Second-hand marketplaces: checking before you pay

Buying a used desk, bike or phone can save a lot of money and is better for the planet. But buying from a private person gives you fewer rights, so the checks you do before you hand over money matter most. (The Scams and Fraud module covers fake sellers and payment tricks; this lesson focuses on your rights and inspecting the item.)

Private seller or business? It changes your rights

• In the UK, items bought from private individuals, for example on social media marketplaces or online auctions, have no 14-day cooling-off period (Citizens Advice).
• Businesses must tell you before you buy if an item has no cooling-off period, but private sellers do not have to (Citizens Advice).
• Faulty-goods rights apply to second-hand items bought from a business (Citizens Advice), but a private seller mainly has to describe the item honestly. Citizens Advice has a template letter for 'misdescribed goods bought from a private seller'.
• Some 'private' sellers are really traders. If someone is selling many similar items, ask whether they are a business.
• In the UAE, Bracewell's summary of the 2023 Executive Regulations says businesses must state the condition of used or refurbished goods on the item, at the shop and on the invoice. A private sale does not come with these duties, so check carefully.

A general inspection checklist

• Meet in person in a busy public place in daylight, ideally with a friend, and pay only when you have the item (see the Scams and Fraud module).
• Compare the item with the photos and description, and photograph the listing before you go in case it is changed.
• Ask: why are you selling it, how old is it, do you have the receipt or box, has it been repaired?
• Test everything: switch it on, try every button and port, open every drawer, sit on the chair.
• Check for damage that is easy to miss: cracks, water marks, wobbly joints, stains, missing screws or chargers.
• If you are not happy, it is fine to say: 'Thanks for your time, but it's not quite right for me.'

Phones and laptops: extra checks

• Make sure the device is fully reset and signed out of the previous owner's account in front of you, so it is not locked to them.
• Check that the serial number on the device matches the box or receipt.
• Test the screen, cameras, microphone, speakers, charging port and wifi, and check the battery health in settings if the device shows it.
• Insert your own SIM if possible to check the phone works on your network.
• Ask for a written receipt with the seller's name, the date, the item, its serial number and the price.

Avoiding stolen goods

• Be suspicious of a price far below similar listings, no charger or box, or a seller who will not show proof of ownership.
• In the UK, Citizens Advice says that if you did not know an item was stolen when you bought it, you should not be blamed for it.
• If you suspect theft, Citizens Advice says to contact the police (101 in the UK) or take the item to a police station, rather than keeping it or returning it to the seller yourself.
• Citizens Advice notes that keeping a stolen item could count as handling stolen goods, which is illegal.
• If you then ask the seller for a refund, the police reference numbers and your proof of purchase help (Citizens Advice).

Paying and keeping records

• Pay at the moment of handover, not before. Avoid bank transfers to strangers before you have seen the item (see the Scams and Fraud module).
• Keep the chat history, the listing screenshots and your receipt together in one folder.
• If you paid through a platform with buyer protection, follow its dispute process quickly. Citizens Advice says PayPal disputes must be opened within 180 days of payment.
• Citizens Advice notes section 75 credit card protection usually does not cover purchases made through third parties such as online marketplaces.