Missing ownership for Trillium 1300

[Joe Loiacono]

I want to buy a Trillium 1300 that has been sitting for many years on a farmers property in Northern Ontario. I checked it over and the frame is solid, there is no sign of any leaks or mold. It is all original and needs a good cleaning.

We have agreed on a price but the owner cannot produce the ownership. The owner inherited the trailer when he bought the farm 10 years ago and was not given the ownership. The prevoius owner didn't get the ownership from the previous owner either. The trailer has been passed on to 3 or 4 property owners in the last 30 years.

Is there any way the ownership can be traced through the serial number?

Does anyone know what to do in a situation like this? It is a great deal and I don't want to loose it but on the other hand I wonder what I would have to do to get an ownership.

I hope there is an easy way to do this.

Thank you,
Joe

[pjanits]

I want to buy a Trillium 1300 that has been sitting for many years on a farmers property in Northern Ontario. I checked it over and the frame is solid, there is no sign of any leaks or mold. It is all original and needs a good cleaning.

We have agreed on a price but the owner cannot produce the ownership. The owner inherited the trailer when he bought the farm 10 years ago and was not given the ownership. The prevoius owner didn't get the ownership from the previous owner either. The trailer has been passed on to 3 or 4 property owners in the last 30 years.

Is there any way the ownership can be traced through the serial number?

Does anyone know what to do in a situation like this? It is a great deal and I don't want to loose it but on the other hand I wonder what I would have to do to get an ownership.

I hope there is an easy way to do this.

Thank you,
Joe

I think you should contact your local DMV and ask them how to go about it. I know that Illinois will put you thru some hoops but it can be done.

[Don N]

Joe, do you have the serial number off of the trailer? I would take it into the local department of transport in Oakville and ask them to trace the serial number. Explain it to them. If they can give you the name that the trailer is registered in, you might be able to trace it back that way. If the name doesn't come up, I believe you can go the local court house and swear out an affidavit with the judge and come up with the ownership. I had to do this with a vintage car many years ago so am not certain if this is still the procedure but that is where I would start.

[Carol Ann in TO]

Having an ownership certificate issued is going to be up to the Ontario Licensing Office that you go to. I would go to one of the smaller ones, speak to one person and ask them exactly what they will want.
Then only deal with that same person once you have gotten what they said they wanted.

We were able to get Ontario ownership for ours. It had a New York State ownership, we purchased it from the nephew (in Massachusetts) of the paper owner.

It is possible. You have to play nice though.

[Joe Loiacono]

I think you should contact your local DMV and ask them how to go about it. I know that Illinois will put you thru some hoops but it can be done.

Thanks for your input Pete, this is what I will do tomorrow.

Joe

[Joe Loiacono]

Joe, do you have the serial number off of the trailer? I would take it into the local department of transport in Oakville and ask them to trace the serial number. Explain it to them. If they can give you the name that the trailer is registered in, you might be able to trace it back that way. If the name doesn't come up, I believe you can go the local court house and swear out an affidavit with the judge and come up with the ownership. I had to do this with a vintage car many years ago so am not certain if this is still the procedure but that is where I would start.

Thanks Don,
Sounds like it is something I can deal with. Great advice.

[Joe Loiacono]

Having an ownership certificate issued is going to be up to the Ontario Licensing Office that you go to. I would go to one of the smaller ones, speak to one person and ask them exactly what they will want.
Then only deal with that same person once you have gotten what they said they wanted.

We were able to get Ontario ownership for ours. It had a New York State ownership, we purchased it from the nephew (in Massachusetts) of the paper owner.

It is possible. You have to play nice though.

Hi Carrol Ann,
The trailer also has the original information sticker on the cabinet door that includes the make, model and serial number. Your advice makes perfect sense. I will talk with the MTO first and see what is required.

Thank you for your help.
Joe

[Roy in TO]

The trailer also has the original information sticker on the cabinet door that includes the make, model and serial number. Your advice makes perfect sense. I will talk with the MTO first and see what is required.

