Selling a car on somebody else's behalf
Selling a car on somebody else's behalf
Author
Discussion

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,607 posts

281 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
Sadly my father in law died recently and I have been tasked with selling his car, a pretty decent Corsa C.

It's currently in his name.

What's the usual procedure? Get DVLA to put it in his wife's name? Will this add an owner to the history?

I will be selling it from my drive - will my explanation scare a buyer off? Don't really want it in my name...

davepoth

29,395 posts

229 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
NiceCupOfTea said:
Sadly my father in law died recently and I have been tasked with selling his car, a pretty decent Corsa C.

It's currently in his name.

What's the usual procedure? Get DVLA to put it in his wife's name? Will this add an owner to the history?

I will be selling it from my drive - will my explanation scare a buyer off? Don't really want it in my name...
Why don't you want it in your name? It answers an awful lot of questions for any prospective buyer.

fjord

2,143 posts

167 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
Cant you just sell it without registering it to anyone? Leave the V5 as it is? Im sure people will understand the story.

Messing about with the V5 will just prolong matters won't it?

martin mrt

3,883 posts

231 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
fjord said:
Cant you just sell it without registering it to anyone? Leave the V5 as it is? Im sure people will understand the story.

Messing about with the V5 will just prolong matters won't it?
This 100%,

MysteryLemon

4,968 posts

221 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
Just sell it. This is a total non issue.

eltax91

10,778 posts

236 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
martin mrt said:
This 100%,
Absolutely, did this before. Most buyers will understand, I made sure I was armed with a letter from the solicitor and I encouraged the buyer to speak to the solicitor to confirm I was acting in the executor's wishes.

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,607 posts

281 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
Thanks guys - first time I've done this hence the questions. Don't want it in my name as there might be complications with insurance and will be another name on the logbook.

I assumed it would have to be transferred out of his name. If not, so much the better as it's a one owner car. What do you do about signing the V5?

rash_decision

1,435 posts

207 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
Just sign it yourself.

You could sign it Mickey Mouse, and the shower of incompetent losers at the DVLA wouldn't even notice!

A scribble should suffice! wink

rallycross

13,757 posts

267 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
NiceCupOfTea said:
Thanks guys - first time I've done this hence the questions. Don't want it in my name as there might be complications with insurance and will be another name on the logbook.

I assumed it would have to be transferred out of his name. If not, so much the better as it's a one owner car. What do you do about signing the V5?
Sign the V5 as deceased, and PP your name, and date it. Take a copy of it before sending to dvla.

I had to do one like this last month.


MysteryLemon

4,968 posts

221 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
You don't even need to do that.

I've sold cars in my partners name many times and just signed them myself. I also sold her deceased Dad's Peugeot 406 and did the same. No issue.

It really doesn't matter as long as there is a scribble and a date on it.

This thread almost makes it look like you think the DVLA are a competant organisation that actually check these things...

rallycross

13,757 posts

267 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
MysteryLemon said:
You don't even need to do that.


It really doesn't matter as long as there is a scribble and a date on it.

This is completely true but its not the advice that people like to hear when dealing with this sort of thing (having recently advised someone of exactly that she was none too impressed!).

Fubar1977

919 posts

170 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
I sold my mums car on her behalf, with her name/address on the logbook from my house with no problems.
Also a Corsa C, oddly.
No problems, I simply explained that my 70 year old mother didn`t want the hassle of selling it herself.
Depends on the buyer, some will be fine, others will be suspicious and walk away.

I also sold my dad`s car 2 months ago exactly the same way with no hassle from the buyer at all.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

276 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
MysteryLemon said:
Just sell it. This is a total non issue.
No wonder buyers get taken to the cleaners by fraudsters! A buyer who pays money to someone whose name isn't on the V5 is IMO bonkers.

It is an any event impossible to "buy" something from someone who doesn't "own" it, irrespective of ewhat the V5 says.


qureshia

4,772 posts

236 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
Bought a used car from the son (and mother) of a deceased gentleman.

They planned to get it transferred into the mothers name, but I insisted they didnt (as it would have added an additional owner to a one owner car)

Met the mother, son, viewed car at the registered house and paid 85% of the money directly to the finance company.



MysteryLemon

4,968 posts

221 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
No wonder buyers get taken to the cleaners by fraudsters! A buyer who pays money to someone whose name isn't on the V5 is IMO bonkers.

It is an any event impossible to "buy" something from someone who doesn't "own" it, irrespective of ewhat the V5 says.
The V5 doesnt prove that the person you are buying the car from owns it.

The buyer can do whatever checks they like and walk away if they want, but there is no need for the seller to put the car into there own name to sell it.

mph1977

12,467 posts

198 months

Saturday 16th February 2013
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
MysteryLemon said:
Just sell it. This is a total non issue.
No wonder buyers get taken to the cleaners by fraudsters! A buyer who pays money to someone whose name isn't on the V5 is IMO bonkers.

It is an any event impossible to "buy" something from someone who doesn't "own" it, irrespective of ewhat the V5 says.


V5 is irrelevant as to Ownership

as has been suggested a letter from the solicitor and the V% left in the name of the deceased seems a fariyl sensible and due diligence savvy way of dealing.

nottyash

4,671 posts

225 months

Sunday 17th February 2013
quotequote all
martin mrt said:
fjord said:
Cant you just sell it without registering it to anyone? Leave the V5 as it is? Im sure people will understand the story.

Messing about with the V5 will just prolong matters won't it?
This 100%,
Yes, I sold my mothers car with her name still on it. People do understand in these cases, it happens.

excel monkey

4,804 posts

257 months

Tuesday 19th February 2013
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
No wonder buyers get taken to the cleaners by fraudsters! A buyer who pays money to someone whose name isn't on the V5 is IMO bonkers.
If we were talking about a "high risk" car like an RS4 or X5 or something like that, then yes I'd agree with you.

On a Corsa C, buying from a decent seller who could prove his relationship to the owner named on the V5, I wouldn't worry.