Selling a car privately

TUS

I'm a bit of a noob at this ... so some basic advice please :-)

Will be selling my car privately in the next couple of months. What do I need to remember to do once a sale has been agreed?

V5

* My understanding is we both complete the V5 to transfer ownership but it is MY job to send it off to the DVLA?

Tax

* If there is tax remaining and I am leaving it on the car for the buyer, do I need to do anything at all?

Insurance

* Do I just trust the buyer that they have insurance to drive it away? Or is it not my problem if they don't?
* Likewise, for a test drive do I ask to see their license and fully comp insurance?

Thanks in advance.

ScreamingSoul

TUS wrote: »

I'm a bit of a noob at this ... so some basic advice please :-)

Will be selling my car privately in the next couple of months. What do I need to remember to do once a sale has been agreed?

V5

* My understanding is we both complete the V5 to transfer ownership but it is MY job to send it off to the DVLA?

Correct. If he gets caught by a speed camera and you trusted him to send the log book off, guess who will get the ticket.

Tax

* If there is tax remaining and I am leaving it on the car for the buyer, do I need to do anything at all?

Nope. You could sell the car without tax and send the disc back for a refund. not worth it if there's not long left before it's due for renewal.

Insurance

* Do I just trust the buyer that they have insurance to drive it away? Or is it not my problem if they don't?
* Likewise, for a test drive do I ask to see their license and fully comp insurance?

Thanks in advance.

If you want to let them drive it then it is wise to ask for their insurance. They wouldn't be covered fully comp. A lot of policies allow you to drive another car with the owners permission as long as the owner has insurance for the car. The buyer would only be covered for third party in this case.

As for having no insurance, there's probably a law which says you'll be a naughty boy if you let them drive it away once they've given you the cash but I don't know of anybody that's been prosecuted for it.

forgotmyname

V5 yes its your job to send it off, If you give it to the buyer they may not and you will get the fines they rack up.

Tax, Nothing to do.

Insurance, Well if they test drive the car with no insurance and crash it you lose out. No car and no money.
Once they have paid then its down to them.

Lots of scams around so be very careful anyone buying unseen or offering more than its worth or wants it shipping
then run away fast.

paulsad

Don't forget to give a written, dated receipt noting all your agreements with the buyer ie sold as seen etc. any other things that buyer may use (not saying they would but better safe than sorry) to come back at you.
I went to see a BMW very old car advertised as full service history - the seller (father of a car dealer he was seling it for) showed me the stamped book - I noticed that the last 6 services were done with the same rubber stamp and basically the same day of the month written on each stamped service ie 1st September 1996, 1st Sept 1997 etc. The seller swore blind it was true so I politely left.

Inactive

Make sure that you get the buyer to sign a dated and timed bill of sale.

Because any motoring offences committed by the buyer on their way home could be down to you if you do not.

The insurance of the vehicle once it is sold is not your problem.

ScreamingSoul

Inactive wrote: »

The insurance of the vehicle once it is sold is not your problem.

Depends on whether the buyer is stopped by a picky constable.

Road Traffic Act 1988
143 Users of motor vehicles to be insured or secured against third-party risks.

(1)Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act—


(b)a person must not cause or permit any other person to use a motor vehicle on a road [F2or other public place] unless there is in force in relation to the use of the vehicle by that other person such a policy of insurance or such a security in respect of third party risks as complies with the requirements of this Part of this Act.

Inactive

ScreamingSoul wrote: »

Depends on whether the buyer is stopped by a picky constable.

Road Traffic Act 1988
143 Users of motor vehicles to be insured or secured against third-party risks.

(1)Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act—


(b)a person must not cause or permit any other person to use a motor vehicle on a road [F2or other public place] unless there is in force in relation to the use of the vehicle by that other person such a policy of insurance or such a security in respect of third party risks as complies with the requirements of this Part of this Act.

Erm, how does that come in to play?

The car will no longer belong to the OP, so the seller isn't going to " cause or permit " anything, it isn't their car, it isn't their problem.

ScreamingSoul

Inactive wrote: »

Erm, how does that come in to play?

The car will no longer belong to the OP, so the seller isn't going to " cause or permit " anything, it isn't their car, it isn't their problem.

In plain English for you

You must not knowingly allow an individual to drive a car if they don't have a minimum of third party insurance.

Inactive

ScreamingSoul wrote: »

In plain English for you

You must not knowingly allow an individual to drive a car if they don't have a minimum of third party insurance.

Don't talk rubbish, the car no longer belongs to the OP, he/she has no further interest in it, once the sale is concluded.

It is none of their business.

Gene_Hunt_2

ScreamingSoul wrote: »

In plain English for you

You must not knowingly allow an individual to drive a car if they don't have a minimum of third party insurance.

Only if you are the owner or have some comcern with the vehicle. Once sold not your problem.;)

ScreamingSoul

Inactive wrote: »

Don't talk rubbish, the car no longer belongs to the OP, he/she has no further interest in it, once the sale is concluded.

It is none of their business.

Doesn't matter. The act makes no mention of owning the car.