Simple mistake when buying a car could lead to | European Markets

A minor oversight when shopping for a car may land you in critical legal hassle. Whereas the joy of buying a shiny new motor is perhaps overwhelming, it is essential to make sure you have the vehicle’s log guide, or V5C.

This doc is proof that you’re the registered keeper and accountable for registering and taxing the vehicle. Crucially, you may’t tax the vehicle with out the data within the log guide.

The DVLA advises consumers to at all times request to see the V5C vehicle registration certificates earlier than shopping for a car and examine it has a ‘DVL’ watermark. It must also have a serial quantity that is not between BG8229501 to BG9999030, or BI2305501 to BI2800000 – if it would not, the V5C could also be stolen.

Make sure you obtain the inexperienced ‘new keeper’ slip from the log guide, which lets you tax the vehicle instantly. You may face a advantageous of up to £2,500 for an untaxed vehicle.

Fantastic for untaxed vehicle

It is really useful to tax your vehicle as quickly as you buy it, as driving on UK public roads with out legitimate highway tax is a legal offence, with only a few exceptions.

Motorists who’re caught driving an untaxed vehicle may face fines of up to £2,500 relying on the standing of the car. If the DVLA system robotically flags a vehicle as being untaxed however not declared SORN (off the highway), the registered keeper of the vehicle will likely be slapped with an £80 advantageous.

Alternatively, you might obtain an out-of-court settlement letter which incorporates a advantageous of £30 plus the excellent vehicle tax multiplied by one-and-a-half. Failure to pay this will result in a legal offence and a potential look in Justice of the Peace’s court docket the place you might face both a £1,000 advantageous or 5 instances the quantity of tax charged – whichever is larger.

Nevertheless, in the event you drive an untaxed vehicle which has a SORN discover in drive, you’ll obtain an out-of-court settlement letter with a £30 advantageous plus double the excellent tax. If left unpaid, you might end up in Justice of the Peace’s court docket going through a hefty advantageous of up to £2,500.

The one exemption from taxing your car is in the event you’re taking it to a pre-booked MOT check. Whereas there are no actual specs on the gap you may drive beneath these circumstances, it’s advisable to not journey an unreasonable distance or make any stops alongside the way in which as this might invalidate your exemption if stopped by police.

All the pieces a vehicle ought to have earlier than you buy it

Earlier than you buy a vehicle, the DVLA advises that you must conduct the next checks: 

• Ask the vendor for the registration quantity, MOT check quantity, and make and model
• Verify these particulars with data held by the DVLA
• Verify the MOT standing and historical past matches all particulars you’ve got been given
• Verify if there was a recall for the vehicle

When receiving the log guide, you must also be certain that all particulars match what the sellers has advised you. You can even examine to see if the vehicle identification quantity and engine quantity match these on the logbook.