Legal Owner not Registered Keeper

Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
21,202
Location
Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
My wife bought a van in October 14 and for reasons which were appropriate at the time registered her friend who was the main user as the registered keeper.

Jump forward to the present and the wife and her friend have fallen out over a business venture which has now had to close. My wife is looking to sell the van on which I believe we are legally entitled to do as the legal owner of the vehicle (We paid for the van, paid for insurance and tax). Unfortunately the other woman has the V5 registration document.

I’ve spoken to the DVLA who’ve advised that we can sell the van and notify the DVLA by letter of the sale to the buyer, however the new owner would not be able to tax the van until they received the new V5. This would be delayed by the fact the DVLA would contact the current registered owner to confirm they were not the owner etc which knowing this woman as I do is not something she would do agreeably. The same would need to be done to transfer the wife back into my wifes name.

We have approached the woman asking for the V5 document which she has refused to give us. A friend mentioned going to the police about it but this feels like it would be a waste of their time.

Is there anything we can do try and resolve this as quickly as possible?
 
Associate
Joined
24 May 2013
Posts
116
Location
Newcastle
I've just replaced my V5C and i'm sure on the front of it it states that the V5C doesn't denote the legal owner of it, just the person responsible for it. So you will be within your right to sell it, do you still have receipts and the like?
 
Man of Honour
Joined
26 Dec 2003
Posts
30,837
Location
Shropshire
I've just replaced my V5C and i'm sure on the front of it it states that the V5C doesn't denote the legal owner of it, just the person responsible for it. So you will be within your right to sell it, do you still have receipts and the like?

Correct the V5 isn't proof of ownership, so crack on and sell it and notify the DVLA it's then their problem although I suppose you'd have to make the buyer aware of this as they wouldn't be able to tax it till the woman has given in to the DVLA which is probably going to reduce the amount of people wanting to buy it to nil.
 
Associate
Joined
29 Dec 2006
Posts
1,682
I think if you write to them saying you're the new owner they send you a V5 anyway. Then proceed to fine the previous registered keeper for failure to notify. The DVLA love to fine people.
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
21,202
Location
Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
Yeah I found that. The issue is the new buyer can't tax it with a V62 so until they get the new V5 they can't tax/use the vehicle.

We've got a guy who's interested in buying (paid a deposit) but obviously I imagine he wouldn't want to hang around while we sort out politics!
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Feb 2009
Posts
14,814
Location
Exeter
Get the V5 in your name first - it'll probably add another keeper but I imagine that'll be preferable for a buyer than the current situation.

Did the DVLA confirm that's definitely the case regarding tax?
 
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