URGENT help... car repossed for unpaid finance

[Rochester TVR]

Hi, I would be grateful for any advice anyone can give to the following...

In a nut shell...I had a phone call this morning from a friend of mine who said that at 7am two men (working on behalf of a finance company) knocked on his door and repossed his car due to outstanding finance from the previous owner...

Bit of background history...

Friend bought the car in April this year from a private seller (Miss A), he did a HPI check that came back saying there was outstanding finance on the car. So he phoned the finance company and was told that the finance had been cleared in full by credit card by Miss A's boyfriend Mr B a couple of months prior.

All good he thought and went ahead and bought the car with cash, only getting a hand written receipt off Miss A (the reciept says all finance had been cleared...which was true at the time)

Now it turns out that about 6 weeks after my friend paid for the car Mr B phoned his credit card company and said he did not recognise the payment and said it was fraud...

Credit card company takes X amount back from finance company and finance company take car back off my friend.

So now my friend is without a car and out of pocket as he paid for it with cash.

What can he do?

Thanks

Edited by Rochester TVR on Monday 21st September 13:07

[Rochester TVR]

Could getting the police get involved help?

If they reported it as stolen (or taken without consent) that could stop the car being sold at auction, as im guessing the finance company will sell it asap to re-coup the money they have lost...

[Rochester TVR]

Jasandjules said:

I assume your friend did not make any form of telephone note nor recorded it, nor sought confirmation in writing from the finance company that the car was clear.

No... written confirmation of cleared finance at all...

Jasandjules said:

Did the finance company not send him any letters before arriving to collect the car?

No letters, no phones calls... nothing.

Jasandjules said:

2. The seller is also liable given you were provided with a receipt which stated paid in full.

This could also be held to be fraud by the seller and her boyfriend, especially if he stated to his credit card company he knew nothing of the finance of the car.......

I'd get the police on it, along with writing to the Finance Company and the Vendor.

My thoughts exactly... I think he has been the subject to a well thought out and planned scam...

He is on his way now to see a solisitor, so i'll come back with any updates.

Thanks