Car Purchase problems

[AMGeed]

I wonder what advice members here might give following a recent car purchase.
A little background first.

My father is very friendly with a neighbour who has generally looked after him and cooked his meals since my Mother died in 2002. She recently had her car written off and received a £1800 payout from her insurance. As my Father no longer drives, he has previously bought or given her two cars.

I was tasked with finding her a car with low miles, small automatic under £5k. I managed find a Kio Rio auto in excellent condition and my Father duly paid £3900 for the car and taxed it for a year at the dealers.

Now this lady was on holiday in Japan at the time of purchase, and on collecting her last Thursday from Heathrow, she arrived in a wheel chair in very poor health. She had a stomach bug, hadn't eaten for 4 days and was very weak.
I got her home and tried to call yesterday but no answer. I tried again this morning and her cousin who had been told of her illness answered the phone and told me she had passed away earlier this morning!

Without going into too many details, my Dad paid for the car, her name and address is on the V5 returned to the DVLA although my Dad signed the tear off strip. This car is now surplus, and I want to sell it to reclaim the cost for my father. I'm meeting her son this afternoon where I will ask if that is OK although I know he has more important things on his mind.
Is the car noiw part of her estate and subject to probate etc, or can I just agree to sell the car back to the dealer who is open to the idea, dependant on the legalities?

It's a tricky subject, especially with a mourning son, but I want to secure that money for my father without causing upset.
Any views or ideas?

 

[renault12ts]

Sad circumstances.

Is the name on the V5 the keeper...or the owner?

You have a receipt?

 

[oldguy57]

Surely if your father paid for the car and can prove it, is he not the owner? The deceased is simply the registered keeper in these circumstances, is she not?

 

[renault12ts]

Surely if your father paid for the car and can prove it, is he not the owner? The deceased is simply the registered keeper in these circumstances, is she not?

I was also born in 1957...

 

[E55BOF]

The log book gives the details of the registered keeper, not the owner; they are generally one and the same, but not always. If your relations with her son are as cordial as your father's with her, it sounds as though it should not be a problem.

 

[oldguy57]

I was also born in 1957...

That makes you much younger than me then. (the 57 bit refers to my penchant for '57 chevies)

 

[renault12ts]

That makes you much younger than me then. (the 57 bit refers to my penchant for '57 chevies)

Haha...I thought we thought the same because of 1957...haha.

Anyway the OP has his answer I think.

 

[weleasewoger]

The legal owner of the vehicle is the name of the person on the selling dealers invoice/receipt. The name on the V5 and who paid for the car are not relevant. If the name on the invoice/receipt is that of the deceased then it will become part of the estate.

 

[AMGeed]

Thanks for your info gents. I will check again, but believe the receipt/invoice is in his name. I know for certain that the Visa debit receipt stapled to the invoice is his account.

Also, although her name and address appears as the registered keeper on the V5 being returned to the DVLA, it is my Fathers signature on the form.

 

[Darrell]

As I was told once in a court case I was involved in ‘the log book is no proof of ownership’

Also, on those Can’t Pay, We’ll Take It Away type programmes the name on the logbook doesnt always mean that person is the legal and registered owner of the car. They almost always want some evidence of receipt or invoice.

 

[Nat]

I'll echo that above about the registered keeper not been the same as the owner.
Hopefully her family will do the decent thing and hand over the V5 without a fuss. I'd imagine if for some reason it was classed as been part of her estate, the receipt your Father has will suffice to clear it. Your Father sounds a decent guy for helping her out and it's very sad she has passed away.

 

[AMGeed]

Just to bring this up to date, I approached the lady's two sons this morning and they are in agreement the car can be sold and the monies returned to my fathers account.

Considering the situation for them, I'm pleased its sorted amicably as I wasn't looking forward to any negatives from them.

One thing, the car was purchased on Tues 10th Apr and up to today, the V5 hasn't been returned by the DVLA.

Is this unusual or the norm for a change of owner?

 

[Doodle]

Not surprising, the V5 for Lucy's car that was purchased at Easter only arrived at the beginning of the week

 

[219]

With two recent car purchases , a car purchased on 1st Feb the V5 arrived last week of March ; the other car I bought 7th March and still awaiting the V5 ...

 

[Eddy77]

As above. Took a few weeks when I bought mine to get the v5

 

[oldguy57]

Just to bring this up to date, I approached the lady's two sons this morning and they are in agreement the car can be sold and the monies returned to my fathers account.

Considering the situation for them, I'm pleased its sorted amicably as I wasn't looking forward to any negatives from them.

One thing, the car was purchased on Tues 10th Apr and up to today, the V5 hasn't been returned by the DVLA.

Is this unusual or the norm for a change of owner?

Glad you got this outcome - must be a relief to all concerned.

 

[Nat]

That's great news.

Last Saturday, I both bought and sold a car and both the V5's landed with me yesterday inc my retention certificate from taking off a private plate that was also done on that Saturday.

Fingers crossed it#s with you soon ...

 

[jaymanek]

If the dealer is anything like me, he sends his v5’s off when he has a handful every week or so.. I’d bet it will turn up in the next couple of weeks.

 

[219]

I’m still waiting for the V5 for the Polo I bought on 7th March . A couple of weeks ago , beginning to doubt the seller had posted the V5 , I filled out the V62 and sent it off with the new keeper slip ... still waiting .
From my point of view , making it so that the seller had to send the V5 off , leaving the buyer unsure whether it had been posted , was the worst thing they ever did .

Ideally , there should be a section for each party to post off , so that both buyer and seller can be confident it has been done .

 

[AMGeed]

If the dealer is anything like me, he sends his v5’s off when he has a handful every week or so.. I’d bet it will turn up in the next couple of weeks.

I’m still waiting for the V5 for the Polo I bought on 7th March . A couple of weeks ago , beginning to doubt the seller had posted the V5 , I filled out the V62 and sent it off with the new keeper slip ... still waiting .
From my point of view , making it so that the seller had to send the V5 off , leaving the buyer unsure whether it had been posted , was the worst thing they ever did .

Ideally , there should be a section for each party to post off , so that both buyer and seller can be confident it has been done .

Dealer says he has sent off the V5 but still awaiting on DVLA to return it.
I asked the dealer if he is interested in buying back the car under the circumastances (its done 3 miles since leaving his forecourt) and I knocked £500 off his selling price.
He said he's call me back................still waiting. It will be sold privately when the time comes and the hit will be taken.

Can I reclaim the VED for the remaining 11 months without the V5?