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Title and Legal question about vehicle on property

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tim87tr

Obsession or Digression?
Joined
Sep 19, 2001
Messages
1,295
My dad has a 81 Ford Honeybee 26' RV that he had titled in his name and his sisters. After he bought another camper he offered to sell his portion (cheap) to his sister, but that never happened. He also spent over $400 on some tires for it prior to signing the title over to her, just to get the vehicle off his property.

Anyway, it's still sitting there and it's been three years, and his sister has not titled it in her name only. I know he could go get another title but it would have her name on it. What I need to know is the best process to deal with the vehicle with the fact that we would like to go ahead and use it to build a car hauler, instead of letting it sit there and rot.

I told my Dad the TB board could help me figure out a way to make this work for us:cool: TIA
 
I'm guessing we would have to send a letter to my Aunt requiring the vehicle to be removed by a certain day, although she still has the title. It's an unusual situation, and I know there are some legal minds on here;) . Maybe it would have been better if my Dad had not mentioned it would make a good car hauler:p
 
How do you get a title in 2 different names? I've never seen that before. Do they get along? Do you think the sister would sign her half back to him? If not, how do you feel about forgery?
 
Don't know about IL...but here in Utah you can get a abandon vehicle form...where a cop comes and checks the vin to be sure it was not stolen and with this paper it will allow you to get a title..may want to contact you department of motor vehicles ...
 
Thanks for the responses. In Illinois, titles can be issued in two names because I've had titles like that before when married. I talked to my Aunt, but she is a major procrastinator, and will never do anything with the camper, much like tons of other junk she owns. So no, she wouldn't sign it over, point being 3 years ago my Dad signed it over to her for free (his part of the title), just to get it off his property.

We have a great idea to make it into a car hauler, the frame is real low. I think I'll go ahead and call the DMV, but I think they will say we need her signature for a replacement title, unless we forge her name...which I really don't want to do.

I was hoping there was some loophole where we could legally take possession of a "abandoned" vehicle on our property. I might just call the state police to ask anyway. Any other help appreciated.
 
Here is Michigan if a vehicle is abandoned on private property the police (me) will come out and tag it with a 48 hour abandoned auto tag. Thirty days later it'll be processed as abandoned and the property owner will be issued a scrap title to the vehicle. We can then issue the "former" owner a ticket for dumping.

If it's on a freeway it'll be gone in 18 hours.
 
Originally posted by TT/A1233
Here is Michigan if a vehicle is abandoned on private property the police (me) will come out and tag it with a 48 hour abandoned auto tag. Thirty days later it'll be processed as abandoned and the property owner will be issued a scrap title to the vehicle. We can then issue the "former" owner a ticket for dumping.
If it's on a freeway it'll be gone in 18 hours.
Yes, but doesn't a scrap title only allow it to be hauled off? I would like to use the vehicle that obviously will not ever be picked up by my Aunt. It is at the point now where if it isn't driven it will be scrap. I did talk with the State police and they didn't mention the scrap title option.

I called the Secretary of State today, and they advised that my Aunt would have to to sign her portion of the title back to us, or sign a written waiver of "no interest" in order for us to get another title in our name. I have offered to buy her portion of the vehicle also. All angles I've mentioned will be a stalemate on her behalf since she has a pattern of non-action with her own personal property, and repeated this pattern with this vehicle sitting 3 years.

The only other recourse is a legal letter that would lead to a civil action and this is not an option since it is family. Otherwise I think that getting a replacement title, which would have her name on it, would not be the most ethical or legal way to take possession of the vehicle. I really don't think she would take any legal/civil recourse against us if we did, but I know my Dad is tired of waiting and having that huge vehicle on his property.
 
I believe you're correct in that a vehicle with a scrap title can't be registered (plated).
 
You said you signed the title over to her, but she has not titled it. Why not just go down and say you lost the title and get a new one? DMV has no record of her owning it if she hasn't titled it, and I can't imagine her going to DMV to register it if it hasn't moved.
 
Since you signed the title over it's not yours no more. Tires storage or what ever has nothing to do with it owning it. If she wont sell it back then tell her it will be pushed on to the street. Then only she will be responsible for the fines and removal when you tip off the police of the sole owner. I'm sure she won't bake you cookie anymore but it will bring on an end to the saga one way or the other.
 
Originally posted by GNSCOTT
You said you signed the title over to her, but she has not titled it. Why not just go down and say you lost the title and get a new one? DMV has no record of her owning it if she hasn't titled it, and I can't imagine her going to DMV to register it if it hasn't moved.
That is one of our options that we may have to make a decision on. It would not be a big deal to get it running and move it, but we would like to modify it to make a car hauler...it only has 35,000 miles. Gasketman is right to say it is not ours anymore, but I wouldn't want it hauled off or her fined. My dad will just have to decide if we should pursue the project knowing the complications involved with the title. At least we can get it running for now, and by some miracle maybe get the title:eek:
 
Push it out in the road, have it impounded as abandoned. Then buy it for nothing at the county auction.
 
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