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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To stand my ground re gumtree buyer?

38 replies

BasinHaircut · 26/11/2015 16:53

Sold an old pc on gumtree last night for £60. Wasn't sure how much to sell for but must have been a good price as I had 6 texts in 40 mins or so.

Anyway guy comes to collect and asks if it's working ok and I said yes as it was. DH had restored to factory settings so the new owner could re-do set up etc. he checked it worked, tried to haggle (I said no as lots of interest), paid and went on his way.

This morning he texts and said he had tried to set-up and it had been loading for 1hr 45mins and wasn't working. He also said it was over heating probably due to dust and there is something wrong with it.

I replied that it hadn't over-heated before but if it wasn't loading up then he could return and I will happily give him his money back.

He reckons that it cost him £15 in petrol to collect (he came from 7 miles away) and so if he returned he would be £30 out of pocket and could I collect. I have declined.

He says that he is getting 'his tech guy' to look at it and then he will be in touch.

I have explained that I sold in good faith and to my knowledge it was working just fine when he collected. I accept that if it will not let him re-do the start up then I have to give him his money back and have offered to do so but he must return. I feel that in doing this I am also taking it in good faith that it has not been damaged since it left my possession.

It absolutely will not have cost him £30 in petrol unless he drives a tank, and I think that expecting him to return it is fair, as he would have to if I was PC world.

AIBU?

OP posts:
goodnightdarthvader1 · 26/11/2015 16:55

He's trying it on. Everything on Gumtree is sold as seen.

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 26/11/2015 16:57

Well yeah thats what I thought but if it isn't working (obviously we never actually tried to set it up again so possibly true) then I'll happily refund. We just have to get he computer back in order to do so!

OP posts:
GloGirl · 26/11/2015 16:57

Does he work for the boyfriend of another MNer who wants the tenner petrol costs Grin

He's a dick, tell him he had a good look and checked it worked before he left your house. You don't give a toss what his tech guy thinks the transaction is finished and you are not Argos. There are no refunds or exchanges.

Don't let him talk to you any more. Delete delete delete.

GloGirl · 26/11/2015 16:58

Don't refund he might have stripped it of any value and give it back to you knackered.

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 26/11/2015 17:02

It's a bog standard 4 year old all in one pc. It's not really worth anything more than someone was willing to pay for it and certainly don't think there is anything worth taking out of it. Or is there? I don't know

OP posts:
ineedabodytransplant · 26/11/2015 17:03

He's got a 'techy' guy and buys a second hand pc for £60?
Yep, course he has.....not

He's talking through his arse.

VulcanWoman · 26/11/2015 17:04

I was just going to say, is he driving a tank! I would refund the computer if he returns but not petrol money.
There's some bloody weirdos that come out of the woodwork sometimes on the selling sites. I've sold a lot of stuff myself, most of the bad is just people messing about not turning up etc, I dunno what they're playing at!

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 26/11/2015 17:06

Rehomed!

OP posts:
Original poster
BasinHaircut · 26/11/2015 17:06

I know vulcan.

I got rid of a greenhouse on gumtree earlier this year (for free, just wanted it regimes and taken away) and the first guy pulled out because he didn't realise it would have glass in it Confused

OP posts:
VulcanWoman · 26/11/2015 17:07

The only thing I'd worry about if you get his back PP is he's got the address plus why would he strip it, what's he gaining from that.

Tapirs · 26/11/2015 17:08

The whole point of Gumtree is that it's sold as seen, surely? No buggering about with Paypal. The onus was on him to check that it was in working order before he handed over his cash. He's a chancer.

ShootTheMoon · 26/11/2015 17:11

I might be being paranoid here, but he could have installed any sort of keystroke tracking software or malware on to the PC, or switched out hardware for lower spec or broken hardware. I would consider a return to be a bit risky at this stage. He could have dropped it or bumped it and broken something in transit, especially if it was working ok when it left.

It may also just be that the new software is too much for the existing operating system and it doesn't want to load. It does become trickier to update machines as they age.

If you sold in good faith then I don't think you owe him anything at all, though if he is genuine then I understand his disappointment. The fact is, you don't know that he is genuine.

VulcanWoman · 26/11/2015 17:13

Honestly what they like, lol, I Freecycled a greenhouse too, luckily no problem with a glass issue. Did someone collect it in the end?

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 26/11/2015 17:16

shoot you make good points, but for a 4 year old pc which cost £60 would you bother stripping the parts? Really? Do people bother???

Tbh it's the 'he knows where I live' bit that bothers me more. I'd give him the money back and dump the computer if need be. DH wanted to take it to the tip as he thought no one would want it. I only stuck it on really as I hate to waste stuff like that and if it could be useful for someone else and make a few quid for DS's bank account happy days!

OP posts:
TheWitTank · 26/11/2015 17:17

I would presume it was sold as seen. He checked it before he left and agreed to the sale. I wouldn't take it back. I second that it could have been damaged in transit or by his efforts at uploading/setting up. The petrol bit alone makes me think he is a chancer.

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 26/11/2015 17:18

vulcan yeah it went eventually but surprisingly even when you are giving something away people expect more.

People wanted me to dismantle it for them. Err, no, that's the whole reason I'm giving it away for free, I can't be arsed to do it myself!

OP posts:
Fugghetaboutit · 26/11/2015 17:19

If he calls again just say sorry it was sold as seen and hang up.

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 26/11/2015 17:23

Well I haven't heard from him since 1pm, seems a long time for his tech guy to check it.

Hopefully he was just chancing.

Although I'd secretly love him to argue with me a bit more about petrol costs etc and then when he brought it back I'd just throw it out on the driveway and smash it up with a hammer just to make his extra £15 journey pointless Grin

I wouldn't really, but in my head I would.

OP posts:
PinkPjamas · 26/11/2015 17:23

I agree sold as seen and he's trying it on petrol money my toes, did he collect it by concorde?

Off topic but, there was a HILARIOUS thread some time back about weirdos that appeared when buying or selling stuff, and now I am frantically trying to find it!

ShootTheMoon · 26/11/2015 17:26

basin I don't know, I am continually amazed by the things people do, and how rude and chancy they can be on selling sites! People seem to think normal polite rules of conduct don't apply.

In any case, YANBU and I don't think you owe him anything. Certainly not a discount or to go out of your way to collect.

expatinscotland · 26/11/2015 17:26

What a chancer! It's not a shop. I'd have told him to sling his hook. I would not take it back or refund him, much less go collect it. WTF? A shop would expect him to bring it back. What fugg said.

LeBoob · 26/11/2015 17:27

Sounds like a customer I've dealt with before he's not from the wakefield area is he?

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 26/11/2015 17:31

No leboob I'm in Essex.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 26/11/2015 17:34

I wouldn't give him a bean, Basin. He's taking the piss.

G1veMeStrength · 26/11/2015 17:36

Someone bought a clock from us once. He chatted for ages then said 'well I must go, I brought my mum out for a ride, as she doesn't get out much... shes waiting in the car but the handbrake doesn't work so she'll be at the bottom of the hill by now...'

We are at the top of a massive hill, at the bottom is a 4 way traffic light junction!!