Sold a car with no reg cert

sm3ar

I sold a car lately for a few hundred euro. Just an old banger. However I misplaced the reg cert at the time but he said he'd text on his address. The next day I found the cert but low and behold no word from him or won't answer his phone.
The gearbox was gone on it and the impression he gave was that he was putting a new one in and getting it back on the road. However he could just be dismantling it too.

What course of action should I take to minimise liability?I have the reg of the car he towed it away with.

Kepler 186f

Perhaps try and contact the vehicle licensing department in Shannon. In your circumstances they might be able to confirm if the registered owner of the vehicle that towed your old vehicle away matches the name and contact number of the person you sold it too. Without pointing the finger you took a chance not taking his details to put on the change of ownership section as if you aren't able to get his details the vehicle will always be registered to you, fines etc to follow

sm3ar

Kepler 186f wrote: »

Perhaps try and contact the vehicle licensing department in Shannon. In your circumstances they might be able to confirm if the registered owner of the vehicle that towed your old vehicle away matches the name and contact number of the person you sold it too. Without pointing the finger you took a chance not taking his details to put on the change of ownership section as if you aren't able to get his details the vehicle will always be registered to you, fines etc to follow

Ya it was a mistake alright. I only have a first name too.
I doubt Shannon would give away personal info like that?

colm_mcm

Would you be able to get the call log from your phone or mobile provider?

sm3ar

colm_mcm wrote: »

Would you be able to get the call log from your phone or mobile provider?

You reckon I could get name and address. If pay as you go it would be hard. Hopefully he just couldn't be bothered with the paperwork!

colm_mcm

No, I mean this guy must have rang you before buying, you could retrieve his number?

sm3ar

colm_mcm wrote: »

No, I mean this guy must have rang you before buying, you could retrieve his number?

Yes I have the number but if he won't answer what can I do?

colm_mcm

Is he not answering, or are you afraid he wont?

Have you googled his phone number?

If you call his number say 087 1234567, but dial 087-5-1234567 you will go straight to voicemail, you might get his full name from that. Do from a pay phone if you think he's avoiding you.

sm3ar

colm_mcm wrote: »

Is he not answering, or are you afraid he wont?

Have you googled his phone number?

If you call his number say 087 1234567, but dial 087-5-1234567 you will go straight to voicemail, you might get his full name from that. Do from a pay phone if you think he's avoiding you.

He's just not answering. Tried googling the number aswell.

Tried the voicemail thing but nothing there either

colm_mcm

Call from someone else's phone?

Tell him you found a spare key and want to post it to him

matt-dublin

Report the car stolen if he doesn't get back to you

OldMrBrennan83

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Kepler 186f

matt-dublin wrote: »

Report the car stolen if he doesn't get back to you

Not a clever idea, there's a statutory declaration at the beggining of a statement made to Gardai, you would then be liable to prosecution stating anything you know to be false or do not believe to be true

Kepler 186f

sm3ar wrote: »

Ya it was a mistake alright. I only have a first name too.
I doubt Shannon would give away personal info like that?

I doubt it too but it worth a try given the potential ramifications for you

savagethegoat

tempting to "suddenly" recall the name/address and add that to the cert and post it off with a squiggle in the signature box.

biko

matt-dublin wrote: »

Report the car stolen if he doesn't get back to you

Don't do this!
Matt, don't suggest fraud in this forum.

bear1

matt-dublin wrote: »

Report the car stolen if he doesn't get back to you

This must be the most idiotic thing you could do in this case.
Op do not follow the above.
If he isn't answering then send him a message advising that you have the log book and if you don't receive a response then you will be forced to advise Shannon and the police of the situation.
Neither could do anything I imagine but it should be enough to get the person to react.
Were you called from a landline or mobile?

testicles

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Atlantic Dawn

What's the best solution to stamp this out, should a buyer unknown facility be created where the ownership is frozen or should it be a criminal/penalty points offence to sell a car without following correct proceduress as detailed on the VLC? I think the latter would be easiest eay of closing this down.

percy212

Don't panic. Something similar happened to me once. I wrote a letter to Shannon and had it notarized. I included the reg cert with the letter. The letter could say something like..I no longer own this car. I sold it for cash to a person with this phone number....Shannon will likely note the car as scrapped and you as the last owner.

