VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off

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Fri 1 Jul 2011 00:36
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - Magic_Man

Hi,

A couple of years ago I bought a VW Camper. Never had any issues with getting Insurance, MOT, or Tax.

However, I'm now looking to sell, and someone has done a HPI check on the vehicle and it's come up as a Category B write off! Unfortunately I'm an idiot and didn't do one myself when I bought it a couple of years back...too young, wild-eyed and ignorant to think about it.

I'm very confused about this check. Nothing seems to add up...

The first thing I did was contact my insurance and they told me that they do not have any record of any 'Write Offs' against my vehicle and that they used the DVLA live database. So, I then contacted the DVLA and the girl I spoke to told me that it was a Write Off but as a Category D not a Category B! Hmm...

I then contacted the website where the HPI check was done and they have told me it is definately down as a category B (2003) and that they use the insurance database. I have since contacted the company who manage the insurance database and they are laising with the insurers at the time to get clarification. I'm now in a position where I'm waiting to here back.

I've gone from having a very valuable van (no issues I'm aware of) to something that could potentially be worth a lot less.

If it turns out to be a Cat B then how the HELL have I been able to buy it? Why can I still tax, MOT and insure it. I presume that if my current insurers dug deeper and found that it could be Cat B they wont touch me with a barge pole?

Has anyone been through anything similar? Does anyone know the legalities around this? surely the insurers at the time should have informed the DVLA and should have definately obtaied a destruction certificate for the vehicle IF it IS Cat B?

Help. Very scared!

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Fri 1 Jul 2011 08:41
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - Dwight Van Driver

Not in my field but I presume that the HPI check was carried out under the VRM only of the vehicle. From what stated then I would be checking the engine/chassis numbers against the VC5. If you cannot do this speak to a friendly Traffic Plod if you can find one and have them checked against PNC records.

Is that cod or herring that I smell?

dvd

Edited by Dwight Van Driver on 01/07/2011 at 08:43

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Fri 1 Jul 2011 12:39
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - Magic_Man

I've checked the chassis number against that on the HPI database and it matches...

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Sun 7 Aug 2011 10:07
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - jmjm1663

Hi - same thing has happened to me. Just posted this to honestjohn

We bought a polo from friends for £500 who said it was an insurance write off. To get log book i had to take it for VIC. It has passed 2 MOTs in our ownership but when we came to sell it on (again to friends for teenage learn to drive) their insurance company refused to insure it saying it was category B. I have checked on idata and it is listed as cat B, but per dvla it is c. My understanding is we shouldnt drive this vehicle. It now worth scrap £150 v sale to friends of £650 ie loss £500 - do we have any redress? Appreciate sale of goods doesnt apply to private sale - but the the seller had been advised it was category B and sold it as road going... Would small claims work? criminal action...

Have you any more info since your post?

best Johnny

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Tue 23 Aug 2011 21:29
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - qplate
hi cat b cars can go back on the road fine and legally you can tax and mot them no problem ive bought and sold quite a few!
the only problem with a cat b is some insurance companys wont insure them butvmany will
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Sun 30 Oct 2011 09:37
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - simone

same thing happened to me, am trying to sort it out now - which insurance companies will insure a cat b write off ? thanks

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Sun 30 Oct 2011 12:10
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - tony g
Hi ,it's always been my understanding that the dvla wouldn't issue a reg doc for a car that had been declared a cat a or b write off .

Cat a is pure scrap with no parts in theory ,to be recovered .

Cat b is a car that can be stripped for any parts other than structural ,but can never be used on the road again .

Cat c and d can be repaired and subject to a vic check can be put back on the road.

Finally regarding insurance data bases they're not 100 % accurate .

About 5 years ago I was selling a Peugeot 207 ,the car was a standard entry level 1.1 .A deal was agreed and the girl who was buying it rang her insurance company to change her insurance so she could drive it away.

Her insurance company told her the car was a 1.6 gti in a different colour .
She panicked ,obviously walked away and I lost a sale.

I had the v5 an HPI report and a VOSA check that confirmed the car to be a 1.1.

I rang her insurers to complain ,their reply was ,we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the data we hold ? .if you wish, complain to the insurance ombudsman.

In other words we don't give a monkeys .


Tony g




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Sun 30 Oct 2011 12:13
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - tony g
Hi ,it's always been my understanding that the dvla wouldn't issue a reg doc for a car that had been declared a cat a or b write off .

Cat a is pure scrap with no parts in theory ,to be recovered .

Cat b is a car that can be stripped for any parts other than structural ,but can never be used on the road again .

Cat c and d can be repaired and subject to a vic check can be put back on the road.

Finally regarding insurance data bases they're not 100 % accurate .

About 5 years ago I was selling a Peugeot 207 ,the car was a standard entry level 1.1 .A deal was agreed and the girl who was buying it rang her insurance company to change her insurance so she could drive it away.

Her insurance company told her the car was a 1.6 gti in a different colour .
She panicked ,obviously walked away and I lost a sale.

I had the v5 an HPI report and a VOSA check that confirmed the car to be a 1.1.

I rang her insurers to complain ,their reply was ,we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the data we hold ? .if you wish, complain to the insurance ombudsman.

In other words we don't give a monkeys .


Tony g




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Thu 3 Nov 2011 15:05
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - simone

Hi the exact same thing has happened to me - I am in the process of making a formal complaint against the insurance company that wrote my vehicle off - and then did not bother to let the DVLA know until recently , I to am left with a vehicle that is worthless and no insurance company will insure. I have now sorn my car now because It is not nsured , until I can find a solution, hopefully i will be compensated by the insurance company for the loss of the value of my car , although I am not holding my breath , I expect they wil find some way of getting out of it. . What happening with you ? did you manage to get things sorted ?

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Thu 3 Nov 2011 22:04
VW Camper - Help - I May Have Bought A Category B Write Off - tony g
Am I right in thinking that you bought a car ,had an HPI check done when you bought it ,that was clear?
Has The same car has now been registered as a total loss claim.
If that's the case ,it may be you can claim against the company who did the HPI check for you.
Some of the hpi companies offer insurance free of charge against this problem.

Tony g
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