Speeding Ticket for car he no longer owns

[craig1912]

My son has just received a ticket from WMid police for a speeding incident a couple of weeks ago.

The card was actually written off in February and he informed the DVLA he was no longer the owner.

He is obviously going to just respond and says he doesn’t know the driver and the car ceased to be his in February.

Just wondering how this error might have happened?

[Krikkit]

Someone's probably cloned the plates, was the car taken to somewhere like Copart?

[cuprabob]

How did he notify DVLA and did he receive the letter from DVLA confirming the change of ownership?

[craig1912]

cuprabob said:

How did he notify DVLA and did he receive the letter from DVLA confirming the change of ownership?

Yes he has an acknowledgement confirming the notification

[craig1912]

Krikkit said:

Someone's probably cloned the plates, was the car taken to somewhere like Copart?

He doesn’t know, the insurance company disposed of it.

[Matt_E_Mulsion]

craig1912 said:

Just wondering how this error might have happened?

The car might well have been bought from a salvage auction, repaired but not actually re-registered to anyone. Hence the DVLA probably hold 'previous keeper details only'.

If West Midlands Police have nothing else to go on they have probably just used these previous keeper details in order to fulfill their end of the process even though it's almost certainly a waste of time.

[cuprabob]

craig1912 said:

cuprabob said:

How did he notify DVLA and did he receive the letter from DVLA confirming the change of ownership?

Yes he has an acknowledgement confirming the notification

That's odd then as even if it was a cloned plate it still shouldn't have been sent to him. I wouldn't worry about it, just tell them he no longer owns the vehicle and include a copy of the acknowledgement.
It's hard to fathom what goes on at DVLA in normal times, never mind during Covid

[craig1912]

Thanks for the replies. He’s sent it back with a copy of the acknowledgement. Unlikely that it was repaired as the damage was pretty bad- two year old Merc C43 coupe.

[cuprabob]

craig1912 said:

Thanks for the replies. He’s sent it back with a copy of the acknowledgement. Unlikely that it was repaired as the damage was pretty bad- two year old Merc C43 coupe.

You never know, have you checked to see if it's taxed / insured?

[craig1912]

cuprabob said:

You never know, have you checked to see if it's taxed / insured?

It isn’t taxed or insured.

[XR]

The offending cars reg number has most likely been misread

[martinbiz]

craig1912 said:

cuprabob said:

You never know, have you checked to see if it's taxed / insured?

It isn’t taxed or insured.

There’s a good chance it’s not your old plate or car, could be a simple misread which is the most likely reason and they have sent it to you as last the known keeper. None of this removes your responsibility to respond to the request within the 28 days or risk 6 point and a large fine. Just write back and tell them what you have told us, enclosing a copy of the DVLA letter would also be useful

[Short Grain]

martinbiz said:

There’s a good chance it’s not your old plate or car, could be a simple misread which is the most likely reason and they have sent it to you as last the known keeper. None of this removes your responsibility to respond to the request within the 28 days or risk 6 point and a large fine. Just write back and tell them what you have told us, enclosing a copy of the DVLA letter would also be useful

He did, at 17.44

[martinbiz]

Short Grain said:

He did, at 17.44

Yes spotted that afterwards. I’m a slow typer I

[Sheepshanks]

martinbiz said:

None of this removes your responsibility to respond to the request within the 28 days or risk 6 point and a large fine.

Is that really true? The car has no connection to you, as confirmed by DVLA, are you really legally required to respond?

Vaguely similar thing with me - our address was somehow associated with a car that an emigrating neighbour sold. I responded to several tickets and pcns - then the police woke us up in the middle of the night,

[Rushjob]

Sheepshanks said:

Is that really true? The car has no connection to you, as confirmed by DVLA, are you really legally required to respond?

Vaguely similar thing with me - our address was somehow associated with a car that an emigrating neighbour sold. I responded to several tickets and pcns - then the police woke us up in the middle of the night,

100% true. He's covered under paragraph 2 (b) of Section 172......

(2)Where the driver of a vehicle is alleged to be guilty of an offence to which this section applies—

(a)the person keeping the vehicle shall give such information as to the identity of the driver as he may be required to give by or on behalf of a chief officer of police [F3or the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police Force], and

(b)any other person shall if required as stated above give any information which it is in his power to give and may lead to identification of the driver.