Sold my car privately - buyer wants money back?

PrincessJR

Hi,

I'm wondering where I stand on this one. I sold my car 10 days ago, in good faith. I had just put it through a new 12 months MOT so know that it was mechanically sound when I sold it.

The new buyer has not been in touch since purchase, but has emailed me today to say they are not happy and have had loads of problems (namely, a leaking sunroof, engine light on dashboard, leaking power steering fluid and the speedometer has apparently stopped working??)

I cant believe so much has gone wrong with it in 10 days! She wants her money back. I have emailed back asking why it has taken her so long to get back in touch with me? (she says the engine light came on on her way home the day she purchased the car)

I am thinking they must have thrashed it or something???

I made sure we both got a receipt stating "sold as seen" with both our signatures on it (something my dad advised me to do), so surely she cant now come back expecting her money back?

PrincessJR

Just to add: V5 was sent off and as far as I know the new buyer is now the registered owner. Do I still have any responsibility to the buyer/car?

I had the car 12 months and never had a problem.........I worry that the buyer knows where I live and as I have a small baby, feel worried she may turn up causing trouble.

victor2

She can't expect anything back. You've got the signed receipt as well. It's a case of "buyer beware", which goes in your favour in this case.

Edit:
She could be a thorn in your side though....

PrincessJR

Thanks. I know that she lives about 100 miles away but its only a 90 min journey really so if she wanted to cause trouble, Im sure she would make the journey.

Has put me off selling privately in the future!

muckybutt

Caveat emptor - Let the buyer beware, other wise sold as seen. No comeback on private sales .... tell her to politely do one

Aretnap

With a private sale the only way the buyer could have any comeback would be if the car was not as you'd described it (eg if you told them that the power steering had recently been repaired when it hadn't) or if the you didn't have the right to sell the car (eg if it was stolen or still subject to hire-purchase). Otherwise it's sold as seen and caveat emptor.

KTF

Bad luck to them. They might bug you for a bit but they have no comeback.

paddedjohn

PrincessJR wrote: »

Thanks. I know that she lives about 100 miles away but its only a 90 min journey really so if she wanted to cause trouble, Im sure she would make the journey.

Has put me off selling privately in the future!

She has no come backs on the car so that 100 mile 90 minute trip will actually be a 200 mile 3 hour return trip. Stand your ground.

Throbbe

You're under no obligation to take it back and refund her.

You could always offer to buy it back off her, although obviously she'd have to drop the price to reflect everything that has gone wrong with it since she owned it.

bluesnake

Are you sure she has not changed bits out in those 10 days to repair another car?

KTF

bluesnake wrote: »

Are you sure she has not changed bits out in those 10 days to repair another car?

Doesn't matter either way.