Went to buy a car...hpi shows outstanding finance

[C.A.R.]

...And the current owner was unaware (or is claiming to be, and I believe them).

The HPI check gave me a number for Black Horse (part of Lloyds?) Financing company and a reference to the finance agreement. The current owner is going to phone them in the morning but is there any reason why I can't call them as well? It's showing as a Hire Purchase agreement for 3 years but doesn't tell me any more than that.

It was a good price because of some cosmetic damage but it's not a too-good-to-be-true price, so I think the seller is genuinely unaware.

Should I just run a mile?

[ALawson]

Unless it's something very specialist/rare I think you have answered your own question!

[Scrump]

A HPI check showed outstanding finance on a car I was looking at on behalf of a relative. The seller claimed to be unaware of any finance.
I called the finance company and they confirmed the finance was cleared years earlier (the date coincided with the date the current owner purchased the car). For whatever reason it had not been removed from whatever system HPI use.
Got a letter from the finance company and went ahead with the purchase.

[C.A.R.]

Thanks for both replies.

Unfortunately I was working all day so only just rang the HPI check company and they can't obtain any more information on current status until the morning since Black Horse closed at 5...

Finance agreement started in 2017 for 3 years, so still in date. Sounds bad. Will persevere with one more phonecall hoping for the unexpected and otherwise run a mile (or further!)

Feel for the seller if they're genuine, otherwise they're a very good actor!

[jjwilde]

The problem is con men (and women) tend to be excellent actors and that's why they do it for a living.