# How would you buy a £29,000 private sale?



## pandalf (Oct 29, 2006)

What advice do folks have on executing a purchase of an MH from a private seller? We are seriously thinking of a nice van that is probably going to cost in the region of £29,000. I have to say this scares the Be-Jesus out of me! 

I realize that both buyer and seller need to protect themselves when making a private transaction. So how have other motorhomers achieved this, in a way that satisfies both seller and buyer and protects both parties from mischief?


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

The first and most important thing to do is make sure its theirs to sell, not just the registered keeper but the rightful owner ie not on finance.You need to do an HPI check to establish if its on finance or been subject to theft or accident damage.
Then you have to decide how to pay I paid by bank transfer but there are other ways that im not familiar with.Hope this helps.


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## dipsticks (Aug 2, 2007)

We did exactly that, same value, we found it on Pre-Loved, met the seller, inspected the vehicle, agreed the price and exactly what came with it, did an HPI check, inspected the V5 then paid with a Building Society Cheque. The seller called the BS to check the cheque was good and agreed to deliver.

I believe the most important thing is to meet the seller and feel comfortable with him/her/them.

Good luck

Pete D


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

Previous note right. Lots of checks to be done. Don't be put off if it's had a bump many motrohomes have but could be minor. The HPI checks are essential but I think you can get these for free on-line. There's a link in a similar note here somehwere. 

Ask your bank about the safest way to transfer lots of cash but immediate transfer is probably the way to do it. 

All the best 

Keith.


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Name and address on V5 is the sellers name and address IMPORTANT
HPI check, they are not free
Service History
MOT's if applicable (van over three years old)
Original sales invoice if available.
Bank transfer or Draft

Peter


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## pandalf (Oct 29, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies so far. I have already gone and paid for the HPI check, and all came up clean. I will meet the seller at the weekend at their house. MH sounds a beaut, but they all do in the ads! 

It all makes me hanker back to the good old days when you turned up with a bunch of pound notes and counted it all out on the table. then at least everyone knew where they stood. But I realize 29,000 pounds notes are not going to work, even if they did still exist.


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

when bought are m/h we went to see it at the owners home, had a hpi
and went back with a bag of money for the amount i was prepared to pay not the asking price 
chapter


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

pandalf said:


> Thanks for all the replies so far. I have already gone and paid for the HPI check, and all came up clean. I will meet the seller at the weekend at their house. MH sounds a beaut, but they all do in the ads!
> 
> It all makes me hanker back to the good old days when you turned up with a bunch of pound notes and counted it all out on the table. then at least everyone knew where they stood. But I realize 29,000 pounds notes are not going to work, even if they did still exist.


Good luck, small world we are nearly neighbours as I live in Finchampstead near Inchcape Ford (Sandhurst Road!)

Peter


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I had a similar situation a year ago for a similar amount.

I would not be happy doing an electronic transfer before the seller had signed the transfer on the V5C and handed it to me and I would not expect the seller to do that until he was assured of the money.

My chosen route would have been to go armed with a Bank Draft and to exchange that for the signed V5C.

However the seller, a policeman, would not accept a Bank Draft on the basis that there are too many forgeries.

I did not want to carry that sort of cash with me so I arranged to draw the cash at a branch of my bank in the Seller's local town and near his bank.

The cash was counted out in a private room at the branch, handed to the Seller who then completed the V5C. 

We then walked across the road with the money in a plastic bag tucked underneath the arm of this burly copper, who carefully looked both ways on leaving my bank - it all seemed a bit Keystone Cops (Sorry S***** if your are reading this)

Anyway the method was fine as neither of us was in the position at any time of having parted with anything before the other had performed his part of the deal, which the important thing.

Geoff


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

The last car I sold I insisted on cash, but when it came to paying, his family were all there and my initial distrust seemed very out of place! It was stiil the best thing to do.

You can find lots of stories of scams with bankers drafts etc. One for instance where the buyer of a posh car would ring up sounding very keen, but not quite just yet be in a position to buy. This went on for a few weeks, but was so keen the seller felt he could take it off sale.

The day came, the cheque produced, the issuing Building Society rung who confirmed it was legit, transaction made. The cheque couldn't be paid in as it was a copy. 

The buyer had arranged to buy several vehicles on the same day at the same price. One of the cheques at one point was legit, so the Building Society would say no problems. The delay with the actual purchase for a few weeks was the buyer getting the vehicles lined up for collection at the same time.

An exchange within the bank seems a very good idea. 

A carrier bag of cash is a commonly done thing  Having worked in Costco where corner shop owners would walk in with tens of thousands every few days to buy ciggies, that is their security device! Only one got robbed while I was there, because she went shopping in Tescos on the way home with her usual £30k of cigs on the back seat left in the car park!


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Isn't there a law still in existance which limits the amount of cash to about £10000 that can be paid for a transaction. Something to do with money laundering.
In any case, you would be mad to carry £29000 around.
If you intend to haggle a bit, why not do a bank draft for say £28000 and carry £1000 in cash to bargain with.

The only other way I can think of would be to do an internet transfer from your account to his.

Don't we live in a funny old world when cash may be laundered, bankers drafts may be forged and building soc cheques may be copied. Makes me wonder how any business gets conducted.


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## badger750 (Nov 1, 2009)

when we sold our m/h the guy came to our house twice to look at it we agreed a price we then went to my local bank which they then arranged the electronic transfer from his bank to mine checking that the money was in his account before it would be withdrawn and deposited in my account (his local bank manager said it could not be done)i would not trust a bankers draft and he didn't want to do cash and most banks do not accept large cash amounts over the counter so didn't want a large amount of cash sitting at home for days as he collected on a saturday morning .

terry


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## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

Hi

My first motorhome (Autotrail Apache 700) I purchased privately and paid £28k. The van was just under a year old.

