Deposit on car

Tealseal

Hi
my son has put a £500 deposit on a car on a private sale paid via BACS the seller and my son agreed to exchange money and car on 6th June. However the seller wants him to have the car sooner but this is not possible due to the seller waiting for V5 ( private plate coming off) and my sons insurance. So the seller is going to sell the car to someone else and my son will lose his deposit. Can anyone advise please. TIA 

daveyjp

A deposit binds the parties to complete the deal on the date agreed.

If the buyer pulls out they lose the money, if the seller pulls out the buyer can try and enforce the contract, or more typically the deposit is returned in full.

Have you googled any mobile numbers to see if they buy and sell regularly?

Tealseal

Hi
Thank you for your reply. The car is still up for sale. I have googled him, his phone number and his address and nothing comes up. The seller was very rude on the phone and said he won’t return the deposit even though he says he has another buyer (who has offered more money apparently )  I’m not sure how to enforce it. 

Ectophile

If it was paid by bank transfer, the only way you will get the money back is by suing the seller.  For that, you need to know their (genuine) name and address.  Start with a Letter Before Action, giving the seller 14 days to refund the money.  At the end of the 14 days, start an on-line small claims.

You'd better hope that any contact information is genuine, or you will never see the money again.

Herzlos

Whats stopping your son buying it earlier? Is that still an option?

Tealseal

Hi
mainly due to selling his current car and needing the money from that. 

sheramber

Tealseal said:

Hi
my son has put a £500 deposit on a car on a private sale paid via BACS the seller and my son agreed to exchange money and car on 6th June. However the seller wants him to have the car sooner but this is not possible due to the seller waiting for V5 ( private plate coming off) and my sons insurance. So the seller is going to sell the car to someone else and my son will lose his deposit. Can anyone advise please. TIA 

I took a private plate off  three weeks ago. The new v5 arrived within a week.

DUTR

Tealseal said:

Hi
my son has put a £500 deposit on a car on a private sale paid via BACS the seller and my son agreed to exchange money and car on 6th June. However the seller wants him to have the car sooner but this is not possible due to the seller waiting for V5 ( private plate coming off) and my sons insurance. So the seller is going to sell the car to someone else and my son will lose his deposit. Can anyone advise please. TIA 

£500 is a large deposit for private sale,  if the seller has a new buyer, there should be no issue in returning the deposit.

EdGasketTheSecond

Except for an unscrupulous seller who will try and claim the son, never collected the car or paid the balance so he sold it to someone else; and also pocketed the deposit for extra 'expenses'. There are absolute r-soles out there that do this sort of thing.