What would you do?
Author
Discussion

ryanMIL

Original Poster:

180 posts

169 months

Sunday 20th January 2013
quotequote all
I 'sold' a car to a guy last weekend, he couldn't take it away then so we agreed that he'd leave me a small deposit (~10%) and that he'd collect it this weekend.

I sent him a text on Wednesday to see when he planned on collecting the car and to offer to collect him from the train station. No response. So, I've called him each day since Wednesday and left a message as he's not answered his phone.

Granted, the snow could put people off making unnecessary journeys (if they're ghey) but there's no obvious explanation for the lack of communication.

Whilst the car is sitting there, I'm having to keep it insured and it's taking up valuable space. What would you do?

Jasandjules

72,622 posts

259 months

Sunday 20th January 2013
quotequote all
Send him a message saying if he doesn't contact you and arrange to collect the car by next Sunday it goes back up for sale.

s3fella

10,524 posts

217 months

Sunday 20th January 2013
quotequote all
If you agreed on collection and rest of cash this weekend, specifically, I'd be inclined to message him by all means possible to give him a further 7 days to collect and pay, or explain why t, then tell I'm it will be back up for sale.

If you sell it again, you can keep any 'loss' on the original sale price, so long as it is reasonable, eg re advertising costs, cleaning it and even the difference in price between the original sales price and what you end up selling it for.

You can cover these extra costs and get the same cash as you'd first agreed to sell it for to the other chap, but you can't be seen to have profited from his pulling out, if indeed this is what he's done. So on e you're back to the same position as you would have been had this guy not breached his contract with you, you need to give him the rest of the deposit (if there is any) back.
If you lose out at the end of it and his 10pc does not cover your additional costs and selling price diff, then technically you can sue him, but in practice it may be tricky to do.

johnnyBv8

2,482 posts

221 months

Sunday 20th January 2013
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I'd be a bit stronger on this - if he's ignoring you then he's obviously changed his mind and also doesnt expect his deposit back. I'd just text saying "Cant get hold of you so assume you dont want the car - it is now being readvertised". If he replies asking for his deposit back, tell him to do one - you're spending it on advertising and otehr costs!

Whiskeydog

279 posts

165 months

Sunday 20th January 2013
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Do you have any other contact details for the buyer??? If it were me, i'd give him a few more days (just in case he is stuck at an airport somewhere etc), then re-advertise it.

ryanMIL

Original Poster:

180 posts

169 months

Sunday 20th January 2013
quotequote all
Thanks. I think I'll let him know he needs to contact me by Wednesday, after which I'll re-advertise it.

I wouldn't mind hanging onto it a bit longer if I knew he still wanted it, but the absence of any communication has just left me in the dark completely.

If he does decide he's out, he can sing for his deposit back...I can probably justify it all against losses.