Transfer of car ownership with all docs but previous owner's NIE. Possible?

Hi, we're moving to Malaga in September.

We've found a Spanish registered car, at a Used Car dealer here in the UK, which suits our needs and budget perfectly!

We've had the VIC carried out in Spain.  The car is clean and safe to buy. We believe the previous owner has sold up in Spain, moved back to the UK, and sold the car at auction

The Dealer has the following docs:-

• tarjeta de inspección technical de vehiculos   (including the informe)
• permiso de circulacion 
   

They also have 

• matricula of the vehicle
• complete service history

They do not have

• passport / NIE + signature previous owner
• proof of payment of local car tax, impuesto sobre la circulación de vehiculos
• a transferencia

So, is it at all possible to transfer the ownership of the car to ourselves without the previous owner's NIE etc? Typically we're getting conflicting advice.  We find it hard to believe this situation is unique, is there a way around it?

Thanks

To make a transfer in Spain he registered owner needs to confirm the transfer. The vehicle you speak of sounds 'dodgy'

Hi elaineG, thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.

I am aware that if the car and owner were both in Spain, I wouldn't have an issue. It's pretty common to find foreign vehicles in the UK.

I really don't think the vehicle is at risk, as I have all the provenance, including the previous owner's Spanish contact details. It's the fact that the previous owner has sold it in the UK and not left their NIE with the auction... which they probably wouldn't have thought to ask them for..

Thanks anyway :-)

Hi tamaraessex, thanks for your reply. You are absolutely correct! We are indeed buying the car from a UK Dealer. So I guess the question is:- if I buy a Spanish registered car from a UK Dealer, is it straight forward to register the car in my name, in Spain?

Thanks :-)

The REGISTERED owner needs to make the transfer 

 Hi

I have sucessfully purchased a Spanish car in the UK and had it transfered into my name in Spain

This is what you need

1/ Tajeta Tecnica De Vehiculos - Technical Card
2/ Permissio De Circulacion - Log Book
3/ Previous Owners Passport - Copy
4/ Previous Owners NI Cert - Copy
5/ Comprador (Sale Contract) Signed By the Vendorer (Previous Owner)
6/ Traffico Report showing no Fines/Accidents or Embargo’s  - This is called a Infome and can be purchased on line here http://www.informes-trafico.es/index.php or though Traffico in Spain or local administrator (Gestoria) - this is equivilent to a HPI check in the uk, A MUST HAVE 

You seem to have Items 1,2 & 6 so you need the copy passport, copy NIE and signed comprador - I can't see you being able to complete this registration unless you can get the missing paperwork. You can buy a sale contract in the Spanish Post Office or in the office of a Gestoria, Insofar as the passport and NIE are concerned the UK dealer should have supplied these - I can't think why he didn't get them from the previous owner as part of the process. The suppling UK dealer will not be regarded as the entity that transfers the car to you so I would of thought it's his responsibilty to supply the missing two documents.

Unless you can get these two documents I think you will have a problem, if you can't get them the only thing I can suggest is to contact a Gestoria in Spain and see if they can come up with a solution.

" Although I cannot find anything on the internet, I have something in the back of my mind that one cannot buy/sell a car outside the county of registration."

Yes you are correct but , you also cannot scrap a foreign registered vehicle in spain, it is illegal, but is done ona daily basis.

The fact that the OP has bought it in UK won't come in to it as the transfer will be done here & that is what will count.

The Op needs the copy of passsport or registration certificate as EU foreigner + the nie number. The comprador, bill of sale, he can manufacture himself.

The supplying dealer does not have the info as he bought the vehicle at AUCTION. The owner sold it using this process & the auction house would have no idea ,nor any inclination to ask, as they'll sell anything in an auction with/without paperwork, keys, etc.

A way of possibly tracking him down is if you know the area he lived in have a look o the Regional BoE to see whether he is on there for non-payment of the road tax. It will give his nie number.

The auctioneers will have the persons details who asked them to sell the car at least their name and address. A bill will have been made up because of commission charges which the seller will have had to pay the auctioneer and the auctioneer in turn will have had to pay them the money the car sold for  less that commission. They would usually do this in the form of a cheque sent to the persons address.

Again as long as the seller was the registered owner of the car in Spain you will be able to ask for their NIE number/ and or photocopy and a photocopy of their passport. The original registered owner hopefully will not find this a strange request having lived and owned a Spanish registered car and having gone through the same rigmarole themselves at some stage.

Good Luck.

Hi All, I'm am the OP. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for your contributions to this post. Just as an update, I finally did get the car legally transferred into my name, via a UK run Gestoria in Alecante, where the car was originally regterested.

Regards

Well done , as it is never easy.

Hi just read your posts and am having similar problems-don't have NIE certificate (but maybe can get number) and no  copy of passport

Car was bought in Torrevieja - could you let me know the address or contact details of the particular Gestoria that helped you out or anyone with advice or help

Thanks