Procedure for collecting a car from private seller?
Jan 26, 2007 23 Replies
A
Adam Knight
Am wandering what the procedure is for when you collect a car from a private seller? Do they keep the forms or do I take them away and fill them in myself ro rhw DVLA?
Should I ask/expect a receipt when I hand over the cheque, or is getting the V5 enough?
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S
SteveH
Cheque!?
Do you really think you can hand over a cheque and drive the car away?
A
Adrian
Adam Knight (Ad) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
One sugar or two?
They do. Your details, their responsibility.
If you want one, ask.
Cash.
You get a small slip from the V5.
T
Tim S
Replace cheque with cash or banker's draft and you'll be getting closer to doing the transaction on the same day.
Yes, you must get a receipt - possesion of the V5 proves nothing about ownership - it merely refers to the registered keeper. You get all documents, except for a tear off bit the seller keeps so he can tell the DVLA he is no longer the registered keeper of the car.
Ask for the MOT (if current), any receipts for bits spent on the car (useful, not essential) and of course, get your own insurance arranged prior to pick up, unless you are going to transport it away.
If you trust the vendor, you might use a cheque or a bank transfer and collect the car when the monies have cleared - but banker's draft is the simplest way to be sure, unless it less than a grand or two, when cash may be convenient for both parties.
Cheers
Tim
T
Tim S
Partial b*llocks on my part: Varies depending on style of V5, see here:
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Cheers
Tim
H
Hooch
The buyer gets the tear-off green bit ("New Keeper Supplement"). The seller retains the rest of the V5 and sends it to DVLA.
A handwritten receipt probably isn't worth an awful lot.
A
Adam Knight
So if a handwritten receipt isn't worth much what is?
T
Tim S
Long time since I did a private trade, you're right.
I disagree - there's nothing magical in law about a printed one.
P
Paul
Wheneve I have sold cars, I have printed two receipts on the computer detailing the seller's and buyer's name and address, details of the car, date of sale, amount of sale (including any deposits previously left), a short text such as "sold as seen", and two spaces for two signatures - one for the buyer and one for the seller's signature. Then give one copy to the buyer, retain the other.
Cheers Paul
D
Dave Plowman (News)
Why? A printed one comes from a machine. Handwriting can be identified back to the writer, if push comes to shove.
H
Hooch
In reality, I don't think a receipt (printed or handwritten) adds much to the verbal agreement/contract between the parties to sell the car.
M
malc
Maybe not but as someone else in the thread said you can include the words "sold as seen" if you're the seller which could give you some protection if the buyer tries something on if the car breaks down. As a buyer, having a receipt stating the time/date of the transaction could prove useful if you were stopped by the police.
H
Hooch
You'd have to take it to court. Whether "sold as seen" is written or merely implied (as it would be in most private second hand car sales) makes little if any difference.
The green "New Keeper Supplement" should be enough to keep Plod happy until such time as you receive a new V5.
C
Conor
The seller is now responsible for sending them to DVLA.
Only a mug would let you take the car before the cheque clears.
F
Filthy Sod
According to my lawyer ex-wife, a handwritten receipt is worth slightly less than f*ck all..:-)
Mike P
D
Doki
Wouldn't get you anywhere. There is no comeback on a private sale unless the car is misdescribed or unroadworthy when you buy it, no matter what's written on the receipt.
H
Hooch
Quite so.
Even if it's unroadworthy and sold "sold as seen" you'd have a hard job getting anything back from the seller. Once you've bought it, it's your responsibility to make sure it's roadworthy before taking it on the road.
H
Hooch
"A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on." LOL
T
Trust No One®
Uh oh...
Just sold my 2006 56 plate Lexus GS450h to a very nice Nigerian bloke. I believe he intends it as a gift for his daughter at her wedding. He must be a wealthy chief or have oil interests as I thought Nigeria was a poor country.
He paid by cheque (Natwest). He even included 500 quid extra for my inconvenience in doing the deal on Saturday afternoon. He seemed very trustworthy though - he even offered to leave the cheque with me so I could pay it in and let it clear if I didn't trust him!
Didn't want to ruin his daughter's wedding and I also didn't want to be thought of as a racist; but more importantly I had a good feeling about the guy - I can smell a con-artist a mile off and most of them in this country are white Anglo-Saxon. So I went head on trust and accepted the cheque for £38500. After all if he was planning to rip me off he wouldn't have offered to wait for the cheque to clear would he?
He did show me his drivers license and I have the number and address details so surely he wouldn't get very far if he was trying a fast one.
Are you saying I've been had?
H
Hooch
I suggest you do a google on "419".
It's possible. The Nigerian overpayment is a well-known scam. The cheque may turn out to have been stolen or a forgery.
But you may be lucky. I suppose there are honest Nigerians out there somwhere.
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