Most buyers look for three things on a car check: finance, write-off and stolen. There's a fourth that's easy to overlook: the high risk register. A marker there is a reason to stop and ask questions.
What the high risk register is
It's a record of vehicles that an organisation, such as the police, an insurance company or a finance company, has a reason to be interested in. The organisation asks for the vehicle to be flagged so that anyone checking it is warned.
Reasons a vehicle can be flagged include:
- it may have been stolen, before the theft is recorded on the Police National Computer;
- it's involved in an insurance or finance dispute, or suspected fraud;
- it's of interest to the police in an investigation.
How it differs from a police stolen marker
A police stolen marker means the vehicle is recorded as stolen on the Police National Computer. A high risk marker is broader: it says someone has an interest in the vehicle, which may or may not turn out to be theft. Both appear in a full history report, and both mean you shouldn't buy until the reason is resolved.
What to do if a car has a high risk marker
- Don't pay anything, including a deposit.
- Note any details the report shows, such as the date and the organisation that registered the interest.
- Ask the seller about it. A genuine seller may know the reason, for example an old dispute that has since been settled.
- Only continue if the organisation confirms in writing that the interest has been removed, and a new check shows it's gone.
If you already own the car
Contact the organisation named on the record to find out why it's flagged. If it's a mistake, they can ask for the marker to be removed.
Where to see it
The high risk register is included in every CarCheckUp full history report, along with the stolen check, finance check and write-off records.
Key points
- A high risk marker means an organisation has an interest in the vehicle.
- It isn't the same as a stolen marker, but you should treat it just as seriously.
- Don't buy until the interest is removed and a new check is clear. Read our guide on checking if a car is stolen.