MN – Failure to Transfer Boat Title…

I need your advice… I purchased a boat from a guy in my city on August 22nd. There was a lien on the title, and we signed a purchase agreement stating that he would satisfy the lien and transfer the title asap. However, I feel like I have gotten the run around and we have yet to receive the title. He is basically unresponsive, with the exception of two emails from him – each of which stating that he is “working on it.”

WHAT DO I DO? Do I have to sue him? The registration expires on Dec. 31st and I am very concerned.

PLEASE HELP!

Welcome to In-Depth.

You didn’t say but it sounds like you might have bought a consigned boat from a dealer? If so he most likely never paid the owner and hasn’t gotten the title signed off on. In these times a bunch of people are running low on money and strange things happen.

Same thing happened years ago when my mom bought a motor home. Took a long time but she finally got things squared away.

A quick phone call from your local police department will hurry things along.

Brian has good advice.

You might want to call our friendly sponsor Bob Bowman at 763-549-6502. He deals with loans 24/7 when he’s not fishing.

He might have another route for you to try.

Thank you!

I actually bought it from a local guy – I literally live about 5 minutes from him. He seemed like a very trustworthy guy so we decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. I called the licensing center in my city before we purchased it and they told me that this was a pretty typical situation… He still owed money on the boat so he supposedly took the money, paid off the lien, and was SUPPOSED to transfer the title…

I was going to post what you should have done…but figured you knew that by now.

Hopefully he has some cash and this won’t become a mess for you.

Welcome to IDo and don’t be a stranger!

Yeah… I am actually a third-year law student so I know exactly what I should have done… just kind of figured he wouldn’t mess with me since I know how to sue

He even told me that if he didn’t transfer the title, I would have legal recourse against him… doesn’t make sense to me.

So in reality he probably took your money, paid off other things and still owes money on the boat which is no longer his. I dont want to sound negative but this is a bad situation. A phone call would be better than emailing this guy and if he doesnt answer, since he is so close, I would stop by his place and have a chat with him. Be nice until he dodges you the third time (3 strike rule) then have your lawyer send a nice letter.

Thanks for your input…

I have been trying to call him for the last three months – he has never answered the phone – cell or home. He has only responded via email. I sent him a certified letter a couple weeks ago. Still nothing… Told him in that letter that if we don’t get it figured out by the 15th I would take legal action.

My guess is that he needed quick money to catch up on mortgage or something, and now is trying to scrap up money to pay the lien off. So frustrating… I understand that these are hard times, but I would be MUCH more understanding if he just communicated with me.

If worse comes to worse, You can write up a bill of sale to me, we both go to the court house and put it in my name ( you willhave to pay $35 and then I sign it back over to you. There are no boat titles here, just a sign off on the registration. You then take it back to MN and you are good to go. Like I said… If worse comes to worse…

Oh, and you will have to pay sales tax so the bill of sale should read about $100 and it will cost you 7 bucks.

Is this guy from Wabasha or Rochester?

Quote:

---

If worse comes to worse, You can write up a bill of sale to me, we both go to the court house and put it in my name ( you willhave to pay $35 and then I sign it back over to you. There are no boat titles here, just a sign off on the registration. You then take it back to MN and you are good to go. Like I said… If worse comes to worse…
Oh, and you will have to pay sales tax so the bill of sale should read about $100 and it will cost you 7 bucks.

---

Wouldn’t the lien holder would have something to say about that if it hasn’t been paid off.

Is there a way for you to find out if the lien has been satisfied? That will probably make things a bit easier.

Law school gal w/ her own boat? I would love to help, but I need some pictures first.

Quote:

---

Law school gal w/ her own boat? I would love to help, but I need some pictures first.

---

Of the boat?

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Law school gal w/ her own boat? I would love to help, but I need some pictures first.

---

Of the boat?

---

No. If I had wanted info on the boat, I would have asked for the measurements.

Contact your local license bureau and get the phone # for the title card trouble shooter in st paul, assuming it has a title (not required under 18′?) this guy helped me recover one 6 years ago in a short amount of time. Different set of circumstances but he had the power to resolve a missing title with no more than a bill of sale to go on.Hopefully your seller took care of the lien but as mentioned earlier check with his bank if possible. They would probably be interested in seeing a copy of that bill of sale you have.

Quote:

---

Is this guy from Wabasha or Rochester?

---

No… Brooklyn Park, MN.

Quote:

---

Contact your local license bureau and get the phone # for the title card trouble shooter in st paul, assuming it has a title (not required under 18′?) this guy helped me recover one 6 years ago in a short amount of time. Different set of circumstances but he had the power to resolve a missing title with no more than a bill of sale to go on.Hopefully your seller took care of the lien but as mentioned earlier check with his bank if possible. They would probably be interested in seeing a copy of that bill of sale you have.

---

I have asked him for the name of his lender repeatedly and got nothing. I will try calling him a few more times today… so frustrating.

My main concern is that the registration expires on the 31st. I can’t renew the registration without a title. Also, the boat is insured right now… what if the storage facility burned down or something? Would I be able to make a claim when I really don’t “own” the boat? I don’t know what else to do besides sue him… which really doesn’t guarantee me anything.. just a piece of paper stating I have judgement against him.

Call the Brooklyn Park police department. Ask for them to make a call on your behalf. Also ask if he as any prior history with the department. Actually if you are close driving over and talking to them in person would serve you better.

Photo’s and serial numbers on the boat, motor and trailer should help in case of fire. But you do want this title thing cleared up A.S.A.P.

Good luck.

Try and call the dnr with your boat reg,serial numbers and see if they can help locate the bank info from their records………. Contact the DNR
We welcome questions, comments, and any feedback to help us serve you better!

Phone

(651) 296-6157
(888) 646-6367

TTY: (651) 296-5484
TTY: (800) 657-3929

Email

[email protected]

Address

500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155-4040

Great Idea!

I’ve been here, but with a more unique situation.

I bought a boat from a guy that bought the boat a few months prior from another guy and didn’t register anything, or get the title for the trailer. It wasn’t a big purchase, so I couldn’t pass it up. I took the risk.

I could register the boat just fine, but it took me 9 months before I had the trailer title (no boat title) in my name and title in hand. I went through issues, but the biggest issue was the lost title. The state was slow in issueing a new title, the bank was slow in releasing the title and the state was slow again to transfer into my name. Had the original owner not cooperated, I was in for a headache.

The DNR will not tell you anything about the title or liens.

The DMV will not tell you anything either. If the owner lost the title you can get a form and have the owner sign off to get a new title.

However, with a person who won’t cooperate it’s not easy. I inquired with attorneys and I didn’t get a lot of easy answers, but a civil suit may be in order.

If the boat and trailer are in this guy’s name HE IS responsible for it! He holds liability if it’s involved in an accident. Call him again and let him know things could be worse with this liability over his head.

I’m sure you’re aware of this, but a reminder, never hand over the cash until the title is signed off and in your possession. I took a risk myself, but luckily got it resolved.

i keep seven or eight boats around here, so i’ve seen a few situations.

i’d go over to the guys house and try to talk to him. Probably won’t help. He spent the money.

So file tomorrow.

Going to Iowa might work (never tried it) but if he owes anything significant on the boat, i suspect it will be tracked down.

I wouldn’t spend a lot of time on it, and I’d file the paperwork myself.

Once he is served, i suspect his attitude will change quite a bit.

I also think so.

_________________

Link Removed by Briank