Advice: Drivers at risk of losing cars to logbook lenders

Without a change in the law, more and more innocent second-hand car buyers could have their vehicle taken from them because of an outstanding logbook loan from the previous owner.

New research involving 874 used car buyers, released by Citizens Advice nationally, found that:

• 63% of used car buyers did not check if the car they were buying had an outstanding loan attached;

• 2 in 5 drivers have never heard of a logbook loan;

• 44% did not know they could have their car taken away by a logbook lender, even if they are not the original borrower.

Logbook loans, officially called bills of sale, are often taken out against a car. If a borrower fails to repay the loan, the car can be seized by the lender.

But if the car is sold on while the loan is still outstanding and payments are not being made, the logbook lender is legally entitled to take away the vehicle from the new owner.

Evidence from Citizens Advice, released earlier this year, found that one in five people who reported a problem to CAB about logbook loans had had their car repossessed despite not being the original borrower.

Analysis also found the number of logbook loans taken out this year could reach 60,000 - a rise of 61% over the past three years. An increase in loans means an increase in risk for used car buyers.

One man went to Citizens Advice after he had spent £1,100 on a second-hand car but a few weeks later he received a letter from a logbook loans company saying he owed £637. Despite contacting the loan firm to explain the car had be sold to him and providing the loan firm with the seller’s address, someone still turned up to take the car away. Worried he would lose his car and not have a way to get to work, he borrowed money in order to pay off the other person’s loan.

Pat Hutchinson MBE, District Manager of Newtownabbey Citizens Advice Bureau, said: “Some logbook lenders are a menace to drivers and borrowers. The industry is rife with irresponsible lending and some people are signing up to logbook loans not knowing the full implications because the outdated language wasn’t clear.

“Drivers in Newtownabbey can carry out checks to see if there is a loan attached to a car before they buy it. But not all loans will show up and often there is a cost for searches to look for loans. We want the law to be changed so that logbook lenders cannot repossess someone’s car if they are not the original borrower.”

She continued: “It is basically legalised theft that logbook lenders can take cars from people who are not the borrower. Innocent drivers should not have to bear the burden of someone else’s debt. Some motorists have been so desperate to keep the vehicle that they’ve paid off the previous owner’s loan.

“I am pleased that the government has listened to the problems raised by Citizens Advice around logbook loans and has asked the Law Commission to take a look at these rules.”

• For free, confidential and independent advice contact Newtownabbey Citizens Advice Bureau, Dunanney Centre, Rathmullan Drive, Rathcoole.

Telephone 028 9085 2271 or email [email protected]