Can this really be a free car?!?

Knackered

slyracoon wrote: »

A receipt for its purchase proves ownership.

Surely all that proves is who paid for it? So if you buy a car for someone then they're not the owner?

pendulum

If you've got a receipt for the purchase then that proves you bought it thus owned it. If you're buying the car "for someone" then that someone becomes the owner when you give it to them; if you don't give it to them then you remain owner...

The V5 isn't proof of ownership, and as someone pointed out, they'll know that he applied for a new V5 rather than the existing owner signing it over to him (as would normally happen during the sale of the car). Trying to charge storage is probably a no-go if the owner didn't agree to enter his vehicle in to storage and pay the fees (up to you to prove) and if storage is being charged it must be a reasonable fee. By applying for the V5 and changing the locks and so on, you won't be able to charge storage as you're not simply storing it - you're trying to take ownership of it, altering it (locks, keys) and using it.

Knackered

pendulum wrote: »

If you're buying the car "for someone" then that someone becomes the owner when you give it to them; if you don't give it to them then you remain owner...

So... what documents have they got that would prove they own it?

Lithian

Knackered wrote: »

So... what documents have they got that would prove they own it?

The signed declaration from the person gifting of course

slyracoon

By the way if a profit is made from the disposal of any left property the landlord must retain the money until claimed by the tenant who owned the property.

OP, it might be worth posting this in the House Buying, Renting & Selling board, there are lots of knowledgable landlords who will be able to advise on the legalities of taking ownership of property abondoned by tenants.

slyracoon

IMO and reading guidance from this http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/uncollected_goods.htm

The landlord should try all means of contacting the owner and only after that should they dispose of it and notify the owner.

They cannot simply scrap or give it away for free if it has value. They should obtain a fair price for it, they can then deduct any expenses they have incurred in its removal, the proceeds left over will belong to the original owner - the tenant, if they should turn up and claim within six years.

red_eye

paddedjohn wrote: »

Just remember, after you have spent a few bob taxing and moting the car and getting new locks and keys programmed you will still not own the car. If the owner returns from abroad or sells to someone else you will have a fight on your hands trying to keep it.

clamp the car stick 6 months worth of £50 parking fines for parking apply for v5 when owner comes back give him a bill?

apparently it takes 6 months for new v5 to be issued

pendulum

Knackered wrote: »

So... what documents have they got that would prove they own it?

As Lithian says, they'll have the signed receipt to show that the car is theirs.

You should always get a receipt when buying a car, never rely on the V5 alone. That's a basic need which will appear in every decent car buyer's guide/checklist.

Think about it;
If you go to auction, you get a receipt from the auction house
If you go to a dealer, you get a receipt from the dealer
If you go privately, you need to get a receipt. It is no different. The only difference is some private buyers don't realise they need to give or receive a receipt.

mikey72

pendulum wrote: »

As Lithian says, they'll have the signed receipt to show that the car is theirs.

You should always get a receipt when buying a car, never rely on the V5 alone. That's a basic need which will appear in every decent car buyer's guide/checklist.

Think about it;
If you go to auction, you get a receipt from the auction house
If you go to a dealer, you get a receipt from the dealer
If you go privately, you need to get a receipt. It is no different. The only difference is some private buyers don't realise they need to give or receive a receipt.

So whenever you buy a car second hand, you ask to see the receipt from when they bought it?
What would a dog eared sheet of paper with a name you can't recognise saying "sold as seen" prove.?
They could have written that 2 minutes before.
Nothing proves they own it.

Thehandyman_2

Hi all, thanks for your input.
I am just home, after calling into the police HQ, and asking their advice. I had 3 police officers interested, and they all agreed that I could move the car, after leaving a notice on it for 7 days. As far as registering it, they didn't have a problem, as normally the vehicle would be scrapped.
I have made enquiries with the owners previous employer, who said they never want to see him again, he is a footballer, and has gone back to his own country, and is very unlikely to be back.
With that info, I am pretty sure he has abandoned the vehicle, and won't come looking for it.
My plan is to leave a notice on it, and remove it after 7 days, as the police officers agreed, im now on record as to letting them know, so I obviously haven't just taken it.
Their opinion is that it would be a civil matter, if it ever was an issue.
They also said that storage for a period of time, then register it myself would be ok.... Sounds good to me!
Maybe the car will turn out to have a blown engine or something, however, it's looking good now.