Seller not wanting to meet at home a red flag?

the deftone

I was just on to a seller and we negotiated a price we were both happy with. I was going to view the car over the weekend but they wanted to meet me in a random Tesco car park. I said I'd prefer to meet them at their home and they said no way as they don't know who I am (not sure what they thought I was going to do)

Would this be enough for you to walk away from a deal?

DesperateDan

I do think some people just assume strangers on the internet are paedophile cat burglars who would love to use the opportunity to buy a car while casing the joint. But for me I would walk away because if anything went wrong you really would be f*cked

Isambard

your call, you've spoken to them and formed an opinion of them. If that was OK, then why worry where you meet them? If you are taking cash, take a minder with you

endacl

DesperateDan wrote: »

I do think some people just assume strangers on the internet are paedophile cat burglars who would love to use the opportunity to buy a car while casing the joint. But for me I would walk away because if anything went wrong you really would be f*cked

If anything goes wrong with the car in a private sale they don’t have a comeback, or are, as you put it, f*cked.

Seller probably wants to avoid the possibility of a buyer coming back and complaining that there was something wrong with the car and they want their money back. Fair enough.

893bet

Nothing strange.

If I was selling a car in perfect nick I would prefer to meet in a car park also

How do I know if something is going to go in the car next week or the week after and buyer will show up.

The sellers address is on the log book so you can note it from there if you really want.

Just out of curiousity, but why do you want to meet at their house in the first place? What difference does it make?

What if he said okay, and gave you a random address in his town, and met you there instead?

You've no comeback anyway, and it's easier to find a Tesco that may have some CCTV incase anyone's up to any shenanigans.

Calltocall

I don’t think there’s anything odd about this, I’d be reluctant to bring strangers to my house when selling online etc, I’d usually go for a neutral venue, you just don’t know who you could be meeting therefore it’s just a safety precaution

the deftone

I was just going by the sticky on this sub, it said to always meet the seller at their home, seemed to make sense to me....

Heres Johnny

It's a catch 22 really, if I was buying I'd like to meet at the sellers house so I knew who they were and not taking some false identity and selling a car that wasn't theirs to sell, but if I was selling I wouldn't want to sell from my house in case the buyer assumed he has a warranty or can come back with problems. Pain in the hole buying and selling privately really but best way to sell a car really to avoid the cheap dealers low balling you. So it's one or the other

pippip

Ask to meet in garda carpark.

McCrack

Walk away OP

Also why would you negotiate the price without first viewing and testing the car

Murt102

Whenever I’m selling a car i meet viewers in my local village at a place i know that has CCTV (and also a lot of people driving/walking past). If they want to buy the car then i bring them to my house and we sort out the logbook & cash there.

Never had an issue with anyone going down this route, and i reckon I could’ve sold about 20 cars over the last 5 years.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

I don't like it... if the seller has nothing to hide they should meet you at their home. The thought of meeting someone at a Tesco car park worries me... Not that you'd be mugged or anything like that, I'd just suspect there's something off with the car.

Doblin

There have been lots of horror stories on Joe Duffy about people meeting to buy cars in supermarket carparks, one thing that's always come up is that it's very difficult/impossible to get the CCTV footage from the supermarket when something goes wrong.

standardg60

Murt102 wrote: »

Whenever I’m selling a car i meet viewers in my local village at a place i know that has CCTV (and also a lot of people driving/walking past). If they want to buy the car then i bring them to my house and we sort out the logbook & cash there.

Never had an issue with anyone going down this route, and i reckon I could’ve sold about 20 cars over the last 5 years.

Agree 100%, whether buying or selling i'm happy to meet somewhere easy to find to view a car, but always complete the sale at the house, mine or theirs.

If the seller is reluctant to do this i would smell a rat, and i wouldn't rely on a logbook address either, as it could still be in the previous owner's name.

JC01

Sold tonnes of cars over the years and refuse to meet at my house. Considering some of the absolute 'characters' I've meet through some of these sales I'm glad of it too.

As said if the deal works out and you buy the car you'll see the owners address on the log book anyways.

bazz26

This is a double edged sword. Sellers are always advised to meet in a very public place too. You hear horror stories from both sides of the fence so I can understand the reluctance of the seller too.

I would do the initial meet/test drive in a public place with plenty of people and cctv about, bring a friend. Buyer and seller need to establish an element of trust first. Once buyer is happy with the car and the seller is happy then finalise the sale at the sellers home over a cup of tea.

harr

Not cars but I do buy and sell a far bit of camera gear on adverts and to be honest I would prefer to meet somewhere away from my house and somewhere busy enough with cctv but on adverts especially I would judge it based on feedback a lot of the time. In answering the OP I personally wouldn’t find it strange to meet up away from someone’s house. I know one lad near me who had his motorbike taken after someone came to view it from an online add he wanted to meet at a local garage but potential buyer said he wouldn’t and wanted to meet in his house because he would have cash on him .. bike stolen 4 hours later.

Del2005

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Just out of curiousity, but why do you want to meet at their house in the first place? What difference does it make?

What if he said okay, and gave you a random address in his town, and met you there instead?

