Problems with HPI selling car.

[dpick]

I have recently tried to sell a car I used to tow my caravan. When the dealer checked with HPI they logged 5 problems the best being not my car and vin incorrect.

 

When I checked with HPI company the dealer used they would not talk to me as I had not raised the original HPI check. I had topay £19.99 for a HPI check to find that the HPI data was some 6 months out of date.It took me 1 call to DVLA and 3 calls to HPI and the threat of recovering money I was losing with the dealer to get them to check with DVLA.It took HPI 2 weeks to correct their data.

 

I was informed by DVLA that these HPI companies buy data from DVLA and have to keep buying updated data some HPI companies do not do this all the time maybe every 6 months.

 

Problem with HPI data was that they had not updated their data for the last to 2 purchasers and when they had updated the data previous to this the VIN number had been entered less 1 character so was wrong etc.

 

This cost me £450 reduction in price paid to me for car.

 

I have reported this to ICO due to data not being updated correctly

 

I would like you opinion with regard to issuing small claims for the my losses on the sale of the car, I have all paperwork re offered price and final price and recordings of phone calls (truecall) to HPI, DVLA and deler etc

 

dpick

[citizenB]

I would have thought they were obliged to keep their records updated and perhaps if you receive a positive response from the ICO, then issuing a small claim might be successful. However, I will flag your thread for site team.

[Conniff]

Do you have it in writing that it was the HPI data that reduced the amount you were offered. If they have said to you that they would have given you 450 more had it not been for the HPI check, then yes, issue the small claim but not until you have been denied any sort of compensation from HPI.

Go through the procedure first, letter asking for compensation, why and with proof they caused you loss and if refused or not responded to, a letter before action and then take the requisite action.

 

Yes, mistakes will me made, but we have to remember that first and foremost, this is a private company and their main task is to make profit, helping motorist comes second.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Conniff