Owning an uninsured car whilst trying to sell it....help.

[TriumphVitesse]

Ok, so apparently its now illegal to own an un-insured vehicle whilst its taxed. How does this work if you are trying to sell the car?

Basically, I am buying another car which I want to collect before I sell the current one. By swapping my insurance to the new vehicle the old one becomes uninsured in the period that its for sale. It will be parked on the drive, not on the public road during this period.

I don't want to have to SORN the car thats for sale as then it means I can't sell it taxed!!

Is there anyway round this, what are you supposed to do? It was easy in the past before this new law came into force...!!!

Cheers

PS - Sorry if this has been asked before!!!

[Dave Hedgehog]

the new system is utter bullst

the fking hassle we had dealing with a relatives car that was in probate, couldn't register it, couldn't keep it on the road, had no where to put it, and then when we finally could sell it the whole sorn bks, it was easier just to take a massive hit and sell it to a dealer without going through all the hassle, it would have cost us £800 just to get it tested, taxed and insured just so we could sell it, £200 a month more after the first month ...

[mrmr96]

TriumphVitesse said:

Ok, so apparently its now illegal to own an un-insured vehicle whilst its taxed. How does this work if you are trying to sell the car?

Basically, I am buying another car which I want to collect before I sell the current one. By swapping my insurance to the new vehicle the old one becomes uninsured in the period that its for sale. It will be parked on the drive, not on the public road during this period.

I don't want to have to SORN the car thats for sale as then it means I can't sell it taxed!!

Is there anyway round this, what are you supposed to do? It was easy in the past before this new law came into force...!!!

Cheers

PS - Sorry if this has been asked before!!!

Either declare it sorn, or "add it on" to an existing insurance policy. I assume you have a new car? Well call your insurer as you can have two cars on one policy temporarily to cover exactly this situation. Simple when you know how? Call your insurer and explain and it will be plain sailing, but it will cost you a few quid for each week you keep the 2nd car on the policy.

[saaby93]

TriumphVitesse said:

PS - Sorry if this has been asked before!!!

You dont have to untax when you SORN - only if you need the cash back
i.e. if you relinquish your tax you do have to SORN
See here especially the last page (18?)
http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&amp...

[Buff Mchugelarge]

Just do what youv'e got to do. I did the same, it'll take' em 2-3 weeks to post you a nice letter explaining the new Insurance laws, then 2-3 weeks later a reminder.
You've got plenty of time to sell your car.

[saaby93]

Buff Mchugelarge said:

Just do what youv'e got to do. I did the same, it'll take' em 2-3 weeks to post you a nice letter explaining the new Insurance laws, then 2-3 weeks later a reminder.
You've got plenty of time to sell your car.

Are you the first to post that you received the letters?

[TriumphVitesse]

Thanks for the reply's, didn't realise that sorning does not void the tax, it will only be taxed for less than another month so don't require a refund.

[saaby93]

This is useful too - ask to add a temporary additional vehicle or tell them youre selling one while buying another, see if they allow you an overlap period

mrmr96 said:

.... "add it on" to an existing insurance policy. I assume you have a new car? Well call your insurer as you can have two cars on one policy temporarily to cover exactly this situation. Simple when you know how? Call your insurer and explain and it will be plain sailing, but it will cost you a few quid for each week you keep the 2nd car on the policy.

[Buff Mchugelarge]

saaby93 said:

Buff Mchugelarge said:

Just do what youv'e got to do. I did the same, it'll take' em 2-3 weeks to post you a nice letter explaining the new Insurance laws, then 2-3 weeks later a reminder.
You've got plenty of time to sell your car.

Are you the first to post that you received the letters?

[SS2.]

TriumphVitesse said:

Thanks for the reply's, didn't realise that sorning does not void the tax..

Be careful - there are specific circumstances under which a SORN declaration is required to be made. Speculation maybe, but it could well be that a declaration which doesn't satisfy the criteria is not a valid declaration.