As she said, the small ones might help you. Do you have one of the private run licensing offices in your area? If so, talk to one of the long term staff there. Newbies don't know enough of the work arounds. The 1-800# and the main office at Keele and 401 run things by the book. They will probably tell you that you have to have something from the original owner and know the last registered address.

Chances are you may be out of luck without the original owners name and contact info. I acquired a '42 Chevy Master deluxe years ago under similar circumstances and there was no way to get ownership in Ontario. Privacy laws might make it even more difficult. The law then said the car had to go to the wreckers who had some method of filing it as abandoned and after a period of time it could only be sold for parts. No ownership could be acquired.

Your only out might be if the trailer was included in the contract for the sale of the farm. Or a similar document.

Was there a plate on the trailer? An RV dealer sticker might give you access to records as to they may have sold it to. Maybe that might help. Got a friend or neighbor at MTO or the Police that can search records? Anything in the trailer with a name or address. Sales slip for something, repair bill. Laundry ticket?

Been there and tried that. Hopefully the rules have changed. Good luck.

[Joe Loiacono]

As she said, the small ones might help you. Do you have one of the private run licensing offices in your area? If so, talk to one of the long term staff there. Newbies don't know enough of the work arounds. The 1-800# and the main office at Keele and 401 run things by the book. They will probably tell you that you have to have something from the original owner and know the last registered address.

Chances are you may be out of luck without the original owners name and contact info. I acquired a '42 Chevy Master deluxe years ago under similar circumstances and there was no way to get ownership in Ontario. Privacy laws might make it even more difficult. The law then said the car had to go to the wreckers who had some method of filing it as abandoned and after a period of time it could only be sold for parts. No ownership could be acquired.

Your only out might be if the trailer was included in the contract for the sale of the farm. Or a similar document.

Was there a plate on the trailer? An RV dealer sticker might give you access to records as to they may have sold it to. Maybe that might help. Got a friend or neighbor at MTO or the Police that can search records? Anything in the trailer with a name or address. Sales slip for something, repair bill. Laundry ticket?

Been there and tried that. Hopefully the rules have changed. Good luck.

Hi Roy,
I did some further reserch and found out that the current owner must get an affidavit from his local judge or his lawyer. This is the only way according to the MTO. It is the owners responsibility unless the customer wants to undertake a huge reserch project.

Thank you,
Joe

[Mike Magee]

If there were a way to pay for a license plate to put on it, you could use it... owner or not. You just couldn't sell it, I guess.

[Roy in TO]

Someone has posted a response on this board here a while back in response to my problems of getting a title from the US. There is a company in NV or AZ that will provide you with a title for a fee. You sign an affidavit and "sell" the trailer to them, they somehow get a title and sell it back to you. The trailer never changes hands or locations, it all done on paper for a fee.

[Donna D.]

Someone has posted a response on this board here a while back in response to my problems of getting a title from the US.

This topic Roy? New York trailer registration/title, Can you explain it?

[Alf S.]

Hi: All... Joe: Can't you apply for a lost ownership??? If you can locate the serial#+model number I think the Ministry of Transportation can trace it and for a fee and some sales tax will supply an ownership!!! My 2 cents worth
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[james kent]

Some years back I had bought an antique car but couldn't get the ownership paper with it. With the bill of sale and an affidavid signed by a justice of the peace I was able to acquire the necessary ownership from the DMV

[Roy in TO]

This topic Roy? New York trailer registration/title, Can you explain it?

That is it Donna!
Joe MacDonald provides a link in post # 3

[Joe Loiacono]

That is it Donna!
Joe MacDonald provides a link in post # 3

I want to thank everyone that responded to my question. I has been most helpful. I contacted the owner and he is going to take care of it. I made it his responsibility and he agreed. If he does not get the ownership, I now know I have other ways to get an ownership.

Joe