IT'S A B19 CON; Reg row leaves Rab pounds 1800 down.(News)

Byline: JANE BARRIE

RAB Glover could not believe his luck when he spotted a personal car number plate for sale on the internet.

He got straight on the phone to www.Reg4Vehicles.co.uk who told him the registration, RG10VER, was still available so he paid pounds 1866 by credit card.

But that was a year ago. He cannot reach them on the phone and the DVLA say the plate belongs to another motorist.

Rab, 61, said: "This was supposed to be a surprise for the missus. Some surprise - I'm pounds 1866 out of pocket and have nothing to show for it."

After he paid, he received a letter from Reg4Vehicles asking for documents including his V5 and tax disc to complete the transfer.

But engineer Rab said: "I phoned them and they told me that, as I didn't have a car registered in 2010, I couldn't put the plate on it."

So Reg4Vehicles promised to send him a retention certificate, which would be renewed every year until he could use the plate.

Rab and wife Rachel, 41, a bookkeeper, have yet to receive it.

He contacted the DVLA for help, who explained that the registration is assigned to another vehicle.

Rab, of Dumfries, said: "It's on a Jaguar car. Surely this cannot be the case if it's under retention to me?" That's when he called me in. He said: "I don't believe they have the plate under retention and I can't get hold of anyone. I'm furious."

I discovered that Reg4Vehicles is a trading name of Registrations 4 Vehicles Ltd, based in Leicester, and is run by businessman Rakesh Verma, 39. It also trades on www.r4v.co.uk.

Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards are well aware of the firm. A spokesman said: "We are in receipt of a number of complaints and these are being investigated."

I got on to Reg4Vehicles, who claimed they were selling the number plate on behalf of a third party. That explained why it was still assigned to another vehicle at the DVLA.

They said transfer forms were sent out by post, adding: "The customer has not responded and the file is labelled as dormant.

"There does not appear to be any mix-up but a lack of compliance on the customer's part to return the requested DVLA forms, without which no progress can be made."

But Rab said: "I've received none of that paperwork or the reminders and they never at any point told me they were selling for someone else."

Reg4Vehicles say they will be in touch with Rab once they retrieve his file from their archive.

Watch this space.

CAPTION(S):

Driven mad: Rab, above, is angry with number plate firm run by Verma, top