Sold car but buyer didn't register

[Brooky90]

Hi ppl I need some advice. Basically my father in law sold me his car a while ago, he had the former keepers details section of the V5C in his name and signed it and said I can fill the new keepers details in my name or just wait until I sell the car to someone and get them to fill in their details and as I sold the car less than 3 days later the person who brought the car from me filled their details in, so basically the car was being signed over from my father in law to the new buyer and I was simply the middle man, my father in law said I can keep any profit i make, anyway the bloke who brought the car from me assured me he would then send off the V5C but he never did and now nearly two months on my father in law is getting contacted by the DVLA saying his tax is overdue etc. I realise now I should of sent the V5C off myself but I didn't know as I've never sold a car before and my father in law should of notified the DVLA stating he sold the car but didn't and worst of all I no longer have an address or phone number for the guy who brought the car from me I only have his name that's it, what can me and or my father in law expect to happen now? Can either of us get into trouble?

[randlemarcus]

But surely you did send the v5 off to Swansea on the date of sale, and they have lost it. Write to them, or email, telling them date of sale, that you didn't keep a copy, and the fine should get squished. You owe your FiL a pint though.

[Brooky90]

randlemarcus said:

But surely you did send the v5 off to Swansea on the date of sale, and they have lost it. Write to them, or email, telling them date of sale, that you didn't keep a copy, and the fine should get squished. You owe your FiL a pint though.

No I never sent it off the bloke who brought the car from me said he would send it off but hasn't

[nadger]

Brooky90 said:

randlemarcus said:

But surely you did send the v5 off to Swansea on the date of sale, and they have lost it. Write to them, or email, telling them date of sale, that you didn't keep a copy, and the fine should get squished. You owe your FiL a pint though.

No I never sent it off the bloke who brought the car from me said he would send it off but hasn't

The postal service is notoriously unreliable and the DVLA is a huge organisation in which letters are often lost.
Bear this in mind and re-read the lrevious post again.

[nadger]

Oh, and I hate to do this, but it’s bought not brought!
Sorry to be all pedantic!

[Brooky90]

nadger said:

Oh, and I hate to do this, but it’s bought not brought!
Sorry to be all pedantic!

That's OK lol so could neither of us get into trouble then? My father in law worries a lot and he's now having trouble sleeping over it

[Pica-Pica]

nadger said:

Brooky90 said:

randlemarcus said:

But surely you did send the v5 off to Swansea on the date of sale, and they have lost it. Write to them, or email, telling them date of sale, that you didn't keep a copy, and the fine should get squished. You owe your FiL a pint though.

No I never sent it off the bloke who brought the car from me said he would send it off but hasn't

The postal service is notoriously unreliable and the DVLA is a huge organisation in which letters are often lost.
Bear this in mind and re-read the lrevious post again.

No they are not. I have just been posting stuff around four people for signatures. Each first class post arrived next day. Never had problems with DVLA either. But hey, easy to blame corporations.

[Brooky90]

Pica-Pica said:

nadger said:

Brooky90 said:

randlemarcus said:

But surely you did send the v5 off to Swansea on the date of sale, and they have lost it. Write to them, or email, telling them date of sale, that you didn't keep a copy, and the fine should get squished. You owe your FiL a pint though.

No I never sent it off the bloke who brought the car from me said he would send it off but hasn't

The postal service is notoriously unreliable and the DVLA is a huge organisation in which letters are often lost.
Bear this in mind and re-read the lrevious post again.

No they are not. I have just been posting stuff around four people for signatures. Each first class post arrived next day. Never had problems with DVLA either. But hey, easy to blame corporations.

So what can me or my father in law expect to happen in the near future? He keeps saying he's going to get into trouble, he's always been a big worrier but now he's starting to get me worried

[Croutons]

How do you know the new buyer has not registered?

[Wooda80]

I'm with randlemarcus and nadger on this.

Think very carefully, it's a while ago now, I'm sure you did get the seller to complete the V5 with his details and you posted it first class: DVLA, Swansea SA99 1AR

Must have got lost in the post, but you DID fulfil your responsibilities.

[MYOB]

Royal Mail has been known to lose letters - I'm sure this has happened in your case. After all, what numpty would sell a car without completing the V5.

[JJ55]

Yes you should have sent the v5 off not the buyer. I have accidentally done this myself before. I rang the dvla up & they told me to write a letter to them with my name & address, date of sale, make, model & reg of the vehicle & hand sign the letter with my signature.

Do this & send it first class recorded asap. If the dvla are chasing him for tax then it looks like he's still the registered keeper & the v5 is either lost or more likely wasn't sent.

[markrtw]

If you still have the buyer's details, go online and do it on the website. I always do this as the last action at the point of sale, so I am not longer responsible for the vehicle from that second onwards. Also it saves you having to post anything!
If you google "tell DVLA you have bought/sold a vehicle the govt web site will come up. Just bang in the details and job done.

[Richard-390a0]

^^^ This everytime, don't rely on buyers or the Royal Fail so do it online when ever possible.