Garage has given up a private registration

[DizzIzz]

Hi, just hoping for a bit of guidance if possible. My dad part exchanged his car at the end of June as lockdown was lifting, the car had a private registration on it that he’d owned for over 20 years. This number plate has been on half a dozen vehicles during this time, transferred without hassle and thaw last couple of times done on site by the dealerships.
The salesman in June seemed a little unsure of the process having just entered this line of work. However, my dad left everything in his capable hands. Over the last few months we’ve chased and chased things and been robbed off by the garage. We’ve contacted DVLA a couple of times and told there’s a huge backlog.
Yesterday, it’s unravelled that actually the number plate was left on his vehicle and now he’s lost it. The garage has said if he can source a new one they “might” pay for it. My dad is so upset as he was bought this by my late mother and as I say has owned it over 20 years. It wasn’t a great deal at the time, about £250 but it looks like something. similar now could be close to £2000. Regardless of cost, it’s not his plate that he’s lost due to the salesman’s error.
We are going to write to the manager of the dealership but can anyone offer me any guidance of something useful to say, or indeed an alternative route.
Many Thanks

Have they asked the new owner of the car if they would be willing to give it up?

I’m not sure at this stage, they have said the buyer had their own plate and put that on so what has happened with my dad’s plate I have no idea. When I search for it on search for a vehicle took, it brings back no records so it’s currently not on a vehicle.

Has your dad still got the paperwork for the number plate?

Can't he just just get the private plate assigned to the vehicle he now has?

Im afraid that if the new owner has put their own plate on the car, then they will have had to hand back the original plate to the DVLA. This is what I had to do with a previous car that came with a private plate, before I could transfer mine onto it. I had to write to the DVLA to say I was happy to loose ownership of the plate that it came with. The new owner however, could have paid to retain your dads plate. I would request that the dealership contact the new owner to ask what happened with it and go from there

If it's been taken off the vehicle and not put on retention it may be gone for good. I had a similar problem and found the DVLA to be very unhelpful, they've always got a backlog no matter what the circumstances are it's just an excuse they use.

Thanks for the replies, my dad has the original paperwork of plate purchase from over 20 years ago yes. I will ask the garage to try and resolve this rather than put it on my dad’s shoulders as they’ve caused the problem. Just don’t know where to start with it all as a lot of fobbing off goes on. I think the garage should at least attempt to somehow get it back.

I know it doesn't help now but it would have been fairly simple for your Dad to transfer it to a certificate pending use on another car beforehand and before any dealings with the garage. I fear it may be gone. If he had a firm agreement with the garage that they would retain the plate then he has a claim for damages ie. cost of buying it back or a similar plate.

Unless the new owner put it on retention before putting their own plate on then it’s gone for good. If they did put it on retention then it’s easy for them to sign it back over if they feel so inclined. If it was a valuable plate they could’ve retained it and sold it on of course! As stated by a PP it’s best to retain it online before changing cars to eliminate this kind of nonsense.

Nothing to add to the previous advice, @DizzIzz, except to sympathise for your poor Dad - and you. I'd be gutted if this happened as I know my poor Dad would be so anxious and upset. Hope you get it sorted out

Yes thank you @RedPandFluff, the older they get they become more upset about things like this. We know it’s not the end of the world but it belonged to my dad and as PP has mentioned, of course it would have been wise now to put it on retention but throughout his last couple of purchases the garage has done it all for him without a problem So there was no need to feel uncomfortable about this. I have also had this done myself for my last 2 purchases but this has certainly made me think.

I would try registering it on the new car and hope for the best

@RainbowRaine

I would try registering it on the new car and hope for the best

Unfortunately you can't do this without the V5 for both cars or the retention certificate.

Also any documents of original purchase won't help either. The problem is you never own a private plate, you basically purchase the right to use that registration and the DVLA can take it from you at any time.