AIBU to back out of an eBay sale?

[Doggodogington]

So my OH and I went to look at a van that had been advertised on Ebay. At the time we thought it was what we wanted and put down a £200 deposit. When we got home we had a think about it and due to a few issues, we decided not to go ahead. We messaged the guy and now he’s sending messages saying we’ve lost him money, that he’ll have to relist it and people will think there’s something wrong with it. That he’ll knock down the price. Etc etc. We don’t want the deposit back so surely that will cover any eBay fees he may incurred. There were a number of reasons we backed out and I suppose we should have discussed before putting the deposit down but he put pressure on for a deposit and that he had loads of messages and people wanting to buy it. We are entitled to change our minds though right? No paperwork had been signed. No receipt was given for the £200 (stupid us) and the guy only wanted cash in hand. My spidey senses were just tingling all over. So, AIBU to pull out of the sale when I feel something is wrong with the van? Here’s my reasons:

1. (And this is going to make me sound really bigoted) He was from a travelling community

1. The rock and roll bed/seats were not fitted correctly to safety standards

1. Moss growing around the window seals despite him saying the van was well looked after.

1. Vague answers in regards to the log book/service history despite him saying the van had always been in the family.

1. He met us with the van in a random place. Not a work address or home.

Surely if you've not actually agreed to the sale via an eBay purchase method then you just block his number and write off the deposit.

the £200 will easily cover his relisting. Ignore & block. You have done nothing wrong

Why did you pay a deposit given the reasons above?
He could just relist it and say due to time wasters. Not that you have been, but he could.

I think any of those reasons would be a red flag for me. You were a little foolish to hand over the deposit but no harm in backing out before you get in deeper.

The point of the deposit is that the seller isn't left with a loss if you back out. It's not a full commitment to buy.

Did you offer via eBay? If so, then you can cancel the sale and put the reason there. It’s a shame you didn’t pay the deposit via eBay and PayPal, so I think with no proof, you can’t pull it back, but I would put on the cancellation that you left a cash deposit.
Also check on the dvla site to see who it’s registered to, if it looks dodgy or anything doesn’t add up, I’d be inclined to report that too.

YANBU - do they only gave your phone number or do they have other details?

Sounds like loads of reasons to back out to me. Possibly stolen? Sounds dodgy , I’d walk away before losing any more money 😥

I would 100% walk away. I think you are totally sensible to forget about the deposit because it means you can just block the seller completely. I take it he doesn’t have any personal details about you apart from name and number?

We didn’t make an offer through eBay and yes, he only has our phone number and no other details. I know we were unreasonable to put down the deposit in the first place given the moss and the suspicion about the rock and roll bed, it was only afterwards we looked him up on FB. All those red flags added up then. I don’t like letting people down and I do feel guilty. We’ve lost £200 but better that than losing £5000 on a dud. That’ll teach us a lesson anyway. Don’t meet strange men in deserted car parks.

Lucky escape!

Chalk this one up to experience and be grateful you had a lucky escape!