Straight Answer - Is it possible to deregister a vehicle?

[LazyLion]

We sold two vehicles years ago to two separate people.
Both of them were given all the papers - including the registration certificates, yellow and blue forms.
Neither of them actually transferred the vehicles, despite repeated requests to do so, and now they have both disappeared and we cannot reach them any more.
But every year we keep getting nailed with the licensing of these two vehicles.

So now, I want to just de-register these vehicles.
The licensing department told me I cannot scap them unless I have an actual certificate from a scrap dealer that the vehicles have been physically destroyed.

So how do I go about getting them removed from our names?

I suppose I will need affidavits with as much info on the people as possible and proof of the sale.
But there were no contracts of sale - and we gave them the yellow forms.
So we don't have much info on them. Not even ID numbers.

Has anyone else had experience with this?

 

[Pilgrim]

Not 100% sure but I think you can scrap them, making them illegal to drive. The new owners will then have to take them through a roadworthy to get them back on the road.

 

[LazyLion]

Not 100% sure but I think you can scrap them, making them illegal to drive. The new owners will then have to take them through a roadworthy to get them back on the road.

See my post...

The licensing department told me I cannot scap them unless I have an actual certificate from a scrap dealer that the vehicles have been physically destroyed.

 

[cpu.]

Why did you give them both forms. Aren't you suppose to hand one in and they the other.

 

[Pilgrim]

Sorry, I missed that part. Damn that sucks, I am interested in the answer too.

Report it to the police as stolen? hehe

 

[Sodan]

See my post...

The licensing department told me I cannot scap them unless I have an actual certificate from a scrap dealer that the vehicles have been physically destroyed.

That's strange. About a month ago I scrapped my vehicle (it was a write-off), and the towing company still has it. I was in hospital shortly after the accident, and was under the impression the insurance company (of people that knocked into me) had my vehicle. Towing company would only release the vehicle to me upon payment of R60k+ "storage fees".

Anyway, the point is that I didn't need any documentation (other than ownership - the vehicle registration papers) to deregister the vehicle, and it cost me R0 (well, I had to pay the outstanding license on it, but no cost for the actual deregistration).

 

[LazyLion]

Why did you give them both forms. Aren't you suppose to hand one in and they the other.

Yes, but I would still be in the same boat - I would have handed in the yellow form, and they the Blue form - What I should have done was to make a copy of the yellow form.
And unfortunately I also handed over the file of the vehicles with all the service history, invoices, previous licenses, etc.

Stupid, but how was I to know?
We've sold a lot of vehicles over the years - it's only these two we had a problem with.

 

[LazyLion]

Sorry, I missed that part. Damn that sucks, I am interested in the answer too.
Report it to the police as stolen? hehe

Tried that as well. The police won't list it as stolen since there was no actual theft involved. They say it is a civil matter.

 

[LazyLion]

That's strange. About a month ago I scrapped my vehicle (it was a write-off), and the towing company still has it. I was in hospital shortly after the accident, and was under the impression the insurance company (of people that knocked into me) had my vehicle. Towing company would only release the vehicle to me upon payment of R60k+ "storage fees".

Anyway, the point is that I didn't need any documentation (other than ownership - the vehicle registration papers) to deregister the vehicle, and it cost me R0 (well, I had to pay the outstanding license on it, but no cost for the actual deregistration).

That's the part I don't have any more.
I hope I don't have to go through the process of getting duplicate papers, just to scrap the vehicle.

 

[Necropolis]

Ouch, that's a rough one.

I'm assuming they bought the vehicles cash?

 

[Jovs]

Same situation, many years ago, with my first vehicle that I sold.

After I handed in my affidavit and explained the situation, a friendly lady at the traffic department managed to export the vehicle to Mozambique. According to her, that was the only way to get the vehicle removed from my name.

 

[unskinnybob]

Sold my Ducati a few years ago and buyer also didn't complete change of ownership. Went to the cops, gave a affidavit that I had sold the vehicle to an owner unknown (had lost his details by then) and took that to the licensing department. Vehicle deregistered.

 

[LazyLion]

Ouch, that's a rough one.

I'm assuming they bought the vehicles cash?

Was supposed to be cash - but we never received any money either.
With the one vehicle, the guy couldn't get it working again - I think it is standing - so he refuses to pay us.
With the other one, the guy sold it on to another person that we don't know. He also keeps promising to sort it out.

