
Legally he has no title to the car as is.

Yes he has paid for it so I guess it is morally his, but until the log book says so legally it's not. Don'y forget he chose not to send the docs in.

The point about the cops was slightly tongue in cheek :D
 
I had a similar issue with a car in the ROI about 8 years ago. It kept collecting parking tickets for over 18 months after I sold it. The guy who bought it off me was actually doing time for a number of periods in which it collected tickets, i.e. he was giving it out on 'loan' to his mates whilst he was in the 'big house'

I got on to the Guards and my very friendly local Sergeant put it to bed for me, finally!!!

Having lived in the UK for a number of years, I'd say that if you go down to the cop shop and explain all the details to them then you will get a friendly ear.

In my case it was a error made by the vehicle registration office in Shannon which caused the grief., your equivalent of the DVLA in Swansea.
 
RS2K said:
Legally he has no title to the car as is.

Yes he has paid for it so I guess it is morally his, but until the log book says so legally it's not. Don'y forget he chose not to send the docs in.

The point about the cops was slightly tongue in cheek :D
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by that logic I can sell you a car... not bother sending in the docs ... then have the cops get the car back for me and you locked up ?
 
You could always mention to the guy who bought it from you that you are intending on reporting it stolen as it is still in your name. It might get him to put things right and pay the £70 and also make sure the now new owner is the registered owner!
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We had a similar problem with a car that we traded in with a large garage based on the Northside a couple of years back.
They took our old car as a trade in and we purchased a newer car, at which point they asked us for the log book so that they could transfer the ownership to themselves. We assumed that it would be all above board and handed the information over.
Roll on 3 months later and we receive a summons for dangerous driving and speeding when we had already sold the car. After many telephone calls to the Gardai and the Garage we managed to get it sorted BUT the gardai confirmed that the original owner of the car is the person obligated to notify the change of ownership. You should never hand over the papers to the purchaser and always mail them off yourself.
 
If you ever sell a car, always send in the notification of the change of owner ship to Shannon yourself. If they don't receive such a notification, you will could still be liable for parking fines etc.
 
If you're trading in the car in a dealer/garage don't you give your documents to them otherwise all the vehicles on the premises would be in the dealers name. Hopefully the dealer won't mess it up when he gets a buyer for your trade in.
 
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