Good Title

[hc4361]

If I buy used goods from a 'cash converter' type store am I guaranteed to get a good title to those goods.

I have been buying from such a shop online as it is cheaper than eBay with a great guarantee but it has occurred to me that if the item was stolen I may not get to keep it.

Any views?

[Buenchico]

You can't acquire title to property from someone who doesn't own the title to start with. (Up until 1994 you could buy from a 'market overt' and acquire the title to stolen goods but that loophole in the law has now been closed. There are also a few other exclusions to the general principle but they don't apply to the situation which you're referring to).

http://www.netlawman.co.uk/ia/selling-goods-non-owner

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/if-you-think-youve-bought-stolen-goods/

The only place where you can buy stolen goods without any legal worries is, of course, Bumblebee Auctions (or the physical auction rooms that some police forces still sell unclaimed stuff through):
http://www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk/XcAuctionPro.asp
(There's not much there at the moment but it varies greatly from week to week)

[hc4361]

That's what I thought, Buenchico. :(

[bhg481]

I would have thought, though, that if you buy from Cashconverters (or any other seller with a shop) you could get your money back from them if the goods do turn out to be stolen. It's not like buying from "a man in the pub" or the like where you might never find the seller again.

[Peter Pedant]

I have been waiting for the usual suspects ( so far silent )
as the position appears to be that you can go into a high street shop and buy summit in good faith with good money and then the feds can come around later and repossess it....

but you can with cars cant you ( find it is stolen and have to give it up )

[Dogsbody2]

Had a scan through their T&Cs on their website, and on quick glance it appears to be very silent on the issue. There's stuff on there about their policy towards stolen items and the efforts they go to to seek to prevent items being offered for sale that are stolen (particularly mobile phones). But at the end of the day, it seems that there's nothing more they offer.

I don't use the place, but personally i wouldn't, unless Cash Converters contained a clause in the buying agreement that indemnified me in the event that an item bought turns out to be stolen. In other words I think it should be their risk, not mine - that's what they should be offering.

Perhaps surprising (in the light of above and the scale of this operation in the UK) that Trading Standards haven't latched onto this.

[hc4361]

I'm sure I would get my money back from the seller but that's not really the point.

Thanks for all the comments.

[Peter Pedant]

well cash converters are certainly aware of the problem
http://www.cashconverters.co.uk/press/cash-converters-unveils-plans-to-crack-down-on-stolen-goods/