Hitchcocks Forum

A bit of an odd one for the board, but I am getting nowhere! In 2009/10, I sold a Triumph Bonneville, 1979 uk spec, Reg TCG 546 T to a guy I only know now as Ashley. I sold it due to an imminent divorce. I have since moved house also. Anyway, just before Christmas I received a letter from a debt collection agency, via DVLA, saying the bike was seen in Coventry in June of 2014 without tax, and I was the registered owner. After I sold it, I am 99% sure I had a V5C to confirm cahange of ownership, but DVLA wont listen. After all this time and divorce, etc., I have no record that I can find. So, what do I do now? Please help,I am getting desperate and dreaming of theis coming back to haunt me every year! Chris.

Vehicle enquiry



Registration number: TCG 546T



✗ Untaxed

Tax due: 01 June 2014


✗ No MOT

Expired: 06 June 2014

So how do I find out who has taxed and MOT'd it since I sold it? DVLA say they will only communicate via letters. I have put a request in to TOMCC to see if they can help also. Chris.

You could try asking you local Police station for help to see if they have any record on the new owner. Its worth telling /Informing the police anyway encase the bike is involved in an accident. Also they will put a marker against it so if its seen it will be stopped and rider questioned about documentation.

I suggest contacting the debt collecting agency assuming it is not a debt that are trying to claim from you.

Thank you, Paul and Papasmurf for your thoughts, hadn't thought about the police, I will do that as soon as I can! The debt collection firm are acting on behalf of the DVLA to collect the debt from me. They say that it is my debt as I am still registered owner. Brick wall time! Chris.

If the DVLA states contact them by letter do it. It does appear odd the big delay since you sold the machine, and contacting the police is advisable as well, as they are more likely to be able to trace the current owner that you are.
I had a similar problem when a car dealer, got rid of my old car for scrap after I bought a "new" car from him.
I got a summons for a traffic offence related to the scrap car. I went and told the car dealer and he had "words" with the scrap yard who had taken my old car away. I heard no more.

Hi matey !!----------- OK, I've just re-read your first post...So how did the DVLA get to know your new address such that they could pass it on to this debt collecting agency then ? ( Or have I missed something along the way ??).......How much Tax was transferred with the bike at the time of sale ? ... If none then this "Ashley" would need to declare SORN straight away at that time.....The form that DVLA eventually sends to acknowledge that you are no longer the registered keeper of the vehicle is a}----- V955. ........... On the reverse side it says ( among other things ) "If you get any penalty notices for this vehicle, you should contact the office that sent you the notice.".......... Yes, contact the Police as suggested ( Do it in writing and get a receipt for it from the duty desk officer)..... Also maybe have a word with your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)....Do you know roughly where this new owner lives ??..........Might be worth hanging around the area with a camera ??..or asking some of the local Bikers if they have seen that Bonny ??( Is it a T140 ??..Would be noticeable I think ??).................. Wish I could help more....

...And be sure to make copies of all letters/paperwork and always send it via registered/signedfor mail. Good luck with this one matey, it ain't easy dealing with bureaucrats and 'puters.

Hi, all. I don't know how they got mynew address, probably from the other stuff I have, which is all registered correctly. As far as I know..... The bike was picked up in Coventry, so I suppose that is the area where it is living, though maybe it was on a sabbatical to Meriden? I just don't understand why DVLA wont go to the person who has MOT'd and Taxed it for the last umpteen years! Surely, with computers nowadays, it would all be on record, I don't even think you can pay your tax other than through a bank account, but they tell me it isn't their job to search, its up to me to prove it isn't mine. Chris... Slowly going mad. With a headache... Not sleeping... Dark and dangerus thoughts about the Severn Bridge. Both of them. At the same time.... AAARRRGH!