Author: Roxanne Bradley
Published: January 13, 2017
Reading time: 2 minutes
This article is 7 years old.
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This often occurs in the motortrade, usually when purchasing from auction houses the current registered keeper’s name will be different. If however you have been approached by someone who claims to be in the “motortrade” then proceed with caution! The main issue here is whether that person has got authorisation to sell/pass on title of ownership. Relatives of the named keeper should also be dealt with an open mind!
For instance, if Mr P approaches you to purchase a vehicle, the registered keeper happens to be Mrs P, you agree to purchase the vehicle and the purchase price is handed over. Mrs P / the Police then contact you to say the vehicle has been stolen by her husband (they are currently going through a bitter divorce) because Mrs P has not given her consent for title of ownership to be passed. Even though you have paid the purchase price, you are not the legal owner of the goods.
You are then left with no vehicle and out of pocket.
The obvious first check to do is the vehicles history however we often see that these checks have delays when it comes to interests being shown but also check with the named keeper before making any agreement to purchase.