Declaring a vehicle sorn

[Anna713]

My son is divorced. The financial final hearing is in April. My son is the registered owner of the family car but when they separated he agreed to let his exwife drive the car. She has since racked up several parking fines which she is refusing to pay. Her solicitor is aware of this. How does he deal with this? The car isn't worth much. Can he transfer ownership or declare the car sorn? I believe you can declare a car sorn if you let the driver know but I'm not sure if this is correct. He has written to some of the companies who are chasing the parking fines letting them know he is not the driver but one company in particular is not interested. They say the registered owner is liable.

Sorn cars are still eligible to pay parking fines. Just not road tax or insurance. And you have to have to car on private land.

I'm afraid the parking company is right that the registered keeper of the car is liable for any parking fines. He can take action against his ex to recover the fines if she refuses to pay, although he needs to consider whether it is worth pursuing.

His could transfer the car to her, but she could simply transfer it back if she wishes to continue to rack up fines for him to pay. The safest approach is probably to take the car away from her if he can.

Thanks. Can he transfer the car to her without her consent? I.e just transfer it online

If he has the V5C, he can transfer it online but he must give her section 6 of the V5C. However, there is nothing to stop her simply transferring the car back to him.

SORN just declares the vehicle as being off-road so vehicle tax is not payable (although most people keep at least some level of insurance cover).
Parking fines will go to registered owner and if he never intended driving it again, keeping it in his name was never going to end well.
Unlike a notice of intended prosecution (speeding etc) where you are obliged to name the driver, a parking ticket/fine will just go to the registered keeper.
He can try a change of ownership (don't know if a new V5 is issued when just one party submits the change of ownership details but as he is the current owner I think it may happen) which will prevent future fines. As for the existing ones, if she is not willing to pay, he may have to deal with them himself.

He has the log book. Chatgpt is saying he should contact her solicitor and let her know if the car is not returned to him by a specified date he will be declaring the car sorn and she will no longer be able to drive it. If she still drives it surely that is on her? I suspect she will and no doubt rack up further fines but will the police be able to stop her. My son doesn't want the car back particularly he just wants her to stop getting parking fines and leaving him to pay them. It can't be discussed with the ex wife as he has a non mol order against her. Maybe it's easier and cheaper just to transfer the car to her name. I doubt she will transfer it back because she wants the car.

ChatGPT is not a reliable source of legal advice (or, indeed, on many other subjects). I wouldn't recommend going down the SORN route. If she continues to drive the vehicle, not only will he be liable for any further parking fines, he may also be fined up to £2,500 if she drives the car or even just parks it on a public road.

Thanks. I am going to advise him to transfer ownership and inform her solicitor. She wants the car so possibly that might work.

Might be worth formally transferring the ownership of the car via solicitors so there is no doubt that it belongs to her from that point onwards.

If he's the owner then he can simply ask for it back and if she doesnt then report her to The Police for Driving Without Owners Consent

I might suggest as well a stiff letter to her Solicitors

He asked for it back about 12 months ago. He contacted the police and they said it was a civil matter. He's emailed her solicitor and asked him to advise the ex that the car has been transferred to her.

I might also say

1. Why and
2. She is responsible for tax, Insurance etc

Oh and in case she transfers it back the AI says

AI Overview

If a vehicle is put in your name without consent in the UK,
it's fraud; immediately contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) (DVLA) with the car's details (registration, make/model) to report the fraud and get records updated, also report it to Action Fraud and the Police (101), keeping records of all communication to avoid fines or legal issues, as someone is using your details to register a vehicle illegally.
Immediate Actions

Thanks. She is already taxing and insuring it and has done for over two years. I just hope he's done the right thing. She can't keep running up parking fines though and expecting him to pay for them.