Dordogne couple fined repeatedly for vehicle they no longer own

A couple in south-west France are facing a legal battle after being held responsible for parking violations committed by the buyer of a car they sold over a year ago. 

Michaël and Fanny from Saint-Vincent-de-Cosse in Dordogne are claiming to have sold their Citroën C3 Picasso in January 2025 for just €150, only to receive 18 parking tickets several months later, totalling €1,588. The public finances authority is now pursuing them for payment.

The car was sold at such a low price due to its poor condition, and the buyer was no stranger — he was a former employee of Michaël's. "I sold the vehicle to one of my former employees, apparently for his girlfriend," Michaël explained to Ici Périgord. His wife Fanny recalled even feeling reassured: "We knew him well, he worked with us every day, so we thought it would be fine."

The fines, issued in Nantes and Bordeaux between May and July 2025, began landing in their letterbox shortly after the sale and attempts to reach the buyer proved fruitless. "When we call, it says the number is no longer in service," said Michaël. "It really feels like a scam and a rip-off, right from the start." Fanny added: "We thought we'd be safe by selling the car, but it's even worse; we would have been better off keeping it."

How it happened 

The root of the problem lies with the buyer, who never formally registered the vehicle in his own name, meaning the car remained legally linked to Fanny. The couple insisted they fulfilled their own obligations by properly declaring the sale, but without the buyer completing his side of the paperwork, the fines continued to be directed at them.

Their attempts to challenge the situation have so far drawn a blank. Appeals submitted to the town halls in Nantes and Bordeaux were rejected on the grounds that they had missed the deadlines. The couple then lodged a separate appeal for each of the 18 fines with the paid parking court in Limoges.

With the car registered in Fanny's name, the tax authorities made two attempts (one in February and one in March 2026) to recover the €1,588 directly from her bank account, both unsuccessful given that her sole income is a €465 monthly disability pension. 

A formal payment demand also arrived on April 2. "If we don't pay, they'll start the seizures," said Michaël. "We're not responsible, and they're forcing us to pay for something we didn't do. It's completely absurd."

Fanny explained that the anxiety of not knowing what each day might bring, have led them to dread even opening the front door: "We're dreading opening the door, having someone show up, a bailiff, to seize our car. It's terrifying. We have a knot in our stomachs, we can't sleep well." Michaël has also described his frustration with the broader system: "In the end, we're left with the state supporting a scam. It's telling everyone who does this: 'Keep going, you won't pay a thing.' There's a huge sense of injustice."

What now

Per French media Ici, the Departmental Directorate of Public Finances (DDFIP) has clarified that ongoing appeals to the parking court do not pause the enforcement of outstanding orders, meaning the authority has no choice but to continue pursuing the debt. 

There is, however, a potential lifeline: the administration has indicated that if the couple can demonstrate to the Dordogne tax accountant that they have filed a formal complaint, proceedings could be suspended while their appeals are heard. As of early April, no such complaint has been filed.