Problem with taxing our car

adser53

Ok guys I really need some help or advice here.

Long story short, 3 months ago we traded in our car and got another of a dealer. New car had no tax to begin with. Dealer wrote down our details for the new log book/change of ownership and off we trotted.

5 weeks went by and still no log book in the post, rang the dealer (who was on hols) and he said he'd chase it up.

2 weeks passed rang him again, he said that he was on to Shannon who said something like they never received the log book so he said he ordered replacement documents.

Another 2 weeks passed, he was away again and said his solicitor had filled out the forms and sent them off.

We're now at 3 months and still nothing. I just checked the motortax.ie webbie and it said no change of ownership had been notified within the last 3 months. I rang them then and they were on lunch but said all change of ownership applications are being processed within 3 working days of receipt so it's not like they've a huge back log!

My questions are as follows: Is this in any way normal or is there some sort of scam here that I'm missing? Dealer wont answer the phone now and responds to the occasional (increasingly abusive) voicemail and text messages but only by text. If he's telling the truth does this process really take this long?

Moving on from that, we can't drive the car now in case we get pulled by the cops because in all fairness, 3 months with no tax is a bit ott and I don't think the "we just bought the car garda, and we're waiting on the log book" excuse will work.

Is it in anyway possible to go into the tax office and just tax it even though you've no documentation? In theory, does it really matter who owns the car as tax is transferrable? I really just want to get it sorted now.

Really appreciate any help or info guys. Thanks

Heroditas

Sounds a real mess.
I taxed my own car recently in the motor tax office and only produced the RF100A and the money required. They didn't ask me for anything else.

seamus

Dealer is just being a lazy sod. Contact Shannon again and explain to them that you need to register the vehicle in your name but the person who sold you the vehicle has lost the VLC.
They'll tell you how to proceed. Once you get the new VLC, you can immediately tax it.

You can try just going into the Tax office with the tax renewal form but the problem is you'll be liable for all tax outstanding on the vehicle. Without the VLC you've no way of proving that you only took possession 3 months ago, so if the tax has been out for 9 months, you'll be liable for 9 months back tax.

adser53

seamus wrote: »

Dealer is just being a lazy sod. Contact Shannon again and explain to them that you need to register the vehicle in your name but the person who sold you the vehicle has lost the VLC.
They'll tell you how to proceed. Once you get the new VLC, you can immediately tax it.

You can try just going into the Tax office with the tax renewal form but the problem is you'll be liable for all tax outstanding on the vehicle. Without the VLC you've no way of proving that you only took possession 3 months ago, so if the tax has been out for 9 months, you'll be liable for 9 months back tax.

Thanks guys, if I got the form stamped in the Garda Station saying it's been off the road for the last X amount of months would be liable for anything? I was going to do that when I got the VLC anyway saying it's been off the road for 3 months but I don't know how long it's been out of tax before we got it

Heroditas

adser53 wrote: »

Thanks guys, if I got the form stamped in the Garda Station saying it's been off the road for the last X amount of months would be liable for anything? I was going to do that when I got the VLC anyway saying it's been off the road for 3 months but I don't know how long it's been out of tax before we got it

No you're not liable for anything once the form is stamped by the Gardai.

Also, there's a website that was started up recently and it was mentioned here a while ago - it runs a quick free car check and will also state when the tax ran out.

mickdw

You can chase up a log book yourself. There is a specific form on which you can declare yourself the legal owner of the vehicle. It needs to be stamped by a garda and also a main car dealer (of any manufacturer I think) must sign that they have inspected the car and basically that it is what it says it is. I know someone who did this on the advice of the people in shannon when he bought the car at a garage and they lost the log book and never did anything about sorting it for him. Worked out fine.
So get the form and get the garda to sign or whatever, keep a copy in the car so when pullled over, you have a valid excuse and they will see you are doing your best to get sorted. in the mean time get signed bby garage and send to shannon.

adser53

Ah excellent!

Just found that webbie and it showed the tax info thanks again guys

Twin-go

Heroditas wrote: »

No you're not liable for anything once the form is stamped by the Gardai.

Also, there's a website that was started up recently and it was mentioned here a while ago - it runs a quick free car check and will also state when the tax ran out.

Linky;)

http://www.mywheels.ie/

Heroditas

Twin-go wrote: »

Linky;)

http://www.mywheels.ie/

I keep forgetting the name of it.

Bookmarked this time!

Midnight_EG

Heroditas wrote: »

I keep forgetting the name of it.

Bookmarked this time!

And me :P

zynaps

adser53 wrote: »

My questions are as follows: Is this in any way normal or is there some sort of scam here that I'm missing? Dealer wont answer the phone now and responds to the occasional (increasingly abusive) voicemail and text messages but only by text. If he's telling the truth does this process really take this long?

Sorry to hear it, that's a terrible situation. Sounds like you're already on your way to sorting it out, but anyway, I have to ask: why not just take the form from the dealer and submit it yourself?

When my sister gave me her banger (which sat unused outside the house for over a year), she filled in her parts of the ownership transfer form and just gave it to me. I filled in the rest and posted it to Shannon myself (about two months later ), and received the logbook back within a week IIRC.
If you don't trust him (and it sounds like he is absolutely untrustworthy), don't rely on him to send off the form - get a new empty form, bring it to him in person with your bits filled in, make him fill in the rest on the spot, then go and send it yourself.

Anyway, hope you get it sorted soon - it went pretty smoothly* for me and it was still a hassle** to sort out the forms.


* ...but not really, see **

** First, I got an RF100A stamped until March, but didn't sort out insurance etc until April, so queued up for another RF100A in Ballymun Garda station beside the tax office.
Turned out after a 20 minute wait (welcome to Ballymun) they had no forms and weren't bothered printing any, by which time I had to get back to work anyway, so put it off for another few days.
Then I got an RF100A filled in at Rathmines Garda station, and one of us made a typo and scribbled it out. Phoned the tax office about 10 minutes later before heading off to check that this would be ok, and they told me to go back and get another form and not make any typos). Headed back to the station and queued up again, the fourth time in a month that I had entered a Garda station to fill in an RF100A form. Jeeeeeeeeez... :eek:

trackcar

the chance is that the dealer never had the log book in the first place or lost it, as the car has never been in your name you can not apply for a replacement log book, you need to get a Declaration form from the tax office (I have one but there is no form number on it), you fill in your details on the form name, address, vehicle reg number, make & model, chassis number, colour + date of sale & where you purchased the vehicle,
you must also state on this form why the notification of transfer of ownership was not sent to the dept. in shannon, (because the log book has been lost) take the form + the vehicle + ID to your local dealer which sells this make of car, the dealer will certify that the chassis number quoted on this form is that of this vehicle, the dealer will then sign & stamp the form, now take the form to your commissioner for oaths/ practicing solicitor and get them to sign & stamp the form, post all to Shannon and hopefully you get a new log book with your name on it.