 

[LazyLion]

Sold my Ducati a few years ago and buyer also didn't complete change of ownership. Went to the cops, gave a affidavit that I had sold the vehicle to an owner unknown (had lost his details by then) and took that to the licensing department. Vehicle deregistered.

Thanks, going to try that.

 

[deweyzeph]

Just for the record, once the seller hands in the yellow form the vehicle is officially taken off your name, regardless of whether or not the buyer subsequently registers the vehicle in his name by handing in the blue form. The whole point of the yellow form is stop this exact situation that you now find yourself in.

 

[Tman*]

The onus is on you as the seller to remove the vehicle from your name. Bad mistake, also been there, done that. Write off the licencing as school fees.

I sell quite a bit of vehicles (as a 2nd income / hobby), and I make use of a company called "WeQ4U" for all my admin related inquiries for licencing. They are pro's when it comes to these issues, and they do not charge an arm and a leg.

If you still have a copy of the sellers ID, and a proof of residence, you can simply remove the car from your name, WeQ4U will charge R190 for this service, and you can email all supporting documents. (I did one of these yesterday). Note that licencing fees need to be up to date to do this.

Scrapping a vehicle is a different story, you need to obtain the original registration certificate. If you have given this to the new buyer, or if you have lost it it is possible to obtain a copy. If the car was financed, and registered on your name after you paid the car off, you can obtain a copy from the licencing dep. If you never bothered to put it on your name once the bond was paid off (most people do this), you can request a duplicate certificate from the finance house (they normally charge a fee for this).

To avoid any further "I think do this" and "maybe do that", just get in touch with a lady called Elizabeth from http://www.weq4u.co.za/, she is a champ.

Edit: They also go to the licencing dep, and submit the forms on your behalf, so you dont need to go back and forth the whole time

 

[Geoff.D]

IF you think about it, that is why there is the two-form system in place, one to get you off the hook, and the other to get the other guy on the hook.

No I do not have an easy answer for you. Your only way out is to go through a process whereby you make sworn statements which includes all the details of what transpired and then use that to get the vehicles off your name.

It would seem you are able to include the names of the persons involved as well, but are reluctant to get them into trouble. But there comes a point when no amount of friendship makes up for the hassles involved.

 

[Geoff.D]

The onus is on you as the seller to remove the vehicle from your name. Bad mistake, also been there, done that. Write off the licencing as school fees.

I sell quite a bit of vehicles (as a 2nd income / hobby), and I make use of a company called "WeQ4U" for all my admin related inquiries for licencing. They are pro's when it comes to these issues, and they do not charge an arm and a leg.

If you still have a copy of the sellers ID, and a proof of residence, you can simply remove the car from your name, WeQ4U will charge R190 for this service, and you can email all supporting documents. (I did one of these yesterday). Note that licencing fees need to be up to date to do this.

Scrapping a vehicle is a different story, you need to obtain the original registration certificate. If you have given this to the new buyer, or if you have lost it it is possible to obtain a copy. If the car was financed, and registered on your name after you paid the car off, you can obtain a copy from the licencing dep. If you never bothered to put it on your name once the bond was paid off (most people do this), you can request a duplicate certificate from the finance house (they normally charge a fee for this).

To avoid any further "I think do this" and "maybe do that", just get in touch with a lady called Elizabeth from http://www.weq4u.co.za/, she is a champ.

Edit: They also go to the licencing dep, and submit the forms on your behalf, so you dont need to go back and forth the whole time

Very good advice. I went through the process of transferring a vehicle onto my name off the financing house last year off and while it was not complicated (after you have been through it once), it certainly was not pleasant.

The biggest issue is to be able to find out what all needs to be done and what paper work you need before starting the process.

So getting someone like weq4u involved is well worth it.

 

[unskinnybob]

Just for the record, once the seller hands in the yellow form the vehicle is officially taken off your name, regardless of whether or not the buyer subsequently registers the vehicle in his name by handing in the blue form. The whole point of the yellow form is stop this exact situation that you now find yourself in.

The current license holder is still liable for licensing fees as well as traffic fines until the date of reregistration.

 

[deweyzeph]

The current license holder is still liable for licensing fees as well as traffic fines until the date of reregistration.

Once you hand in the yellow form you are no longer the current licence holder.