Buyer not happy - advice needed

HHarry

TF03 said:

How should I respond to this, if at all? 

As advised above - you shouldn’t.  Block their number, and only worry about it further if it actually proceeds to the Small Claims Court.

They paid by Bank Transfer?  Then eBay can’t claim the money back.
They’ll contact a Solicitor?  Well, any half decent Solicitor is going to tell them they’ve got no chance.

On the slight chance that you get an official looking letter from a Solicitor, just re-iterate your reply above.  On the even slighter chance that they waste their money on a Small Claim, come back for more advice.

Herzlos

TF03 said:

They have since replied back "yes but it's still not as described. I'm really sorry but I will be making a claim through eBay and a solicitor".
...
How should I respond to this, if at all? 

"No problem. I shall no longer respond directly and await a resolution via eBay and solicitors" and then ignore everything else he says.
eBay won't side with him and neither will a court, so you've got nothing to worry about.
How do you know it actually broke down or that he hasn't bought it to swap out parts for another van that he owns and is trying to return the bad bits? You don't even know if it's actually been clocked.

He's the supposed expert here and should have applied due diligence.

RestlessOverDebt

Hi TF03
"They have since replied back "yes but it's still not as described. I'm really sorry but I will be making a claim through eBay and a solicitor".
Sounds like there trying to frighten you into giving them 'even more' money.
The buyer can go running to as many solicitors as they wish. At the end of the day you acted in good faith and you have a signed agreement as stated below in BOLD.
"The buyer and I signed a copy each of a receipt each (the AA buyer/seller contract one) detailing the agreed negotiated price and why I had taken the extra £300 off. We have a copy each. It states "It is understood by the purchaser that the vehicle is sold as seen, tried and approved without guarantee."
Please do not give them any more money/compensation.

TF03

Thank you everyone for your quick replies. It is putting my mind at ease somewhat. I am pretty confident they are telling the truth about breaking down as the photo he sent was on the hard shoulder of the M25 with a tow truck present.

Jumblebumble

Don't respond as it is not your Van and if they wanted a warranty they should have gone to a dealer 
An entry on the MOT check site 13 years ago means nothing except someone might have made a mistake at the MOT station/ Data transfer between systems etc, and you will never be able to say either way
My 3 year old lease car did not exist as far as DVSA were concerned at it's first MOT.

Soot2006

TF03 so sorry this happened to you.  I sold my old horsebox one year ago, almost exactly to the day, and I still feel guilty when I see on facebook that it's nothing short of perfect all the time, so I really sympathise with you.  My buyer spent £180 on a pre-purchase inspection which was like sitting an exam but made me feel a lot better about selling it actually. It was worth almost exactly the same as yours, sold for £7,500 (advertised for £9000 but the pre-purchase inspection uncovered a few things I was very happy to knock off the price, as, like you, I really didn't want to sell a dud or put any horse in danger).

Stay confident; keep all your evidence and your own older receipts just in case, and stick to your guns as a private seller who sold an older vehicle in good faith.  If they want to take you to court, it's on them, but they'll need a stronger claim than they appear to have.

burlingtonfl6

Ebay won't do anything and he won't get a solicitor involved. Block him and forget about it

blackdog2220

An entry on the MOT check site 13 years ago means nothing except someone might have made a mistake at the MOT station/ Data transfer between systems etc, and you will never be able to say either way

I juust googled how long that system had been running , strangly most sites inc goverment ones state 10 yrs 

the other thing worth noting is that the goverment MOT went computerised in 2006 and data was hand written before that point 

my thoughts are that back in 2010 when the van had a "proffessional rebuild" the dash board area was spruced up , possably even to remove a tacho ?? who knows , possably dash from delux , or even a wooden dash to replace the one that had size 9 boot prints on it 

the change in milage , if indeed there was one , was at the time of the rebuild 

L9XSS

The purchaser bought it in good faith, you sold it in good faith. From what you have said, you were very honest about the vehicle. The purchaser didn’t check the MOT history (although he is an ex motor dealer?) more fool him. You knocked further money off for faults on the day.
walk away and do not corr3spond any further. Hopefully you posted the V5 off, they now own the car faults and all.

jimjames

Trying to find the thread but it sounds very similar to one from a few years back where someone else bought a horse box and then tried to get refunded from the seller.

Good news is that they're the other side of the country so a bit more difficult for them to try to bring it back to you. Good advice here, follow that and you should be fine. If it was a Classified Ad on eBay then that isn't covered by their money back guarantee so eBay will do nothing anyway and any suggestion that the buyer is taking it to eBay is just hot air.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy?id=4210#excluded-items

Edit - found it
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5569350/help-private-car-sale-wants-refund
Yet another motor trade horse box buyer that doesn't bother checking the vehicle they are buying and then doesn't like it