Regaining a Personal Plate After a Death

[da.murf]

If it isn’t far away travel down for a coffee with him and a chat. Usually means a lot more, but as said depends what he is made of....

 

[TheDaniel]

If it isn’t far away travel down for a coffee with him and a chat. Usually means a lot more, but as said depends what he is made of....

It's not the distance, it's just the timing. They're only open during my work hours. Hopefully he calls me soon. Don't want to have to take a day off to see him and m it being there.

 

[Ben P]

So I tracked the plate down to the place where her mum traded the old car into. Waiting on a call back from the boss as it's now legally his plate.

Now let's see what he's made of. Will he give it over as he was reluctant too when her mum was alive? Despite the fact her mum disputed it. Will he charge me for it? Will he hand it over at all?

He's supposed to call me back. If he hasn't by the end of the week I'll be chasing him.

Good luck!
Personally I cant see you getting it just handed back for free.

Her mother should really have put it onto retention or onto another car before trading it in.
I imagine it will be extremely hard for you guys to lay claim to it now.
Especially if as you say he was iffy about keeping the reg when she was alive!

 

[TheDaniel]

Good luck!
Personally I cant see you getting it just handed back for free.

Her mother should really have put it onto retention or onto another car before trading it in.
I imagine it will be extremely hard for you guys to lay claim to it now.
Especially if as you say he was iffy about keeping the reg when she was alive!

Not that I want to pay for it, but I will if I have to. It's just not gonna be cheap.

 

[TheDaniel]

Didn't get a call back all week so I rang today. I got the hold of the boss at the dealership but was very dismissive and told me he'd call me back Monday or Tuesday.

I asked him if there was a chance I could get it back and he said certainly. No call by Tuesday he'll be getting a call Wednesday. I don't want to rock the boat but don't want him dragging his heals either. I'm not a patient man lol

 

[Deezer-D]

Didn't get a call back all week so I rang today. I got the hold of the boss at the dealership but was very dismissive and told me he'd call me back Monday or Tuesday.

I asked him if there was a chance I could get it back and he said certainly. No call by Tuesday he'll be getting a call Wednesday. I don't want to rock the boat but don't want him dragging his heals either. I'm not a patient man lol

I would just call and see him

 

[Ruairi83]

Didn't get a call back all week so I rang today. I got the hold of the boss at the dealership but was very dismissive and told me he'd call me back Monday or Tuesday.

I asked him if there was a chance I could get it back and he said certainly. No call by Tuesday he'll be getting a call Wednesday. I don't want to rock the boat but don't want him dragging his heals either. I'm not a patient man lol

Call in person. Do it on your lunch break

 

[TheDaniel]

I would just call and see him

Call in person. Do it on your lunch break

It's probably 45 min drive there and 45 mins back to work. I'd need to take a half day or something and he told me on the phone that he's only on site 3 or 4 hours a day. Dont want to take time off and miss him.

 

[Ruairi83]

It's probably 45 min drive there and 45 mins back to work. I'd need to take a half day or something and he told me on the phone that he's only on site 3 or 4 hours a day. Dont want to take time off and miss him.

You’d be better taking a half day and organising with him a time and date as phone will be palmed off bud

 

[TheDaniel]

You’d be better taking a half day and organising with him a time and date as phone will be palmed off bud

I'll give him the opertunity to get back to me. I planted the seed with my boss today and told him the story. He said I'd need to organise a time to see him if he doesn't get back to me(great idea boss, wish I'd thought of that! ..) so if I don't hear from him, I'll ring him next week and arrange a meeting. I'll bring it up again with my boss and take a wee trip!

 

[TheDaniel]

Got The email address of their boss who is hard enough to get a hold of, sent him an email to get this reply.

A price? How about 0. You paid nothing for it and her dad is out a grand on it. C**t.

 

[Paddy_R]

Did she sell the car with the plate on it to this guy?

 

[TheDaniel]

Did she sell the car with the plate on it to this guy?

Yeah. It's a major dealership. They're claiming that she didn't want the plate back, but I have a letter from the DVA saying that she tried to apply to get it back twice. So I'm calling foul play. Probably taking advantage of someone with no knowledge about them. My girlfriend's dad bought it for her, obviously she wanted it back. It was worth money and they didn't give her any extra trade in value for the car. They got it for nothing and want us to pay again for a plate they took and refused to give back. Pure greed.

 

[NickR]

I can see your side of it but I can also see the other side of it. The car was traded in with the plate on it (it is ultimately the owner of the plates responsibility to transfer it prior to that). They are a business and are in it to make money so in fairness it’s to be expected that they might want something back for a potentially valuable plate. They might not be looking for full market value from you.

 

[TheDaniel]

I can see your side of it but I can also see the other side of it. The car was traded in with the plate on it (it is ultimately the owner of the plates responsibility to transfer it prior to that). They are a business and are in it to make money so in fairness it’s to be expected that they might want something back for a potentially valuable plate. They might not be looking for full market value from you.

There may be more to it. Her mum wasn't of sound mind, hense her passing. They could have taken advantage of an unwell customer. I've been seeking professional advice elsewhere also.

Her dad bought the plate from his own money, she had the plate for years and I believe she was taken advantage of. Hense the DVA letter asking for it back. The family don't want the plate but I've agreed if I get it I'll give full book price to her dad. So it's not the money itself, it's just where the money is going. I'd rather her dad had it.

