Money Moral Dilemma: Should I sell her my car?

dave2

Not sure what the legal position is now that you know she intends on using the car illegally, don't know if you'd count as an accessory. Evidently the moral position is you would be, and just asking this question shows you're unhappy about it. If she hadn't said anything it'd be none of your business, but she has.

She's going to get caught mighty quick when you hand the form into the DVLA telling them she's the new owner anyway. Or is she maybe going to ask you not to do that, which would be illegal and also leave you liable for the car? You would remain liable to tax it, pay fines and possibly should she crash it uninsured. Her only alternative to get away with it would be to declare SORN.

So don't sell.

stallworthy

Go on, sell the car - but drop a note to your local Police (or pop in to see them) to let them know what you suspect. It's not 'squeeling', because your intention is to make the roads safe for all of us & she'll get a car from somewhere anyway. Bear in mind also that she may not be telling the truth anyway!

hazyjo

If she might not be telling the truth, and the OP does sell then land her in it, the woman would know exactly who'd shopped her. That really might not go down too well! I'd rather say it to her face that I didn't want to sell to her.

Guess there's no right or wrong - but there is obviously a reason this thread has been classed as a 'moral dilemma'.

Jx

reluctantworkingmum

Surely though you are not going to ask the person you do sell it to for proof that they a) have a license and b) are suitably insured? and equally the neighbour will buy a car regardless - whether it is from you or not...

Andyc24_uk

If you like her and care about remaining on good terms with her, then offer her a deal. She was willing to pay £1500 for it, you only wanted £650 - So, sell her the car for, say, £1200, take your £650, then invite her round for a cup of tea and explain that you're going to pay for her insurance for her, out of the spare £550. Everyone's a winner - She saves £300, you get rid of your car and gain the £650 you were looking for, and she ends up insured; plus she now owes you a favour the next time you need a babysitter/someone to water the pot plants/feed the cat when you're on holiday :-P
To be honest, the driving licence doesn't matter that much - She had one in the past, which means she knows how to drive. Whether she's got the actual card or paper is irrelevant - It won't make the slightest difference to how safely - or not - she drives. If there's money left over after sorting the insurance out, then it could be spent on buying a replacement from the DVLA.

The_Dead_Cleric

emidee wrote: »

How you act upon this matter will largely be determined by how much you want to maintain good relations with your neighbour!

Her telling you her plans wasn't a smart idea really - I can only presume she thought you wouldn't have a problem with it?

Legally I don't think you can be held responsible for whether or not she has a licence / insurance - whether you have a moral responsibility is another matter.

This is NOT true. There is an offence of allowing someone with no insurance. If you want to sell the car, sell it to someone else. Maybe in future she'll think twice before openly admitting she doesn't mind hiking up everyone elses insurance premiums!!

Badger_Lady

Andyc24_uk wrote: »

you're going to pay for her insurance for her, out of the spare £550.

No-one's listening to me! She won't get insurance for £550 with or without a licence!

Pherstun

For moral reasons I wouldn't sell her the car. I would sell it to someone else and rather than doing this person a favour by discounting the car would get a fairer price for it.

If she doesn't buy yours then likely she will buy one from someone else, and you can't obviously check how safe anyone else you might sell it to might be, but considering she told you this information I wouldn't be able to do it. As you don't know why she lost her licence it may not be an easy thing to get it back, whether or not she intends to.

I once sold a motorbike as spares or repairs because the brakes were in need of attention and it didn't have tax or MOT (I had SORN'd it as being off the road). I sent off the V5 part to the DVLA.

A few months later when the SORN ran out the DVLA sent me a letter asking why I hadn't re-SORNd it or bought tax. I wrote back explaining that I had sold it and in an unroadworthy condition, and that in hindsight I felt that the person who bought it might have put it back on the road without fixing it or buying tax, MOT or insurance. I had no legal obligation to tell them anything other than I no longer owned it but I felt I had to tell them the rest for moral reasons. Whether anything came of it I don't know.

My hubby and I prior to this gave two motorbikes to a motorbike scrappers, again as spares or repairs. We sent off the V5 parts saying this dealer had them. A couple of months later I got two speeding tickets, and my hubby got a visit from the police saying his had been involved in an 'incident'! We told them we weren't owners of either bike any more and didn't hear anything further.

So a tip for anyone selling a motor vehicle - sending off your part of the V5 is no guarantee that a new owner will be traced if they don't tax/MOT/insure the vehicle - also, keep the new owner's details, you might need them again!

paulie69_2

Offer to be her driver for £300 a week and everyones a winner, she will be happy so will you and you may also be lucky and get a rise at the end of the week:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

tallgirld

I am going to be 100% honest. I would........
a) SELL THE CAR
b) TAKE THE £1500

I mean come on it's not your responsibility that your neighbour wants to break the law. Anyway once she buys it off you maybe she will go and get the correct documents.

Go back to your neighbour and say "Yes you can have it and I have also decided that I will take your original offer of £1500" :-)