How to find the owner of a private plate??

How to find the owner of a private plate??

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Discussion

pah250

Original Poster:

3,270 posts

169 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
There is a particular private plate I want to purchase. It's not available from DVLA and so I'd like to somehow trace the owner of the plate. How can I do this???

The plate I want is up for sale on www.boldreg.co.uk, but they are unable to get in touch with the seller (they've had no contact for ages - the seller might have moved house/changed phone numbers etc)

I've checked askMID.com and the plate isn't currently registered with an insured vehicle.

How can I get in touch with the owner of the plate? I know they don't use the plate currently and they have shown intention to sell etc.

Any advice much appreciated.

100 IAN

1,092 posts

176 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
I wanted to contact the owner of registration '105 GTA' that i am interested in buying. I completed the DVLA form and sent off the £2.50 (very reasonable) fee, but it was returned with an accompanying letter saying that my reason for wanting to contact the owner was 'not valid'. If anyone knows how else i can find out who the owner is, or even knows the owner of the 2003 Black Mini Cooper S with registration '105 GTA' i'd be interested in talking to them to see if they would consider selling the registration plate to me.

IrrElephant

32,692 posts

174 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
I'm also looking for a Reg biggrin

H41GHS, it's currently on a WHITE VOLKSWAGEN LT 35 TDI LWB according the HPI.

Markp13

422 posts

174 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
IrrElephant said:
I'm also looking for a Reg biggrin

H41GHS, it's currently on a WHITE VOLKSWAGEN LT 35 TDI LWB according the HPI.
That's a very similar plate to a BMW 1M near to me. It's not you is it??

IrrElephant

32,692 posts

174 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
Markp13 said:
IrrElephant said:
I'm also looking for a Reg biggrin

H41GHS, it's currently on a WHITE VOLKSWAGEN LT 35 TDI LWB according the HPI.
That's a very similar plate to a BMW 1M near to me. It's not you is it??
No, I wish!

HON2A

446 posts

185 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
As we're playing this game, packet of Smarties and beer money for owner details of L3 NKA ... on a SILVER HYUNDAI SANTA FE CDX CRTD near you?

Wouldn't it be nice if the DVLA charged £100, proceeds to charity mate, to complete a web form that they'd send to the owner stating "Hello, the person below would like to offer £XXX for your number plate"? Perhaps replies could be organised through the same company that looks after the DVLA Auctions, for a fee, to keep the naughty people at home?

pah250

Original Poster:

3,270 posts

169 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
HON2A said:
As we're playing this game, packet of Smarties and beer money for owner details of L3 NKA ... on a SILVER HYUNDAI SANTA FE CDX CRTD near you?

Wouldn't it be nice if the DVLA charged £100, proceeds to charity mate, to complete a web form that they'd send to the owner stating "Hello, the person below would like to offer £XXX for your number plate"? Perhaps replies could be organised through the same company that looks after the DVLA Auctions, for a fee, to keep the naughty people at home?
+1 Perfectly good idea I think.

Steffan

10,362 posts

242 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
There is no easy way to do this.

I am aware that the criminal element can achieve this fairly readily but for honest motorists there is really no way to get these details. In common with most requirements in the UK today, being unprincipled, a slimy toad and dishonest is advantageous to the miscreant.

Thankfully this is still of no interest to the majority.

It simply cannot be done for normal people.

falkster

4,258 posts

217 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
I'm sure it's data protection!! They can't just give out people's details just like that!

HON2A

446 posts

185 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
falkster said:
I'm sure it's data protection!! They can't just give out people's details just like that!
True, but with my idea the purchaser would never know the owner's details, they'd either receive a "Sorry, they're not interested, but thanks for the £100 donation to charity" or a "The owner is willing to sell at £XXX plus our fees, please submit your details and payment for the process to start though the DVLA nominated company".

oobster

7,410 posts

225 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
The only way, probably, to get the details of the RK is to lie. Like the vehicle regularly blocks access to your drive and you want to contact the RK in an attempt to ensure there is no more access issues. I have read anecdotal evidence of this on various car forums but I don't actually know if this would be deemed to be an acceptable reason for the DVLA to release the RK's details.

