Dealing with Deceased's Car

[TaxedAndConfused]

Hi,

 

I've been made responsible for dealing with an elderly friend's car after her husband died recently. The chap died a couple of months ago and probate is currently in the hands of the solicitors. They offered to sell her car but the offered value was very low so she refused. The car sat for a while as it was broken (starter siezed).

 

After her family at first said they would help and haven't come through, it has fallen to me to try and sort it out and sell it for her as even it being there all the time is a reminder for her and upsetting.

 

I got it repaired, she paid and got a receipt for the solicitor. The lady did cancel the insurance a week or so ago which I now know was a mistake as the car was previously kept on the road outside her house - she didn't know about the continuous insurance rules and just thought it was money that she could get back. Luckily she left the tax in place.

 

I had the car moved to the back of my drive which is off the road, it can be seen but it is out of plain site under a car port. I'm pondering covering the number plate . Although the car remains taxed it is uninsured at the moment - I checked on the insurance database online and it is not on there.

 

So basically I would like to get this sorted for her (and us) asap and would like some advice.

 

Firstly the DVLA - from reading here

 

http://theprobatedepartment.co.uk/how-do-i-change-the-ownership-of-the-car/

 

As probate has not yet been granted I think we have to get the solicitor to tell the DVLA (fill in a section on the V5c) the car has changed hands to the lady herself. Can we at the same time declare the car as SORN ? I tried to call the DVLA but they refuse the call all the time as they are "unusually busy" - It's always "unusual" there isn't it ?

 

The insurance issue bothers me a little, should I take out insurance on the car even if it is temporary and/or extend my insurance policy to include this car just to get it back registered as insured ? Also it will probably need this to be sold (test drives ?).

 

In the meantime how can I avoid either myself or the lady concerned getting into a problem should a tax van or police decide to check the car or it gets "pinged" on their magic cameras - a family down the road from me was 'done' by one of these a while ago and on top of everything else she can do with avoiding that. I can insure it instantly online even if I'm not the registered keeper and then cancel it later - probably lose some fees though.

 

Finally is there anything else I may have forgotten ?

 

Thanks in anticipation.

[dx100uk]

I'd be getting the car sorn as asap if you can by whatever method

that prevents any nasty surprises

 

 

if you have the V5C I'd just do it

 

 

the sort the rest out Monday with the sols as that link advises

 

 

dx

[Conniff]

As above, make a sorn declaration - https://www.gov.uk/make-a-sorn - the car is not taxed, that ended when the previous owner died.

[JoeyJoeC]

If you don't have the V5C, you can do it with just the address the car is registered to and the registration number (number plate).

 

Download a V890 form, fill it out, and send it in the post ASAP. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/360126/V890_250714.pdf

 

Check https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax over the next few days to see if they have actioned it. Just done mine and it took about 3 days. They are slow on their confirmation letters.