Questions to ask a private seller

The questions to ask a private seller cover six things: how long they have owned the car and why they are selling, the service history, the MOT record and its advisories, any finance, any accident damage, and the keys and documents. Ask most of them on the phone before you travel, then ask again in person and check the answers against the paperwork and the car.

Private sales are usually cheaper than dealer sales, but you have less protection. A private seller must describe the car accurately, and must not lie when you ask a direct question. The rules on satisfactory quality that cover dealers do not apply. That makes your questions, and a record of the answers, more important.

Ask before you travel

A short phone call saves wasted trips. Ask the seller to give you the registration so you can run the free check before you go. It shows the make, model, colour, tax and MOT status and the full MOT history, so you can see whether the car in the advert is the car on the record.

Then ask:

• Is the car still for sale, and is the price open to offers?
• Is the V5C in your name, at the address where I will see the car?
• Is there any finance on the car?
• Has it been in an accident or been written off by an insurer?
• Are there any warning lights on the dashboard?

Write down the answers. You will compare them with what you see later.

Ownership and the reason for sale

Ask how long they have owned the car and why they are selling. Good answers are ordinary: a new car on order, a growing family, a change of job. A seller who has owned the car for a few weeks deserves a follow up question about why it is going so soon.

Ask how they use it. Short trips, long motorway runs and towing all wear a car differently. The answer should fit the mileage on the dash and the readings on the MOT record.

If the person selling is not the registered keeper, ask why. Selling for a relative can be genuine, but you should see evidence, and you should be wary of anyone who cannot explain it clearly.

Service history and the MOT record

Ask what service history the car has, and ask to see it. A stamped book is useful; invoices are better, because they show what was actually done and at what mileage. Check that the mileages rise in order.

Ask about the big items that are due by age or mileage, such as a timing belt on cars that have one, brake fluid and the clutch. If a major job is due soon, the price should reflect it.

The MOT history shows every test result, the recorded mileage and any advisories. Ask the seller about each advisory on the last two or three tests. Has the worn tyre been replaced? Was the corroded brake pipe fixed? Ask for the invoice. Our guide to MOT advisories explains which ones matter most.

Finance and accidents

Ask directly whether there is any money owed on the car. With hire purchase or PCP, the finance company owns the car until it is paid off. A private buyer in good faith has some protection under the Hire Purchase Act 1964, but that does not cover logbook loans, and a dispute is still something you want to avoid.

Ask whether the car has ever been in an accident, had an insurance claim or been written off. Since October 2017 insurers use four categories: A and B must not return to the road, while S (structural) and N (non-structural) can be repaired and sold. A seller should tell you if a car is one of these.

Do not rely on the answers alone. A full history check for £9.99 shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, a police stolen marker, keeper changes and plate changes, so you can test what the seller has told you.

Keys and documents

Ask how many keys come with the car and see them all. A missing spare can be expensive to replace, and a car with one key may have a story behind it.

Ask to see:

• The V5C. It names the registered keeper, which is not necessarily the legal owner. Check it has a watermark, and that the name and address match the seller and where you are viewing the car.
• The VIN. Check that the VIN on the V5C matches the VIN on the car, usually at the base of the windscreen, on a door pillar or under the bonnet.
• Service records and receipts for recent work.
• The locking wheel nut key, if the car has locking wheel nuts.

Our used car inspection checklist covers what to look at on the car itself once the paperwork is in order.

How to read the answers

Most sellers are honest, and most cars have a dull history. What you are looking for is consistency. The answers on the phone should match the answers in person, and both should match the paperwork, the MOT record and the history check.

Treat these as reasons to slow down:

• Vague or changing answers about ownership or the reason for sale.
• A V5C in another name, or a viewing away from the address on it.
• Missing documents with an excuse that cannot be checked.
• Pressure to decide quickly, or a request for cash only.
• A price well below similar cars, with no clear reason.

If something does not add up, ask once more and listen to the answer. If it still does not add up, walk away. There will be another car.

Common questions

Written by James Parry. Last reviewed 11 November 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.