Personal Property Security Register?

[Jim Goose]

Cant say I heard of this but....

USED-CAR buyers will save money and be better protected from car thieves and other unscrupulous operators when a national register of vehicles replaces the current state-based systems within weeks.

The Personal Property Securities Register will include information on whether money is still owed on the vehicle, as currently supplied on the state-based Register of Encumbered Vehicles and Vehicles Securities Register certificates, but will also contain information on whether the vehicle has been written off in a crash at any time.

National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council executive director Ray Carroll says private buyers will be big winners with the check costing substantially less than before.

"We've been working pretty hard to make sure when it was introduced it had the full range of vehicle information included in the check," Carroll says.

"It had been established as a financial encumbrance check but now it also includes information on whether it's a written-off vehicle.

"It's what we've been aiming for for a long, long time; a national one-stop shop.

"Instead of having to know which state it was originally registered in, there is now just one place to go to."

From January 31, buyers will be able to perform a vehicle check online through the Department of Insolvency and Trustee Service in the Attorney General's department at a cost of $3.70, about a fifth of the current certificate price. "Anyone who doesn't do this simple check has rocks in their head," Carroll says.

"People have lost their car because the seller hasn't paid the money back. Previous surveys show nine out of 10 people say that if they knew a car was a written-off vehicle before they purchased it, they wouldn't have bought it.

"Some written-off repairs are fine ... if done properly but if buyers know it has been written off it at least gives them the option of having it tested or renegotiating a better price.

"This register puts information back in the consumers' hands and makes them better protected."

Carroll says it will also help to reduce professional car theft as it will make it more difficult for criminals to rebirth a written-off vehicle, even if they send it interstate. "It's a way of attacking the professional thief who relies on the fact that people don't know it was written off," he says.

The national register was to have been introduced last May but the finance industry needed more time to make IT systems compatible. It was then set for November but now will start at the end of the month.

Sydney used-car dealer Brad Coleman welcomes the register but sounds a caution.

"It could previously cost up to $250 to do multiple searches of all the state-based REVS and repairable write-offs checks," he says. "This should have been introduced 10 years ago, but the states couldn't agree."

His concern is that the register would not be promptly updated and could be jeopardised by incorrect information.

To search a vehicle's records, motorists must supply the vehicle identification number (VIN) or chassis number. The register also will include information on other goods people buy using personal loans.

View www.ppsr.gov.au.

The website ppsr is down at the moment!

But also read today in the local paper, seems he brings up a good point

Vehicle register 'vilifies' backyard mechanics

RYAN MATHESON | January 20th, 2012

A TOWNSVILLE mechanic says a new national vehicle register designed to better protect used car buyers is next to useless.

Mick Juszczak has called for drastic changes to the new Personal Property Security Register, which he says gives buyers a false sense of protection and classifies "backyard" car mechanics as criminals.

The initiative is set to be rolled out across the country next month to replace the state-based certificate system.

The register will include information on whether money is still owed on the vehicle, as is supplied on the state-based Register of Encumbered Vehicles and Vehicles Securities Register, but will also contain information on whether the vehicle has ever been written off in a crash.

Mr Juszczak said the register was misleading because it failed to include information on all vehicles involved in major bingles.

"This register is never going to work because you will still have private sellers and backyard operators who still don't have to disclose anything," he said.

"Consumers have a right to know whether a car they are looking at has been in a major accident but that should apply to all vehicles, no matter where they come from.

"I fully support a register ... to help out the consumer but it has be established the right way.

"Every vehicle in Australia that has been written off should be placed on the register if this is going to work."

From January 31, buyers will be able to perform a vehicle check online through the Department of Insolvency and Trustee Service at a cost of $3.70, about a fifth of the current certificate price.

To search a vehicle's records, motorists must supply the vehicle identification number (VIN) or chassis number.

National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council executive director Ray Carroll said the register was designed to provide choices for consumers.

"Previous surveys show nine out of 10 people say that if they knew a car was a written-off vehicle before they purchased it, they wouldn't have bought it," Mr Carroll said.

"Some written-off repairs are fine if done properly but if buyers know it has been written off it at least gives them the option of having it tested or renegotiating a better price."

The register also will include information on other goods people buy using personal loans.

For more information, visit www.ppsr.gov.au

Ok so how is all this info collected, specially on accidents?