Creightons Disposed of my car

[Robin1987]

Thanks guys it will hopefully be sorted one way or an other.

Wild thing: yeah it was insured on the 15th December which is my payday. Saved up money for the fees and would have the whole amount tomorrow to get the car out. But now having to use it to get another car.

 

[Daz500]

Maybe it's the way I'm reading it but I don't understand this bit :

had the car 2 months and never had the registration documents from the previous owner, but had insurance, was switching from AXA to HUGHES and forgot to say don't drive the car, police wanted the insurance and registration documents...

How did you have insurance on the car but not for your wife? If switching from one company to another they can keep the same details or add new people to it. It's effectively a new policy. Also, registration documents aren't needed to get insurance. You may need them in the event of an insurance claim but I've never been asked to provide tax book details in order to get insurance. Yes, it's needed for tax but that's different.

 

[Robin1987]

We both had no insurance, It ran out and we went to Hughes, but couldn't pay for Hughes for 3 days as we had no money to do so. The registration document was for proof of ownership to be produced to the police along with the new insurance policy.

 

[Paddy_R]

A registration document (v5) is NOT proof of ownership. It states this on the front of the document.

 

[Robin1987]

What is considered proof of ownership? We did not receive the log book from the previous owner an had to send of for a new one.

 

[KyleR]

Technically the only thing that's a proof of ownership is a receipt, but I would imagine in this situation that the V5 will do, seeing as no one can't expect you to have a receipt from a car bought many years ago.

 

[SMcP114]

Whoever printed "This is not proof of ownership" on the front of a V5 must have their head in their hands every day. It's smugly posted on every car forum in the world on a daily basis, with the 'NOT' in capitals for extra yolo.

V5 will do the police rightly.

 

[Lyons]

Sounds like a nightmare .

As said you need to get a solicitor involved today, and speak to someone senior in Creightons. The longer you leave it the more chance the car has of properly disappearing.

This sort of thing enrages me. I completely agree that ultimately she was in the wrong and therefore has to face the consequences (harsh, but a valuable lesson learned I imagine), but its an easy target for the police/courts. Folk who are doing far worse on a daily basis get off with nothing .

 

[purplea4T]

Why should it enrage you? The OP's wife was driving with no insurance, vehicle was subsequently stopped and seized. When this occurs you are informed of the ways to claim the car back or have it disposed of, also you are given ample opportunity to remove any belongings from the vehicle roadside. Was Creigtons not contacted as soon as insurance was sorted? The time line is hard to follow as are parts of the story, I'd have been up to Creightons as soon as I had the insurance certificate in my hand.

 

[pablo]

doesnt sound like they were out to scam anyone just a mistake. pity it went that far. cant offer any help Im afraid but I hope you get sorted.

 

[Lyons]

Why should it enrage you? The OP's wife was driving with no insurance, vehicle was subsequently stopped and seized. When this occurs you are informed of the ways to claim the car back or have it disposed of, also you are given ample opportunity to remove any belongings from the vehicle roadside. Was Creigtons not contacted as soon as insurance was sorted? The time line is hard to follow as are parts of the story, I'd have been up to Creightons as soon as I had the insurance certificate in my hand.

I'm not talking about the car, I mean about her getting done for no insurance when joyrider etc get off scott free!

 

[purplea4T]

Don't get me wrong, I think the punishment handed down to habitual offenders is a disgrace (if prosecuted at all), but do you have a level for prosecuting people for no insurance? Oh she's a pregnant mum of 2, let's not dart her? But a driver with different circumstances does?

 

[Lyons]

I'm pretty sure I said she did wrong and has to face the consequences.

I'm just comparing this motoring "crime" with other arguably more serious ones that people get nothing for.

 

[pablo]

its like drink driving though - no sliding scale at all. youre either 100% fine, or too drunk to drive therefore get a years ban. There is no middle ground.

Same with no insurance. If its obviously a mistake and there is no accident then a little grace should be given, at the very least the woman shouldnt be villified as a criminal. A hefty fine and on your way would suffice. Come collect the car when insurance sorted.

