# Outstanding Finance Check: Is There Finance on This Car?

> Outstanding finance check for any UK car: see if HP, PCP or other finance is recorded, who the lender is and what to do before you buy.

Find out if a used car still has hire purchase, PCP or other finance recorded against it before you pay.

## What is an outstanding finance check?

Many used cars are bought on finance, such as hire purchase (HP), a personal contract purchase (PCP) or a conditional sale. Until the last payment is made, the finance company usually owns the car, not the person driving it. An **outstanding finance check** searches the finance agreements registered against the vehicle, so you know whether it is still owed to a lender before you hand over any money.

## What our finance check shows

| Information | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Finance company | Who has an interest in the car, so you can ask them directly. |
| Finance company phone number | To confirm whether the agreement has been paid off. |
| Agreement type | Hire purchase, PCP, conditional sale or lease: each carries different risks. |
| Agreement date and term | When the finance started and how long it runs. |
| Agreement reference | Where the lender provides it, to quote when you call them. |

The finance check is part of every [full car history report](https://carcheckup.co.uk/sample-car-history-report/), alongside the [write-off check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/written-off-vehicle-check), the [stolen car check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/stolen-car-check) and the [mileage check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/mot-history-mileage-check).

## Why outstanding finance matters

If a car is still on finance, the lender may try to recover it or the money owed, and you can be caught in a dispute over who owns it. Private buyers who buy in good faith are often protected by the Hire Purchase Act 1964 when the car is on hire purchase or conditional sale, but that protection does not cover every case, such as leased cars or cars used as security for a logbook loan. Read [your rights if you have bought a car with outstanding finance](https://carcheckup.co.uk/blog/bought-a-car-with-outstanding-finance-your-rights/).

## How to check if a car has finance

1. Enter the registration in the search box at the top of this page.
2. The free check shows the MOT history, mileage, tax status and vehicle details straight away.
3. Choose the full report to see finance, write-off, stolen and 150+ other records.

Run the check on the day you pay: finance can be taken out at any time, so an old check or the seller's own check may not show it. See [when to run a car history check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/blog/when-to-run-a-car-history-check-and-why-the-timing-matters/).

## What to do if the check finds finance

- Do not pay anything, including a deposit, until the finance is settled.
- Ask the seller to settle the agreement and to show written confirmation from the lender.
- If you are buying from a dealer, the dealer should settle the finance before the sale.
- Run the check again before you pay to make sure the record has gone.

## Outstanding finance FAQs

**Can I check for outstanding finance for free?** Finance records come from the finance industry's register, and checking them has a cost. Our free check covers MOT history, mileage and DVLA details; finance is included in the full report.

**Can someone sell a car that still has finance on it?** Not without settling it first. Selling a car you do not own breaks the finance agreement and can amount to fraud.

**Does outstanding finance show on the V5C log book?** No. The V5C shows the registered keeper, not whether the car is owned by a finance company, which is why a finance check matters.

More detail: [outstanding finance check guide](https://carcheckup.co.uk/blog/outstanding-finance-check-complete-guide/) and [how to pay safely for a used car](https://carcheckup.co.uk/blog/how-to-pay-safely-for-a-used-car-in-the-uk/).

Run the check: enter a UK registration or VIN at https://carcheckup.co.uk/outstanding-finance-check (free: DVLA details, MOT history and mileage readings; finance, write-off, stolen, keeper records and the mileage anomaly check are in the full report). HTML page: https://carcheckup.co.uk/outstanding-finance-check