Probably the type of person who finds reasons not to pay tradespeople who work on his house. Some people just go through life in default bully mode (and normally it works out pretty well for them, hence his seniority).

The problem with HR is they are there to protect the company, which may be problematic if they value the senior employee more than a lower-ranked one.

Service desk at local garage was explaining to me how one customer managed to destroy the clutch on their brand new car within 100 miles of receiving simply as a result of their (unique) driving style… The clutch is considered to be a consumable so, if the buyer test drove the car and considered that it was ok, then its their problem as soon as they own the car.
Aircon failed? Well, so what? Again, that’s a consumable.
Complaining about these 2 months in (when anything could have happened to the car in the 8 weeks since you sold it) on a cheap-ish second hand car, well that’s just having a laugh and having negotiated a discount for service and cleaning then it really, truly, 100% is the buyers problem, not yours.

As everyone else is saying, its a case of buyer beware so frankly they can jog on.

If the buyer gives you any grief at work, that’s an issue to report to your line manager/HR as its not work related.

All contact has and will now remain using WhatsApp

What contact, why are you still talking to him?

as he’s already supplied the transcripts as evidence in his letter of my not telling him about the clutch or ac (which I wouldn’t as I didn’t know).

It was fine when you sold it. A useless gimmer can easily burn out a clutch in two months. With sufficient effort they could probably do it in half an hour. I see them regular away in Tesco car park, some old dear in a Nissan Micra pulling out of a parking space, barely troubling walking pace with the engine screaming its tits off.

I’d offer a goodwill gesture of a few quid towards the clutch

I’ve just thought,

More seriously, this could be construed as acceptance of liability.

Private sales aren’t as clear cut as folks seem to think above. If you misrepresent the thing being sold, you may be liable.

For example, if you advertise a car as fault free, and when the buyer gets home he discovers the Aircon is broken, you have misrepresented the car and are liable. If you list it as “no known faults” you are ok (as long as you don’t know about it).

2 months later, unless the faults were discovered day1 and he just forgot, he can jog on

Yea, don’t even entertain the idea of giving him money back. Just politely say no on Monday, and then ignore it. Don’t even get into a conversation where as someone up there said “you’ve not got any evidence” as that just makes you sound guilty! “Sorry to hear you’ve had car trouble recently, but not my problem”

How big is the company? Do you have a conflict of interest policy? If it’s a moderately large company it may be worth sending them a message explaining the situation. It’s not a “HR issue” at this point, because nothings happened. But it is a conflict of interest that at some point could get the company in trouble if you don’t get pay/promotion/training/etc and it’s perceived that they had an influence on that decision.

The problem with HR is they are there to protect the company, which may be problematic if they value the senior employee more than a lower-ranked one

But legal advice and the like is often outsourced so should be impartial.

I wouldn’t get too wordy in your replies, single sentences such as Sold as Seen, no known faults at point of sale etc. Don’t give in and start discussing anything in detail, it’s just going to get you in deeper and potential he will be able to take your comments out of context and use them against you.

My brother sold my sister his Freelander. She still blames him for everything that went wrong with it. I LOL whenever I think of it, although he is sick of the constant comments from her…

How’s it gone OP?

Well, message and attached letter of flat refusal delivered. Read by the buyer and …….. nothing! So I’m still expecting an invite to the small claims court but not had an actual response.

meh

How big is the company? Do you have a conflict of interest policy? If it’s a moderately large company it may be worth sending them a message explaining the situation. It’s not a “HR issue” at this point, because nothings happened. But it is a conflict of interest that at some point could get the company in trouble if you don’t get pay/promotion/training/etc and it’s perceived that they had an influence on that decision.

A conflict of interest policy relates to how an individual undertakes their business in a manner which won’t negatively the employer.
I can’t see any relevance in this situation which involves a private transaction between two employees outwith the scope of the organisation (either HR or conflict of interest).

 message and attached letter of flat refusal delivered.

by what method whatsapp? hopefully not via work email

Private sale, no comeback.

Definitely not work email, yes WhatsApp

As said previously. Caveat emptor – buyer beware. Not your problem, unless you make it yours by offering compensation.
They are trying it on and potentially abusing their position within the company. Nothing will come from SCC.

It’s not your fault OP.

An arsehole trying it on – he’s gone quiet cos he hasn’t got a leg to stand on. You can forget it.
(Always receipt, even if its just to say “Sold as seen”)

I’ve known a few people whose clutch failed not long after buying from a trader/dealer. They were all told – consumable part, jog on.

No doubt when the tyres and brakes are worn, he’ll come asking for more money 🙄

A conflict of interest policy relates to how an individual undertakes their business in a manner which won’t negatively the employer.
I can’t see any relevance in this situation which involves a private transaction between two employees outwith the scope of the organisation (either HR or conflict of interest).

They can (and do) also include things like friendships/relationships in the office. Just had a read through ours (I’m working two jobs at the moment so I’ve got a copy to hand) and one member of staff threatening another with legal action definitely would need reporting. Nothing would happen as a result, you’d just not work on the same projects if there’s a seniority difference. Same as there’s plenty of married couples, you have to tell the company, but only so they can make sure one isn’t managing the other and making pay/promotion/redundancy decisions.

It’s not just, did you accept a novelty keyring/multimillion dollar bribe from the client?

