This information applies to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
You have very few rights when buying privately. Items are usually sold as seen which means that you should thoroughly examine the item before buying it. It is a good idea to take someone with you as a witness and, depending on the item being bought, you should ask the seller to demonstrate it so that potential problems may be identified.
The only real protection you have when buying privately is that the item being sold should be as it is advertised. That means it should match the description given in the advertisement. For example, if someone went along expecting to buy a leather coat and it turned out to be “leather-look PVC” then the item does not match the description because it is not leather.
For more information on buying goods from a private seller, see Buying goods – your rights.
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