Road tax expired, found out the car is not in my name

MonkeyLemon

Hey guys, first post! Got in a bit of a strange situation, wondering if someone can help..

I purchased a used car from a dealer a year ago. New MOT, fresh 6 month road tax. All was well.

Before the tax was up I left to go overseas (still am overseas) and the car has been off the road, not in use. The tax then ran out and I totally forgot to declare the car SORN. I have tried recently to declare SORN, but the DVLA have told me I am not the registered keeper of the car, which was a surprise to me. Explains why I never got any letters or fines though.

I want to get the car legal to be on the road again: I have the logbook, the MOT is still valid but the tax is 5 months out of date. Im assuming that as the previous owner is a motor dealer, and its still in the motor dealers name, he does not need to tax the vehicles he has in stock (provided they are not parked on the road), therefore will not get any fines for having untaxed vehicles (nor does he need to declare a SORN). The DVLA told me I can transfer the vehicle to my name easily by sending a certain DVLA a form. Based on this I see my options as:

1) Pay the tax, do nothing else. Car stays registered to whomever. Im guessing motor traders don't have to back-pay road tax, and the tax starts from the day you pay it. If I remember correctly thats what happened when I first bought the car, as it was un-taxed at the time. Sound right?

2) Change registered keeper to my name (assuming this is possible), then pay the tax. Similar details to above.

Can I get away with not back-paying that tax? Im a bit worried that if I give all my details to the DVLA they will then slap me with a big fine.

lovinituk

You've got the log book but you didn't realise you were not the registered keeper?! Who does it say is the reg keeper?

forgotmyname

Several issues.
You probably declared that you were the registered keeper and owner of the car when you took the policy out. If you have a claim and they find your not then you may not be covered.

Fines and tickets etc wont be coming to your address so one day you maybe stopped and thrown in the tower for life with a choice of bread and water or a MacDonalds cheeseburger for dinner. In that situation you will need to hope they dont run out of bread and water

MonkeyLemon

Ok, so I have just got someone to look at the logbook, or V5C document that I have.

According to the DVLA website to change ownership you need to:
Complete section 6 on the V5C.
Sign section 8 on the V5C.
Get the buyer to also sign section 8 on the V5C.
Give the buyer the completed V5C/2 section.
Send the V5C to DVLA

On the logbook that I received with the car I still have section 6, section 8 and the V5C/2 all here, and they are all blank.

So I guess the dealer didn't fill out the V5C properly, which strikes me as odd. I just assumed he knew what he was doing, which is why I never checked any of it. I seem to remember him taking some part of the V5C though.. which part Im not sure. Changing ownership of vehicles is not something I know a lot about.

I wonder how hard it might be to change the the ownership details now without having to contact the seller again?

Oh, and Insurance is a non-issue for me. My insurance company cover me driving this car irrespective of who owns it, ive checked with them.

lovinituk

It was as much your responsibility to check and deal with the V5 as it was his. You don't need to contact the seller - just fill it out and where it says the seller must sign, just write a note in there that says "seller not present, gave me complete V5". I bought a car from a dealer 2 months ago and did exactly that. Have had the new V5 back in my name without any questions.

You should double check your insurance again. Insured to drive cars owned by others is normally only valid when someone else already has insurance on the car. As no-one else has insurance on it, it almost certain that your insurance is invalid (unless you have some sort of traders insurance policy). Try driving it through an ANPR camera - you'll soon find out

MonkeyLemon

Ha.. yes driving through an ANPR camera will certainly get some results.

Thanks for the tip. I should have been more careful when accepting the logbook! A lesson for next time. Sending in what I have with a note does seem to be the best way forward, so thats what ill do.

Do you have any idea what happens to the overdue tax in this scenario? Stays with the previous owner, or stays with the vehicle?

Thanks

Double_V

On log book it says the previous owner name. Check that.

MonkeyLemon

Interestingly when I try to pay for the tax online it starts from the 1st March 2015.

Im going to pay the tax, and then send off the V5C document. That should be me legal again.

Sorted. I hope.

lovinituk

Any unused full months of tax will be automatically refunded to the previous owner.

New tax starts from the 1st of the month you tax it in - its always been like that.

MonkeyLemon

My mistake. I thought you had to back-pay taxes owed.

lovinituk

They don't know you owe back taxes though do they. They have no idea that you have been the owner for the last year.

Come to think of it, there must be a 6 month period where it had no tax and wasn't registered SORN. I guess they've already chased the previous owner who has told them it was previously sold!