Question about notifying DVLA of death

waveyjane

My father died recently and I notified Tell Us Once about that using the reference code I was given by the registrar.

I notice from the TUO page on .gov.uk that it says, "Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) - to cancel a licence, remove the person as the keeper of up to 5 vehicles and end the vehicle tax".

My father is survived by his wife. Does that mean they will make her the keeper of the car? If not, who will be the registered keeper? This page implies she will need to transfer it to her name, but like a lot of info on .gov.uk on this, I suspect they assume the situation is second, not first, death?

(If I'm right, a lot of their documentation could be heavily improved by the addition of a question like "Does the deceased have a surviving married/civil partner?" and explaining things from that point of view.)

Sarahspangles

I have found that in many cases Tell Us Once mainly prevents the organisation sending mail to the deceased and removes the eventual need to supply a copy of the death certificate.  

So for example, the local Council Tax team stopped the direct debit payment (they didn’t even empty the bins the week after the person died!) and eventually sent a letter addressed to The Occupier to the empty property.  However, getting the Executor’s details recorded against the account and reclaiming CT overpaid required action initiated by us.

Your mother/whoever is Executor presumably has the logbook (is it still called V5?) so will need to post that off with the new details.

Keep_pedalling

They can’t automatically make a surviving spouse the new keeper as they do not automatically inherit their spouse’s possessions. 

p00hsticks

I'm afraid I can't help, other than to say that I found the process involved in getting rid of a car the most difficult to deal with, as it wasn't at all clear what forms needed to be filled in and in what order so as to sell it.

From memory In the end I think, having used the TUO service to notify the DVLA and having returned the driving licence, I signed the (V5?) document to transfer it to the buyer myself and put something like (executor to the deceased) underneath my signature, 

user1977

Keep_pedalling said:

They can’t automatically make a surviving spouse the new keeper as they do not automatically inherit their spouse’s possessions. 

And in any event "owner" and "registered keeper" aren't necessarily the same thing.

poppystar

p00hsticks said:

I'm afraid I can't help, other than to say that I found the process involved in getting rid of a car the most difficult to deal with, as it wasn't at all clear what forms needed to be filled in and in what order so as to sell it.

From memory In the end I think, having used the TUO service to notify the DVLA and having returned the driving licence, I signed the (V5?) document to transfer it to the buyer myself and put something like (executor to the deceased) underneath my signature, 

Seconded - dealing with the car was the most stressful thing. It doesn’t seem that the process matches what is needed particularly if you also need to keep it continuously insured at the same time and therefore who is the registered owner and user needs to be clear. I didn’t need to use the car but I know of others in the same situation who were having to use cars when they weren’t clear exactly what the ownership/insurance situation was. 

On sale I did as you and signed with a note added that I was doing so as executor. That was accepted with no problem and no need for proof either.

comeandgo

poppystar said:

p00hsticks said:

I'm afraid I can't help, other than to say that I found the process involved in getting rid of a car the most difficult to deal with, as it wasn't at all clear what forms needed to be filled in and in what order so as to sell it.

From memory In the end I think, having used the TUO service to notify the DVLA and having returned the driving licence, I signed the (V5?) document to transfer it to the buyer myself and put something like (executor to the deceased) underneath my signature, 

Seconded - dealing with the car was the most stressful thing. It doesn’t seem that the process matches what is needed particularly if you also need to keep it continuously insured at the same time and therefore who is the registered owner and user needs to be clear. I didn’t need to use the car but I know of others in the same situation who were having to use cars when they weren’t clear exactly what the ownership/insurance situation was. 

On sale I did as you and signed with a note added that I was doing so as executor. That was accepted with no problem and no need for proof either.

I had no problem with my late fathers car.  I explained owner had died and I was executor and the insurance company put the insurance on for another month in my name to give me time to sell the car.  After that I got a refund of the time left on the insurance.

waveyjane

Oh, so bit of a can or worms then, judging by some of the replies..!

I'm the executor.  I'm also using https://www.settld.care and will be notifying the insurer that (I think! It's all a bit vague) that we want to put the insurance in her name, but I don't know what that means exactly re. the car itself. But I assume I'm doing the same thing as @comeandgo - but in my case we don't intend to sell the car (yet at least). I was hoping to have it on SORN until such time as we decide what's going to happen to it.

Keep_pedalling said:

They can’t automatically make a surviving spouse the new keeper as they do not automatically inherit their spouse’s possessions. 

I'm pretty sure that's not true for jointly held possessions (of which chattels are included in the same way as houses or joint accounts). But I suppose if a car is an asset held solely in the deceased name, then it passes under the will instead (which, incidentally, says it would go to my mother. Not that DVLC know that).

msb1234

waveyjane said:

Oh, so bit of a can or worms then, judging by some of the replies..!

I'm the executor.  I'm also using https://www.settld.care and will be notifying the insurer that (I think! It's all a bit vague) that we want to put the insurance in her name, but I don't know what that means exactly re. the car itself. But I assume I'm doing the same thing as @comeandgo - but in my case we don't intend to sell the car (yet at least). I was hoping to have it on SORN until such time as we decide what's going to happen to it.

Keep_pedalling said:

They can’t automatically make a surviving spouse the new keeper as they do not automatically inherit their spouse’s possessions. 

I'm pretty sure that's not true for jointly held possessions (of which chattels are included in the same way as houses or joint accounts). But I suppose if a car is an asset held solely in the deceased name, then it passes under the will instead (which, incidentally, says it would go to my mother. Not that DVLC know that).

Cars only have 1 owner at a time. 

I sold my mums car to a dealer after she died. Sent off the paperwork to DVLA. This was 11 months ago. Also completed the TUO form. I’ve recently had a speeding ticket for the car plus a car tax reminder, both in her name, even though I filled in the correct paperwork! I’d love to see them taking her to court for not paying the speeding ticket - maybe I’ll turn up with her ashes to plead her case!!!

TonyMMM

Just do a simple transfer - either online ( https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle), or by completing sec 2 on the V5 and sending it off. 

Ring the insurance company - and get the policy moved into his wife's name. 

sheramber

When my husband died I had the car transferred to me  and the insurance company changed the insurance to an executry policy.
The insurance had only been renewed one month earlier so continued to the end of the policy year with me a main diver.

DVLA advice about bereavement 

https://www.gov.uk/tell-dvla-about-bereavement