Urgent CAR help!

Hi all,

I havent been on for a while. I lived in Spain and moved back to UK due to health issues in 2011, now we are hoping to get back over to live this year.  When we were in Spain (Estepona) we bought two cars. We brought them back to the UK and sold them here to the Left Hand Drive Company who assured us their gestor in Marbella would inform the right office over there. We sold the cars and have the receipt of proof of sale.

Now we have found out that we owe money (the car tax) as Spain still think the cars are ours. Basically I am trying to find out who I need to inform and send the paperwork to as proof that I sold the cars. Does anybody know? I have been looking everywhere for an address or e mail address would be best so I can forward the documentation before May as I dont really want to be charged more money. I will obviously have to pay what is outstanding now which I will do when we are next over in a months time.

The LHD Company in the UK have just ignored us and said that they havent done what they said they would do and sold the cars to a French guy. Any ideas?

Thanks very much.

Sarah :)

It is correct that whoever owns a car on January 1st is responsible for that years tax.

I would suggest that you have translated your sales documents from LHD co. and when you are here go to your townhall and show them all your paperwork and most will just write off the tax from the January after you sold the cars. Also as the cars are now in France and I hope, on French plates, then there is further proof that you do not need to pay tax as it is not a Spanish registered car.

Good luck

You have to solve the car registration for tax purposes and that is with the townhall as steone suggests, but before that you must solve the registration for Trafico purposes because even if you were able to resolve the townhall issue with the translated sales documents, you need to make sure the registry with Trafico is no longer under your ownership.  The main reason for this is that the new owner may get fines for speeding or other violations and if they remain unpaid, Trafico will look to you as owner of the car.  The same thing would happen if the new owners are driving the car uninsured or underinsured and they have an accident, you need to be able to prove that the car is no longer yours or else you may find yourself being held responsible for any third party liability.

My suggestion is that you get a local gestor to look into this and solved it as soon as possible.  I would not wait until you are here if you can arrange it by email and telephone.

If you have not done all the below you owe the money:

Change of ownership

If you have sold or purchased a vehicle already registered, remember to make the change of ownership of the vehicle in the register of the General Directorate of Traffic. In the next steps will explain how you should act and paperwork to do.

If you sell your vehicle always remember the following tips:

a) Never give the vehicle without having in your hands the contract of sale or a copy of it (if owner) or invoice (if you give it to a sale) and a photocopy of the identity document of the purchaser in Spain (ID / Resident Card, if they are individuals, or CIF, if companies). If it is a sale, shall state the VAT number on the invoice. It is important to indicate in the contract the hour and minute when the vehicle deliveries: remember that fines fixed speed cameras and have failed an MOT you will keep coming as long as there is no vehicle in the register the change of ownership.

b) Tell the buyer within 15 days you send a copy of the registration certificate stating that the vehicle is already in your name. If you have not received this document within 15 days, go to the Traffic Department to communicate that you sold the vehicle (pending notification of sale).

If you purchased a vehicle, you must register it to your name in the Register of Vehicles Traffic Department.

a) If you purchased the vehicle in a sale, it is this that is normally responsible for carrying out the management, making delivery of the card Vehicle Technical Inspection and the registration certificate and your name.

b) If you purchased the vehicle from a private, remember to stay with the contract of sale or a photocopy of a photocopy of the identity of the seller, the request for change of ownership of the vehicle signed by buyer and seller, and the vehicle documents (ITV card, driving license and municipal tax paid receipt for the year prior to proceeding), (vehicle transmission process).

Then you must perform the following steps:

1. - Pay the transfer tax (model 620) to finance your Autonomous Community, providing all the above documentation. This procedure can to effect by Internet if your tax home is in Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Castilla y Leon, Catalonia, Balearic Islands, Madrid and Murcia. In this case you will get a code Electronic Transfers (CET) that will serve to demonstrate that you have fulfilled your tax liability.

Two. - Go to any of these three Traffic Headquarters: that of your domicile, the domicile of the seller or the vehicle registration province.

Three. - Pay the fees and provide all necessary documentation to perform the procedure (information note from the documentation).

 How nice to see solid well written advice. 

Thanks everybody for all the help and comments. We will get a gestor and then I know it will be sorted properly. Really appreciate all the help.  :)