What is the best way?

[ThePlotter]

Have been a caravanner since 1975 and changed vans regularly and bought our latest van just three years ago a Lunar Solaris 554 (dealer special Quasar)however even though its serviced and kept in a Protec cover have not been able to use it for almost two years due to health issues etc.

So sadly am thinking of selling it ,but that raises questions, how muchis it worth, should I sell equipment seperate,how do I ensure that the payment I get is ok before releasing the van.

Equally important where to advertise it to get best response from serious potential buyers.

 

[otherclive]

Have been a caravanner since 1975 and changed vans regularly and bought our latest van just three years ago a Lunar Solaris 554 (dealer special Quasar)however even though its serviced and kept in a Protec cover have not been able to use it for almost two years due to health issues etc.

So sadly am thinking of selling it ,but that raises questions, how muchis it worth, should I sell equipment seperate,how do I ensure that the payment I get is ok before releasing the van.

Equally important where to advertise it to get best response from serious potential buyers.

I would try the classifieds in the two Club magazines and their online ads. If you search the web fir a van like yours you will be able to see what dealers and private traders are asking. Dealers will normally sell below the asking price but of course need to cover themselves via offering a warranty and making a profit. It’s difficult to know a dealers margins but a caravan sold fir £8k by a dealer would probably go for £6.5-7.0k if sold privately. Have a damp rest carried out as a damp free van would aid the sale.
If you are wanting to sell literally everything I would lump all the kit in the sale as a damp free caravan with all kit is attractive to a buyer. But don’t overestimate the value of secondhand kit.
Lastly payment. I would go for cash or if you accept a cheque I would take it straight to my bank and pay a small amount for express clearance. The alternative is accept the cheque. Pay it in and await clearance. The buyer gets a receipt from you for x thousand pounds promising them the caravan and equipment subject to cheque clearance.

 

[RayS]

Sorry to hear of your decision - can't be easy.
Agree that it would be wise to get a damp survey privately. If these is a serious problem better to face it before negotiating. If there isn't keep the report handy, as any commercial buyer will inevitably bring their own tester and claim to find damp - if you have used any appliances recently a favourite area to test is the splash back and cupboard bottoms over the cooker which will quite often show up some surface moisture..
If your buyer has online banking, sit him/her down at yours and get them to do an on-line transfer into your account. This normally takes only a couple of minutes before the credit shows on your account.

As has also been said the value of kit is often much lower than seems reasonable - just look at some items on ebay and see. Aquarolls and Wastemasters ( or the generic versions) seem to make well less than half new price. Awnings are even more difficult to move individually - just look at the websites to see.

one approach is to group the kit together, advertise the vaan at a basic price saying 'kit is available by negotiation or similar. Pitch your asking price above your lowest acceptable and then 'reduce' it by including the batch of kit during the haggle.

May not work if the buyer is an established caravanner and already has most of it, but worth a try.

If at the end of the day you have no takers for the kit but are reluctant to take it to the tip, there is an organisation called Freecycle.org which may enable you to pass it on to those less fortunate, which gives a better feeling than just dumping, and in my experience you meet some interesting people in the process.

 

[otherclive]

As well as Freecycle I also use Freegle. As Ray says they are good and it’s amazing what people will take. Sometimes I suspect some of it may appear on Car boot sales but what the heck that’s better than landfill.

 

[Gafferbill]

...............If your buyer has online banking, sit him/her down at yours and get them to do an on-line transfer into your account. This normally takes only a couple of minutes before the credit shows on your account.

.

..............I agree.

This would be a requirement for me nowadays ......so easy and totally secure for both buyers and sellers of large ticket items.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Plotter,
Very sorry to hear your sad news. Giving up caravanning will no doubt come to us all. Hopefully you have found alternative enjoyable holidays.
I fully agree with the others about disposal and payments.
Just one word of caution, I recall somewhere down the line an overseas bank making on line transfers can at a future date recall the draft from your account without warning. Best ensure the transferring bank is UK and ask your own bank to confirm the transaction is complete and cannot be reversed at a later date. Good luck

 

[Gafferbill]

Faster Payments Scheme website states the following................

Faster Payments are processed in matter of seconds and once your payment is sent, it cannot be stopped or reversed.

For this reason it’s vital that you are certain that you are sending a Faster Payment to the right account. Before you make a payment to someone for the first time, double-check with them that you have the correct account number and sort code.

If you have been advised that the beneficiary’s account details have changed, check directly with them. Unfortunately fraudsters have been known to intercept mail/email and amend the account details.

If you do make a mistake (such as paying the wrong beneficiary, or sending the wrong amount), there is no guarantee that money can be recovered. There are processes in place for your bank or building society to follow to try to get your money back.

More information on payments in error can be found here.

 

[Dustydog]

Bill,
Are they a kind of U.K. PayPal firm?

 

[Gafferbill]

Alan.........as I understand it the system is very similar to how writing a cheque works but in modern electronic form.

Instead of taking several days money moves in seconds and instead of writing you are using code (bank sort and a/c numbers) and clicking on a keypad.

 

[Dustydog]

Thanks Bill,

I just want to be certain Plotter doesn’t lose his money due to an electronic scam. Call me cynical but sadly the con men have got so clever.......

 

[otherclive]

Faster Payments Scheme website states the following................

Faster Payments are processed in matter of seconds and once your payment is sent, it cannot be stopped or reversed.

For this reason it’s vital that you are certain that you are sending a Faster Payment to the right account. Before you make a payment to someone for the first time, double-check with them that you have the correct account number and sort code.

If you have been advised that the beneficiary’s account details have changed, check directly with them. Unfortunately fraudsters have been known to intercept mail/email and amend the account details.

If you do make a mistake (such as paying the wrong beneficiary, or sending the wrong amount), there is no guarantee that money can be recovered. There are processes in place for your bank or building society to follow to try to get your money back.

More information on payments in error can be found here.

Best then to transfer a small amount first as a tester.

 

[otherclive]

Alan.........as I understand it the system is very similar to how writing a cheque works but in modern electronic form.

Instead of taking several days money moves in seconds and instead of writing you are using code (bank sort and a/c numbers) and clicking on a keypad.

Is what you are referring to the normal internet bank transfer that RBS et al operate? I use that several times a week and pay tradesmen that way too if they ask.

 

[ThePlotter]

Decision not yet definite, damp tested on service and it lives in a protec cover.
Equipment probably best separate as includes new vango air beam, the Protec cover etc etc
will check out prices as suggested

 

[waffler]

In transferring money always send £1 first and see that it gets there. Then send the rest of the money. The bank will set up the initial payment and then when you send the remainder you use the existing recipient list. That way it can't go astray. If you do give up think about contacting your local club centres or DA. They may have someone looking for an outfit with all the kit.