Vehicle's registration certificate
A vehicle has a document called a V5C, and this is the registration certificate for the vehicle. However this document by itself is not alone proof that the person selling you a vehicle actually owns that vehicle...
When it comes to viewing vehicles, we naturally assume that the person selling it is above board and legitimate, and of course in the vast majority of cases the seller is just an ordinary law abiding citizen.
However there are occasions on which people get caught out by fraudsters which can be an expensive mistake for a long time to come.
So when you buy a vehicle off someone you must ensure that they have the legal right to sell that vehicle to you. You should expect to see a few documents, and these include a bill of sale, the service records for the vehicle, and also an MOT certificate.
There is also a document called the V5C, which is the vehicle's registration certificate. You should check this carefully in order to make sure that the details there match those of the vehicle.
If you think that the serial number could have been altered or changed in any way, then this should set alarm bells ringing and you should not proceed with the purchase.
On the DirectGov website, it also lists ranges of serial numbers that are known to be stolen V5Cs and if you see anything in this range then you should not go ahead:
BG8229501 to BG9999030
BI2305501 to BI2800000
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