Bought vehicle with expired plate, V5 problems.. help?

sthomasj10

Hi everyone,

Wondered if you could help..

I purchased a motorcycle used from a seller ( non trade ) on the 5th of September. The vehicle came with a private number plate, I was assured that this would be switched over to my ownership along with the ownership of the vehicle.

A few weeks had passed and I hadn't received the V5. I rang the seller and was told that they'd been in contact with the DVLA and sent the V5 back to him as the registration had expired and that he'd be issued a new V5 with the original reg, to then complete in order to change the keeper to myself.

This all leaves me a bit concerned as I do not have much to prove my ownership of the vehicle. The seller did email me a "receipt" however the reg stated on this email is the private reg not the original what needs to go back on the bike.

Not sure also where this leaves me if the seller does decide not to send the V5 back, it was like trying to get blood out of a stone getting hold of him to chase the V5, so I'm not convinced.

I now to my knowledge need to ensure I've the original number plate on the vehicle before using it.

Has anyone else had similar experiences or can put my mind to rest if the seller does not send the new V5 back?

Thanks

S

AdrianC

What does https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ come back with for the "private" plate, and for the original one?
You have a V5C/2? With which plate on it?

Registrations don't "expire" - what I suspect happened was that they told the vendor that the plate couldn't be transferred off, as the vehicle hadn't been continuously taxed and/or SORNed. So the V5C coming back to him would have that same plate still on it.

burlingtonfl6

sthomasj10 said:

Hi everyone,

Wondered if you could help..

I purchased a motorcycle used from a seller ( non trade ) on the 5th of September. The vehicle came with a private number plate, I was assured that this would be switched over to my ownership along with the ownership of the vehicle.

A few weeks had passed and I hadn't received the V5. I rang the seller and was told that they'd been in contact with the DVLA and sent the V5 back to him as the registration had expired and that he'd be issued a new V5 with the original reg, to then complete in order to change the keeper to myself.

This all leaves me a bit concerned as I do not have much to prove my ownership of the vehicle. The seller did email me a "receipt" however the reg stated on this email is the private reg not the original what needs to go back on the bike.

Not sure also where this leaves me if the seller does decide not to send the V5 back, it was like trying to get blood out of a stone getting hold of him to chase the V5, so I'm not convinced.

I now to my knowledge need to ensure I've the original number plate on the vehicle before using it.

Has anyone else had similar experiences or can put my mind to rest if the seller does not send the new V5 back?

Thanks

S

The V5 isn't proof of ownership so that's one less thing you need to worry about

sthomasj10

Registrations don't "expire" - what I suspect happened was that they told the vendor that the plate couldn't be transferred off, as the vehicle hadn't been continuously taxed and/or SORNed. So the V5C coming back to him would have that same plate still on it.

I have the green slip for the private reg

Regarding the V5 sent back, that's correct - it is for the private registration, he informed me he would be issued a new V5 with the original registration on it, which he'd have to send back to them for them to issue me as the new keeper - does this sound right??

sthomasj10

burlingtonfl6 said:

sthomasj10 said:

Hi everyone,

Wondered if you could help..

I purchased a motorcycle used from a seller ( non trade ) on the 5th of September. The vehicle came with a private number plate, I was assured that this would be switched over to my ownership along with the ownership of the vehicle.

A few weeks had passed and I hadn't received the V5. I rang the seller and was told that they'd been in contact with the DVLA and sent the V5 back to him as the registration had expired and that he'd be issued a new V5 with the original reg, to then complete in order to change the keeper to myself.

This all leaves me a bit concerned as I do not have much to prove my ownership of the vehicle. The seller did email me a "receipt" however the reg stated on this email is the private reg not the original what needs to go back on the bike.

Not sure also where this leaves me if the seller does decide not to send the V5 back, it was like trying to get blood out of a stone getting hold of him to chase the V5, so I'm not convinced.

I now to my knowledge need to ensure I've the original number plate on the vehicle before using it.

Has anyone else had similar experiences or can put my mind to rest if the seller does not send the new V5 back?

Thanks

S

The V5 isn't proof of ownership so that's one less thing you need to worry about

Yep - fully aware of that. 

The receipt he gave me though was for the vehicle with the private registration. I'm just concerned if I'm challenged on ownership, that it doesn't actually state the original plate.

AdrianC

sthomasj10 said:

Registrations don't "expire" - what I suspect happened was that they told the vendor that the plate couldn't be transferred off, as the vehicle hadn't been continuously taxed and/or SORNed. So the V5C coming back to him would have that same plate still on it.

I have the green slip for the private reg

Regarding the V5 sent back, that's correct - it is for the private registration, he informed me he would be issued a new V5 with the original registration on it, which he'd have to send back to them for them to issue me as the new keeper - does this sound right??

Nope.
If a plate can't be transferred off, because the chain of licencing has been broken, then it can't be transferred off. It stays on.
https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers/take-private-number-off

The original plate only gets reallocated when the other plate is transferred off. Any vehicle can only have one plate allocated at a time - and must have one plate allocated.

sthomasj10

AdrianC said:

sthomasj10 said:

Registrations don't "expire" - what I suspect happened was that they told the vendor that the plate couldn't be transferred off, as the vehicle hadn't been continuously taxed and/or SORNed. So the V5C coming back to him would have that same plate still on it.

