Car belonging to relative now deceased
Discussion
My FiL recently died and left, amongst other things (a lot of other things actually - hoarder!) a 2002 Merc which has a personalized number plate. I have found the DVLA website very confusing and am not aware if the car can be sold without it being transferred into one of his children's name (which would inevitably add another owner - there has only been two since 2002)
Having advised the DVLA of his passing they have cancelled the road fund tax, which means if we want to drive it we will need to retax it (WTF?!).
We have been unable to find a V5 and I was wondering whether someone who doesn't actually own the car can apply for a copy?
Finally, how easy is it to retain the numberplate? Is it a one-off payment of £80 for retaining the number as well as being allocated the original registration, or is it £80 for each?
Sorry to be a numptie as I am sure it is easy (if you've done it before!) but since the car is in a dead person's name, how does that work?
Many thanks for any sensible replies.
Having advised the DVLA of his passing they have cancelled the road fund tax, which means if we want to drive it we will need to retax it (WTF?!).
We have been unable to find a V5 and I was wondering whether someone who doesn't actually own the car can apply for a copy?
Finally, how easy is it to retain the numberplate? Is it a one-off payment of £80 for retaining the number as well as being allocated the original registration, or is it £80 for each?
Sorry to be a numptie as I am sure it is easy (if you've done it before!) but since the car is in a dead person's name, how does that work?
Many thanks for any sensible replies.
If you do it online, you don't need anybody's signature. In fact the V5c documents issued for the last 2 years do not even have a signature box
Unsure why DVLA 'cancelled' the road tax, unless it was because it was being paid for monthly from the deceased's bank account? It will have to be either taxed or correctly declared SORN to remove the registration number.
Unsure why DVLA 'cancelled' the road tax, unless it was because it was being paid for monthly from the deceased's bank account? It will have to be either taxed or correctly declared SORN to remove the registration number.
sixor8 said:
If you do it online, you don't need anybody's signature. In fact the V5c documents issued for the last 2 years do not even have a signature box
Unsure why DVLA 'cancelled' the road tax, unless it was because it was being paid for monthly from the deceased's bank account? It will have to be either taxed or correctly declared SORN to remove the registration number.
I used the “tell us once” service, DVLA got informed, put it on SORN, sent me (executor) a refund of the Tax straight away.Unsure why DVLA 'cancelled' the road tax, unless it was because it was being paid for monthly from the deceased's bank account? It will have to be either taxed or correctly declared SORN to remove the registration number.
Jim
What does the will say? If it doesn't specifically mention the car or the number plate then they both form part of the residue of the estate and no-one except the executor can do anything with it and they are obliged to maximise the value of the estate. If the estate requires probate, technically they cannot sell anything until they have that.
If there is more than one beneficiary then the executor cannot give it to anyone. As the executor has to divide the residue as specified in the will it's pretty hard to divide a car so it would have to be sold. If sold to one of the beneficiaries (with the agreement of all the others) then it has to be at fair market value (would probably come with the numberplate, very much doubt an executor would want to be transferring plates unless it was a valuable plate on a wreck). The money would then replace the car in the residue and be divided between all beneficiaries so the buyer would get their "share" back.
If there is more than one beneficiary then the executor cannot give it to anyone. As the executor has to divide the residue as specified in the will it's pretty hard to divide a car so it would have to be sold. If sold to one of the beneficiaries (with the agreement of all the others) then it has to be at fair market value (would probably come with the numberplate, very much doubt an executor would want to be transferring plates unless it was a valuable plate on a wreck). The money would then replace the car in the residue and be divided between all beneficiaries so the buyer would get their "share" back.
Happy Jim said:
sixor8 said:
If you do it online, you don't need anybody's signature. In fact the V5c documents issued for the last 2 years do not even have a signature box
Unsure why DVLA 'cancelled' the road tax, unless it was because it was being paid for monthly from the deceased's bank account? It will have to be either taxed or correctly declared SORN to remove the registration number.
I used the “tell us once” service, DVLA got informed, put it on SORN, sent me (executor) a refund of the Tax straight away.Unsure why DVLA 'cancelled' the road tax, unless it was because it was being paid for monthly from the deceased's bank account? It will have to be either taxed or correctly declared SORN to remove the registration number.
Jim
Someone mentioned the Bereavement Team.
Pre covid by a year or two: But when my dad died I called them got the V5 transferred to my mum @ no cost and she shows as the original not second keeper. They were really helpful and easy to deal with.
yes I was as surprised as you but credit where credit's due
Pre covid by a year or two: But when my dad died I called them got the V5 transferred to my mum @ no cost and she shows as the original not second keeper. They were really helpful and easy to deal with.
yes I was as surprised as you but credit where credit's due
No experience with the DVLA Bereavement Team - my brother sorted out transferring ownership of my parents' (numerous!) vehicles to my mum when my dad died last year.
But - I was really grateful that I read on here somewhere a recommendation to (when phoning banks, building societies, etc) request to speak to their Bereavement Team. I had no idea such teams existed, but passed this information onto my mum. She then did this for all of the phone calls she had to make and she says it made it huge difference, especially with banks.
But - I was really grateful that I read on here somewhere a recommendation to (when phoning banks, building societies, etc) request to speak to their Bereavement Team. I had no idea such teams existed, but passed this information onto my mum. She then did this for all of the phone calls she had to make and she says it made it huge difference, especially with banks.
Sorry for the late reply, but I work for a large car leasing company and we get this scenario regularly.
When somebody who has the right to a private reg dies, their right to that reg disappears. The DVLA need to be contacted by the next of kin in writing with a request to have the rights to the private plate. The DVLA are currently taking ages to process these requests due to resourcing issues.
When somebody who has the right to a private reg dies, their right to that reg disappears. The DVLA need to be contacted by the next of kin in writing with a request to have the rights to the private plate. The DVLA are currently taking ages to process these requests due to resourcing issues.
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