Buyer has paid finance off but disappeared
Discussion
Can the OP give a little detail on what happened before the finance was cleared.
Has he ever met this chap etc.
The fact you refer to texting and phoning him over a period of time suggests he is phoning a mobile. These don't charge themselves so if the phone is actually ringing then it may suggest he is alive and well but may have more pressing matters to deal with.
Has he ever met this chap etc.
The fact you refer to texting and phoning him over a period of time suggests he is phoning a mobile. These don't charge themselves so if the phone is actually ringing then it may suggest he is alive and well but may have more pressing matters to deal with.
unfortunately not dead so can't split the 15k between all posters.
here is the story:
He called me on Wed 24th Sep at 7.50pm and we agreed the sale of the car.
He rang on Thurs 25th at 4.50pm and i missed his call
I rang him about 10 mins later and he said he would be paying my finance off in the morning.
He sent me a text on Fri 26th asking if i had received an email from finance company.
I text him back to say, "no, i'll call the finance company"
I text him to say finance office had closed and i would speak to them tomorrow
I text him on Sat 27th saying that finance has cleared and when does he wish to settle up and collect the car.
I text again Mon 29th informing him of my week plans so he can arrange collection.
I text him on Wed 1st Oct asking again for plans.
I called him but no answer on Fri 3rd.
Following that i posted on here to ask for advice.
This morning (Monday) i have called the finance company just to double check and they no longer hold any financial interest in the car, i.e. it's paid off.
Am about to call and text him. Let's see what happens.
here is the story:
He called me on Wed 24th Sep at 7.50pm and we agreed the sale of the car.
He rang on Thurs 25th at 4.50pm and i missed his call
I rang him about 10 mins later and he said he would be paying my finance off in the morning.
He sent me a text on Fri 26th asking if i had received an email from finance company.
I text him back to say, "no, i'll call the finance company"
I text him to say finance office had closed and i would speak to them tomorrow
I text him on Sat 27th saying that finance has cleared and when does he wish to settle up and collect the car.
I text again Mon 29th informing him of my week plans so he can arrange collection.
I text him on Wed 1st Oct asking again for plans.
I called him but no answer on Fri 3rd.
Following that i posted on here to ask for advice.
This morning (Monday) i have called the finance company just to double check and they no longer hold any financial interest in the car, i.e. it's paid off.
Am about to call and text him. Let's see what happens.
kevinpiper said:
by the way, the texts i had been sending had delivery confirmation. Not sure whether that is concrete proof he is receiving them or not though.
It's only proof they're being delivered to his phone.Try finding him on whatsapp, if he has it you'll be able to see his "last online" time.
kevinpiper said:
I have a work blackberry with tighter security than Heathrow Airport so no whatsapp i'm afraid.
If he has lost my number then the only way he can trace me is if i readvertise so maybe i'll do that and see if he comes back to me.
Add the number to your personal phone address book and check If he has lost my number then the only way he can trace me is if i readvertise so maybe i'll do that and see if he comes back to me.
It does sound fishy, but as long as you have confirmation in writing from the finance company that they no longer have an interest in the car then any comeback is their problem and not yours. You could even write to them stating that you are suspicious of the buyer's motives and want to double check that their due diligence on the payment is satisfied. Any judge looking at it wouldn't give them the time of day if they went after you in court.
The statute of limitations may apply to the payment however which is six years so I would keep it handy should he ever turn up in future. I think you would be hard pressed to argue that it was a forfeitable 'deposit'.
ETA IANAL.
The statute of limitations may apply to the payment however which is six years so I would keep it handy should he ever turn up in future. I think you would be hard pressed to argue that it was a forfeitable 'deposit'.
ETA IANAL.
kevinpiper said:
unfortunately not dead so can't split the 15k between all posters.
here is the story:
He called me on Wed 24th Sep at 7.50pm and we agreed the sale of the car.
He rang on Thurs 25th at 4.50pm and i missed his call
I rang him about 10 mins later and he said he would be paying my finance off in the morning.
He sent me a text on Fri 26th asking if i had received an email from finance company.
I text him back to say, "no, i'll call the finance company"
I text him to say finance office had closed and i would speak to them tomorrow
I text him on Sat 27th saying that finance has cleared and when does he wish to settle up and collect the car.
I text again Mon 29th informing him of my week plans so he can arrange collection.
I text him on Wed 1st Oct asking again for plans.
I called him but no answer on Fri 3rd.
Following that i posted on here to ask for advice.
