Abandoned Vehicle – How to become Owner rather than Keeper
Discussion
Hi, (please read full description)
There has been a nice car abandoned in my friend’s airport carpark in Ireland for the last 12 years. It is still in good nick overall but needs a bit of work. It is a UK reg car and has not been reported stolen, etc. (I checked the cars history against the reg plate and VIN, and called the police and PSNI). It seems to me that the owner was leaving the country in a hurry with no plans to return as there was an ATM receipt for a decent sum of cash left in the car as well as the keys.
No attempt has been made by the owner to claim the car and if they come forward now, they will owe 12 years’ worth of carpark fees that will significantly outweigh the cars worth.
My friend told me I can have the car if I can get all the paperwork in order. I have sent off the V62 and am waiting on a response from the DVLA. They are going to try to contact the owner of the car, but I am almost certain there will be no response.
If there is no response and I am able become the registered keeper, is there any way that I can ever actually own the car myself?
The only way I can think of is if I can get in contact with the original owner and ask them to consent to transfer ownership to me or they can have it back if they pay the 12-year carpark bill to my friend.
But if it is impossible to contact the previous owner, is there any other way I can claim ownership?
Thanks,
There has been a nice car abandoned in my friend’s airport carpark in Ireland for the last 12 years. It is still in good nick overall but needs a bit of work. It is a UK reg car and has not been reported stolen, etc. (I checked the cars history against the reg plate and VIN, and called the police and PSNI). It seems to me that the owner was leaving the country in a hurry with no plans to return as there was an ATM receipt for a decent sum of cash left in the car as well as the keys.
No attempt has been made by the owner to claim the car and if they come forward now, they will owe 12 years’ worth of carpark fees that will significantly outweigh the cars worth.
My friend told me I can have the car if I can get all the paperwork in order. I have sent off the V62 and am waiting on a response from the DVLA. They are going to try to contact the owner of the car, but I am almost certain there will be no response.
If there is no response and I am able become the registered keeper, is there any way that I can ever actually own the car myself?
The only way I can think of is if I can get in contact with the original owner and ask them to consent to transfer ownership to me or they can have it back if they pay the 12-year carpark bill to my friend.
But if it is impossible to contact the previous owner, is there any other way I can claim ownership?
Thanks,
You're right - you need something in writing from the current owner confirming transfer of ownership to you.
The carpark owner should be able to contact DVLA & request the keepers details - maybe the family are still living where the car is registered & might be able to put you in touch with the owner if they are abroad.
The carpark owner should be able to contact DVLA & request the keepers details - maybe the family are still living where the car is registered & might be able to put you in touch with the owner if they are abroad.
Im pretty sure I will get the owners contact details from the DVLA when they get back to me but my concern is that there will be no response from them when the DVLA, myself and the carpark owners write to them.
So basically if there is no response, I can become the keeper but never the owner and as a result I can never sell it?
So basically if there is no response, I can become the keeper but never the owner and as a result I can never sell it?
In the States the owner of the car park would be able to place a lien on the vehicle, then through a process that I believe is sending a registered letter to last known address and placing advertisement in the news paper notifying the owner that a lien is placed on vehicle in this case for back parking fees.
If there is no response then the car park lot would file for ownership.
Would think there would be a similar process in the UK
If there is no response then the car park lot would file for ownership.
Would think there would be a similar process in the UK
MitchT said:
If the outstanding car park charges outweigh the car's worth doesn't that register the project a non-starter on the basis that you'd have to pay the charges for the car to be released from the car park?
Yes you're right, if they're willing to pay 12 years of carpark fees then it's theirs simple as.I just hope I can get in contact with them and they're willing to transfer ownership to me. Otherwise I'll have to just chance being the keeper rather than owner
The Spruce Goose said:
no, uk law doesnt work like that.
Are you sure? So if I jump through all the hoops and can prove I've made a reasonable effort to contact the previous owner along with the DVLA also trying to contact them, and in the meantime I become registered keeper and got it fixed up, because my friend is allowing me take it off his hands, THEN the actual owner turns up and asks for it back, they're legally entitled to have it back without paying anyone a penny?
What about the car park fees???
1. Your friend is letting you do the donkey work to fix a problem he has.
2. Does he actually have the right to dispose of the vehicle he is probably responsibe for, there must have been some sort of booking made or details taken at the time the vehicle parked there.
3. If this was as easy as indicated why hasn't he sorted it out, I suspect it isn't easy and fraught with issues, see 1.
2. Does he actually have the right to dispose of the vehicle he is probably responsibe for, there must have been some sort of booking made or details taken at the time the vehicle parked there.
3. If this was as easy as indicated why hasn't he sorted it out, I suspect it isn't easy and fraught with issues, see 1.
garethj97 said:
The Spruce Goose said:
no, uk law doesnt work like that.
Are you sure? So if I jump through all the hoops and can prove I've made a reasonable effort to contact the previous owner along with the DVLA also trying to contact them, and in the meantime I become registered keeper and got it fixed up, because my friend is allowing me take it off his hands, THEN the actual owner turns up and asks for it back, they're legally entitled to have it back without paying anyone a penny?
What about the car park fees???
gottans said:
1. Your friend is letting you do the donkey work to fix a problem he has.
2. Does he actually have the right to dispose of the vehicle he is probably responsibe for, there must have been some sort of booking made or details taken at the time the vehicle parked there.
3. If this was as easy as indicated why hasn't he sorted it out, I suspect it isn't easy and fraught with issues, see 1.
1. Maybe so, the deal was if I do the donkey work I can reap the rewards of having a nice 1990's Japanese sports car to drive around in.2. Does he actually have the right to dispose of the vehicle he is probably responsibe for, there must have been some sort of booking made or details taken at the time the vehicle parked there.
3. If this was as easy as indicated why hasn't he sorted it out, I suspect it isn't easy and fraught with issues, see 1.
2. Yes the terms and conditions (made valid for every car upon entry to the carpark state that they have the right to sell it if not claimed within six months of parking it there.
3. Yes there are several issues, but it's a shame to let such a cool car rot away (it's been sitting for 12 years remember). I just want to do everything possible to get it into my name and most importantly, by the book.
The Spruce Goose said:
you can't just take a car if fees are owned, you have to go through the courts.
People watch American shows and think it is the same in the UK, it isn't.
T's & C's say after 6 moths the car can be sold and proceeds go to paying the carpark fees.People watch American shows and think it is the same in the UK, it isn't.
So if we arranged "selling" it to me for £1, would that avoid the courts?
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