Should I give him his deposit back ..

2003yaris

I just sold a guy a car.

He said he wouldn't have the cash until next weekend.

I told him to hold the car I would require a small deposit ( €100 ) which was non-refundable.

He called me later that day to say he couldn't take the car after all :rolleyes: and would I send him his deposit back...

The duration was approximately 5 hours and no other buyers approached me during that time.

PowerHouseDan

Thats up to you i guess?

Farls

A deposit is a deposit, non refundable just like you had told him. His own tough luck. Personally I wouldn't refund it but if you have one of those conscience (sp?) things then you might want to give it back, otherwise don't.

aidan_walsh

What reason would you have to keep it? 5 hours of inconvenience? Pff... Of course send it back.

PowerHouseDan

As you said it was non-refundable. If he wasnt sure he shouldnt of put down the deposit.

2003yaris

aidan_walsh wrote:

What reason would you have to keep it? 5 hours of inconvenience? Pff... Of course send it back.

I had to drive an hour an a half to show him the car ( he also did ) my wasted time and petrol.

I was also a little peeved that he essentially broke his word!

mike65

Why did you even think to say the deposit was non-refundable?

Be nice and give the man his money back, are you that tight?!

Mike.

edit - just read the above post! Now you don't sem so tight, though 100 euro seems a bit steep.

PowerHouseDan

Well you just answered your own question......

2003yaris wrote:

I had to drive an hour an a half to show him the car ( he also did ) my wasted time and petrol.

I was also a little peeved that he essentially broke his word!

deckie27

Go down and have a pint for yourself with his deposit
The reason for the deposit is that he wants you to hold the car.
If he doesn't want the car.
Though

2003yaris

mike65 wrote:

Why did you even think to say the deposit was non-refundable?

Be nice and give the man his money back, are you that tight?!

Mike.

edit - just read the above post! Now you don't sem so tight, though 100 euro seems a bit steep.

The money is to reinforce a verbal agreement (which by the way is binding), by breaking his word ( and the agreement) there is a price to pay - the deposit.

eBay incorporated this idea into their selling system by introducing negative feedback .. to try and combat dishonesty.

If I had told another buyer the car was sold and therefore lost a potential sale I would have no problem keeping his deposit.

Its because the time was so small and no buyer approached me that I'm wavering.....

PowerHouseDan

I would prob keep it, but why not give him back 50and keep 50 for yourself?

ciarsd

call him up and ask for another €100 for wasting your time...


seriously though, I'd send it back, you didnt miss out on a sale, you didnt advertise it as sold, only a couple hours passed - fair enough you went out of your way to meet the buyer at your (and his) expense, but thats the joys of buying and selling cars

Hagar

Did you actually turn anyone else away based on his commitment?
If you did it would be fair to keep the deposit

If not and you have to re-advertise following his decision you should use the money for the ad and send him a copy of the bill for the new ad and his change. I think that would be fair.

Otherwise keep the cost of the petrol and send him back the rest of his money.
He is only a Joe Soap just like you.

Supercell

Depends on your sense of right or wrong, if you turned away other potential buyers on the strength of it..then keep, if not then imho its morally wrong not to refund.

v10

Surely the whole concept of a deposit is a gaurantee of your commitment.

He broke is gaurantee and as a result should lose the deposit.

At very least he should lose half of it ...

jesus_thats_gre

Does he know where you live? If not, feck him..

fletch

Personally I'd deduct the petrol money from the deposit and give him the remainder

impr0v

Keep it as a breach of contact penalty. If he starts getting antsy, tell him you want him to perform the contract to which he agreed, i.e. go ahead with the sale.

bazz26

Personally I would give him back €50, the other €50 for my time and petrol spent.

At the end of the day you said yourself that it was only 5 hours after he put the deposit that he rang you back to say that he couldn't take the car. If you didn't turn away another buyer or have to advertise the car again then you have only lost an hour and a half plus some petrol.

This is just what I would do.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

OLDYELLAR

If he wants his deposit back , make him come an get it , why should you go out of yer way to post it back to him ?

He doesnt know where ya live , so if he does agree to come collect it , deduct the petrol costs of the day ya went to show him it an give him the remainder , an if he doesnt wanna come collect then wouhou ya just made 100 quid for doing nothing.

Shane Smith

ffs give the fella his money back
just because you can keep it, doesn't mean you should

miserable git...

unkel

I don't understand why so many people here are suggesting you should go halves or give him a full refund?

Buyer and seller agreed on a non-refundable deposit. Buyer didn't go ahead so his deposit should not be refunded

I was in the same situation once where seller and buyer (me) verbally agreed on a deal. It was a good deal for me and I had yet to sell my own car privately. We agreed the car was mine if I paid a non-refundable deposit of £250 and came up with the remainder within a calender month

There was never any doubt in my mind that should I not buy the car within the agreed period for the agreed price, my deposit would not be refunded and rightfully so!

Non-refundable deposit is just a very meagre insurance for a seller against time-waisters. If I hate anyone, I hate a time-waister :mad:

prospect

Well it is entirely up to you. Personally I would refund it.

As for petrol. You could have driven to meet him, and he might not have been interested in your car. So you would have been out of pocket for petrol anyway.

At least he was decent enough to let you know as soon as he could.

But, it is still your decision, as he agreed non-refundable and therefore has no comeback.

blastman

In all honesty, I wouldn't expect my deposit back if I was the buyer in that scenario. If you're going to give him the deposit back, why did you bother making him give you a deposit in the first place? That's what they're for.

2003yaris

Ok Ok I sent him back €50

sheesh

Hagar

Well done.
Oh, by the way my fee for advice is €50.

I'll PM you with the address to send the cheque

louie

fletch wrote:

Personally I'd deduct the petrol money from the deposit and give him the remainder

if you feel guilty about it then I think that's the best option.

Myself, i'll keep it. A verbal contract is still a contract.
What would have happened if you had callers, but you had to say that is sold?
If you can not keep a promise then don't make one.

Big Nelly

Keep it!! f**k him!!!! I wouldnt give it back and have known people who have kept alot of a deposit from people 500 euro or so!! if somone leaves a deposit then it is a deposit!! end of story!! if you have a change of mind then....you take it the deposit is gone! simple as that!! the best bit was the cheek to ask for the deposit back! I would have just told him straight out on phone.....do you know what a deposit is??? ....then straight out say sorry you wasted my time and money so I will keep it.....Good Luck getting a car and hang up!! you are just causing yourself problems by not telling him straight out he wasnt getting it back!! now he thinks he has pulled a fast one and when you dont send will be ringing to find out where it is

Also to all the people going on about giving it back.....bulls**t....if it was you and you had wasted an hour or so you wouldnt give it back.....grow up....its a cruel world out there....not everyone is in the fields smelling roses!!:eek: if it was you buying and you gave deposit and then had to back out whats the bet the person you where buying off would just go!! Hard luck!!!

Silvera

2003yaris wrote:

Ok Ok I sent him back €50

sheesh

You did the right thing.

IMO 'What goes around comes around' .........you'll be glad you did someday.

Supercell

Silvera wrote:

You did the right thing.

IMO 'What goes around comes around' .........you'll be glad you did someday.

Yep, fair play, good to know there are some decent skins left on boards