Need Title help in Michigan/Florida

[sprink56]

I bought a 1979 255 Formula Liberator in Ft. Lauderdale in late December. An employee of the seller was to meet me with the title when I took delivery but was MIA.Bearing in mind that I had seen the Michigan Title previously, I took the boat with the assurance that the title would be mailed to me. During the 1st week of January I contacted the seller and was told that the title was mailed on 1/5/2011 to my home in West Palm Beach. After another week past with no title I called the seller's office and spoke directly to the man that mailed the title..Bob..the sellers father. After a bit of conversation we determined that he had transposed the address from a correct 223 to a wrong 233. His envelope did have a return address. He has been on the lookout for the return mail and my neighbor has been on the lookout for the mail sent to me at his address. At this point...2/4/2011 it has not shown up.:huh:

The boat is still titled (open) to the man in Michigan that sold the boat to my seller...who never registered the boat in Florida. I need to title the boat in Florida but need an original of the Michigan Title signed by the seller from before my seller.

Plan A is to wait to see if the title shows up in the mail on either end.

Plan B is to locate the Michigan seller and have him go to any Michigan Title agency with his ID, a copy of the Michigan Title...which I have...and have a new Michigan Title issued. He can then send same to me and along with the new title, my bill of sale and my canceled check I can get a Florida title.

I have located the seller ( I think) in Ecorse, MI, which appears to be near Detroit. I tried calling but the number is "Temporarily Disconnected" I sent a Letter and a copy of the title via Fed Ex yesterday with all of my contact info with hope that I have found the right guy.

If I get no response or I have The wrong guy...then I am going to need some help in Michigan. I will need a title agent or an attorney that can apply for a new Michigan title to be issued in absence of the titled owner and issue it to me. Then I can get a Florida title.

I have been informed by the Florida Marine Patrol to not dare put this boat in the water or it will be confiscated until and if I get this issue solved.

So there it is...a totally messed up situation that I need help with.

Any and all comments and suggestions are welcomed. I need some professional help with this because I am "Dead in The Water" with this until I get it resolved.

Thanks in advance...John in West Palm Beach

 

[sporters78]

John, if you want i can get you a name of a maritime lawyer that should be able to help you, pm if you need
steve

 

[Bresco]

That's a nasty situation. The lawyer is a good suggestion, however the broker should be working for you especially since it is their screw up initially.

 

[1956olds]

There are only a couple (3-4) brokers in ecorse mi ,i know or have met three of them,and bought boats from two of them,I had a bit of trouble getting a title from one of them,but it was the state that held it up.Did you get a bill of sale with the serial # on it? Perhaps you should try calling a secretary of state office in michigan and explain the situation to them perhaps a lost title form could be filed by the previous owner or broker,they are pretty cheap like 15.00.

 

[Acb4boss]

Have you resolved this yet? I'm only about an hour from Ecorse and for a CSR bretheren I could knee cap someone for ya until they produce a title?:grin:

Ok, seriously PM me if you're still looking for help with resolving this. The State of Michigan in their infinate wisdom are not actually as bad as one may feel. I would resort to a lawyer after all aspects have been exhausted.