Message Forums

Sorry to hear of your health problems,the best price IMHO is usually from a private sale, just look in the classifieds of some magazines for near comparisons and of course dont forget UKcampsite classifieds, hope all goes well

 Stew

Selling privately it would assist if you have the following

1. CRISS registration documents. If you don't have these it would help if you contact CRISS and get the van registered in your name before you put the van on the market. After all who would buy a van if the seller cannot proove that they own it?

2. Evidence of any HP/Loan for the van having been paid off

3. Copy of all service receipts and the caravan handbook having been stamped after each service

Then invite prospective buyers to let an engineer survey it for damp etc.

Basically be as open as you can about the van.

When it comes to parting with the van (if you are selling privately) make sure the money is in your bank account before you let it go. Now most buyers would probably not want to part with a cheque and wait three or four days for it to clear before they get the van, so you need to get money in your account and give the buyer the van all at the same time. Tricky, but it can be done.

You can ask for cash but then you have to carry it the Bank. Then if the bank have a customer depositing a few thousand in cash they have to ask all sorts of questions to ensure that you are not money laundering. They may even notify HM Customs and Revenues of a big cash deposit. Not a problem, just a hassle.

You could ask the buyer to obtain a Bankers Draft which is a cheque from their Bank and not their own bank account. So its as good as the actual cash. You know it will not bounce. It will cost the buyer to get his Bank to issue a bankers draft but if he wants the van he will pay. Its not that much.

You could try a CHAPS payment. You and the buyer tell your respective banks that you want to make a deal via a CHAPS transaction just a few days before he is coming to pick the van up. On the day of collection you both go to your Bank and the seller gives you a cheque which you pay in and then go off and have a cup of coffee for an hour or so whilst the Bank does the electronic transfer of the monies. Best to ask the bank how long it will take. Then back to the Bank and the Bank will confirm that the money has been transferred into your account and you give the buyer the keys. Deal done. Again there is a cost to the buyer for this but its not much - £20-30ish.

Good luck

Phil

Quote: Originally posted by cwdc56768 on 18/8/2010

---

"You could ask the buyer to obtain a Bankers Draft which is a cheque from their Bank and not their own bank account. So its as good as the actual cash. You know it will not bounce. It will cost the buyer to get his Bank to issue a bankers draft but if he wants the van he will pay. Its not that much.

You could try a CHAPS payment. You and the buyer tell your respective banks that you want to make a deal via a CHAPS transaction just a few days before he is coming to pick the van up. On the day of collection you both go to your Bank and the seller gives you a cheque which you pay in and then go off and have a cup of coffee for an hour or so whilst the Bank does the electronic transfer of the monies. Best to ask the bank how long it will take. Then back to the Bank and the Bank will confirm that the money has been transferred into your account and you give the buyer the keys. Deal done. Again there is a cost to the buyer for this but its not much - £20-30ish."

____________

.............We have just bought a van privately and transferred the money via CHAPS.

The bank informed us there are some very good forged bankers drafts going around and as most people havent ever seen a bankers draft they dont really know what to check for - just a point to be aware of.

Good luck

---

Hi All,

Thanks so much for all the advice and information.  We have the CRISS registration documents along with all the van manuals etc & paid cash for the van as we bought it off a customer of ours who has his own caravan storage company so there is nothing outstanding on it.  We have paid the insurance & storage fee's up until next June so we could keep it for the rest of the year, enjoy some more weekends in it then look at selling it at the start of the caravan season next year as this is the time that we would also need the funds.

My worry with waiting till next season is that it will be even harder to give up when a whole caravan season is stretching out infront of us.  We never thought we'd be able to afford such a nice van at the grand age of 30 & when we bought it last year we had resigned ourselves to tenting but then we came into some money & decided as we'd never probably have that much again, we would buy the van.  It's just a bitter pill to swallow when you love something so much, but life has a habit of throwing things at you & right now we need the money to secure our future in other ways.

The information regarding bankers draft and CHAPS has been really useful so I will show hubby & as neither of us has seen a bankers draft before so wouldn't know what to look for.

We have decided to put some of the money from the van towards a tent that hubby at 6'4 can stand up in & which has a sig to keep the bugs away from me, so we will be making new memories.

If you happen to see two lost souls on a campsite looking longingly across at you in your lovely warm caravan with toilet, shower & proper bed then its probably us  

Thanks again for your help

Mrs MacP     

If you do leave it until next year remember that all dealers vans will have an extra 2.5% VAT on from January so perhaps there may be many looking for a private sale at a lower price.

What's this grand old age of 30? I have some vague recollection.........

Phil

Well we have decided to try  our luck so I've put an advert on the caravan club site and also on this site so hopefully someone will recognise a good investment when they see one.  I'm just hoping its not too soon as we've booked to go to the Dales for the bank holiday weekend  

Phil, after 5 days spent in Edinburgh visiting family & taking on everyone's wow's & issues, I felt more like the grand old age of 100! lol.  Back home in the lovely Riding & already feeling better for it!

Thanks again for your help.

Mrs MacP

That's the East Riding for you...the sun always shines and we all feel young

Phil