This morning (Monday) i have called the finance company just to double check and they no longer hold any financial interest in the car, i.e. it's paid off.
Am about to call and text him. Let's see what happens.
If it smells like a scam, looks like a scam and sounds like a scam- it is a scam, I would fire up the Finance Companies Fraud department right away...here is the story:
He called me on Wed 24th Sep at 7.50pm and we agreed the sale of the car.
He rang on Thurs 25th at 4.50pm and i missed his call
I rang him about 10 mins later and he said he would be paying my finance off in the morning.
He sent me a text on Fri 26th asking if i had received an email from finance company.
I text him back to say, "no, i'll call the finance company"
I text him to say finance office had closed and i would speak to them tomorrow
I text him on Sat 27th saying that finance has cleared and when does he wish to settle up and collect the car.
I text again Mon 29th informing him of my week plans so he can arrange collection.
I text him on Wed 1st Oct asking again for plans.
I called him but no answer on Fri 3rd.
Following that i posted on here to ask for advice.
This morning (Monday) i have called the finance company just to double check and they no longer hold any financial interest in the car, i.e. it's paid off.
Am about to call and text him. Let's see what happens.
Frankly anyone who buys a £22K car sight un-seen is abit loopy but if they turn up with cash don't complain... all this finance stuff is scam-smelling to high heaven.
Good luck!
Technically, the car is sold. Not fully paid for, but sold nonetheless.
You should not use the car.
You are not obliged to refund anything, but you could sue for completion of the sale i.e. the balance, and removal of the vehicle.
You could also sue for storage costs etc and any related expenses such as keeping the car insured and taxed, since any default would still be charged to you.
The above is all "technically" but good to bear in mind. Hopefully it will all resolve itself in the coming days. Perhaps buyer thought that clearing of finance was to take a longer time than it did and is taking it easy. Perhaps he also uses more than one phone, or used someone else's to conduct the deal.
You should not use the car.
You are not obliged to refund anything, but you could sue for completion of the sale i.e. the balance, and removal of the vehicle.
You could also sue for storage costs etc and any related expenses such as keeping the car insured and taxed, since any default would still be charged to you.
The above is all "technically" but good to bear in mind. Hopefully it will all resolve itself in the coming days. Perhaps buyer thought that clearing of finance was to take a longer time than it did and is taking it easy. Perhaps he also uses more than one phone, or used someone else's to conduct the deal.
kevinpiper said:
unfortunately not dead so can't split the 15k between all posters.
here is the story:
He called me on Wed 24th Sep at 7.50pm and we agreed the sale of the car.
He rang on Thurs 25th at 4.50pm and i missed his call
I rang him about 10 mins later and he said he would be paying my finance off in the morning.
He sent me a text on Fri 26th asking if i had received an email from finance company.
I text him back to say, "no, i'll call the finance company"
I text him to say finance office had closed and i would speak to them tomorrow
I text him on Sat 27th saying that finance has cleared and when does he wish to settle up and collect the car.
I text again Mon 29th informing him of my week plans so he can arrange collection.
I text him on Wed 1st Oct asking again for plans.
I called him but no answer on Fri 3rd.
Following that i posted on here to ask for advice.
This morning (Monday) i have called the finance company just to double check and they no longer hold any financial interest in the car, i.e. it's paid off.
Am about to call and text him. Let's see what happens.
If it smells like a scam, looks like a scam and sounds like a scam- it is a scam, I would fire up the Finance Companies Fraud department right away...here is the story:
He called me on Wed 24th Sep at 7.50pm and we agreed the sale of the car.
He rang on Thurs 25th at 4.50pm and i missed his call
I rang him about 10 mins later and he said he would be paying my finance off in the morning.
He sent me a text on Fri 26th asking if i had received an email from finance company.
I text him back to say, "no, i'll call the finance company"
I text him to say finance office had closed and i would speak to them tomorrow
I text him on Sat 27th saying that finance has cleared and when does he wish to settle up and collect the car.
I text again Mon 29th informing him of my week plans so he can arrange collection.
I text him on Wed 1st Oct asking again for plans.
I called him but no answer on Fri 3rd.
Following that i posted on here to ask for advice.
This morning (Monday) i have called the finance company just to double check and they no longer hold any financial interest in the car, i.e. it's paid off.
Am about to call and text him. Let's see what happens.
Frankly anyone who buys a £22K car sight un-seen is abit loopy but if they turn up with cash don't complain... all this finance stuff is scam-smelling to high heaven.
Good luck!
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