Inherited car lost SORN years ago

nottsphil

My elderly mother gave up driving in 2017 and her car was then kept on my private drive and SORNed. On her death the following year, I inherited the car so put it in my name and address (from which it has never moved). Of course, I've now found out that the rule about SORN evaporating upon sale also applies to cases where the car remains in situ, but the DVLA computer doesn't seem to have realized!
What's the cheapest way I can resolve this please? I don't intend driving or insuring it any time soon.

Mark_d

Can't you simply SORN it?

nottsphil

Mark_d said:

Can't you simply SORN it?

I think their computer would note the massive time gap and maybe automatically issue me with several years of fines! I was hoping somebody might report having had their SORN reinstated for free after writing an apologetic letter ☺️

Mildly_Miffed

SORN it now. Don't hesitate.
https://www.gov.uk/make-a-sorn

If there's going to be any comeback, then it's going to be worse the longer you leave it.

Is there a good reason you don't do something with the car?
It's been sat unused for seven years. Is it even viable any more?

FlorayG

Your best bet would be to scrap it. After 7 years of not moving it's going to be beyond repair unless it's a real classic

fatbelly

I agree to scrap it, or sell to a collector if it's a classic.

After 7 years parked in the open air and not used, every part of it will need attention.

droopsnoot

Did you inform the DVLA that she had died using the "tell us once" web site? You may find that changes the situation. I went through this with my late father's car, I received a letter confirming it had been done and the car effectively had no keeper, then some time later I applied to put my own name on the V5 and set it to SORN.

My "some time later" wasn't years and years, but it was several months and I expect the DVLA know that probate and wills and so on can take some time to sort out. I didn't receive a penalty notice.

nottsphil

droopsnoot said:

Did you inform the DVLA that she had died using the "tell us once" web site? You may find that changes the situation. I went through this with my late father's car, I received a letter confirming it had been done and the car effectively had no keeper, then some time later I applied to put my own name on the V5 and set it to SORN.

My "some time later" wasn't years and years, but it was several months and I expect the DVLA know that probate and wills and so on can take some time to sort out. I didn't receive a penalty notice.

No.
In any case, you applied for SORN at the same time as declaring yourself the new keeper - I did not.