No tax, Car removed, Now what?

Overlag

Overlag

Overlag

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
11,038
Location
Romford/Hornchurch, Essex
This is a long story, but My Girlfriends X boy friend is a absolute nutter, and used to beat her etc. After leaving him and moving away the problems went away for a few weeks untill a uncle who knows the X told him her location. To make him leave she threw the keys and log book at him (since he paid for the car while they were together). He went away, however he never took the car.

The police were called, putting a order on him not to come near her house, my house, or our place of work. The ONLY condition he could speak to her was about sorting the car out. However this never happened.

2 months pass and the car runs out of tax. Constant text and phone calls to the X to try and get him to take the car end in nothing but him saying i'm worthless and she needs to be with him (get over it you was going out with her for like 3 months!). Police backed away from the issue with the car as it was a civil issue and needed to be sorted out through courts.

2 days ago, the car was clamped at 2pm, less than 18hours later it was taken away. Due to her mum doing nights, she never noticed the clamp or notice. But its supposed to be 24hours apparently. Thats not the problem. Its the fines/being taken to court thats the problem.

My Girlfriend has no claim to this car, its registerd to her, however without keys or logbook she cant do anything about it. She cant afford fines or Lawyers either due to being unemployed, So she cant fight the X, and he obviously doesn't care and doesnt want to claim the car. Police are totally unhelpful as said due to it being a civil matter.

So the car, its a Worthless T reg 206, it has so much damage to it its not worth repairing (Head gasket, thermostat, radiator, two wings, 1 door and both headlights damaged). So we dont want this car, never really did, the plan was to get rid of it untill the X got the keys.

The guy driving the truck that took the car away said that if we ignore the letters they will crush it and the fines will be canceled. I Dont believe that for one second, but i cant really find any details about this.


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/UntaxedVehicle/DG_4022072

Unclaimed vehicles are crushed after seven days. Vehicles of economic value are disposed of after 14 days. Any vehicles of significant value are resold at auction.
Click to expand...

No where does it say about the fines but theres no way she can pay these.

What to do? :(
 
As the prev poster said - let them do what they like with the car. In fact - tell them to accept the car as payment for the fines :-)
 
I'd double check on the crush and cancel thing.

As her name is on the log book, she is legally responsible for it afaik, whether it legally belongs to her or not. She could have written to the DVLA and removed such responsibility at any time.
 
You need to speak to the DVLA, if its in her name she is still liable i would have thought.
 
anticonscience said:
I'd have been inclined to think Mike is right, it's registered in her name......
Click to expand...

Yup, doesn't matter who has the documents. It is in her name. She could have reported the documents lost/stolen, or removed her name previously. Given the situation that completely sucks, but those are my thoughts anyway.
 
the DVLA did get phone calls about the whole issue a few weeks ago, they said we would have to declare it SORN, however we couldn't do that as it was on road and we had no way of moving it.

No one would take it and scrap it without the logbook or keys, we could have got a replacement logbook but without keys they still wouldn't have taken it. This is a right mess!
 
She messed up by being all female, sorry I mean irrational about it.

Sound slike the ex knew exactly what he was doing, and she is now stuck with fees/fines to pay.

Release after 24 hours

To release your vehicle, you’ll need to pay a £200 fee, and any storage charges of £21 per day, as well as producing a valid tax disc or surety payment.

Provided you’re registered as the vehicle keeper, DVLA will write to inform you that your vehicle has been impounded and will be disposed of unless all fees are paid.

You could also face prosecution with fines up to £1,000 as well as paying any arrears of vehicle tax owed and costs.

Unclaimed vehicles are crushed after seven days. Vehicles of economic value are disposed of after 14 days. Any vehicles of significant value are resold at auction.
Click to expand...

I think that is quiet clear.
 
Last edited:
Phone dvla up again.

They never received one of my log books after I sold it, I had to write them a letter stating the date it had been sold and as much information as I knew. I left it at date and my name was removed from the list.
 
I think with the car being taken from the registered address where your girlfriend lives the DVLA will think you are trying to pull a fast one in order to avoid the fine. Which in reality you are because the car ownership wasn't transferred correctly I'm afraid to say. Hope you can get it sorted though.
 
Had a similar thing happen when I was trying to sell my old car.

After no less than 9 no showers :o, the car ran out of tax & mot, so I SORN'd it, but left it in the street.

It was taken to a storage / breakers? and a letter was sent out claiming a fine for £x00 per day for storage / release fee.

I called them up and said I didn't want it, they kept it, no charge to me.

Called the DVLA to say it had been taken by them, the only fine I had was 6 months road tax -because I'd kept it on the road.


Think it was about £75 ish...


So worst case scenario = £75 fine, don't ignore them or they'll probably start court proceedings




Also, you could phone the DVLA and tell them that the V5 had been sent off to them (unregistered post ;)) transferring it to the ex boyfriend. They have a rubbish system and will probably just nod along and take your word
 
Last edited:
One would assume though you handed over the keys/logbook, the one issue they have is they do not have either. And then there is the condition of the vehicle they have taken.

It really is rubbish situation to be in though. I just can't see the DVLA being helpful with this at all.
 
^I didn't hand over the keys or logbook, the car was just 'gone' one day as I returned from work in my new car, so I nabbed the parking space :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom