How can we get buses off private property?

[john61ct]

Of course you could try to recover from your friend

And thanks for the reminder, don't hand money over without your name on the title. . .

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Doktari

The titles are all in the names of previous owners. Sorry, forgot to mention that. As I said I need a personal lawyer but cannot afford one. I just despise injustice anywhere and owe my friend a favor so am looking in to it.
My friend is getting despondent about the whole thing and considering abandoning them and moving on with his life. Hand shake deals sure can backfire occasionally.

Your friends paid money for the buses without getting the titles signed over to them?

[Doktari]

Yeah, several thousand flew right out the window. But not from me. I just owe a friend a favor. And I’ve lost my shirt a few times to financially predatory type people so can empathize with his conundrum. Ive also had a vehicle transaction blow up in my face. That one was on eBay and the buyer suddenly started making entitled demands after the sale. The time to make demands is before the sale to see if the seller is agreeable. But most of my vehicle transactions have been a pleasant experience.
I asked my friend if he is anywhere near Tombstone, AZ and if Sheriff Earp is anywhere around lol. It’s still a bit like the Wild West there.

[Doktari]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Your friends paid money for the buses without getting the titles signed over to them?

Yes, bill of sale only.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Doktari

Yes, bill of sale only.

That's odd - I got a signed-over title (and it was jumped by the guy who sold me the bus) but no BOS.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Doktari

I asked my friend if he is anywhere near Tombstone, AZ and if Sheriff Earp is anywhere around lol. It’s still a bit like the Wild West there.

At least the sheriff wasn't named "Arpaio".

[john61ct]

OK, that might be enough.

So he is just an online "friend" if you aren't aware of his location?

Someone there can do a Power of Attorney form, take the Titles and Bill of Sales to DMV and execute the retitling process.

Do not try to "jump owners", may be illegal there, put in his name only.

Have to pay the sales tax of course.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Do not try to "jump owners", may be illegal there, put in his name only.

Title-jumping is illegal everywhere. Fortunately not for the victim (like me).

[john61ct]

The buyer is considered complicit if it isn't promptly and properly retitled.

You're supposed to turn down the transaction if the seller's name isn't on the title.

The legality issue varies, some jurisdictions only enforce against dealers.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by john61ct

The buyer is considered complicit if it isn't promptly and properly retitled.

You're supposed to turn down the transaction if the seller's name isn't on the title.

The legality issue varies, some jurisdictions only enforce against dealers.

I promptly retitled mine. I had no chance to turn down the transaction since the bus was delivered 300 miles to me (by a hired driver, not the seller) almost a month after the purchase, and I didn't even realize for weeks that the name on the title was not the seller's name (which I still do not know - bought the bus on eBay) since the sign-over signature on the original title had not been dated.

[john61ct]

You dodged a bullet then.

Property worth even hundreds of thousands is exchanged on eBay every day, including sight unseen over long distance.

Doing it right so you are protected, as buyer or (more difficult as) seller, just takes knowledge and diligence

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

does the bill of sale list the VIN numbers of each bus?
if so that should be enough to go to the DMV and file for lost title since the person that sold the bus is incapacitated.
if not and the bill of sell looks legit then your friend caan go to the sheriffs office show him the bill of sale and explain the situation.
a deputy can listen to the problem/issue but has to get permission from the sheriff to act.
maybe he got busy and forgot about you so its time for a face to face reminder if your the bill of sale is legit.

[Native]

I lived in Arizona for a few years a while back. My recollectin is that the sherriff is usually an elected "good ol' boy" and must be handled with that in mind. I do remember that the STATE police are responsive and may be an alternative route to pursue. The key, in my opinion, is to prove ownership.

[Ronnie]

I have to agree the state police might be a better bet then the sheriff.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by mmoore6856

they can claim them because they will charge storage for whatever they want

Can't charge storage unless both parties agree to the terms, unless signage is posted in the shop stating the charges. You can't get pissed at me and then decide because I left it here a week that your are gonna charge me $2k a day storage. Without the ownership paperwork the guy who has the buses has the upper hand. If you get the proper paperwork, show up with the sheriff and a tow truck and remove your property.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Doktari

Yes, bill of sale only.

Bill of sale only makes me wonder what is up with the title? Is there a title? maybe lost, maybe Arizona does not have them, or where ever the buses came from did not issue titles? Was the previous owner(the one who is sick) holding the title till your friends came to get the buses? Things to ask you friends.

Reason being if there is no title then the BOS becomes the legal ownership document most likely.

[Booyah45828]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Legally the "previous" owner is the current owner, and if they aren't involved likely the landowner now becomes the owner ("possession is nine-tenths of the law").

Neither your friend nor you have legal standing IMO, you'd need a very liberal / sympathetic judge to rule otherwise.

Try the sheriff first, but I reckon slim odds there.

I'm going to second this.

And truthfully, if you're not one of the owners directly involved, I wouldn't get involved. I understand you owe a favor, but this situation is a big crap sandwich that your friend will likely have to eat.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

I was involved in a similar situation once, landowner versus company (dropped road trailers). After a lengthy (and likely hostile) back and forth, the company finally sent the landowner a certified letter to begin charging Demurrage for the trailers in question, @ $50 per trailer, per day if they weren't released for pickup. The landowner relented and let the trailers get picked up, I think he either realized he would lose that case, or just wanted to be done with it.


If the landowner wants to pursue a lien on the buses, he needs to get on with it, otherwise he's interfering with (presumed) legal ownership and retrieval of property. Buyer needs to go to local court, get a court order to retrieve the buses, and get cops to go with him to do it (the landowner can't really stop it at that point.)

[Sp6saz]

Go to vermont with bill of sale and title. Register each bus for 1 year as motorhomes... this makes it your home. Then get a tow truck to retrieve your broken down registered home of this guy's property. Vermont had bo residency rules anyone anywhere can register a bus as a motorhome with no pictures no painting just a title and or bill of sale if required. I beleive after 15 years you don't need nor will you receive a title from Vermont just a transferable registration. You do need a paper from local police starting mileage and vin# are correct.

[orangebus]

In a legal eviction the property owner is required by law to move any and all property belonging to the evicted person off the property, usually to the curb and then the evicted person has 24 hours to get his stuff. All at the property owner s expense by a third party, in this case, a towing company , a ith the Sheriff there to ensure a peaceful legal action.


So sick guy is entitled to a free curbside delivery of his buses.