Special Circumstances

bear1 wrote: »

This must be the most idiotic thing you could do in this case.
Op do not follow the above.
If he isn't answering then send him a message advising that you have the log book and if you don't receive a response then you will be forced to advise Shannon and the police of the situation.
Neither could do anything I imagine but it should be enough to get the person to react.
Were you called from a landline or mobile?

I'd say he won't bat an eyelid at those sort of threats. Guys working at that end of the market don't just forget to get back to you for the transfer of ownership.

There are a number of benefits to having sales of cars witnessed in some office somewhere if it could be done without major delay or inconvenience.

SavageThegoat has the most practical if somewhat dodgy solution imo. Scratch that, go with percys solution above as a first resort!

bear1

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

What's the best solution to stamp this out, should a buyer unknown facility be created where the ownership is frozen or should it be a criminal/penalty points offence to sell a car without following correct proceduress as detailed on the VLC? I think the latter would be easiest eay of closing this down.

The easiest would be to just get the address before handing the keys over.
The buyer cant insure it as they are not the owner but legally the op is responsible for everything to do with that car I believe.
If you are selling a car you should have the vlc ready and waiting.

Special Circumstances

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

What's the best solution to stamp this out, should a buyer unknown facility be created where the ownership is frozen or should it be a criminal/penalty points offence to sell a car without following correct proceduress as detailed on the VLC? I think the latter would be easiest eay of closing this down.

Get sale witnessed at nct centre or similar. Ids and photos of both parties. It's a bit of a pain for legit people but a no brainer for keeping track of known criminals and potential revenue dodgers.

bear1

Special Circumstances wrote: »

I'd say he won't bat an eyelid at those sort of threats. Guys working at that end of the market don't just forget to get back to you for the transfer of ownership.

There are a number of benefits to having sales of cars witnessed in some office somewhere if it could be done without major delay or inconvenience.

SavageThegoat has the most practical if somewhat dodgy solution imo. Scratch that, go with percys solution above as a first resort!

I would agree that it.

bear1

Maybe an Italian solution would be good, sales can only take place in an authorised motor vehicle department.
Of course they have to bend over with the fees but it's secure.
Cant have it both ways I suppose so always best to be as concrete and prepared as possible.

savagethegoat

percy212 wrote: »

Don't panic. Something similar happened to me once. I wrote a letter to Shannon and had it notarized. I included the reg cert with the letter. The letter could say something like..I no longer own this car. I sold it for cash to a person with this phone number....Shannon will likely note the car as scrapped and you as the last owner.

I did the exact same and they came back and said the car would remain in my name forever and should it go back on the road I would be liable for back tax etc.

zurbfoundation

I sold a car on once and the buyer insisted in sending off the cert himself - in case i didn't he said - I said fine (in hindsight having the stamped addressed envelope there too and bother driving to the postbox would have been best solution) -

low and behold it never made it to Shannon - I couldn't raise the guy after this to check if he had or hadn't sent it on or not - I did know his geographical location and his full name (Polish - had the full spelling) - googled the hell out of what i had and turned up his address - stuck it on the relevant form, signed by peace commissioner, off to Shannon with it. Was out of my name and that was the main aim. However i can see that the car is still being taxed and tested - so it all worked ok.

OP- give this a go - just google with what you have - you would be amazed what info is lying about on folks on t'internet. Even if you don't get full address, the postal system will probably get it to where it needs to go

Vicxas

Might be a good idea to inform the Gardai that you sold the car, and what date.

Just in case its used for something dodgy down the road.

Kimbot

Vicxas wrote: »

Might be a good idea to inform the Gardai that you sold the car, and what date.

Just in case its used for something dodgy down the road.

Plus they could give the guy a ring too and he would more than likely answer to them