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Legal matters

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

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Original poster

been given a car, no log book. owner missing. what do i do with it?

76 replies

freezingmytitsoff · 13/12/2012 12:08

i have a family member who used to live near me. about 3yrs ago he moved abraod. he left a car at one of his freinds houses who lived near me. the car has sat there for 3yrs, his friend contacted me and said the council was going to tow it if it wasn't moved so i got someone to pick it up and park it at there parents house.
now the problem is we have no keys and no logbook!
i have till jan 1st to move from where it is.
the family memeber who owns it is uncontactable, i have tried every possible way of finding him but can't.
it is worth about 2,000 and i could really do with the money.
i don't drive and know nothing about cars.
what the hell do i do?

OP posts:

VivaLeBeaver · 16/12/2012 10:39

Registered keeper, not owner even.

Collaborate · 16/12/2012 10:40

Also, being illegal to drive it means you'll invalidate your insurance and be committing an offence. As well as that you won't be covered in the event of an accident. I'd imagine luck would determine that you write it off the week before he returns to the country.

there are organisations that will trace someone worldwide for around £100 on a no find no fee basis. There are no excuses for not getting his consent.

GoldQuintessenceAndMyhrr · 16/12/2012 12:15

See, look at what Collaborate says - he can be traced for a mere £100 tops if he is found.

But, if you know inside yourself that he would say "Hey, get out of my car" when you contact him about having it, you have your answer right there.

MOSagain · 16/12/2012 13:06

Gold I get the impression that the OP is determined to have it despite the advice given on her. Advice given by at least two lawyers and a former police officer!

GoldQuintessenceAndMyhrr · 16/12/2012 13:28

MOS I know, rare to find such unusual combination of ignorance and stubbornness. Reminds me of my sisters ex.

LIZS · 16/12/2012 13:37

The friend who "gave" it to you had no right to do so as would not himself/herself be the legal owner. You seem to have assumed that taking responsibility for the problem will equate with ownership but this is not the case. If his family cannot locate him (might he or a contact be on FB., Twitter etc) you are not going to get anywhere and legally it cannot even be sold for scrap. If it can be moved to his parents' property it would buy you more time but frankly I doubt it is worth the effort, classic car or not , after all this time.

trueblood1fan · 16/12/2012 13:46

it might be worth 2k & you may need the money but the car is NOT yours & thus not your money so i suggest giving the car back & selling things you actually own. sorry if this sounds harsh but feel youve ripped off the person "who gave it to you" as surely if youd had told them it was worth 2k they would not simply give it away - you sound very grabby, make your own money rather than looking in peoples garden for a quick buck lol.......

MOSagain · 16/12/2012 13:48

DoesntTurkeyNSproutSoupDragOn · 16/12/2012 13:50

The friend didn't give it to the OP, they insisted it was removed from their property.
The owner's mother told the OP to do what she wanted with it.

Not that it makes a lot of difference wrt legal ownership.

MOSagain · 16/12/2012 13:57

But the owner's mother has no right to give it to someone else, it is not hers to dispose of.

trueblood1fan · 16/12/2012 13:59

but would they have insisted if op had been honest about the value of the car?! op didnt do this friend a favour as she clearly knew she was gonna get 2k out of it?! maybe if she comes clean to the "friend" about the value of the car & offersa split the friend (if the friend still wants to be friends after?!) if friend makes a real effort to contact owner of car. legally you cant sell this car (am a solicitor) as never been owned/driven/family member ect so i suggest you phone the council to remove & get a reciept. what you are doing is theft & is 2k really worth the stress of being caught?!

bradywasmyfavouritewiseman · 16/12/2012 13:59

Its not on the owners mums drive. Its on the friends mums drive.

How is no one concerned that this relative is completely uncontactable and untraceable and the main concern is about whether you can twoc the car?

trueblood1fan · 16/12/2012 14:01

cause 2k is involved & op "needs" the money?! :-\

bradywasmyfavouritewiseman · 16/12/2012 14:02

trueblood you read my mind.

Viviennemary · 16/12/2012 14:08

I'd be wary of selling this car if you have no proof of ownership which you haven't. You should get something in writing. If you can't do this then don't get involved.

TenPercenter · 16/12/2012 14:22

There was a thread were lequeens dh lost a car because it was considered abandoned after a period of time, someone took it and sold it on, is this not the same . Don't see why the op is getting such a bashing, no idea of the legalities of these things though.

Selks · 16/12/2012 14:23

To be honest I'd be more concerned about the missing relative than the car

GoldQuintessenceAndMyhrr · 16/12/2012 14:29

Maybe the missing relative is in the boot of his car. And op knows. That is why she wants to sell it so badly, before the council takes it away. And opens the boot.

MOSagain · 16/12/2012 15:26

TenPercenter, the OP is getting a 'bashing' because he/she is talking about doing something illegal

DoesntTurkeyNSproutSoupDragOn · 16/12/2012 16:37

But the owner's mother has no right to give it to someone else, it is not hers to dispose of

You couldn't be arsed to read my last sentence then I see.

MOSagain · 16/12/2012 18:13

I for one have read all of the sentences on this thread, many of which contain complete and utter shite and thoroughly wrong advice

HECTheHallsWithRowsAndFolly · 16/12/2012 18:17

You can contact his mum but can't contact him? You mean his mum has no idea where he is or what's happened to him? She must be frantic!

Anyway. Its not your car, don't try to do anything with it or what you're doing is dealing in stolen property!

bradywasmyfavouritewiseman · 16/12/2012 18:37

many of which contain complete and utter shite

Well done you for adding a couple more

SolomanDaisy · 16/12/2012 18:52

Contact LaQueen by PM. She has posted a story several times about her husband's car being reported abandoned and then claimed by the person who reprted it. She might know more about how that happened?

Original poster

freezingmytitsoff · 17/12/2012 09:49

ok everyone i think your being very dramatic. he is a close relative, he has gone missing after a trip to america.
there is an open missing persons report on him.
the police have contacted me regarding him being missing, they told me he had entered the country from america and that was the last trace of him.
he is a drug addict and has done this sort of thing before. his mum has been told that he has been seen around london by mutual friends. they don't have a very good relationship anyway.
he inherited a lot of money a few yrs ago. the reason his friend gave it to me is he said the my relative had left everything to me in his will and always said he wanted me to have everything. he has no children or wife.
are you all saying that you would let the council have something that belonged to your family/friend? he would be more angry at me if i had let the council take it, he would be fuming in fact.
i know 100% that he would want me to have it rather than leave it to rot or towed away.
i have tried every possible way of contacting him and so have the police.
i have no idea why anyone would think that i am trying to take something of him to sell, i didn't ask for it.
it was simply you take or the council will.
why wouldn't i?
and i can't keep it for him as i have no where to store it.
i will just tell the dvla the thruth, if someone can't be found are you just meant to leave any property of theres to rot away?

OP posts:

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