How single checks work on DealerPricing
Search the registration on the dashboard, choose More Checks and pick the check you need. Each check is paid from your account balance, which you top up by card from £5. There is no pack to buy in advance and no minimum number of checks. If a lookup fails, the charge goes back to your balance automatically, and every result is kept for 6 months.
Write-off check for trade: £1.00
For when the write-off record is the question, without paying for a full history check. It reads the insurers' write-off register:
- Whether the car is recorded as an insurance write-off
- Category, loss type and date of loss
- Insurer, claim number and the date the record was added or removed
- Theft indicator, where the insurer recorded one
Finance check for trade: £1.25
For when you need to know whether a lender still has a claim on the car. It reads the finance register:
- Whether outstanding finance is recorded
- Agreement type, date, term and agreement number
- The finance company and its contact number
Stolen check for trade: £1.00
For a quick police check on a car before you hand over money. It reads the Police National Computer:
- Whether the Police National Computer records the car as stolen
- Date reported stolen and the police force
- The current status on the police record
Taxi check for trade: 25p
An ex-taxi or private hire car usually has high mileage and heavy use, which affects what it is worth. The check shows:
- Whether the car has been licensed as a taxi or private hire vehicle
- Licence start and expiry dates and the licence holder
- Whether it was wheelchair adapted
Full history check for trade: £2.50
When you need the whole picture, the full check costs £2.50 on a dealer plan (£3.99 without one). One report per registration, returned in seconds and kept for 6 months:
- Police stolen marker and insurers' theft records
- Outstanding finance, with the agreement type and lender where recorded
- Insurance write-off category (A, B, S or N) and date
- Mileage discrepancies, plate and colour changes and previous keepers
- Import, export and scrapped markers, and full MOT history
- PDF report for the customer file
What counts as like for like
We compare the price of one check bought on its own, because that is what a trader pays for the next car. A lower per-check price that needs a prepaid pack or a monthly minimum is shown separately, with the condition beside it, and is never set against our single price. A provider that sells a check only inside a full report is marked as not selling it on its own.
Prices are compared on what you pay, including VAT where a provider charges it. DealerPricing is not VAT registered, so a VAT-registered trader who reclaims VAT pays the same for a check priced at £1.00 + VAT elsewhere as for our £1.00 check; the tables show both figures so you can compare on your own basis.
When dealers run a check
A marker found after you have paid is your problem to unwind, so most traders check before money changes hands:
- Before bidding at auction or buying from a private seller
- On every part-exchange, before agreeing the allowance
- Before advertising stock, so the report can go in the customer file