Vehicle Law question
Submitted by fodenwagon on Wed, 12/05/2010 - 20:16
Hi there, Two years ago i brought a car which had a cherished number plate on it, the seller said he wanted this took off which i was fine about, and we agreed to hold off signing off the documents for a month and he would contact me to arrange the registration transfers. i heard nothing from in so i sent away the documents to put the vehicle in my name. After 2 years i heard nothing from them, and i sold the vehicle, last week i had a call from them saying they wanted the number plate, i explained i had heard nothing from them for 2 years and that i had sold the car. They are threatening me with court action if i dont pay for the value of the number plate! Am i in the wrong and broken the law by selling it?
Can I just go through the
Can I just go through the facts here.
1. You agreed to purchase a vehicle but not it's number plate.
2. You paid the seller the value of the vehicle but not the value of the number plate.
3.You took delivery of the vehicle with the number plate on the understanding that the seller would contact you to arrange the transfer of the plate at a future date.
4.You heard nothing more. You registered the vehicle with it's plate in your name.
5.2 years later you sold the vehicle with it's plate.
6. You have now received a claim from the original seller for the vaue of the plate.
Is this correct?
Can you give me some idea of the timescales here- eg how long did it take for the original seller to contact you after you sold the vehicle.
Are you able to state precisely the agreement you had with the seller as to the plate?
Thankyou for your
Thankyou for your reply,
1)Thats correct just the vehicle, the number plate didnt interest me.
2)I brought the vehicle in cash (no receipt was given.)
3)I drove the vehicle away after paying for it, I had given the seller my contact details.
4)I heard nothing more from the seller up untill a week ago.I had the signed V5 document which i sent away 4 weeks after purchase of vehicle, so the seller would of recieved a letter from the DVLA confirming he was no longer the registered keeper.
5)Correct i sold the vehicle with the number plate still on there.
6)No, i have had a phone call from him when i informed him i had sold the vehicle,the next day i had a call from his partner/wife threatening me with court action if i did not pay them the value of the number plate (£3.5k in their estimation? but checked with DVLA their value £450.00)
I had the car just shy of 2 years, sold in january 2010 contacted me last week 4th/5th may?
The agreement we had was verbal, That he wanted the number plate and he was going away for 2 weeks and would contact me on his return.
By your own admission you did
By your own admission you did not purchase the plate.
The ownership therefore remained with the seller despite the length of time.
Unfortunately you had no right to sell on the plate because you did not own it.
The seller can now sue your buyer for the plate's return. Your buyer will bring you into the action and claim damages for breach of contract.
You have to do a deal if your seller is serious in taking this matter further.