How to Find Your Previous Car Registrations

Below, we explain why you need your previous car registration to make a mis-sold car finance complaint and the various ways that you can find it.

As financial and legal experts, you can trust Justizia to point you in the right direction.

Why do you need your previous car registration?

To make a mis-sold car finance claim, you will need to know the car registration of the vehicle that was sold to you along with the finance product.

This essential information is especially important if you no longer have your car finance agreement paperwork.

Regardless of the type of car finance agreement you entered into, be it a Hire Purchase (HP) or Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) arrangement, it’s crucial that you take the time to find your previous car registration number.

This is because many mis-sold finance claims are in relation to cars that the claimants no longer own. Naturally, if you still own the vehicle that you believe was mis-sold to you as part of a finance product, you’ll have no trouble finding your car registration number.

At Justizia, we make every effort to help you get justice, no matter how much information is available to you. However, gathering as much relevant information as possible can help support the success of your claim.

How to find out your previous car registration(s)

If you’re wondering ‘how do I find my previous car registration number’, then don’t worry! There’s actually a variety of ways that you can dig out this information.

From delving into old emails to getting in touch with your car insurance company, we’ll help you to find all the details you could need to make your mis-sold car finance complaint.

Check your car finance agreement

Perhaps the easiest place to find your previous car registration number is in your car finance agreement!

This document should include the terms of your agreement as well as detailed information about the financed vehicle – including the registration. Your agreement could be a paper or digital copy, so it’s worth checking both physical records as well as your phone or computer storage. Alternatively, you may be able to find your car finance agreement in your email archives if it was sent to you via email.

Ask your car finance lender

If you’re thinking about making a mis-sold car finance claim against your lender, you may not consider reaching out to them for information about your vehicle. However, they’re often one of the best places you can contact.

This is because they should have a copy of your car finance agreement which will mention the number plate of the vehicle.

While they’re only legally required to keep this information for six years, it’s worth talking to them even if your claim relates to a car finance product from more than six years ago.

Concerned that you changed the number plates on the vehicle after your car finance agreement was created? To do this, you should have received written consent from the lender, so they may still have a copy of this consent with your new car registration number.

Make a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR)

If your car finance company is ignoring your requests for a copy of your agreement, you may have more luck by making a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR). This is simply a formal request to access any personal data that they may hold about you.

They may argue that they are bound by certain legal constraints or data protection regulations. However, it’s worth submitting a DSAR if you believe there’s no good reason for them to withhold this information from you!

You may even be able to send a request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in the form of a subject access request (SAR). This is free to make, you only need to provide them with proof of identity to help them locate the information you’re looking for.

Check your emails

With many companies sending email confirmations for a variety of services these days, your email archives are a great place to start your search for any previous car registrations.

You may have received emails from garages reminding you of a booked service or MOT. The DVLA should also have emailed you a confirmation when you taxed your vehicle alongside the car registration number of the vehicle.

Struggling to dig through hundreds of emails from the past ten years or more? Your inbox should feature a search box that will allow you to search for certain terms like ‘DVLA’ or the name of your chosen garage. This should make locating any helpful emails much quicker and easier.

Contact your car insurers

If your email archives prove unhelpful when finding your previous car registrations, then you’ll need to look elsewhere!

We recommend contacting any insurance companies that insured your previous vehicle. They should have the details, including the registration, of any vehicles they have insured for you.

Check parking apps

An increasingly common way to pay for your parking, you may have entered a previous vehicle’s registration number into a parking app. Unless you’ve chosen to actively remove the details of your previous vehicles, they should still be stored in these apps.

Make your car finance complaint with Justizia

For answers to more questions related to mis-sold car finance, such as ‘how can I find my previous car registrations’, please contact our knowledgeable team today.

Regardless of whether you’re searching for reliable legal advice before you make your DSAR or you need help making your mis-sold car finance claim, simply give us a call on 0330 818 3415.

We’ll take the time to listen to your complaint and offer you professional advice with how you can move forward.

Operating on a no-win, no-fee basis, you can rely on our team to put your best interests first.

Fill in our online form to start your claim

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