 

[RComms]

Unfortunately, it doesn't even sound like a mistake to me. From what your saying, the car was lifted on the 02/12/14. From that point, you have 14 days to get things sorted, or the car can be disposed of unfortunately. Whatever police officer you talked to may have said 'oh, its ok, it will sit there for 2 months', but the black and white written terms are 14 days as far as i'm aware. The lack of a V5 has really screwed you over though and its poor form that the police haven't made that situation clearer to creigtons.

Whilst I also sympathize with the fact that your wife and kids where left at the side of the road in December, unfortunately i would be of the opinion that you, as well as the police would need to take some responsibility for that. Not meaning to be harsh... but at the end of the day, you must have realized that you had made a choice yourself to drive without insurance and let your wife and kids travel in a car without insurance. Personally, that is a set of circumstances that i just would not allow to happen.

 

[Lyons]

To be fair Andy at the end of his first paragraph he did say he forgot to tell her not to drive it, so I don't think they were driving away at it. Still, I'm sure we would've made sure she knew not to drive it!

 

[RComms]

Yeah, in fairness i missed that! Crappy circumstances all around though. Some mistakes made and poor communication. I sympathize with your circumstances @Robin1987 and certainly wouldn't like to be in the same situation myself . I hope you get something sorted.

 

[avo5021]

Not saying anyone's to blame here but :-

When the car is seized by Police for No Insurance the driver is issued with a White Form, on this form is details of driver, time, date, place, name of seizing officer and also the details of the recovery company that is lifting the vehicle.

Also on this form is the documents required to release the vehicle. Yes it does say V5 but it also states "or other proof of ownership" ie bill of sale, receipt, letter etc.

It also states the timescales in which the vehicle may be disposed of if not collected.

The form would have been signed by the driver before the vehicle was lifted and the driver would have been given the White copy.

Did you contact the Recovery agent, Seizing Officer or the Vehicle Recovery Liason office in relation to extended times ?

 

[stevieturbo]

Why should it enrage you?

Car theft is car theft no matter how they twist the law to achieve it.

And everyone knows who car thieves should be dealt with. For them to permanently deprive the owner of their property is 100% theft in the eyes of the law.

Of course...with motoring and cars no normal laws apply.

 

[Paddy_R]

Except this isn't theft. There was no dishonesty involved in the taking of the car. The car was honestly taken by police as it had been driven without insurance. It was then left to lie in a recovery yard for over a month more than the time limit stated on paperwork and now when the recovery company have done what it said it would do on the paperwork that was most likely signed people are surprised.

 

[purplea4T]

But why should that stop stevie on an anti police rant? The car hasn't been stolen, it has been LEGALLY seized for a road traffic offence that has provision in the order for seizure and IF NECESSARY destruction.
I'd dare say if you were hit by an uninsured driver we wouldn't hear the end of it and it would be trotted out at every opportunity.

 

[Jet9]

No insurance = no excuse.
The OP failed to comply with the requirements to get the car back and therefore has no grounds for complaint.

 

[chris_b]

Guys give Robin a bit of a break. He has came on here to ask advice and quite clearly and very honestly threw his hands up to the fact that his wife was stopped driving the car without insurance. There are plenty on here who wouldn't have the courage to come out and admit such a thing.

Was it wrong ? yes no doubt and it seems there is no dispute over that whatsoever and Robin totally accepts that.
What I personally find a little hurtful is that the Police left a pregnant woman with two very small children on the side of the road on a Decembers day.
Now we don't know the circumstances perhaps the wife said she was fine etc and for them to drive on, I don't know. It just seems a little inhumane is all.

As far as the disposal of the car goes. It looks like, as has been said, there was a breakdown in communication between whomever Robin was speaking to and Creightons themselves which has caused the problem.
Its an extremely unfortunate set of circumstances and one which in all likelihood cannot be resolved in a manner that is in favour of the cars rightful owner.

 

[pablo]

plenty of us have done a lot worse lol

 

[pablo]

sorry had to fix title, was driving me nuts