Leaving a deposit. Private sale

[Garlick]

Tomorrow I am viewing a car for sale privately and as the banks are closed I won't have the full amount of cash on me. If I like it I intend to pop to the cash machine and leave £500 as a deposit, collecting with remaining balance ASAP.

Question is, what precautions should I take? I've never been in this position before (usually take full cash with me) and I wonder if a hand-written receipt is worth anything should something go wrong, or he claims I didn't leave a deposit at all.

I have no reason to not trust the seller, just getting things clear in my head.

[zippyprorider]

id say no way, it would be worthless as he could just say it wasnt his signature, im sure you would be fine but for me no way id leave 500quid with a stranger!

[AlpineWhite]

I guess at some point you have to make a leap of faith and trust them. I have no idea how much weight a handwritten receipt makes but it can't hurt to get one. The other option is to take something of value to the car away with you - the service history for example?

[hornetrider]

How much is the car? If it's security you're after why not shake his hand and give him the 'do you know who I am' speech!

[Jimbo_vx]

I always say that if i don't feel i can trust them to keep 200-500quid for a couple of days, i can't trust the car they are selling.

I would have no issue in leaving a deposit, and have done on many occasions. Ask for a reciept, it may mean nothing but people generally don't sign something they wont stand by.

[Garlick]

Hmmm, the car is only a few grand so maybe £100 to secure?

As for saying who I am I doubt this chap knows me from Adam, he just wants to sell his motor.

[blaineuk]

i would leave £100, not so bad if it all goes wrong.

[carl_w]

£500 seems a lot. I'd leave £100 and get a receipt for it along the lines of "Received £100 from Mr Garlick as deposit against <car make> <model> <reg no>. Balance of £xxxx payable on collection". SIgned of course.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Just make out a clear signed receipt identifying

• the car (VIN, type, colour and registration number)
• the recorded mileage
• the total price
• the deposit paid in cash and that it has been received by the seller
• the date when you expect to get the car.

There's no special form for any of this. Just make it short and to the point. Best to have two copies, both people sign both copies and retain one each.

This will give you a binding contract and enough to sue for your deposit back if it all goes pear-shaped.

[paddyhasneeds]

Maybe I'm naive but go with your gut.

Assuming the car is right, you want to buy it, he wants to sell it. You have to trust him not to run off with your money, he has to trust you that you're not giving him funny money or a dodgy draft etc.

I'd have said on a car at a few grand £500 is a bit much, probably £250 as a deposit as it's enough that I wouldn't expect you to be giving it me for the fun of it if I was selling.

[Rawwr]

Leave as much as you'd be prepared to lose. Personal judgement in these situations will go a long way.

[SEE YA]

Take a witness with you and a camera even.

[rallycross]

Just leave a deposit and get a receipt. If you cant trust the seller with a small deposit you shouldnt be buying a car from them!

Just ask yourself if you were selling a car how much would you want a person to leave to be sure they are coming back?

£100 definitely not enough from a sellers point of view even if its just a cheepy.

[read5458]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Just make out a clear signed receipt identifying

• the car (VIN, type, colour and registration number)
• the recorded mileage
• the total price
• the deposit paid in cash and that it has been received by the seller
• the date when you expect to get the car.

There's no special form for any of this. Just make it short and to the point. Best to have two copies, both people sign both copies and retain one each.

This will give you a binding contract and enough to sue for your deposit back if it all goes pear-shaped.

This.


Also helps to make sure they are aware that you want to see ID such as a driving lisence when going to view/put a deposit down.

The DL will also contain the persons signature.... albeit, a few years old.

[shoebag]

Last car I bought I paid the deposit by cheque as that is traceable. Can`t you do that?

[terzo]

Personally I think I'd take the risk that he won't find a buyer overnight and return in the morning with the full amount. If he is a shifty sort and keeps the deposit denying all knowledge of it, it will take a long time/laborious to get back.

[Kentish]

I had a similar prob.

I went to see an Audi offered for sale by a trader.

I liked it and left a £500 deposit but negotiated the 1 month MOT was renewed with a fresh 12 months.

He then got back to me to let me know it had failed due to emissions caused by a cracked cylinder head.

I said I still wanted it if the issue was sorted and a fresh MOT provided.

He agreed and 2 weeks later he called to tell me it was ready to collect.

I travelled the 40 miles (again) to collect it and decided to check it over before paying up and driving off.

Good job I did; it ran like a pig and billowed clouds of smoke and ran on only 4 cylinders.

I said I was not happy and wanted it running properly before I paid the balance and took it. I left it that he'd sort it and call me when ready.

Another 2 weeks passed and no word so I called him and he informed me he had sold it to someone else.

I obviously asked for my money to be returned and he flat out refused and justified keeping my deposit by saying that he had been subjected to the additional expense of rectifying a fault due to my request for the 12 months MOT so I had caused him to spend money he hadn't needed to.

I never did get a penny back unfortunately.

[john2443]

Providing you've viewed the car at the sellers house, I'd go for something like £100 if he'll accept that and get a receipt.

I've never had a problem doing that.

[Huntsman]

Kentish said:

I had a similar prob.

I went to see an Audi offered for sale by a trader.

I liked it and left a £500 deposit but negotiated the 1 month MOT was renewed with a fresh 12 months.

He then got back to me to let me know it had failed due to emissions caused by a cracked cylinder head.

I said I still wanted it if the issue was sorted and a fresh MOT provided.

He agreed and 2 weeks later he called to tell me it was ready to collect.

I travelled the 40 miles (again) to collect it and decided to check it over before paying up and driving off.

Good job I did; it ran like a pig and billowed clouds of smoke and ran on only 4 cylinders.

I said I was not happy and wanted it running properly before I paid the balance and took it. I left it that he'd sort it and call me when ready.

Another 2 weeks passed and no word so I called him and he informed me he had sold it to someone else.

I obviously asked for my money to be returned and he flat out refused and justified keeping my deposit by saying that he had been subjected to the additional expense of rectifying a fault due to my request for the 12 months MOT so I had caused him to spend money he hadn't needed to.

I never did get a penny back unfortunately.

I'd have dragged that through court.

Garlick - leave the bloke a hundred.

[scdan4]

Having experienced "sorry mate i've sold it to someone else", if i leave a deposit i take away the V5 and MOT paperwork.

The seller has the deposit and the car, I have a reciept and enough to stop them selling the car to a.n.other in the meantime.

Never had anyone refuse this and it feels a bit safer than just giving a stranger a few hundred quid.