Avoiding
the buyer scams
There has been a growing problem from fraudsters
who have spotted an easy scam with "buying" cars or motorcycles advertised
for sale, particularly online. See a typical scam. More
and Metropolitan Police/VSTAG |
Test
driving caution
Never let
a buyer have the ignition keys unless you are in the car - they might drive off
and not come back! Also check the buyer's motor insurance cover thoroughly before
allowing them to drive your car. |
Choosing
a safe payment option
Ensuring safe payment is essential for both
the buyer and the seller. Sadly there are fraudulent bank notes, banker’s
drafts and of course credit and debit cards around, so prudent checks and procedures
are simply both necessary and wise. See our payment options guide. More |
Issuing
a receipt
Most
sensible buyers will want a receipt, so have one ready in duplicate for signing.
See our sample receipt. More |
Handing
over the car documents
On receipt of the
full payment, hand over the V5C registration certificate, the MOT certificate
and any other documents that were agreed as part of the deal – for example
the history file for the car. |
Notifying
DVLA of a sale
Following the sale and purchase of the car, the
seller as the Registered Keeper must complete Section 6 (the New Keeper Details)
of the V5C vehicle registration certificate with the buyer's details as the New
Keeper and complete Section 10 (the New Keeper Supplement) and then remove Section
10 and give it to the buyer. Then both the seller and buyer must sign and date
the declaration at Section 8. The first page of the VRC (Sections 1 to 7) must
be sent immediately to the DVLA. This is particularly important for the seller
because if the seller does not notify the DVLA that they have sold the car, they
will continue to be responsible for licensing the car and ensuring it has a current
MOT certificate and motor insurance cover. You will find most sellers will insist,
not unreasonably, that they will attend to this and ensure the first page of the
VRC is mailed to the DVLA immediately. It is wise to have with you a C5 envelope
and a stamp for that purpose. More |
