Any legal beagles around???

[ValA.]

My son sold his old van last week for £700 as an MOT failure. He'd owned it three years, and had all the previous MOT's since he bought it. He gave these, and the failure statement, to the guy who bought it. It was bought by someone with trade plates, so presumably 'in the know'. This morning the guy has phoned and said the van has been 'clocked' and he wants a full refund.
We've said this is a 'Try on' but with clocking issues I'm not sure. If the van was 'clocked' then it was more than three years ago, before Will bought it, but how could he tell anyway if the MOT mileages stack up? Anyway, in the intervening week he could have taken any 'good' bits off and replaced them with rubbish.
This was a 'sold as seen' and I don't think the guy has a leg to stand on, but what does anyone else think?

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Val
Tell him to get stuffed.
Your son has been open , honest and fully disclosed the full history of the van as known to him, ie the previous 3 MOTs and the failure notice.
Anyone with Trade Plates is supposedly an expert, moreso than your son. He will fully understand "Caveat Emptor"!
If any clocking had taken place, and where is the evidence,he has to prove beyond reasonable doubt your son did it.
Has your son any legal Expenses type Insurance that may cover this eventuality for him?

 

[Parksy]

As Dustydog said, this guy is trying it on. Your son never implied that the mileage was genuine, why would he with an old MOT faIure?
Tell your son to ignore all future correspondence but to keep a record of it, and if this guy offers any threats or attempts at intimidation contact the police.

 

[ValA.]

Thanks chaps! Good news this evening. The guy rang back again, and Will had a very 'rational' chat, explaining that he was not a rogue trader, simply someone wanting rid of his old van, which he'd described honestly. Eventually the guy did acknowledge that he should have realised that a cheap, old, MOT failure van, was not going to go straight on the road, and run like a dream! He says he's going to put some extra money into it, to get an MOT and hopefully it will last him for the length of the job he needs it for!
Trouble is, my son wants to help the world, and feels sorry for everyone, from a pigeon chick in a nest he's found under a roof tile, to someone who wants his money back for a cheap old van!