Seller legit? Not registered keeper

[bobcheeseman]

Hi all

I went to view a car yesterday which seemed perfect -- seller had spent hundreds servicing, and it was in good nick with a low mileage at a reasonable price (£1,750).

Having decided to buy it turned out that he wasn't the name on the V5. I asked why, and he said he bought it from an auction 6 months ago. I asked if he had a receipt for that purchase and he said no, and the reason the V5 wasn't in his name was that shortly after buying the car it turned out he didn't need it (was given a company car) so decided to fix the necessary bits and sell it on. I walked away as it gave me a bad feeling (after being ready to commit to buying).

Does this sound legit to you?

Some thoughts:

- Why didn't he send off the V5 and get himself registered, even if he decided to sell it on?
- Why spend all that money fixing it up without having registered himself? Presumably the auction price was low, so he could have sold-as-seen privately for a minor profit.

What do you reckon?

It's annoying because the car otherwise ticked all of my boxes. I'm not particularly experienced buying from private sellers, so would like to know if I've done myself out of a good deal here.

EDIT: I should have mentioned that I paid for a background check and there are no reports of it being stolen or having outstanding HPI. It also hasn't been taxed since December, but he has since then done an MOT, full service, and repairs (how?)

Edited by bobcheeseman on Sunday 15th May 13:48

Edited by bobcheeseman on Sunday 15th May 13:51

[PurpleMoonlight]

He is a trader pretending not to be.

[4x4Tyke]

I expect he is a backstreet trader masquerading as a private seller.

[bobcheeseman]

Thanks for the replies... would you have walked away too?

What I don't get is why he didn't have an auction receipt to prove ownership. With that I wouldn't care if he wanted to masquerade as ronald mcdonald.

[Phil Dicky]

If you like the car and it ticks all the boxes buy it..treat it as a private sale .

[bobcheeseman]

Phil Dicky said:

If you like the car and it ticks all the boxes buy it..treat it as a private sale .

But how can I be sure he has title to sell it?

[PurpleMoonlight]

Unless you are 100% happy, walk away. There will always be something else to buy.

[rallycross]

bobcheeseman said:

Phil Dicky said:

If you like the car and it ticks all the boxes buy it..treat it as a private sale .

But how can I be sure he has title to sell it?

Of course he does, what does it clearly state in bold letters on the top of every single V5??

The registered keeper is not proof of ownership

It makes no difference who it's registered to if the docs are present and the HPi comes back good then nothing to worry about.

[bobcheeseman]

rallycross said:

Of course he does, what does it clearly state in bold letters on the top of every single V5??

The registered keeper is not proof of ownership

It makes no difference who it's registered to if the docs are present and the HPi comes back good then nothing to worry about.

That's my point, there are no docs. He has nothing to prove that he bought the car -- no receipt from the auction deal.

[TooMany2cvs]

bobcheeseman said:

Phil Dicky said:

If you like the car and it ticks all the boxes buy it..treat it as a private sale .

But how can I be sure he has title to sell it?

What difference would him being the RK make to that?

[bobcheeseman]

TooMany2cvs said:

What difference would him being the RK make to that?

It would suggest more than a passing involvement with the car. If he has nicked it, or come to possess it in some other nefarious way, he's not going to register as the keeper. Not that the converse is true, but in the absence of other evidence of title it seems odd to me.

[rallycross]

bobcheeseman said:

That's my point, there are no docs. He has nothing to prove that he bought the car -- no receipt from the auction deal.

He has the V5 that's all you need to buy it.

Why do you think he'd show you the invoice from the auction ? If he bought the car to make a few quid he won't want to show you how much he paid will he.

[bobcheeseman]

rallycross said:

He has the V5 that's all you need to buy it.

Why do you think he'd show you the invoice from the auction ? If he bought the car to make a few quid he won't want to show you how much he paid will he.

Fair point, but without a V5 *in his name* how do I know he is, in fact, the owner, and his story isn't bks? (I know the V5 doesn't prove he's the owner, but it at least shows some connection between him and the car)

I edited the post above to add that it hasn't been taxed since December, although in the interim he's had it MOTed, serviced etc. Not sure if that makes a difference -- might suggest he is in fact a trader?

Edited by bobcheeseman on Sunday 15th May 14:02

[CAPP0]

How many private sellers have, and will show you, their original receipt?

[PurpleMoonlight]

Does an auction receipt state the mileage?

[bobcheeseman]

CAPP0 said:

How many private sellers have, and will show you, their original receipt?

Good point, probably very few.

I guess I was just taken aback because I sold my own car the day before, with my details on the V5, which although not proof of ownership for the buyer definitely implies my "involvement" with the car.

Maybe I'm being paranoid...

[Truffles]

CAPP0 said:

How many private sellers have, and will show you, their original receipt?

I do, but I hadn't realised I am in a minority (so it seems). I like to pass on everything associated with the car, and that includes all service invoices and receipts. I don't have any need for them any more.

[Roo]

I assume you've googled his phone number.

[bobcheeseman]

Roo said:

I assume you've googled his phone number.

Nothing from the phone number. The address has a dormant business registered to it.

[mickthemechanic]

Hi

Been a long time since I bought a car at auction but since the change in rules is it not the sellers responsibility to register the new keeper. How does this work at auctions.

Mick