Seller has marked my car as scrap. What to do?

[PandaSelecta]

Just heard back from the DVLA that the reason I haven't been sent a V5 for a car I bought last year, is because after I argued with the seller of the car (parts supplied to fix the car were wrong parts) he had written over the V5 "sent for scrap".

The DVLA never got in touch with me about this and just took this as being right and the car is now down as being scrapped. I have received a letter from them asking why I had notified them that it was scrapped, and now need to provide an explanation to them.

Any ideas what to say?

This is what the letter says...

"Thank you for your enquiry in which you state the above vehicle is still in your possession.

I enclose a copy of the notification of acquisition /sale which shows you confirmed the vehicle was sold for scrap.

Please provide an explanation why this notification was sent to the DVLA".

[THE_Liam]

Just tell the truth?

[120y]

Tell the truth, tell them basically the person you bought the car from was an idiot, it is not scrap.

[steveg]

As above tell them exactly what has happened , perhaps a phone call first to find out exactly what info you need to provide might help. Do you have any form of receipt for the car ?

By giving false information the previous owner, having signed the logbook before sending could be in trouble.

Having recently delt with the DVLA quite a bit there are some very helpful people working there, hope you get things sorted out quickly.

[tdk]

Phone them! The DVLA aren't always the idiots people say. They need to prove it was you that wrote SCRAP on the paperwork, and they can't. Just explain and be polite, they'll sort it eventually

[concertocharlie]

it's not got a D/O on it, it's just a stupid old owner, just explain to them and all will be sorted.

[kabman]

Mar 4, 2015 16:20:09 GMT 86corolla said:

it's not strictly legal ...

It's not even vaguely legal.

Don't pay any attention to moronic suggestions like this.

[86corolla]

Cus I can't be bothered to argue I'm going to delete my comments

[dodgerover]

As above just tell the truth, why would you need to do anything else?

[bazzateer]

They might insist on an inspection but you should be OK.

[surprisingskoda]

Two further points not mentioned yet -

as of a couple of years ago, certainly last year, it was not possible to mark a V5 as scrap and dispose of it, it MUST be processed by someone with an ELV licence.

and

for cars before that, obviously not now as ELV is final, but a car could be pulled back from being scrapped on the system. Did it once with a Skoda and did not have any checks to do, and the 8 months MOT on it still stood as valid.

[jordanisace]

"Two further points not mentioned yet -

as of a couple of years ago, certainly last year, it was not possible to mark a V5 as scrap and dispose of it, it MUST be processed by someone with an ELV licence"

not true, ive broken a car and scrapped it myself, only disposing of a cut up shell, so never got any offical paperwork to say it had been scraped. i simply wrote "scrapped" on the new keeper part of the logbook, and i recived a letter saying i was no longer the owner 4 weeks later.

but in answer to the main question, just be honest.

[surprisingskoda]

it is true, and if you look at any current issue logbook (red top) it will state this very clearly. If you had someone that doesn't know their job process yours, that's great, but that does not negate that my statement is true and the current law's position.

[VIP]

Mar 5, 2015 1:09:34 GMT surprisingskoda said:

it is true, and if you look at any current issue logbook (red top) it will state this very clearly. If you had someone that doesn't know their job process yours, that's great, but that does not negate that my statement is true and the current law's position.

Writing 'Scrapped' all over the logbook works just fine, even with the new one that doesn't have a 'scrapped' section.

I've done it myself and know of several others that have.

[Battles]

Mar 5, 2015 9:32:11 GMT VIP said:

Mar 5, 2015 1:09:34 GMT surprisingskoda said:

it is true, and if you look at any current issue logbook (red top) it will state this very clearly. If you had someone that doesn't know their job process yours, that's great, but that does not negate that my statement is true and the current law's position.

Writing 'Scrapped' all over the logbook works just fine, even with the new one that doesn't have a 'scrapped' section.

I've done it myself and know of several others that have.

I did this at Christmas and got a note back from the DVLA so it must at least be acceptable, even if it's not the preferred process.

PandaSelecta - Start writing to the DVLA, recorded delivery and all that, and tell them this was the work of a disgruntled seller. Maybe send photos of the car and the VIN?
If you want to twist the knife, ask them what they can do about malicious false statements by the former keeper.

[bortaf]

By the letter of the rules (DVLAs own rules) a vehical can not be delclaired scrap without a ELV stamp from an official ELV operator but that doseen't seem to stop DVLA from accepting a V5 with scrapped written all over it, i would point out they have broken thier own rules here but only as a last effort to get your V5 back, no need to alienate the person on phone with threats till last
I've done the same recently for a car i was breaking but couldn't scrap without either cutting it up or getting the V5 and towing it in the frag yard, i sorted the V5 instead as the prev owner had sent it off as scrapped, got the V5 monday, scrapped the car yesterday.

[flat4fanatic]

Just send them a letter saying exactly what happened.
Disgruntled seller decided to try and get one over on you.
Include a couple of pics of the car with something like a newspaper in the photo to date it.
I've heard of this happening before and they got the right outcome.


As for 'you can't scrap without a COD' no, you can.
I weighed in a stripped golf last year and because there was no engine EMR wouldn't issue a COD (checked before going). Rang the DVLA and they told me to send v5 in and a letter explaining and that would be fine. Got confirmation through a week later. Done it twice since

[marinanut]

DVLA seem to have become a bit more amenable these days with regards to scrapping cars and recovering registration. Maybe someone, somewhere finally realised that being draconian about everything was backfiring a bit? Just tell the truth, send a pic of the car with that days newspaper and see what happens.