Elapsed road tax - advice please

[grm500]

I have a friend who has a car which has been unused and untaxed since Feb 2005. It is on private land but not declared SORN; it is registered at his previous place of residence -he has not lived there for three years.

He says he doesn't intend to run the car again and I am wecome to have it.

If I take it on and re-register ownership to myself, is that a fresh slate as far as the road tax is concerned as I will have just acquired the car, or will I become liable for outstanding road tax/be stopped by the police every time I go out in it for driving a car which has had outstanding road tax previously.

My friend is currently living at my house as a lodger if that makes any difference.

If I took it on, I would be MOT-ing, insuring and taxing from the start of my ownership.

If it is all too problematic, I will decide no - the car is a M plate diesel Peugeot 206 - I need a practical car, but not one which will bring me headaches.

Thanks for any info and advice.

Graham

[JonRB]

grm500 said:

If I take it on and re-register ownership to myself, is that a fresh slate as far as the road tax is concerned

As far as I am aware, yes. It might be worth buying the car from the current owner for a nominal sum (eg. £1) to be on the safe side though, and obviously go through the full change-of-ownership procedure with regards to the V5 etc.

[Dwight VanDriver]

As an additional safeguard to that above get a signed and dated sale receipt from the owner who somewhere along the line has £80 fine from DVLA outstanding against him for having an untaxed car not on SORN.

dvd