DVLA

[southerly95]

I wrote to the DVLA well over a month ago to find out information about previous owners of our 65 convertible that came with no documentation. I completed the form on their website and duly set the cheque off,

Does anyone know how long they typically take? Thanks, John

[rayofleamington]

Has the cheque been cashed? If so, then it shows the letter wasn't lost in the post.

I don't know about history searches, but for most documentation they say not to contact them until after 4 weeks (sometimes 6).

[Axolotl]

It took them three weeks to respond to my request, they cashed the cheque within about a week, and a pack of photocopied log books and transfer documents arrived about a fortnight later.

I didn't use a form, just sent a covering letter explaining why I wanted the info.

[LouiseM]

They took around 6 weeks to reply to my request but cashed the cheque within a few days

[t_hinchliffe]

Hi,

I'd like to know what reasons people give when requesting info from the DVLA (apart from 'I want to know the history of my car' ) since only to someone "who demonstrates ‘reasonable cause’ to have the information made available to them" will info be released.

I'm thinking of requesting info based on milage since there are 4 previous owners (the last one only for 3 months) and 33'500 odd miles on the clock, yet the first owner was the GPO so this figure seems unlikely. Who knows how many times it's gone round...

Thanks for any info, TH

[Axolotl]

Forget official forms, they're for officials...

Bureaucrats still respond to written English.

Here's the text of the letter I wrote. You are welcome to copy and use it. Substitute your own facts where shown as //comments//.

Don't forget to enclose your cheque .

Text of letter:

Information and Records Dept.
DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1AJ


//Insert date//
Former Keeper Information for //Insert description of model of Minor// registration
//Your reg.//, V5C ref. //Reg. number on V5C//

Dear Sir,

I am the current owner of the above historic vehicle, and I am trying to trace previous owners of the vehicle so that I can create a detailed history of changes to the vehicle, and check its true mileage.

I understand that the DVLA can provide names and addresses of the //Insert number of previous owners of your vehicle// former keepers mentioned on the V5C document.

Will you please provide me with these details.

I enclose a cheque for the required £5 search fee.

Yours faithfully,
//etc.,//

[southerly95]

We did get an answer from DVLA in the end although it took nearly 2 months. There had been 9 previous owners 3 of whom were trade sellers and another two lived at the same address. The first lady owner had kept the car for twenty years, the last owner had the car for 2 years but accounted for 20% of the 65k mileage which was genuine.

DVLA did a good job and went to the trouble of copying all the microfiche stuff they had on the vehicle and it now forms a nice record. I have yet to write to the 'real' previous owners as I awaiting a nice sunny day to take some pics our our Moggy comvertible to send them.

Regards, John

[t_hinchliffe]

Thanks Ax, and glad you got there in the end John. TH

[t_hinchliffe]

My letter/cheque etc. was returned (very quickly though I might add) because apparently one now has to fill in the official form (V888); a letter DOES NOT do the trick...

This I am now doing so I hope it works. TH

[Kevin]

33'500 odd miles on the clock, yet the first owner was the GPO so this figure seems unlikely.

Not impossible though, and some Gpo vans had very low mileages when they were sold off as they were used as garage reserve vehicles which were only used when a daily workhorse was of the road for some reason.

[southerly95]

Since receiving the DVLA reply I have written to the previous owners and had one reply from a family who had the car for 10 years. They have given a lot of information about the car and lots of pics when she was 'younger'. No more documentation though but was very pleased to hear from them. Best wishes, john