Plenty of the best motorhomes never reach a forecourt, but buying from a private seller changes which funders can help and what they need.
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Yes, but fewer funders will do it and the paperwork is stricter. Many lenders will only pay a VAT registered dealer, because a dealer carries trading history, consumer protection obligations and a traceable business account. The funders who do fund private sales need a written invoice or bill of sale from the seller, the vehicle identification or chassis number, the V5C, and proof that the seller owns the vehicle outright with no finance registered against it. Payment goes to the seller directly from the funder, not through you, and that is not negotiable.
Used kit: Yes — private sales are nearly always used vehicles, and age is judged on condition, damp history and documentation rather than the registration year alone.
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Business asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what this shows — with the equivalent APR underneath, because the two are not the same number. A quick guide only; your actual rate depends on the asset, term, deposit and lender.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 6.0% flat rate (equivalent to 11.5% APR representative), you would repay around £646 a month; total amount repayable approximately £31,000, of which £6,000 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval. CW Asset Finance is an Appointed Representative of Rural Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630701).
The whole difficulty is the counterparty. A funder buying from a dealer knows who they are paying; a funder paying a private individual is paying a bank account they have never dealt with, for a vehicle with no warranty behind it. That is why the checks are heavier. Expect an outstanding finance check against the chassis number, identity verification on the seller, a written invoice signed by them, and often an independent inspection on higher value or older vehicles. Some funders insist on paying only into an account in the registered keeper’s name. Whether the agreement is regulated depends on use, as always — private leisure buyers are usually in regulated consumer credit, businesses are not — and regulated private sale lending has an especially small panel, so start the conversation early.
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Elddis Accordo 125 | Private sale compact motorhome |
| Elddis Autoquest 196 | Private sale coachbuilt motorhome |
| Swift Bolero 684 FB | Private sale British motorhome |
| Swift Escape 674 | Private sale family motorhome |
| Adria Matrix Axess 600 SL | Private sale European motorhome |
| Hymer Exsis-i 580 | Private sale A-class motorhome |
| Bailey Approach Advance 665 | Private sale British coachbuilt |
| Bailey Autograph 79-4 | Private sale rear lounge motorhome |
| Auto-Trail Tracker LB | Private sale low profile motorhome |
| Volkswagen California Ocean T6.1 | Private sale VW campervan |
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Typically a buyer who has found a genuinely well kept vehicle through a club, a forum or a for sale sign at a rally, often from an owner who has looked after it for years. Also families buying from a relative or a neighbour. The trigger is finding the right vehicle at the right moment, usually at a keener figure than a dealer would ask, and needing to move quickly before someone else does.
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Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
No. Funders pay the seller directly against the invoice, and in many cases only into an account matching the registered keeper. This protects everyone: it proves the money went where it was supposed to and that the vehicle exists. Any arrangement that involves cash passing through you will not be accepted.
That has to be resolved first. The funder will run a check against the chassis number, and existing finance will show up. Usually the practical route is for the outstanding balance to be settled directly to the existing lender as part of the transaction, with the remainder going to the seller. Be honest about it from the start.
Often, and you should want one regardless. There is no dealer warranty on a private sale, so an independent engineer’s report and a current habitation or damp check protect you as much as the funder. On older or higher value vehicles a funder may make an inspection a condition of the offer.
Longer than a dealer purchase, because of the additional checks on the seller and the vehicle. Sellers sometimes lose patience, so it helps to explain up front that finance is involved and to have the V5C, service history and any habitation reports gathered before the enquiry starts rather than chasing them afterwards.
The purchase figure is often lower, but weigh that against the absence of a warranty, the extra checks and the smaller funder panel. Many buyers decide the saving is worth it on a well documented vehicle from a careful owner. On an unknown vehicle with patchy history, a dealer purchase can be the better value once problems are priced in.
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See everything we fund in motorhome and campervan finance →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 07581 364281 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.