 

[Graham]

Yeah. It's a major dealership. They're claiming that she didn't want the plate back, but I have a letter from the DVA saying that she tried to apply to get it back twice. So I'm calling foul play. Probably taking advantage of someone with no knowledge about them. My girlfriend's dad bought it for her, obviously she wanted it back. It was worth money and they didn't give her any extra trade in value for the car. They got it for nothing and want us to pay again for a plate they took and refused to give back. Pure greed.

In that case, PSNI for theft, 100%

 

[NickR]

Did the lady trade the car in for a new model and ask for the plate to be retained/transferred at that time?

(Not being dicky just trying to understand)

 

[TheDaniel]

Its ok, i get you. The truth is I honestly don't know what occurred which is the biggest problem and I'll likely never find out. It just seems fishy they say she didn't want it back but I have proof that she tried to get it back on more than one occasion.

From what I understand from the family is she didn't really understand why her plate wasn't transferred to her new car. She honestly had no clue what she was doing I think. I'm guessing she presumed they would change it for her. I'm sure it was a costly mistake but surely they should have at least made her aware that they would be keeping the plate? In which case I'm sure she wouldn't have let it get that far.

 

[NickR]

I get you now. If that’s the case then it’s a bit of a lousy action by the dealer. Anyone with an ounce of decency would of asked the lady if she understood the process.

 

[surprising_skoda]

Its ok, i get you. The truth is I honestly don't know what occurred which is the biggest problem and I'll likely never find out. It just seems fishy they say she didn't want it back but I have proof that she tried to get it back on more than one occasion.

From what I understand from the family is she didn't really understand why her plate wasn't transferred to her new car. She honestly had no clue what she was doing I think. I'm guessing she presumed they would change it for her. I'm sure it was a costly mistake but surely they should have at least made her aware that they would be keeping the plate? In which case I'm sure she wouldn't have let it get that far.

So she got a new (or used) car from this dealer, and she understood at the time that her private plate (which was on her trade-in/p/x) would be transferred to her new car - but it wasn't; she did not understand why not, and then tried to apply to get it back, but couldn't?
Am I getting that right?
Sounds fishy to me.

 

[TheDaniel]

So she got a new (or used) car from this dealer, and she understood at the time that her private plate (which was on her trade-in/p/x) would be transferred to her new car - but it wasn't; she did not understand why not, and then tried to apply to get it back, but couldn't?
Am I getting that right?
Sounds fishy to me.

Sounds about right lad. What are you thinking on this one?

It turns out my girlfriend's dad has some connection to the boss of the dealership. He's going to give it a go before I get involved, I'm not as friendly let's say lol

 

[surprising_skoda]

Sounds about right lad. What are you thinking on this one?

It turns out my girlfriend's dad has some connection to the boss of the dealership. He's going to give it a go before I get involved, I'm not as friendly let's say lol

I'm thinking that there's basis for contacting a few places, like trading standards, small claims etc. I'm not sure if you'd get anywhere with reporting it as a crime but it does seem to have overtones of "obtaining by deception" which is theft, and fraud, but as it's low value, messy and well after the fact, probably not going to interest the police enough to look into.
That's my gut feeling from what you're describing, a clueless woman taken advantage of, but I'm no lawyer, I don't even work for CAB, and I don't have all the story or all the facts I'm sure, it just sounds fishy.

 

[TheDaniel]

I'm thinking that there's basis for contacting a few places, like trading standards, small claims etc. I'm not sure if you'd get anywhere with reporting it as a crime but it does seem to have overtones of "obtaining by deception" which is theft, and fraud, but as it's low value, messy and well after the fact, probably not going to interest the police enough to look into.
That's my gut feeling from what you're describing, a clueless woman taken advantage of, but I'm no lawyer, I don't even work for CAB, and I don't have all the story or all the facts I'm sure, it just sounds fishy.

You're pretty much on the right lines. The only reason it's so long after the fact was because the family had assumed that the retention certs where in their possession, and there where lots of other things to sort out which was difficult as there was no will. So when we enquired to the DVA they responded, telling is that it was in the motor trade and that she had made an attempt to regain it.

The only reason I'm so pissed off is because when I found the dealership the plate was in, I told them about my situation and they responded with "i remember, she was a younger lady and we all thought it was strange that she didn't want to keep the plate." Which set me off because why would she have applied to the DVA to get it back if she didn't want it? Obviously we will never truly find out. But it has been suggested to threaten them with trading standards if things escalate.

I'm not the best at wording things when talking to people and when people start to talk over me acting Billy big balls I lose the rag. So I'm thinking I'm gonna let her dad try and sort it, if not I'll be taking a troop down myself.

 

[TheDaniel]

Update so far..

It was left with her Dad, he knows someone in Agnews who had a working relationship with the boss at the other dealership. After his conversation came back with "I'm not running a charity, if the family want the plate back they will pay £XXXX for it."

On that note I obviously wasn't too happy. I've got the day off work tomorrow and I'm going to call in on the off chance. I've been on the phone to citizens advice and will be speaking with consumer line later today. Also my girlfriend's granda is hunting out any paperwork he has based around the same of the old vehicle with the plate etc. Currently all we really have is a letter from the DVA saying that her mum tried to get the plate back and the word of a witness.

Just looking for any last words of advice? I can see how this is going to go but if rather spend 10k on solicitors fees before I'd pay a quid to that c***. I got a bad impression from him the first time I spoke, I think it's hopeless but I need to give it a shot.

 

[Odhran]

Best of luck, it’s a sad situation but hopefully you can pull off a result. Keep us updated.