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When selling a car it’s often hard to find all those little pieces of paper that came with the car or you have acquired over the years and you’re left asking yourself the question of what documents do I actually need to sell my car.
Even the most organised person would likely not know where to start and end up with bits and pieces everywhere. Keeping these documents in your car is considered a huge no-no as your car could be stolen with all its documentation, so it’s likely that you’ve brought them into your house and put them somewhere safe.
From the beginning of owning a car, it is advised that you keep all your documents together but don’t worry if you haven’t done this as we’ve put together a guide to show you what documentation you need to sell your car.
The documents that you need are:
- V5C - Logbook
- MOT Certificates
- Insurance repairs
- Service history
V5C - V5 Logbook
This is one of the most crucial documents that you need when it comes to selling your vehicle. Of course, you can sell your car without this, but it may put off buyers from purchasing your vehicle.
What you need to do with this document is fill in Section 6 of the form and send it back to the DVLA and this will sign over ownership to the person or company buying your vehicle. Don’t worry if you can’t find this document as there is now an easier way to do this online via the Government website.
About a week after completing the form, the new owner will receive a fresh V5C with their name as the owner.
MOT Certificates
Okay, so this isn’t a ‘must-have’ but it does help potential buyers see what recommendations and issues that your car might have had throughout its life. Since 2006 MOT certificates are available online so potential buyers can see previous MOT statements but if your car is older, then it’s worth having physical proof.
Another benefit to having MOT certificates is that you really care about your vehicle and that you’ve really looked after it over the years. It goes with the whole dossier of information that you may have collected over the years.
Insurance Repairs
Over its lifetime a vehicle would have likely suffered a knock, hit or damage. This means that you might have had to claim on the insurance.
If you are able to get a copy of the work that has been carried out, privately or through the insurance company, it may help a potential buyer understand any potential issues with the vehicle and reassure them that the vehicle is in good working order.
This also goes for any work you may have had done before you put the vehicle up for sale.
This helps the new owner show that you are honest and puts any nagging thoughts they may have to bed.
Service History
It goes without saying that it’s always worth having your car regularly serviced. When your car is serviced it should be recorded in your service book which is usually kept in your glovebox.
When your car has been serviced it’s worth checking the book to make sure that they have stamped the book as a full-service history is a great selling point.
If your book hasn’t been stamped, then try to find receipts for services. This will provide the buyer with comfort that you’ve had the work done. If you have these and want to get your book stamped, then you can always take the receipts back to the garage and they should stamp the book for you.
Proof of Purchase
This isn’t a document that you need to have but it’s one that you want to get. When selling your vehicle try to get a piece of paper or a document that basically says that you’ve sold your vehicle to someone else.
Ideally, you’ll need two copies, one for you and one for your buyer. If you’re selling your vehicle to a showroom or garage then they will happily provide you with this but if you’re selling your vehicle privately then this might be something you need to handle yourself.
Although proof of purchase may seem like a small document, it provides you and the buyer protection as this is considered a contract so should anything arise, you’ll have protection.
If you’re looking at selling your car, WeBuyPrestigeCar helps you sell your vehicle easily with minimal hassle. Enter your registration number to start the process.