As other have said, the issue is not your legal liability, but how to ‘play’ things at work, where simply telling them to **** off isn’t really possible. I’d probably have said something along the lines of “I’m sorry this happened to you, but it’s really not something I could have foreseen, and of course I am not liable for xyz. Also I resent the implication that I have done you a disservice when, in fact, I offered you a great deal because of our personal connection. I trust that this won’t harm our working relationship.”

Is there someone senior to you / level with him that you could speak to? Explain your side, how you’re really disappointed with the implication that you’ve done something wrong. In an ideal world, your senior confidante would have a quiet work in buyer’s ear to let them know that this is simply not on.

Just had a quick chat with a legal advisor who gives free advice through our union. Effectively confirmed everything you’ve all said and the CAB say.

I’m going to have a look at our hr policies and will speak with my station boss as there may be a time in the future that work I do or projects I’m working on may pass under the buyers nose for authority.

Feeling a a lot more stable now a few days on from officially replying.

Good.

Guy sounds like a right throbber. You’ve done nothing wrong.

Like I say I’d just touch base with HR to cover your arse and move on!

Keep any messages, emails and log any issues you get from him in and outside work very carefully with date and time just in case you start getting hassle in work – hopefully he will go away after trying it on but he could be a complete bozo and it spills out in to work and you might need evidence if needs be.
It’s understandable you feel bad but you haven’t a crystal ball and it’s always a risk something may go wrong shortly after buying a car privately so you are not in the wrong batting it back. Ive end up putting cars in to auction as I can’t be doing with this sort of hassle.

Well he’s back!

a week after requesting my address I now have received several screenshots of a conversation he had with a mechanic 3 days after the purchase querying a ‘judder’. So potentially the car did develop an issue. But still no contact in the 2 months, and icing on the cake is the car is listed without the Ac fault and states ‘slight judder, doesn’t affect driving’ for +£400 what he bought it from me. Feeling hugely stressed by the rollercoaster but still can’t see how this changes the facts apart from possibly the car did exhibit a problem. Also believe he’s done approx 2k mileage in that 2 months.

He should have paid his mechanic to look at the car before not after.

Cars wear out. If you want a new car buy a new car.

A bit of clutch judder isn’t the end of the world or even a marker that the clutch is goosed. The 🔔 end could have easily blued the flywheel up on the way home.

How’s he sent those screen shots? By work equipment?

I’d report him to HR and state his repeated harassment is affected your mental health.

I’d block him from any non work device and log any work correspondence.

And I’d also stick his mobile number on loads of free adds for stuff that’s worth £££ in random local papers

He’s a prick

What did he want your address for? It’s on the V5…

He needs to be told in no uncertain terms to do one.

Ignore latest comms from buyer.
There is nothing for you to respond to – unless you feel like suggesting they should split any profit with you 50/50; that might shut them up.
After all, you discounted by £400.

Whether there were issues there or not, you’re not a mechanic or professional dealer, and there’s no expectation for you to possess their expertise in determining the condition of the car prior to sale. That responsibility is mainly on the buyer when buying privately. It’s not like you were deliberately misleading him. You made an honest sale. You could say he grabbed a short straw but with a car of that age these things are to be expected, and potentially could have been avoided if he had the car thoroughly examined himself.

He should have paid his mechanic to look at the car before not after.

Cars wear out. If you want a new car buy a new car.

Exactly this.

several screenshots of a conversation he had with a mechanic 3 days after the purchase querying a ‘judder’.

and what did said mechanic or “friend” say about it

Mechanic ‘conversation’ three days after but still knocked around in it for another two months before coming back to you?

and icing on the cake is the car is listed without the Ac fault and states ‘slight judder, doesn’t affect driving’ for +£400 what he bought it from me.

Some mug will buy it off him and then it’ll go quiet after that. He’ll somehow internalise it that he’s stitched you up by flogging it for more than he paid.

@bruneep the mechanics reply wasn’t included in the screenshots sent through.

i suspect he asked for the worst possible case and he said full clutch and transmission replacement which was where he got his non economical repair guff from.

I’ve not revealed that I know the cars listed on a car sale site as that’s kinda my trump card for the small claims if it comes to that, got the screen shots with dates etc. He’d blurred the number plates on all but 1 pic but also there’s a mint sauce sticker still visible on the rear glass that’s pretty identifiable. Also it’s quite clear the photos are taken at a fire station so he can’t really work the angle I shouldn’t of done the sale on a work site as clearly he’s looking to do similar. Chum said it’s stored at the station too currently.

Chum said it’s stored at the station too currentl.

Hope he’s told someone it’s there and not just stashed it in a corner, it would be terrible if the roof was cut off in a training session 😁

If it was local to me I’d go n waste his time.

Infact any stwers local to you should book to view it not turn up or offer him a pack of polo’s and a reacharound….

Happy to take a three digit post code to go and waste their time. ‘HD’ is where I am for the record, DM me if within 10 miles…

I’ve not revealed that I know the cars listed on a car sale site as that’s kinda my trump card for the small claims if it comes to that, got the screen shots with dates etc.

It obviously won’t go to small claims, but having that ace up your sleeve must be a nice feeling. 🙂

When you’ve located the car, print off the best bits of your email convo in large print and slip them under the top end of the bonnet face up so any buyer can read them when he lifts it for a gander. 🙂