Dealer pretending to be private seller?

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teacups

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Hello all,

In my local area I regularly drive past a field with stables. it occasionally has a 'to let' sign on it. In the last couple of months or so it has suddenly been filled with a larger than usual number of horses, and when browsing preloved and horsemart (as you do) I have noticed the name of the village and/or recognised the location in several adverts.

There have been at least 5 adverts for different horses which have come and gone, and here are two current adverts on horsemart:

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/cobs_horse_5_yrs_15_0_hh_coloured_north_yorkshire/advert/223101

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/cobs_horse_4_yrs_14_2_hh_coloured_north_yorkshire/advert/222846

One of the adverts is for 3 horses.

It seems to me this guy ought to class himself as a dealer rather than a private seller. Is that right?

If he *is* a dealer, it doesn't seem fair to buyers that he should pretend otherwise - but is there actually anything which can/ought be done to warn people?

I presume the main advantage would be to avoid tax, and that buyers have less comeback if anything goes wrong - is that correct, too?
 
I had this some years ago where I bought what I thought was a privately sold horse to discover they were dealers also on Horsemart and not very reputable ones at that. horse mart say that anyone advertising more than 2 horses I think it is must have a dealer account with them but not sure how much they police it.
Whether he promotes himself as a dealer or not on his adverts, if he clearly is then the sale of goods act applies to any horse he sells.
 
You are correct on all counts.

Trading standards generally use a rule of thumb that says if you are selling more than 3 horses in a year, you are a trader (which seems very fair and reasonable level to set!).

I would say a quiet call or email to your local TS is in order providing them with copies of the ads for well over that level of sales.
 
I sent a message to horsemart regarding this seller and another seller, on the day they were put up. Sadly they are still up as private and I've had nothing back from horsemart.
 
xxMozlarxx said:
I had this some years ago where I bought what I thought was a privately sold horse to discover they were dealers also on Horsemart and not very reputable ones at that. horse mart say that anyone advertising more than 2 horses I think it is must have a dealer account with them but not sure how much they police it.
Whether he promotes himself as a dealer or not on his adverts, if he clearly is then the sale of goods act applies to any horse he sells.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that (horse purchase).

Clearly horsemart don't police it too strictly.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
You are correct on all counts.

Trading standards generally use a rule of thumb that says if you are selling more than 3 horses in a year, you are a trader (which seems very fair and reasonable level to set!).

I would say a quiet call or email to your local TS is in order providing them with copies of the ads for well over that level of sales.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice :)

If 3 horses is the standard used, it looks as though he ought to be classed as a trader.
 
teacups said:
Sorry to hear that (horse purchase).

Clearly horsemart don't police it too strictly.
Click to expand...

I got my money back, but had to take them to court to do so. I just felt it really unfair they were allowed to advertise so many horses as private, I rang Horsemart and they did get it changed. They just set up other accounts! :eek:
 
pixie said:
I sent a message to horsemart regarding this seller and another seller, on the day they were put up. Sadly they are still up as private and I've had nothing back from horsemart.
Click to expand...


Were you already familiar with this seller, then?
Horsemart is clearly not too quick to move on this kind of thing.
 
xxMozlarxx said:
I got my money back, but had to take them to court to do so. I just felt it really unfair they were allowed to advertise so many horses as private, I rang Horsemart and they did get it changed. They just set up other accounts! :eek:
Click to expand...

Well done - that's an impressive achievement.

Hmm, not getting great impressions of Horsemart - though tbf it must be hard to spot people setting up new accounts.
 
teacups said:
Well done - that's an impressive achievement.

Hmm, not getting great impressions of Horsemart - though tbf it must be hard to spot people setting up new accounts.
Click to expand...

I bought a great horse off there a few years back, you just learn to be really careful and weed out the rubbish
 
I'd noticed the name before.
I always google phone numbers before I get too excited about a horse. There are a lot of people selling as private, yet lots of different horses advertised under the same phone number...
I don't have anything against dealers, but advertising as private makes them come across as dodgy.
 
pixie said:
I'd noticed the name before.
I always google phone numbers before I get too excited about a horse. There are a lot of people selling as private, yet lots of different horses advertised under the same phone number...
I don't have anything against dealers, but advertising as private makes them come across as dodgy.
Click to expand...

I just wondered whether the whole set-up has relocated from somewhere else.

Agree re dealers.
 
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