best process for transfer of car keeper?

bunnygo

advice on this scenario would be most welcome for hassle reduction.

car registered keeper is deceased, executors/beneficiaries want to keep car at least for a short time. Insurance ok as is a second car on a living person's policy, although will advise insurers. V5c available.

I recall from last time that using 'tell us once' means the car ends up with no keeper and no tax. I can see the process on the DVLA website - keep the 'new keeper' slip, send off the V5C with a cover letter, and then use the 'new keeper' slip to tax the car.

1st question: is it better to use 'tell us once' or inform DVLA separately?

2nd question: I may also need to shift the car before 'tell us once' has processed. If I speak to the insurers first, can I do that legally even with a deceased keeper?

any advice/experience on the right order most welcome. Thank you.

Keep_pedalling

The tell us once service will not inform the DVLA who the new RK is, and that person needs to tax the car, so yes you need to go through DVLA separately and the car should not be on the road until this is sorted. 

silvercar

Keep_pedalling said:

The tell us once service will not inform the DVLA who the new RK is, and that person needs to tax the car, so yes you need to go through DVLA separately and the car should not be on the road until this is sorted. 

Does that mean that any car should not be on the road once their RK dies? 

I'm sure many people don't have any off road parking, so what happens to their cars? The person who inherited the car may not be aware of doing so for a few weeks/ months. Even if the car was to be sold, that would take a few weeks. 

Keep_pedalling

silvercar said:

Keep_pedalling said:

The tell us once service will not inform the DVLA who the new RK is, and that person needs to tax the car, so yes you need to go through DVLA separately and the car should not be on the road until this is sorted. 

Does that mean that any car should not be on the road once their RK dies? 

I'm sure many people don't have any off road parking, so what happens to their cars? The person who inherited the car may not be aware of doing so for a few weeks/ months. Even if the car was to be sold, that would take a few weeks. 

Untaxed cars should not be on the road, and the tax is not transferable so it is important that if the car is kept on the road that either the executor or beneficiary registers the car in their name and taxes it. 

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

badplasterer

silvercar said:

Keep_pedalling said:

The tell us once service will not inform the DVLA who the new RK is, and that person needs to tax the car, so yes you need to go through DVLA separately and the car should not be on the road until this is sorted. 

Does that mean that any car should not be on the road once their RK dies? 

I'm sure many people don't have any off road parking, so what happens to their cars? The person who inherited the car may not be aware of doing so for a few weeks/ months. Even if the car was to be sold, that would take a few weeks. 

DVLA probably wouldn't worry, assuming the car had been taxed by the previous owner, as the government would still be getting their money!  As soon as the executor/PR sent the V5 in they would refund any remaining months, and would want the tax to be renewed if the car was still to be kept on the road.  If the executor/PR didn't know about the car, then when the tax ran out they should become aware when the reminder letter arrived through the deceased door, so would need to act then to register and tax, or move the vehicle.

The executor/PR has a duty to inform DVLA about the death ASAP, but I wouldn't think there would be too much concern over a reasonable delay in this happening, especially if there is existing tax in force?

bunnygo

thanks for replies. At the moment I'm thinking that first job is to inform insurers ASAP to check policy still in force; as policy won't be in the name of deceased it should be.

issue is caused by distance; will probably need to move the car rapidly, before the registration appointment, so I won't have the 'tell us once' code anyway. i will make sure I have the V5C. And then park it up on a driveway until everything is sorted.

it's a hybrid so there has been zero vehicle tax paid up to now, although I think that has just changed. I will miss the annual ceremony of logging in and making a payment of nothing.

does seem to be a hole in the system - I know when buying a car it is possible to sort insurance, keeper and tax with a few phone calls/online clicks before moving it.

sheramber

bunnygo said:

thanks for replies. At the moment I'm thinking that first job is to inform insurers ASAP to check policy still in force; as policy won't be in the name of deceased it should be.

issue is caused by distance; will probably need to move the car rapidly, before the registration appointment, so I won't have the 'tell us once' code anyway. i will make sure I have the V5C. And then park it up on a driveway until everything is sorted.

it's a hybrid so there has been zero vehicle tax paid up to now, although I think that has just changed. I will miss the annual ceremony of logging in and making a payment of nothing.

does seem to be a hole in the system - I know when buying a car it is possible to sort insurance, keeper and tax with a few phone calls/online clicks before moving it.

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