My problem is my car isn't taxed. I have the V5 of the previous owner but if I were to go in to the post office and tax the car, will that be in the previous owners name as I haven't yet registered the vehicle in my name? So they could request a refund with the new rules? I could send off the V5 and wait for the registration cert in my name but that could be 4 weeks without tax. Not sure what to do.

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/new-and-used-vehicles ;)

Maybe I'm being silly but this doesn't tell me what to do in my particular scenario.

I'd call dvla or local police for 100% advice but surely once you sent off the v5 you've still got the little slip (v5c?) from page 3 to say you're the new owner can you please tax?

That's what I've always done when buying a used car privately

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Considering you pay £0 tax on that car, it's not going to be too serious but the police will probably still pull you over to ask why you haven't paid your £0. There must be a way to tax it in your name but I don't know, as Laurie said I'd call the DVLA for advice.

Surely you should not have the V5 if the previous owner had done their job properly.

At the bottom of the V5 you should have their signature and yours and in this condition it should have been, or should be, sent to the DVLA - and the registered keeper on that form will get any refund due.

Once the V5 has been posted you should be able to tax the car immediately using the green V5c

Agreed, you shouldn't get the V5, its the owners responsibility to fill it in, sign it and send it! You should send it off ASAP now.

You can use the green slip to get tax.

On buying the car you and the previous keeper should have filled in section 5, both have signed the declaration at section 8 then the previous keeper should have given you section 10 and sent the rest of the V5C to DVLA.

Section 10 can be used to tax your vehicle for up to 2 months after you purchase the vehicle.

Great guys, thanks for the help