Julian, Agree with you if V5 is still in his name, if not its an entirely different issue. If its still in his name and not at the premises the Liquidator has access too, then you have to report it stolen. to the Police and get them involved. Unless you know all the locations were the car maybe stored, its maybe difficult to track it down without their help. There could be all sorts of locations where it could be stored, not connected to his other businesses. Being interviewed by the Police tends to focus one's mind
Whilst it maybe on a sale or return contract, has any work or storage fee or whatever been raised and not paid on the car, creating a potential repairer's lien. A UK repairer's lien is a common law right allowing a garage or repairer to keep possession of a customer's vehicle (or other goods) until they've been paid for improvements or repairs made to that specific item, acting as security for the debt. It's a possessory lien, meaning the repairer must retain continuous possession, and only covers costs for work done on that specific item (not general debts). While it grants the right to retain the item, it doesn't automatically grant a right to sell it, though statute (like the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977) provides a process for sale after proper notice.
In the liquidation that I was unfortunately involved in, someone started to take things into their own hands and finished up in serious trouble with the Police. when things turned somewhat nasty . But as they say each to their own.
