Threats intimidation harassment - car garage

[Blue123]

A family member part exchanged her car, the garage arranged to bring the new car ( few years old) and take the old one away , they left no V5C - for taxing - ( just a code to tax it over the phone)
the driver raced the old car away at excessive dangerous speed -
It appears something happened that car - she was contacted the next day / she is told the engine blew up, and then another version was “not as bad as first thought “ but then the garage keep phoning her constantly, ? She cannot take calls all the time from work) threatening her wanting to speak to her, sending threatening emails - she is very distressed - the old car she worshipped, it was immaculate and used daily, low mileage, Serviced by main dealer - MOT recently.
we’ve told the garage we will inform the police for harassment and the say we can’t it’s civil matter ! What are her rights - they also say they are coming to get the new car back, will not do change of ownership despite it being paid for -
what are her rights - can the police intervene to stop them threatening her ?

[PallasAthena]

The garage are wrong about harassment. The dispute about the car sale/purchase is a civil.matter that police won't get involved in but that doesn't permit the garage to.engage on harassment. Harassment is a criminal offence under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and it can be reported to the police who can, and do, arrest and prosecute for harassment. Remind the garage of that when they next call.

Whether what has happened so far is harassment under the Act I can't say. You should keep a log of all contacts made by the garage. Date, time, how long contact lasted, who called, what was said on both sides.

Does your daughter have a sales invoice and receipt for the new car? If so that is the proof she owns it. It is irrelevant that it has not yet been registered in her name. Tell garage car is legally owned by your daughter and if they attempt to take it away you will call 999 and report a theft in progress and the sales invoice/receipt will be shown to police to prove ownership.

If garage wants to pursue the argument through court that you misrepresented the condition of your car you should commission an independent engineers report. But as a private PX seller your daughter is not required to have expert knowledge of her car's condition as long as she did not deliberately say things about it that she knew weren't true.

[Blue123]

Thank you for this help, Despite paying for the vehicle it has been HPIed now and is showing up as still under finance - I assume a stocking loan - I would expect them to have paid for it when they received payment themselves, so I and assuming that is why they didnt give us the V5C what should we do?