Car dealership issues

Serenag

Hi, 

Just looking for some advice. 

I purchased with 0 deposit a car on finance back in august. First time buying a car. It was second hand 2019 Fiat 500. I bought it from a reputable dealer with many Branches throughout the north. 

It came with 1 year tax paid by the garage. I never received any documents through the post after although I enquired why and they said everything was in hand. I went online to check when the MOT was due and it said my car was untaxed. I phoned up the dealership and enquired why and they fobbed me off saying that they were only taxing it for 6 months. Which means I have been driving around without tax for 5 months! I said I had never received any documents through the post ( which would explain no reminder letters from DVLA) they said I must have done and said they had done everything correct at their end. 

I then phoned the DVLA and they confirmed that the car had never been registered to my name! It was still in the previous owners name. Legally I can’t drive my car and as I work as a home carer I need it everyday. 

After contacting the garage again today I finally got through to someone helpful and he looked in to it. He admitted it was indeed an error on their part and it had never been registered. They are trying to get through to the previous owner for the log book so it can be taxed but no joy. 

Please can someone offer me some advice as to what I should do amd how I should deal with the dealership at this point. I am clueless. Should I be demanding a refund for the money I have paid monthly on credit as I have been paying it when the car isn’t even mine! 

Many thanks in advance 

littleboo

The registered keeper and the legal owner are not necessarily the same. It's sounds as if you are the owner, as you have purchased the car but not the registered keeper.

Alderbank

Dealerships can go online to DVLA and do the change of registered keeper immediately.  This happened to me recently when I changed my car and hadn't received the V5C after a couple of weeks. A firm call to the dealer and he did it while I waited on the phone.
You will get the new V5C in a couple of days.

I find it hard to believe that a dealer took a car in part-exchange without the V5C. They will have mislaid it.

400ixl

Registered keeper is essentially to link the vehicle and a named individual to the numberplate. It is nothing to do who with who legally owns the car.

They need to get it registered to you and taxed so that you can drive it.

You won't have a case to demand back payments as you have had the car and use of it (even if tenuous). Given the car is now underivable until they get it in a position for it to be taxed then I would tell them you want a courtesy car supplied to keep you on the road and for them to pay for the tax on your car as compensation. Up to you if you then want to try for more compensation than that.

Aylesbury_Duck

As advised, you won't be entitled to payments back, because you do own the car.  They ought to help out with a courtesy car so you can continue to work until they've sorted it out.

Serenag

The guy that sold it to me no longer works there.. which is ominous in itself. I just can’t believe they have put me in such a bad situation! My dad has been dying the past 6 months so I’ve not paid attention to any paperwork coming. But this has flawed me .. the fact I have been driving a car with business insurance due to my job and paying my insurance and it’s not even registered to me! 

Serenag

And no paper work did come! 

Serenag

Alderbank said:

Dealerships can go online to DVLA and do the change of registered keeper immediately.  This happened to me recently when I changed my car and hadn't received the V5C after a couple of weeks. A firm call to the dealer and he did it while I waited on the phone.
You will get the new V5C in a couple of days.

I find it hard to believe that a dealer took a car in part-exchange without the V5C. They will have mislaid it.

They can’t if they dont have the original log book which they don’t! They have admitted it ! It’s been 5 months now. I didn’t realise until I checked on my MOT renew date  a couple of days ago and it said my car was untaxed! 

daveyjp

Simply poor admin by the garage, but no reason for it.

For at least 15 years of my car buying, which is 7 vehicles, all transfer of ownership, tax refund on old vehicle and taxing of new vehicle has all been done in the dealership prior to handover and copies of confirmation printed or emailed to me.

As for losing V5s again no reason,  it can be scanned and stored in the data file for the vehicle and shown to buyers before purchase.

Aylesbury_Duck

Serenag said:

The guy that sold it to me no longer works there.. which is ominous in itself. I just can’t believe they have put me in such a bad situation! My dad has been dying the past 6 months so I’ve not paid attention to any paperwork coming. But this has flawed me .. the fact I have been driving a car with business insurance due to my job and paying my insurance and it’s not even registered to me! 

None of that really matters, because there have been no consequences to it.  What matters is that now you know, you get it sorted and don't leave yourself at risk of tax or insurance problems whilst it's being sorted.  Don't suggest you're now owed insurance premiums back, too....

born_again

Surely the purchase documents from the dealer state how long the car was taxed for by the amount of the VED.