Car selling Nightmare

potnoodleprincess

Hi there

I am really worried and looking for some advice really. I sold my old car just over a week ago for cash and the log book was sent off to the DVLA within a few days. The person who bought the car then decided they didnt want it and sold it on to someone else, who has sold it on to someone else and it is now for sale again on a local website. I was honest with the person who bought it and said it needed a lot of work, it had undergone a lot of recent work and I gave them all the receipts like a fool.

To cut a long story short I have phoned up the DVLA this morning and the car is still registered in my name and it could take up to 4 weeks to change it into the new owners name. Of course this isnt the new owner because he has now sold it on. The thing I am worried about is now I know the car is being passed around, I have no idea whether who has bought it has insured it etc or they are running up speeding tickets and its all still in my name. I realise I may sound a bit paranoid but they gave all the receipts with the sale with my name address and phone number on too and one of the people who has bought this car (within the last 8 days!!) Phoned me up asking me about the history of the car. I am really angry that my details are still with the car and am worried that I will get a knock on the car if anyone does anything in it, I appreciate I am only now worried because I know it has changed hands a few times and I would have otherwise been blissfully ignorant.

The DVLA told me to write in to them recorded delivery and they would take my name off the car immediately but if the log book had been sent in and no letter wrote it might take a few weeks to change over.

I dont have any of the paperwork left for the car, I have the name and address of the guy who it is now registered but none of the original log book. Apparently, according to the guy who phoned me up it only has a green slip with it and the log book has been lost but it hasnt its with the DVLA.

What a total mess, what can I do. I am worried someone will do something in my old car and I will be liable.

My car insurance was changed over on the day of sale from my old car to new car so I guess thats evidence but apart from that there is no other proof

Help

PNP

maninthestreet

The risk is that the new owner gets caught by a speed camera, and the police write to you as the registered owner demanding you name the driver of the vehicle at the time of the offence.

potnoodleprincess

Hi

What can I do about this please ? The logbook has been sent off in the new persons name but they dont even own the car anymore.

I guess if they havent insured it and are driving it about they would think it was me, even though it wasnt.

Help

djheath

Don't worry about it. You have done all the correct things. The fact you have sent the V5 to the DVLA will mean, in a few weeks you will get a reply from then saying thank you for notifying them of a change of owner. They will send the new V5 to the person you sold it to, who will probably send it back to DVLA with the owners details of the person he sold it to, or he wont do anything, either way it's not your problem.

If the current owner of the car gets speeding tickets, just send them back to the police saying you are no longer the owner of the car.

If the guy you sold the car to sold the car on in 6 months or 6 hours of buying it from you, what does it matter? You have done the correct action and sent of the change of address to DVL who will get it and process it.
No need to worry.

custardy

it makes no difference how many people buy/sell it after you sold it
its the same 'risk' everyone does when they sell a car
you have the logbook sent off,just make sure if you dont get a notification if change to follow up

potnoodleprincess

Thanks for your replies. I cant believe someone would buy a car without the logbook - its so dodgy !!!!

I am really worried about this, I dont have any points on my licence or anything and would never not insure or tax a car I had or was using but not everyone is the same as me I guess. I only have my old car insurance certificate to prove it was mine.

The DVLA are a bit pants but there is a postal strike on too so that hasnt helped. They said to send in the letter recorded delivery and then they can trace it immediately and alter it asap so it should get there tomorrow. I might email it too.

Inactive

Did you get the buyer to sign a receipt or bill of sale with the date and time on it?

potnoodleprincess

No I didnt

hartcjhart

potnoodleprincess wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. I cant believe someone would buy a car without the logbook - its so dodgy !!!!

I am really worried about this, I dont have any points on my licence or anything and would never not insure or tax a car I had or was using but not everyone is the same as me I guess. I only have my old car insurance certificate to prove it was mine.

The DVLA are a bit pants but there is a postal strike on too so that hasnt helped. They said to send in the letter recorded delivery and then they can trace it immediately and alter it asap so it should get there tomorrow. I might email it too.

nothing dodgy about buying a car without a logbook as it only refers to the 'registered keeper' not the legal owner,

If you have sent the registered letter then give DVLA a call thursday just to make sure the details have been updated,in the meantime dont sweat just send any tickets back to who ever issued them informing them of change of ownership.

I know its a bit late for you now,but,whenever I sell a car after filling in the 'new keeper' details I take a photo copy untill DVLA send confirmation of change

potnoodleprincess

I have also faxed the letter over to them today, hopefully someone somewhere will update it

they said if there were any tickets to send them on to DVLA and if the car is insured it is down to the driver not the legal owner to insure it, and they wouldnt be interested in me anyway, although this sounds wrong to me.

I wish I had kept something as evidence. The couple paid for the car the evening before then collected it the morning after once I had switched the insurance from the old car to the new car, I was in the shower when they picked up the documents and my husband just handed them over

hartcjhart

hind sight is a wonderfull thing but you have done what you needed to do:T