Abandoned car
Author
Discussion

threespires

Original Poster:

4,473 posts

241 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
I've just been contacted about a car we sold back in c1960.
The enquirer found a photo of the car on another forum I use.
It's a British GT that was our demo car for a while & then sold.
The car is now parked on a street under a cover.

The enquirer has spoken to the DVLA and this is what they told him.

" It's under a car cover and has been for some years. The DVLA said i can report it and they can remove it as it is parked on a public road without tax. It hasn't been driven since 2007. He advised if i wanted to see if it had an owner to apply for a log book for it and if no one responded they would grant me one."

This doesn't sound correct to me.
Wouldn't that be theft?


tomsugden

2,478 posts

258 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
That would be theft in my book, and the V5 actually states on it that it is not proof of ownership.

Martyn76

844 posts

147 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
I think it is an actual legal loophole, watched a video about a similar thing a while back

https://youtu.be/ULTHfZCgTb0

threespires

Original Poster:

4,473 posts

241 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
Martyn76 said:
I think it is an actual legal loophole, watched a video about a similar thing a while back

https://youtu.be/ULTHfZCgTb0
Interesting, thanks

boombang

551 posts

204 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
A friend of mine 'owns' a nice little car which was found abandoned in a car park - they applied for a V5 and after the process was complete they were given a V5. AFAIK that makes them the keeper, legal ownership is a different matter.

threespires

Original Poster:

4,473 posts

241 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
boombang said:
A friend of mine 'owns' a nice little car which was found abandoned in a car park - they applied for a V5 and after the process was complete they were given a V5. AFAIK that makes them the keeper, legal ownership is a different matter.
Sounds good, I hope the enquirer is successful.
Thanks

NMNeil

5,860 posts

80 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
So how do you show proof of ownership if the V5 only shows the registered keeper?

threespires

Original Poster:

4,473 posts

241 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
NMNeil said:
So how do you show proof of ownership if the V5 only shows the registered keeper?
Good question

johnnyBv8

2,482 posts

221 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
You could get the vehicle registered in your name by that process, but you still wouldn’t own it - and you could be charged with theft if the owner reports it stolen.

DaveCWK

2,418 posts

204 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
Yup, V5 + being registered keeper does not = owner. It's not legitimate to 'claim' cars in this way. You need to purchase it from the current owner to own it.

Richard-390a0

3,562 posts

121 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
NMNeil said:
So how do you show proof of ownership if the V5 only shows the registered keeper?
In theory you would also have a purchase invoice from the seller...

hairy v

1,421 posts

174 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
Martyn76 said:
I think it is an actual legal loophole, watched a video about a similar thing a while back

https://youtu.be/ULTHfZCgTb0
That;s a great story!

dhutch

17,906 posts

227 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
NMNeil said:
So how do you show proof of ownership if the V5 only shows the registered keeper?
I guess you don't?

boombang said:
A friend of mine 'owns' a nice little car which was found abandoned in a car park - they applied for a V5 and after the process was complete they were given a V5. AFAIK that makes them the keeper, legal ownership is a different matter.
Believe someone did this at my university a while after I left, via people I know within the motor club.

International student left e45 m3 parked up, went home and for whatever reason never came back. Car is now registered to and driven by someone else.

pits

6,704 posts

220 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
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Was there not a chap on here who got a Diablo for "free" using this

General Price

6,365 posts

213 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
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Another one from quite recently.

Lambo in a shed for over 30yrs and they couldn't find the owner.

https://www.lambocars.com/lamborghini-espada-found...

old'uns

566 posts

163 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
There once was a Citroën Acadiane left at mates garage, work as and when etc.
Garage owner dies, son winds up business, enquiries about the van from interested other party, half hearted search for owner.

V5 applied for and keeper gets letter saying application incoming. Reply says not sold...next letter asks for pics of van, VIN etc to confirm.
Van now taken somewhere that keeper doesn't know so unable to....

Some sort of contact was made, claims of 'storage' bill paid to garage, sell it on eBay, split profits etc, then nothing, numbers disconnected.

So original owner/keeper 'loses' vehicle, whatever happens do make sure you retain physical possession......

Ask me how I know furious


Bungleaio

6,591 posts

232 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
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Finders keepers surely. We all learned that at school.

dhutch

17,906 posts

227 months

Friday 7th October 2022
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old'uns said:
Ask me how I know furious
Doh!

MDL111

8,921 posts

207 months

Friday 7th October 2022
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would not be amused if that happened to my car. I left one of my cars recently without plates for 9-12 months as I could not be bothered to sort out transport for it to get it MOT'd. Would not have been amused if it was gone when I finally got round to it.

Sheepshanks

41,257 posts

149 months

Friday 7th October 2022
quotequote all
johnnyBv8 said:
You could get the vehicle registered in your name by that process, but you still wouldn’t own it - and you could be charged with theft if the owner reports it stolen.
You could just offer to give it back - they'd have to prove that you intended to permanently deprive the owner of it.

I suppose it gets very tricky if you sell the car and the original owner pops up afterwards.