However, I was a bit naive then and didn't do an HPi check.  Went to the owners house, viewed the van had tea and cakes etc and made the deal. I was very happy with the people and all was genuine.

We purchased the van, paid with a bankers draft and drove off. Had three great years with the van.  

We then decided to sell it and go back to a caravan, as at that time it suited our family better.

We visited the NEC in 2005 and placed an order wiith a dealer for a brand new Bailey caravan, with our Autotrail in P/X.

On the day of change, we drove 200 miles to the dealer (wife following in car). The sales person went off to do the HPi check which came back showing there was finance against the motorhome.  We were absolutely devastated  as it looked like we were about to loose our MH! :evil: We rung the previous owners from the dealers office who confirmed they did have finance but had paid it back after we brought the van. As this was a Saturday the dealer was unable to move forward with further checks, so we had no choice but to drive home.

On the Monday I was straight on the phone to the HPi people and it transpired that whilst there had been finance on the vehicle, it had been paid back, but when the details were entered onto the computer system someone entered the registration details incorrectly, and this was why it still showed as outstanding! Elation!

We duly travelled the 200 miles back to the dealer the following weekend and collected the new caravan.

In hindsight I should have done the HPi check on purchase - no question.  

I am also cross that the dealer I was trading the M/H in with didn't do their HPi check sometime between the caravan order and delivery time.

After all this, I purchased my present m/h privately. Just did the checks and made sure I viewed it at their house etc.

Hope this helps?

Mark


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## wilse (Aug 10, 2007)

First truck we bought, we organised bankers draft and picked up in the local branch in the sellers home town. He came with me to the bank so he could see me collect the draft. We did the paperwork, then trotted round to his bank to pay the draft in... 

Very smooth.

When we sold truck, the buyer paid with the his switch card.
It was a similar sum of money to yours.
I took little satisfaction, as all I say of the money was a little printout... It didn't seem worth it  

I must add we were in the same bank as the buyer, so it was all instant and secure.


w


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## teal (Feb 23, 2009)

We had no problem selling ours, the family came to inspect it and i gave him all the bumf so he wrote out a business cheque and said he would pick it up when cleared, so following week all done and dusted.


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## sooty10 (Feb 22, 2009)

We did exactly the same as dipsticks. Met the owner all well, paid with a building society cheque. The other party phoned the society and all was done.

Good luck.

Sooty10


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Just been to Wales and bought a very nice AutoTrail Cheyenne from a member of another forum.

Filled out the paperwork, sales invoice, buyer/seller, V5 part 'sold to motor trader,' phoned Gill Jones with reg number for HPI check and sellers bank details for money transfer.

All done in 30 minutes flat on the internet, happy seller, happy Peter!

Easy !


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Having reviewed all the ideas, I think I like "wilsie"'s idea the best - let the seller come to the bank issuing the draft to ensure it is genuine. 

Then exchange draft for V5C transfer.

But, and I failed to mention this before, one should also execute a Bill of Sale to prove transfer of ownership, because the V5C is not proof of ownership (unlike a British Registered Ship, which is a document of title)

Dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s, but do not leave it to trust - the best conmen are the most 'trustworthy'

Caveat Emptor !

But, with care, a private sale can be beneficial to both parties.

Geoff


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## Garber (Aug 17, 2010)

I think even if a buyer is a bit of an expert on vehicles when they are purchasing for themselves rose tinted glasses can appear and catch them out just as easily as a novice especially if the vehicle ticks all the boxes at first sight 

So If i was paying that sort of money i would pay for a full AA/RAC inspection HPI is done on the inspection

some banks now do fast electronic transfer natwest started it money can clear in the same working day you request the transfer


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## cypsygal (Dec 19, 2009)

When we bought our m/h we did an hpi check and discovered that the sellers had outstaninding finance with Black Horse. i called Black Horse, andthey said that I could settle the agreement with them ( thereby ensuring that they no longer were the 'owners') and paid the remainder in cash to the registered owners. On the day, the named person on the loan phned Black Horse, gave them permission to speak to me, and I paid the loan off using my bank card. ( sadly they wouldn't take a credit card, as I was very excited about the possilbe tesco points!) We tried for the instant bank transfer but our bank ( Barclays) could not oblige in a decent timeframe. So we visitied the local branch, and did the big cash withdrawal. It was quite scary. We found the vehicle on Ebay, after the auction ran out, and we had to travel to Cardiff from Dover, to see the van and do the deal. However it turned out ok. We need to be cautious, but not everyone is out to get us, either!!

Good Luck.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Payment*

Hi

A secure method of payment is the CHAPS transfer. The sender instructs his bank to pay the money to the recipient's bank account. The funds move electronically and the fee is about £30. This service is only available Monday - Friday excluding bank holidays.

As you are the purchaser though you are in a less vulnerable position than the buyer in respect of payment. Talk to each other over a cuppa. The seller is probably thinking the same things as you.

Russell


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Peter (JohnsCross)

Re your purchase in 30 minutes, did that include the seller receiving confirmation of cleared funds in his account? If so, was it via Chaps?

Years ago I can remember selling $ multi-million aircraft and we would sit round a table for 2 hours, with all the paperwork in place, until the Seller's bank could confirm to their legal team that funds were cleared, at which point they would had over the completed transfer documents.

Maybe it has got generally quicker, but I suspect same could happen today.

Geoff


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