V5C document for new car 16 February at 10:57AM in Motoring 8 replies 161 views

claire17

Hello,

Last year I bought a new car from the dealership. I didn’t receive the V5C for a few months so I called them and they said they couldn’t register it for 3 months but it should be done soon. Called them a couple of months later when it hadn’t arrived and they said it had been sent to them which only happens if there was a problem. I was moving house at the time, so rather then then try and register it again he said he would post it to my new address and I could fill it in and send it off. So I now have the V5C form with the dealers name and address.

Is it as simple as filling out the new keeper slip and back date it to when I bought? Although this will then show me as the second keeper even though I bought the car brand new from the dealership? I feel like this is something they should be dealing with but I don’t want to call back if it is that simple and there isn’t really a problem.

Many thanks!

facade

Was the car "on offer" "cheap" "discounted" or "below list"?

It used to be quite popular that a dealer would get a healthy discount on a "demonstrator", that has to be registered to the dealer and could not be sold for a specific time, so they would get around it by holding onto the V5 until the time elapsed, so they could claim the car was still theirs.

I suspect this is what has happened to you. the car was unused when you got it, but is actually a "pre-reg" and you are the second keeper. I don't know what date you put on the V5, but changing the keeper will cancel the tax, and refund the dealer. You then have to tax it from the date you made the change.

born_again

claire17 said:

Hello,

Last year I bought a new car from the dealership. I didn’t receive the V5C for a few months so I called them and they said they couldn’t register it for 3 months but it should be done soon. Called them a couple of months later when it hadn’t arrived and they said it had been sent to them which only happens if there was a problem. I was moving house at the time, so rather then then try and register it again he said he would post it to my new address and I could fill it in and send it off. So I now have the V5C form with the dealers name and address.

Is it as simple as filling out the new keeper slip and back date it to when I bought? Although this will then show me as the second keeper even though I bought the car brand new from the dealership? I feel like this is something they should be dealing with but I don’t want to call back if it is that simple and there isn’t really a problem.

Many thanks!

New as in you were the 1st owner?
Or new to you?
If it was band new, if they could not register it for 3 months. How did they get the reg number?

neilmcl

Sounds to me that this was a pre-reg car and the dealer has gone down the route of holding onto the V5c themselves for 3mths to get around any problems from the car's manufacturer.

marlot

https://www.drivethedeal.com/Pre-Registered-Cars.aspx

facade

marlot said:

https://www.drivethedeal.com/Pre-Registered-Cars.aspx

A bit scare-mongery I suspect that the small print says that the car is leased for the first 90 days, which gets around Section 43C of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994, so you won't be going to prison.

However, there would be a false insurance declaration, as you won't be "the owner & keeper of the vehicle which is registered to you", but the argument would be that the declaration was made in good faith, in the belief that you were.

Have a good look at the bundle of paperwork from the original purchase of the car. Then contact the dealer and see what their explanation is, ask what date to put on the V5 (day 91 I bet), and what is happening about the dealer re-imbursing you for the tax.

claire17

facade said:

Was the car "on offer" "cheap" "discounted" or "below list"?

It used to be quite popular that a dealer would get a healthy discount on a "demonstrator", that has to be registered to the dealer and could not be sold for a specific time, so they would get around it by holding onto the V5 until the time elapsed, so they could claim the car was still theirs.

I suspect this is what has happened to you. the car was unused when you got it, but is actually a "pre-reg" and you are the second keeper. I don't know what date you put on the V5, but changing the keeper will cancel the tax, and refund the dealer. You then have to tax it from the date you made the change.

Thank you for the information. Yes I think the car was on some sort of deal so that would make sense.

As it was a new car, would I be me who should pay the first year tax or the dealer? I tried to google but most the information I can find seems to be about buying a used car.

Thanks 

claire17

facade said:

A bit scare-mongery I suspect that the small print says that the car is leased for the first 90 days, which gets around Section 43C of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994, so you won't be going to prison.

However, there would be a false insurance declaration, as you won't be "the owner & keeper of the vehicle which is registered to you", but the argument would be that the declaration was made in good faith, in the belief that you were.

Have a good look at the bundle of paperwork from the original purchase of the car. Then contact the dealer and see what their explanation is, ask what date to put on the V5 (day 91 I bet), and what is happening about the dealer re-imbursing you for the tax.

Great, thank you for the information!

So should it be the dealer who is meant to pay the first year tax and therefore should reimburse what I pay?

Thank you!

facade

The first year of tax should have been included in the sale price (it usually is). When you change the keeper, the unused/remaining tax is refunded to the dealer (the name and address currently on the V5), and you have to tax it again yourself in your name.

Assuming it is 3 months old, and not a hybrid or electric, the tax is £145 a year, so the dealer will get  8 months back if you change it before the end of Feb  (they wont get the current month) = £96.66, but you will have to pay the full £145, as you will be buying 12 months worth, or you put it on monthly Direct Debit- at £12.68 I think.

It seems fair that they should repay you the £96.66, if that is what they will get back.  Whether they will is a different matter, they probably won't be contractually obliged to.