Yay, it's finally properly mine!!

I discovered a tiny, small problem with the SV over the Xmas holidays. Technically, according to the DVLA, it wasn't mine.

Rewind to May. When I bought the bike, I gave all the details to the dealer and waited a couple of days for the bike to be MOT'd and have a more legal looking rear tyre put on, before it was delivered to me. It was already taxed for months ahead so I was all set. Love it, and all thoughts of paperwork drift away on a summer breeze.

Mid-October came round and the bike was pretty much confined to the garage due to cr@ppy weather and family circumstances (babysitting FIL's dog being the main one). Xmas holidays arrive and I'm tidying her up a bit so that I can go out if we get a decent day. The tax disc ran out 31st October. Don't remember a reminder. Still, I can do it online with the V5. Which is when I discover that I had never received my new V5. Tucked in the folder that was delivered with the bike, along with the Datatool alarm info and old MOT certificates, is the original V5 which the dealer had forgotten to send off. If I'd only known, I'd have bombed through a couple of Gatsos but never mind! The point is, at this point do I actually own my bike?

I phoned DVLA who said take all your paperwork to the post office and they'll sort it, then phone the local enforcement office and pay the difference for the missing two months. Fine, but the post office refused to have anything to do with it so I posted the V5 myself and I have spent the last two weeks waiting to hear. Quietly cacking myself tbh. Got it back on Saturday, did the tax online and then got the "you're in trouble for not taxing a vehicle" message. Phoned enforcement office this morning, most importantly before anything regarding charges could have been considered. Paid the missing two months and I can now officially ride it again.

Probably preaching to the converted here but the moral of the story is - remember, always check your paperwork.

Very happy. And more than a little relieved.

Phew! As long as you have the V5C (that little slip of paper) you should have been ok, but yeah, always check paperwork! I know I had a V5 that didn't arrive, I had to fill in another one to get the correct paperwork sent, if you need something doing, do it yourself lol

Trust me the stress levels caused by this particular little fiasco have been very high, always check your paperwork, or at least be ready with a big sorry for the Mrs when the stress of it all gets to you. (He did say sorry by the way, but he was not fun to be around whist we were waiting for it all to sort out)

Glad everything is sorted. I think you could`ve shifted the blame to the dealer if there were any penalties. They risk a fine for not sending off the V5 with new keeper details. Least it was only 2 months tax to pay and not longer.
cheers,

[Jayneflakes]

My insurance company were a little worried recently when they found out that my SV did not belong to me! When we bought her, we signed her into the wife's name because I had not passed my test. Three years later me and the wife are gloriously happy until the insurance company point out that in fact I don't own the bike! Oops. Obviously, I do own the bike, but they were concerned that I was riding the wife's bike even though she is named on my policy. Sometimes owning your bike is not enough!

[Sid Squid]

Your name on the registration document means nothing more than you are the DVLA's point of contact for dealings with the vehicle. It says only who the keeper is.

The DVLA's own words: 'The registered keeper is not necessarily the legal owner'

Clearly it's in your interests to have the documents in order, but ultimately the registration document proves nothing - a receipt for the purchase is better proof of ownership

[TamSV]

Don't rely on them sending you a tax reminder either, even if your paperwork is in order.

I ended up getting fined for not taxing a bike I wasn't using. No reminder was received but that makes no difference.

I've kept the tax/MOT/insurance dates for the bikes and cars diaried since then.

[Biker Biggles]

Most insurance policies require the proposer to be the registered keeper,so worth making sure that you are.