Buyer bought a bus, paid in cash, drove it then brought it back

Thefunkygibbons

I would stay up at night and keep watch in case a second one turns up

Well, you know what buses are like

bleugh

Crikey......something doesn't sound right with this tho

impecunious

Some of you guys don't half make me laugh! The sloution to this problem is quite obvious and I'm a bit surprised that no-one else has mentioned it; considering that it was posted on a web-site devoted to us making a pecunary advantage out all situations.

What I would do is this:

As the buyer has left camper van on your property on purpose and of his own free-will and with no intention of wanting it back, I would consider it as a GIFT, re-sell it on Ebay (pointing out it's new defects) and then send half of the profits in gratitude to the person who suggested this solution in the first place!

Realist

Mate, its not your property now, inform him the goods are here waiting for his collection and if they are not collected within 10 days you will dispose of them.

You have a bill of sale (I HOPE) and proof that he paid you in cash (Re: Bill Of Sale) so your covered all ways.

After 10 days call a scrap merchant and get them to remove it, might cost you but worth it.

End of story.

Laters

impecunious

Realist wrote:

Mate, its not your property now, inform him the goods are here waiting for his collection and if they are not collected within 10 days you will dispose of them.

You have a bill of sale (I HOPE) and proof that he paid you in cash (Re: Bill Of Sale) so your covered all ways.

After 10 days call a scrap merchant and get them to remove it, might cost you but worth it.

End of story.

Laters

But why should the original seller have to pay for it to be taken away????? And, anyway, if you as a private individual have the legal authority to dispose of an item, you surely must have the authority to sell it. Your suggestion that you pay a scrap merchant out you own pocket to remove this camper van is, no pun intended, rubbish. This is moneySAVINGexpert.com after all.

This camper (apart from some now minor damage) is in perfectly working order and worth £800 after some minor repairs. And what do you think this scrap merchant who you suggest paying is going to do with this camper? Fix it up and put back on sale, that's what.

Realist

Your entitled to your comments and mine are not needed here when others are more knowledgable than me.

So I'll keep my gob shut from now on.

impecunious wrote:

But why should the original seller have to pay for it to be taken away????? And, anyway, if you as a private individual have the legal authority to dispose of an item, you surely must have the authority to sell it. Your suggestion that you pay a scrap merchant out you own pocket to remove this camper van is, no pun intended, rubbish. This is moneySAVINGexpert.com after all.

This camper (apart from some now minor damage) is in perfectly working order and worth £800 after some minor repairs. And what do you think this scrap merchant who you suggest paying is going to do with this camper? Fix it up and put back on sale, that's what.

golddustmedia

I would tread carefully, as you sold the bus it is no longer your property. (I would hope you have a receipt for sale of it!?). ANyway, I would not suggest moving it as that would constitute either tresspass of his property (the vehicle) of acknowedgement of responsibility. Instead write the guy a letter (recorded delivery!!!) stating that you expect him to remove the vehicle which appears to have been abandoned. If it is not moved you will consider it abandoned and dispose of it.

However, here's the fun part. You could ask him if he's abandoned this bus and offer him scrap value for the registration document, so perhaps £25 or something. Then when it's legally yours again, resell it. For it to go for £800 it must have had other bids on it so even if you only get half that it's more cash to you.

Any process of driving the bus onto the roads would make you liable to prosecution since the owner can say where he left it and if it's now in a car park someone must have moved it which the police would reasonably say was you.

Best bet is reason with the buyer to move it or sign it over to you so you can move it, if he refuses say you'll refer it to the police as abandoned.

You could even write to the DVLA and say someone has abandoned the vehicle on your land, can they transfer ownership to yourself. They then write to the owner asking permission to transfer, if he refuses then they have him for ownership and road tax or you get a free bus! Basically they class it as purchase without V5 document present.

black-saturn

golddustmedia wrote:

ANyway, I would not suggest moving it as that would constitute either tresspass of his property

In that case then it must be trespassing on the sellers property by being there.

code-a-holic

fubar wrote:

Although this jerk is trying to pull a fast one, I have to question when he brought the bus back you did not examine the bus, a missing trim is not hard to detect in what ever light there was, then you would have been able to point this out to the buyer at the time.

It is now your word against his that he damaged the bus, you failing to notice said damage does not help, he could say that he got a few miles down the road and it started to cough and splutter and thats why he brought it back to you and that you have actually damaged his property while you agreed to look at why it was coughing and spluttering, again its your word against his and to be quite honest I know if someone had purchased a vehicle from me I would have made sure it was fully examined even by torch light if they brought it back after taking it off my premises.

At the time, the guy came back 3 hours after taking it away at 6pm - (where the accident seems to have have happened is only 20mins away). He brought it back and parked it damage side to a brick wall and under a streetlight making a nice shadow. Should have looked at it then- but saw no reason too at the time.

impecunious

First off apologies to Realist - I must admit that I was OTT with my reply and you have every right to comment on any given subject, PERIOD. Sorry, mate.

I am still of the opinion that if someone deliberately leaves items on your property without wanting them back they belong to you. I'm not basing my arguement on the cliche "posssession is nine tenths of the law" but rather a criminal case I remember where some scumbags were nicking from bags left outside by nice people donating to charity shops. If I remember correctly, the charity shop mounted a survaillance operation and the the thieves were prosecuted by the charity shop. But, hey, what do I know, I'm not a lawyer!