Viewing & Verify · the full checklist
Every Viewing & Verify follows the same checklist. Here are all 40 checks we make, in the order we make them, so you know exactly what you’re paying for before you book.
We’re independent and paid by you, the buyer. We check the seller, the paperwork and the van, show you everything on a live video call and send you a photo report. If anything is badly wrong, we call you there and then.
How we mark each check
- OKNothing to worry about.
- AdvisoryWorth knowing or budgeting for, but not a reason to walk away on its own.
- ConcernNeeds explaining, fixing or a price conversation before you buy.
- StopA red flag. We call you on the day, before you go any further.
The checklist
Before we travel
Done from the advert and official records, so problems show up before anyone drives anywhere.
7 checks
- Advert photosReverse image search on the advert photos. Photos copied from another sale are the classic sign of a fake advert.
- Asking priceCompared with similar vans for sale. A price far below the market is a warning sign, not a bargain.
- MOT historyEvery MOT result, recorded mileage and advisory on record. It shows mileage gaps, repeat faults and how the van has been looked after.
- Tax and MOT statusChecked against the official records, so you know whether it can legally be driven away.
- Safety recallsAny outstanding manufacturer recalls. Recall work is free at a main dealer, so it’s worth knowing about.
- History and finance checkOutstanding finance, insurance write-off, stolen markers, plate changes and import records. A van with finance owing can be taken back from you.
- Where we meetWe arrange to see the van at the address on the V5C wherever possible. Meeting in a car park or “halfway” is a common scam tactic.
The seller and the paperwork
Making sure the person selling it has the right to, and that the van is the one on the documents.
9 checks
- Seller’s photo IDMatches the registered keeper’s name on the V5C log book.
- AddressThe viewing address matches the V5C. If it doesn’t, we find out why and note it.
- The V5C itselfLooks genuine: watermark, serial number and the date it was issued. A V5C reissued very recently is worth questioning.
- VINThe vehicle identification number matches on the chassis plate, the windscreen and the V5C. It’s the best single test that this is the van on the paperwork.
- Body type and first registrationAs shown on the V5C, so you know how the van is registered before you insure it.
- Number platesMatch the V5C and look original to the van.
- Service recordsStamps, invoices and dates line up with the mileage in the MOT history.
- KeysHow many keys come with it, and that each one opens and starts the van.
- What comes with itSpare wheel or repair kit, jack, locking wheel nut key and handbooks.
Outside and underneath
A careful walk round and a look underneath from ground level, without lifting or dismantling anything.
9 checks
- Panels and paintColour differences, overspray and uneven gaps that point to accident repair.
- RustSills, wheel arches, door bottoms, the step and the parts of the chassis we can see.
- GlassWindscreen chips and cracks, especially in the driver’s line of sight.
- LightsHeadlights, indicators, brake, reversing and fog lights all working.
- Wipers, washers and mirrorsWorking, and not damaged.
- TyresTread depth, cracking and the date code on every tyre. Motorhome tyres often get too old before they wear out.
- LeaksOil, coolant or fuel under the engine, gearbox and axles.
- ExhaustVisible condition, mountings and any blowing.
- ExtrasTowbar, bike rack, awning, solar panel or roof box noted and photographed.
Under the bonnet and starting up
How the engine behaves from cold tells you more than any amount of warm running.
7 checks
- Cold startWe ask the seller not to start the van before we arrive, then watch it start.
- SmokeThe colour and amount of exhaust smoke at start-up and once warm.
- Warning lightsEvery dashboard light comes on with the ignition and goes out once the engine is running.
- RunningKnocks, rattles, squeals or uneven running at idle.
- FluidsOil, coolant, brake fluid and washer levels, and the condition of the oil.
- Signs of overheatingCoolant colour and any milky residue under the oil filler cap.
- Belts and hosesVisible cracks, perishing or weeping joints.
The cab
Where the van’s real mileage and history often show.
5 checks
- MileageThe reading on the dash compared with the trend in the MOT history.
- WearSeats, steering wheel, gear knob and pedals consistent with the mileage.
- Seat beltsEvery belt on a seat you’ll travel in locks and retracts.
- ControlsElectric windows, central locking, horn, heater fan and air conditioning if fitted.
- Smells and stainingDamp, mould or smoke smells and water marks on the headlining. We note what we see; damp meter readings are part of the Habitation Check.
On the day and afterwards
You see what we see, and get it all in writing.
3 checks
- Live video walk-roundJoin a video call while we go round the van. Ask us to look at anything you like.
- Photo reportPhotos of everything on this list, with each item marked OK, Advisory or Concern, normally within 24 hours.
- Straight answersWe tell you exactly what we found. We don’t sell vans and the seller doesn’t pay us, so we only work for you.
Red flags: we call you straight away if…
- The seller won’t show photo ID, or it doesn’t match the V5C
- The VIN on the van doesn’t match the V5C
- The history check shows finance owing, a write-off or a stolen marker
- The mileage on the dash is lower than an earlier MOT reading
- The van isn’t where the seller said, or they won’t let us see it
- The seller asks you for a deposit or payment before handover
Most sellers are genuine. These are the signs that one isn’t, and we’d rather you heard about them before you send a penny.
Want us to go further?
Viewing & Verify covers the seller, the paperwork and everything we can see, hear and check on the day. It isn’t a mechanical inspection: we don’t road-test the van or take anything apart. For more, add:
Viewing + Habitation Check
£299 + travel
- Everything in Viewing & Verify
- Damp meter readings throughout the living area
- Gas, 12V and 240V electrics, leisure battery and water
- Fridge, heater and hot water tested
- See all 77 checks
Mechanical Inspection
£149 or £199 over 3,500 kg
- Done by a local qualified mechanic
- Engine, gearbox, clutch and drive
- Brakes, steering and suspension
- Written report to our checklist
- See all 49 checks
Drive It Home
By mileage
- If you buy, we drive it to your door
- Priced instantly in the booking form
- Van must be taxed, MOT’d and insured
Every report describes what we found on the day. It isn’t a warranty or a guarantee of the van’s condition.
Questions about Viewing & Verify
Do I need to be there?
No. You can join the live video walk-round from wherever you are and ask us to look at anything you like. You get the photo report afterwards either way.
How much is the travel fee?
Travel is 45p a mile, there and back, from our base in Newtown, Powys, using road miles. The booking form works out the exact figure from the van’s address before you pay.
What happens if you find a red flag?
We call you on the day, explain what we’ve found and what it could mean, so you can decide whether to walk away before any money changes hands.
Do you handle the money for the van?
No. You pay the seller directly at handover. SafeBuy never handles the money for the vehicle, and if anyone claiming to be us asks you to, it’s a scam.
Free email guide
Buying a campervan you can’t get to? Read this first.
Five short emails, one every two days, with the checks we make on every viewing:
- How the scams work
- The paperwork that proves a van is real
- Finding damp
- Mechanical warning signs
- Paying safely
See it before you pay for it
Book Viewing & Verify online. The form works out the exact price, travel included, before you pay, and we contact the seller within one working day.