'This new document could be seen as a log book in the true sense of the word'
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4 alcolm Harrison's call for the
establishment of a compulsory central register detailing the financial history of commercial vehicles is absolutely right (CM 7-13 April). And I would like to see insurance history included in such a register. Not long ago I bought a Swedishmanufactured truck from a franchised dealer. This is the last time I will do so. We purchased the vehicle in part-exchange for a tractor unit and had a small Finance agreement with a high street finance company before putting the vehicle to work. Some months later my driver was waiting for the ferry at Calais when he was approached by a previous owner of the truck who told him that he had written off this vehicle several years earlier. I immediately contacted the dealer and left him to make his enquiries while I, through a Friend in the trade, had an HPI (Hire Purchase Information) check carried out.
Regrettably the story from Calais was true.
I have offered the dealer the chance to redress the situation, but this has been declined—they prefer that I instigate prosecution and let the courts decide the outcome. I consider this a poor response from a professional organisation. As the law stands at present there is no legislation to cover the individual who unwittingly purchases a previously damaged commercial vehicle, provided the vehicle has not been misrepresented. This can constitute, "If you don't ask, we don't have to tell you." With the benefit of hindsight I realise I have been naive in thinking a Franchise agent would be above this kind of trading. In Future I will check with HPI whenever I am buying a vehicle. A central register should be established, with the authority to create a new legal document detailing the vehicle's past financial and insurance history. Any vehicles leased, contract hired, stolen or written off in the past would be seen at the point of sale. This new document should be simple and concise. The current registration document does allow for a vehicle owner to declare a vehicle that is to be permanently scrapped but only if he wishes to do so. There appears to be no way of checking from the registration document, the V5, as to the true history of the vehicle. In effect, this new document could be seen as a log book in the true sense of the word.
If the finance companies were legally bound to disclose their interest at point of sale to the central register, this would overcome one set of problems. The purchaser of a vehicle would not need to rely on the integrity of the vendor whether trader, auctioneer or private individual. I suggest that the HPI organisation is the ideal candidate for the administration of the register since it has vast experience in this field.
The only legislation required would be to Force information to be supplied to HPI and the documentation it produces to attain legal status. It may not be possible to eliminate all the loopholes that allow unscrupulous dealers to trade, but any changes to the current situation can only be seen as positive.