Selling caravan privately - legal stuff

[Gill_5117884]

Hi,

We've just sold our caravan privately and the buyer is due to collect in a few days.

We thought that it may be worth getting the buyer to sign something just as proof of purchase and price, with some words around 'sold as seen'.

Does anyone have any advice they can share on this on a) should we bother with this and if so b) what to include on it.

Many thanks in advance.

Gill

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Gill,

If you are in the Caravan Club give their legal department a ring, i am sure they will be able to help.

Hamer

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Gill,

I think what you are suggesting is perfectly sensible and wise precaution. Providing it is a genuine private sale then a written confirmation is pretty irrefutable.

However you should be aware that there are certain things that may over ride such documentation.

If you do not have full title to the goods, or is there any outstanding loan or HP agreement, or heaven forbid that you have stolen the caravan.

If you or your partner are involved by way of trade or business in the selling of caravans, then the courts will be likely to consider that you should be conversant with trading law and then subject to the Trades descriptions and sale of goods acts. You cannot hide behind caveat emptor, ( Buyer beware) You are obliged to describe the caravan and to answer questions about the caravan accurately. If it were later discovered that you knew about a problem but failed to disclose when asked that could be a problem.

This makes it sound as though you can less economical with the truth when making a private sale, and yes some people may use it that way, but honesty is usually the best route

 

[Jo_5040485]

Hi Gill,

We've just sold our caravan privatley. We gave them a reciept stating that we had sold caravan with vin number xxxxxx to Mr A for the amount of.. and that the van was sold as seen. - I kept a copy of the reciept for our records.

We filled in the buyers name and address on the bottom of the CRIS registration document, we took a photocoy of that before we sent it off to CRIS, and the buyer took his bit of the document with him, just like when you sell a car.

Good luck with your sale.

Jo

 

[its_a_twiglethotmail.com]

We have just sold our van privately and the new owner rang up and had a problem. When it left us it was in great order, and when they got home the front had parted company with the floor!

We went and had a look, and as we thought that it might have had damp, said go and get a quote for what is wrong, and we would go from there as felt awful. Later found that the screws had sheared, and the van was not damp at all, so said sorry, must have been something that you have done as not like it when left us.

Rang trading standards and they said that unless you have mis sold it (such as a 4 berth as a 5 berth etc) then there is no comeback. They said that even if it was a damp problem, as we were not professionals in the trade, then could only offer our "opinion" and so we should walk away.

This is what we have done, but it has left us with a bad taste. We looked after the van for a few years, and the dealer that did the quote said so as well. To see it in the state after only a few hours, and with mud up onto the roof like it had been rallied (which we later found out it had gone up a farm track, probably at some speed to get mud on the roof which will have done the damage that they got) it was a little upsetting.

We buy from dealers so that we get a warranty and some comeback, even though a higher price. Doing a small thing that they sign then at least you will not have the situation that we have just been in.