Received V5C to my address... but its not mine!

[JeS10]

I just opened a letter today, not really knowing what it would be. I couldn't see the name, as it was above the window. However, upon opening it I found a V5C. Its addressed to my house, but a name I have never heard of. We get letters for previous tenants, but never seen this name.

Its for a 60 Plate Ford Transit.

Will I just phone DVLA and tell them there must be some mistake!?

Any help appreciated..

Jamie

[redgriff500]

Clearly you've never had to call the DVLA - 20 minutes just to get through all the switchboard options.

Stick the envelope back together and "Return to sender" with a brief note.

[attym3]

Hmmm, transit vans, dodgy adresses...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRTdDL_WVRI&fea...
NSFW

Mark

[LukeSi]

Phone the police and tell them your transit has been stolen

In all seriousness just tape it shut and write return to sender / not at this address onto the envelope.

[tercelgold]

The DVLA usually state "no return" on their letters, i'd ignore it. Anything they do is up to them and not you.

[B'stard Child]

Expect speeding/parking etc fines to come your way soon.

Write to DVLA - Enclose REG DOC

Simple and polite

Not known at this address - please update your records accordingly

Keep copies of all of it

expect to have to retrieve copies one day

[Auburn852]

Had something similar a few years back with demands for outstanding parking fines to a car registered to a previous tenant of the house I bought.
I sent a detailed letter to DVLA confirming the car was not mine, the person did not live at this address and instructed them to remove the link between that vehicle registration number and my home address.
Received apologetic letter back from DVLA confirming that reg is no longer tied to my address.
I still have the letter and have used it more than once when visited by debt collectors looking to remove MY car from the driveway to pay someone else's outstanding parking fines.
Make sure you keep all paperwork forever. You never know when the bailiffs might come knocking.

[B'stard Child]

Auburn852 said:

Make sure you keep all paperwork forever. You never know when the bailiffs might come knocking.

Exactly

[JeS10]

We have had lots of debt collection letters and such like, owing to the previous tenants. We still get them. We've had bailiffs at the door - to which we just politely answer that we are not those people, and offer them I.D and the Landlord's contact details. We live on a country estate, and generally don't get much bother. Now and then you'll get some shifty sorts kicking about, but the area is surprisingly busy, and we're all vigilant. I guess I just jump to some really far fetched conclusions sometimes.

It was merely because a) I had never seen this name attached to the address b) Not sure how/why they would've put this address in, especially when they got the van on the 22nd of June this year. Is there any way that it could've been done mistakenly, or are we looking at a more than likely case of someone being a bit naughty?

Anyway, i'll pop it in the post tomorrow. Obviously photocopying it and the correspondence.

Thanks for the help

Jamie.

[cptsideways]

Send it back registered as scrapped and yes thats what I suggest you DO do

[B'stard Child]

cptsideways said:

Send it back registered as scrapped and yes thats what I suggest you DO do

I thought that option for a private keeper to declare a vehicle scrapped has been removed with the new style reg docs

You could however SORN it

[Auburn852]

I send strongly worded letters to every debt collecting company and keep copies. I also threaten them with harassment if they continue to send me any more letters, and promise to take them to court if they remove any of my property (car in the driveway, for example). I ask them to send me written confirmation within 7 days saying they will take no further action at this address relating to those debts. Surprisingly, some of them actually send me confirmation letters. Those which don't, I never hear from again anyway.
Good luck.

[redstu]

If you do anything other than send it back ( ie sorn or scrap it) the dvla will then effectively have evidence that they believe that the registered keeper actually lives at your house.
So it's either a mistake which should get sorted or someone has supplied false details so that they can use the van for a while without worrying about parking, speeding etc.
Might be best to take it to your local office if you have one near to you.

[Deva Link]

JeS10 said:

Its addressed to my house, but a name I have never heard of.

We got woken up in the middle of the night by the Police when this happened to us.

[cptsideways]

Deva Link said:

JeS10 said:

Its addressed to my house, but a name I have never heard of.

We got woken up in the middle of the night by the Police when this happened to us.

Any sensible crim buys a car taxed & tested, then simply registers its anywhere else but their own address. A very simple solution to a big problem (if your a crim) My bet is they used to live locally or in your house so could quote the address if needed to.

Hence I suggest send it back as scrapped, its then somebody elses problem not yours & you did'nt sign it


ETA: My bet is its regular type car anonymous Ford Mondeo or similar as opposed to something that would stand out

[Deva Link]

cptsideways said:

My bet is they used to live locally or in your house so could quote the address if needed to.

Our house in number 7 and we think the vehicle was connected to the people who used to live in number 2, which was rented. They could have just typo'd the number. We regularly get mail meant for someone with a postcode ending in X when ours ends in Z - that error calls up xxxxxx Road in address look-up lists when people meant it to go to xxxxxx Close, a few hundred yards away.

[adamlstr]

I would have thought this to be a more common occurrence, than to need an 11 year bump. However, I've just had the same: A V5C for a Volvo, that has nothing to do with us, delivered to our (correct) address for a name with no connection to us.

Aside from immediately informing the DVLA, is there much else I can / need to do?

Edited by adamlstr on Wednesday 26th October 18:08

[swamp]

adamlstr said:

I would have thought this to be a more common occurrence, that to need an 11 year bump. However, I've just had the same: A V5C for a Volvo, that has nothing to do with us, delivered to our (correct) address for a name with no connection to us.

Aside from immediately informing the DVLA, is there much else I can / need to do?

The same happened to me some years ago. The DVLA took about a month to sort it, though not before a bus lane fine arrived for the other driver.

[adamlstr]

swamp said:

The same happened to me some years ago. The DVLA took about a month to sort it, though not before a bus lane fine arrived for the other driver.

Yeah I suspect the bus lane, parking, and speeding fines to follow shortly..

[B'stard Child]

said:

I've now had 2 V5s for the same person who is using my address. I've had parking tickets and court letters for this person, and finally (as expected) the bailiffs turned up. They were very nice when I explained the situation, asked to see a council tax bill, and then said they would remove my address from their system.

Return to DVLA with a covering letter saying "not known at this address"

Keep a copy of the letter and the V5's for your records

If you don't do this the parking tickets and any other fines will keep on coming