You've no comeback anyway, and it's easier to find a Tesco that may have some CCTV incase anyone's up to any shenanigans.

You have some comeback in theory when buying privately but it's difficult to enforce.

But if I'm giving someone several grand I want to know that they own what they are selling, because you have absolutely no comeback if it's stolen. The only way to do this is at the property its registered to and checking their drivers licence.

As for them meeting you at a random house. Ask to use the toilet.

Harry Palmr

If the car is a runabout for cash deal to be traded then and there I'd run a mile. Or bring two people with you

Allinall

OP. You’re suspicious of the seller because he won’t meet at his house.

I’d say he’s equally suspicious of you by wanting to meet in a Tesco car park.

Meet him at the neutral venue and as mentioned earlier, establish trust.

It’s very easy to spot a scam seller, as it is a scam buyer.

Steve

Meet at an indie mechanic you trust. Pay them a few quid for a once over. If they're not willing then run a mile..

Atlantic Dawn

Is he selling about 10 cars and is a part time dealer on the side and wants to hide this fact or is this the one and only car he has for sale?

I'd certainly not bring any money with me if meeting on neutral ground, I would also insist on photo ID be it passport or driving licence and make sure this matches with the VLC/logbook if not meeting at his house.

Out of interest is the car under valued? Very odd a legitimate seller would negotiate price over the phone and accept offer with no viewing, could be a stolen/cloned car they are hoping to offload to you or rob your cash when you view.

topmanamillion

I'd ask to see photo ID to verify the name and address on the logbook.

Have a mechanic check it over as well. He can't verify something won't go wrong with it in a weeks time but at least he can say its in reasonable working order and not a chop shop job.

PsychoPete

I'd never sell from the house and I wouldn't be giving them photo id either if that's a deal breaker then so be it

badboyblast

Listen go with you gut, never bring money, tell the person you will go to your local bank and do the transfer between accounts there and then in front of them if the value of the car is anything more than a grand or two.

Draw up an invoice as well, if I had nothing to hide it would`nt bother me where I met or what the person buying my car wanted.

I’d never bring someone within an asses roar of my house when selling anything, very surprised so many appear to be willing to do this it’s inviting trouble on yourself and letting people scope out you’re property. I wouldn’t even have thought to ask people to meet at their house when buying as I’d assume like me that they won’t do it and I’ve bought loads including cars without issue.

Padre_Pio

Are people really this paranoid about meeting at their house?

I would be very put off if someone didn't want to meet at their house.
For one, I'd like to see the car when it's cold and make sure it starts ok.

Samuri Suicide

Tough one. I've sold cars from my house and bought cars in car parks. I bought an e11 corolla 2 yrs ago in a Tesco car park in Carlisle and drove it home to the Highlands. Sold a Rover 25 two days later from my driveway...

You are buying the car not the seller.

farna_boy

I'd say any initial contact should be done in a public place e.g. car park. It gives both people a chance to check each other out.

At that stage, the seller can refuse to sell the car if they think they might be dodgy or if they don't want them seeing their house.

If the seller accepts a deposit though, the next meeting should be at their house to sign over the car.

If the seller refuses to meet at the house, I would walk away.

Unless you are buying something special, chances are that another car with a better seller will come up again.

If it's a very good deal and the seller refuses to meet at their house, it should tell you everything you need to know.

PGE1970

I bought a painting a few years ago. I offered to meet the female seller in a public place but she insisted I come to her house (nothing untoward before you ask )!

Nice lady. We agreed a price and I had a cup of tea. On my way out I politely asked was she not worried if I had turned out to be a nutcase and she said that I sounded "kind" on the phone!!

I have sold two cars in the last seven or eight years. Both were viewed/agreed in a public place and the deals completed at (outside) my house later.

I bought a second hand car from a sound bloke when we met at Airside. I got the car checked out by my mechanic later in the week, met him again and exchanged funds.

Nothing strange in not wanting strangers at your house imo particularly if they know you have cash.

_Brian

I don’t think it’s a big deal if everything else looks Ok. I’ve done it myself.

Padre_Pio

Padre_Pio wrote: »

Are people really this paranoid about meeting at their house?

I would be very put off if someone didn't want to meet at their house.
For one, I'd like to see the car when it's cold and make sure it starts ok.

Many are probably looking at this from the point of view of living in a busy estate or in a city etc where they do the deal on the side of the street and the person sees no more than the front of a house.

Bringing someone out to a house in the country though where they can see the area is a bit quiet, multiple other cars at the house, expansive machinery or tools around often in unlocked sheds etc etc is a totally different ball game.

Brussels Sprout

I have sold two cars in the past 12 months on DoneDeal. In both cases there was nothing wrong with either car but I still made sure to meet in a shopping centre car park. My reason for this was that I didn't want the person showing up at my house if something subsequently went wrong with the car.

Andrewf20

Fine to meet in car park for initial viewing but I need to buy from house for 2nd view & purchase. Alot of people are nervous of chances out there.

Tbh the buyer will see the address of the seller on the vrc anyway. Some also want to take a photo of it.