Road Vehicles SORN Regs. 1997 said:

3. These Regulations have effect for the purpose of prescribing the particulars to be furnished and the declarations to be made, and the times at which and the manner in which they are to be furnished or made, by a person—

(a)who surrenders a vehicle licence for a vehicle;

(b)who does not renew such a licence; or

(c)who keeps an unlicensed vehicle.

Also, I'm not aware of any mechanism which cancels SORN other than changing keeper or buying a new vehicle licence.

TriumphVittesse said:

it will only be taxed for less than another month so don't require a refund.

Which makes your decision a lot easier - either re-tax (and insure), or SORN..

Edited by SS2. on Tuesday 27th December 20:40

[J4CKO]

This just allows the scrotes to carry on as normal and ties the law abiding in knots.

[TNTom]

Buff Mchugelarge said:

Just do what youv'e got to do. I did the same, it'll take' em 2-3 weeks to post you a nice letter explaining the new Insurance laws, then 2-3 weeks later a reminder.
You've got plenty of time to sell your car.

I have to fess up and say im doing the same, trying to sell my god damn saab while insuring it every 2-3 weeks a week at a time. it's rather annoying as i don't drive it. But don't want to go through the hassel of SORN

[Buff Mchugelarge]

I had my works van, and my old beemer.
The insurance ran out the Beemer(temp Cover) so it sat on my drive for about a month. I got a letter from the DVLC about MID rules changing etc It was more of a leaflet tbh. I sold the car the next week.

[Caruso]

Was in the same situation 4 days ago, phoned the insurance company and added the extra car on temporarily for £75 for the month.

[Ozzie Osmond]

saaby93 said:

ou dont have to untax when you SORN - only if you need the cash back
i.e. if you relinquish your tax you do have to SORN
See here especially the last page (18?)
http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&amp...

I think people are getting confused here. There is no middle ground. A vehicle is either,

A. Taxed, in which case it must have valid insurance, or

B. SORNed, in which case it cannot be used on the road (whether or not it is insured).

Just because you fail to send your old tax disc back to DVLA doesn't mean it's a valid tax disc.

[Kinky]

Rather than taking advice on this forum, which might or might not be correct, no matter what ANYONE says; the best advice would be to contact your insurance company and ask them directly.

You will find advice posted here which is legally dubious; no matter what the poster might claim or assert.

[sjg]

mrmr96 said:

Either declare it sorn, or "add it on" to an existing insurance policy. I assume you have a new car? Well call your insurer as you can have two cars on one policy temporarily to cover exactly this situation. Simple when you know how? Call your insurer and explain and it will be plain sailing, but it will cost you a few quid for each week you keep the 2nd car on the policy.

This.

I actually went for about 5 months like this - switched insurance over to new car, my own tardiness with preparing, advertising and selling the old meant I kept ringing up every couple of weeks and extending, which they happily did at about £20 a time.

[saaby93]

Ozzie Osmond said:

I think people are getting confused here. There is no middle ground. A vehicle is either,

A. Taxed, in which case it must have valid insurance, or

B. SORNed, in which case it cannot be used on the road (whether or not it is insured).

Just because you fail to send your old tax disc back to DVLA doesn't mean it's a valid tax disc.

yep there's a middle ground between the time you decide to SORN and when your tax runs out or your insurance runs out, during which time you should be able to use your car even if it is SORN.
(there's no offence of using a SORNed car on the road, its only lack of insurance or tax thats a problem)
You just need to make sure DVLA hasnt changed their computer to say your tax is cancelled when it isnt. luckily they cant cancel your insurance when it isnt

[mrmr96]

saaby93 said:

(there's no offence of using a SORNed car on the road,

Are you sure about that? Remind me what "S.O.R.N." stands for, and then explain why you think a SORN car can be used on the road?

[davepoth]

mrmr96 said:

saaby93 said:

(there's no offence of using a SORNed car on the road,

Are you sure about that? Remind me what "S.O.R.N." stands for, and then explain why you think a SORN car can be used on the road?

Statutory Off Road Notification. However, SORNing a car does not automatically mean it is untaxed (if you had read the thread above) and the offence is "not having tax", not "driving while SORNed".