I have the green slip for the private reg

Regarding the V5 sent back, that's correct - it is for the private registration, he informed me he would be issued a new V5 with the original registration on it, which he'd have to send back to them for them to issue me as the new keeper - does this sound right??

Nope.
If a plate can't be transferred off, because the chain of licencing has been broken, then it can't be transferred off. It stays on.


The original plate only gets reallocated when the other plate is transferred off. Any vehicle can only have one plate allocated at a time - and must have one plate allocated.

From my conversation with the DVLA earlier today, they informed me that they'd changed the plate associated with the vehicle to the original.

The process however - sending him another V5 to complete in order to change me to the keeper, is that normal?

AdrianC

sthomasj10 said:

AdrianC said:

sthomasj10 said:

Registrations don't "expire" - what I suspect happened was that they told the vendor that the plate couldn't be transferred off, as the vehicle hadn't been continuously taxed and/or SORNed. So the V5C coming back to him would have that same plate still on it.

I have the green slip for the private reg

Regarding the V5 sent back, that's correct - it is for the private registration, he informed me he would be issued a new V5 with the original registration on it, which he'd have to send back to them for them to issue me as the new keeper - does this sound right??

Nope.
If a plate can't be transferred off, because the chain of licencing has been broken, then it can't be transferred off. It stays on.


The original plate only gets reallocated when the other plate is transferred off. Any vehicle can only have one plate allocated at a time - and must have one plate allocated.

From my conversation with the DVLA earlier today, they informed me that they'd changed the plate associated with the vehicle to the original.

The process however - sending him another V5 to complete in order to change me to the keeper, is that normal?

Yes.
So if you check vehicle enquiry for the old plate, it shows nothing (or a different vehicle), and the new plate shows the bike?

You can't change plate AND keeper at the same time.
The old keeper changes the plate, then gets a new V5C in the new plate. Then changes keeper.
You could have the new V5C in the new plate in your name within a fortnight from the start, if they did both online...

Of course, it makes your V5C/2 useless, because it's for the wrong plate...

sthomasj10

AdrianC said:

sthomasj10 said:

AdrianC said:

sthomasj10 said:

Registrations don't "expire" - what I suspect happened was that they told the vendor that the plate couldn't be transferred off, as the vehicle hadn't been continuously taxed and/or SORNed. So the V5C coming back to him would have that same plate still on it.

I have the green slip for the private reg

Regarding the V5 sent back, that's correct - it is for the private registration, he informed me he would be issued a new V5 with the original registration on it, which he'd have to send back to them for them to issue me as the new keeper - does this sound right??

Nope.
If a plate can't be transferred off, because the chain of licencing has been broken, then it can't be transferred off. It stays on.


The original plate only gets reallocated when the other plate is transferred off. Any vehicle can only have one plate allocated at a time - and must have one plate allocated.

From my conversation with the DVLA earlier today, they informed me that they'd changed the plate associated with the vehicle to the original.

The process however - sending him another V5 to complete in order to change me to the keeper, is that normal?

Yes.
So if you check vehicle enquiry for the old plate, it shows nothing (or a different vehicle), and the new plate shows the bike?

You can't change plate AND keeper at the same time.
The old keeper changes the plate, then gets a new V5C in the new plate. Then changes keeper.
You could have the new V5C in the new plate in your name within a fortnight from the start, if they did both online...

Of course, it makes your V5C/2 useless, because it's for the wrong plate...

Hi Adrian, 

Correct DVLA reg check shows the "private plate" as associated with the bike, but the the original reg isn't yet showing anything - the lady on the phone did say it may take a while for this to show.

Is there anything you recommend I do in the meantime to prove ownership? As above, the receipt for purchase included the private reg which is no longer on the bike.

Ditzy_Mitzy

I hate to muddy the water here; but I think the seller has, inadvertently, lost the rights to the private plate.  I'm sure I've heard of similar cases to this, where the seller hasn't bothered to re-register a car prior to sale and has ended up losing a personalised registration because of it.  One cannot sell an unregistered vehicle, nor can one de-register one with a private plate.  The plate has to come off and go on to retention first, to allow the vehicle to be issued with a new VRM.  The buyer then gets the vehicle with the new VRM. 
As the seller hasn't done this, the OP now owns the private registration.  Or at least that's my understanding of it.  

sthomasj10

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

I hate to muddy the water here; but I think the seller has, inadvertently, lost the rights to the private plate.  I'm sure I've heard of similar cases to this, where the seller hasn't bothered to re-register a car prior to sale and has ended up losing a personalised registration because of it.  One cannot sell an unregistered vehicle, nor can one de-register one with a private plate.  The plate has to come off and go on to retention first, to allow the vehicle to be issued with a new VRM.  The buyer then gets the vehicle with the new VRM. 
As the seller hasn't done this, the OP now owns the private registration.  Or at least that's my understanding of it.  

Yes that sounds about right, I have since requested a new receipt though with the original registration and have it in writing they will notify the DVLA electronically as me as the new keeper - guess that is a little re-assurance. For the moment though, I am wondering how long it will take for the original reg to appear on the DVLA reg check website? The lady on the phone did say it wouldn't be immediate.