Also, I would imagine the consequences if your lie was found out wouldn't be worth it.

Edit:

Copy/paste from the DVLA website:

You can only get the name and address of the registered keeper of another vehicle if you can demonstrate ‘reasonable cause’ for needing the information. The DVLA must consider the reasons why you need the information and how it will be used before it is given to you.

It is a criminal offence under Section 55 of the Data Protection Act 1998 to unlawfully obtain or sell personal information. Unlimited fines in the Crown Court (or to a maximum of £5,000 in the Magistrates Court) exist as penalties in respect of these offences.

Edited by oobster on Sunday 6th November 17:26

johnpeat

5,328 posts

279 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
IrrElephant said:
I'm also looking for a Reg biggrin

H41GHS, it's currently on a WHITE VOLKSWAGEN LT 35 TDI LWB according the HPI.
I'd start by Googling UK companies called Haighs, calling them up and asking nicely smile I did a quick look and there's a "Haighs Valet" who has a Transporter but Blue, on T20 MAX in his pics and it's not an LWB - not that many others tho.

That's not a private vehicle for sure but being on a recentish van means they probably want to keep it.

As for the OP's issue - as it's not on a vehicle, I can't think of any way forward at all. Any attempt to get the details by deception (it's blocking my drive etc.) is going to be demonstrably a lie unless it's JUST a plate which is doing it smile

The idea of the DVLA charging for such a service is a good one tho - tell them about it (they're not shy about asking for money so I see no reason they can't consider it).

Edited by johnpeat on Sunday 6th November 17:03

IrrElephant

32,692 posts

174 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
johnpeat said:
IrrElephant said:
I'm also looking for a Reg biggrin

H41GHS, it's currently on a WHITE VOLKSWAGEN LT 35 TDI LWB according the HPI.
I'd start by Googling UK companies called Haighs and calling them up and asking nicely smile

I did a quick look and there's a "Haighs Valet" who has a Transporter but Blue, on T20 MAX in his pics and it's not an LWB...

That's not a private vehicle for sure tho - and I'd suspect there are probably fewer than a couple of dozens businesses who might have it and on a recent van means they probably want to keep it.
I've already tried a couple of businesses but no luck.

The van it is on is a 2001 registration so not exactly recent. I guess it maybe a builders or similar.

Wotzname

172 posts

208 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
What about a small classified ad in trader / national newspaper or associated publications ie. reg transfers magazine ????

May be worth a shot

scratchchin

Tebbers

375 posts

165 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
falkster said:
I'm sure it's data protection!! They can't just give out people's details just like that!
AHHEEEMMMMM!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1581662/DVL...

shovelheadrob

1,564 posts

185 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
Shirley you just tell them you are a private clamping company & you want some money from them, the information will come by return of post!

AndrewW-G

11,968 posts

231 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
shovelheadrob said:
Shirley you just tell them you are a private clamping company & you want some money from them, the information will come by return of post!
IIRC you now have to be registered to get the information from them (can't remember if the registration is with the DVLA or DPR)

falkster

4,258 posts

217 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
Tebbers said:
Naughty naughty Shirley?

richard300

1,086 posts

223 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
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I'd like to contact anyone with one of those B16 ### registration plates and ask them why they have put an old 85/86 plate on their car and do they really think it looks like 'BIG'

My wifes CLK unfortunately has the registration V34 ELK, I hate it, and people asking me what the 'ELK' stands for.... It's a 99 car on a 99 plate and the ELK means nothing more that any other 3 letters at the end of a number plate.

something like 105 GTA is nice. I like short plates.

chris80

54 posts

218 months

Sunday 6th November 2011
quotequote all
IrrElephant said:
I'm also looking for a Reg biggrin

H41GHS, it's currently on a WHITE VOLKSWAGEN LT 35 TDI LWB according the HPI.
That would be Haighs Butchers of Workington Cumbria wink