Vehicle data expert CARTELL.IE is reporting that the proportion of vehicles offered for sale across all years, with finance outstanding is 14.3%.

That figure continues to rise and is up from 12.5% in July 2017 and 11.5% in January 2017.

From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in 2017 it was found that overall levels of finance have increased 24.3% in 12 months since January and 51% in 18 months since June 2016 when the rate recorded was 9.5%.

John Byrne, Legal and Public Relations Manager, Cartell.ie, says: “In terms of the overall picture 14.3% of all vehicles checked with Cartell.ie so far in 2017 have finance outstanding. This is up from 11.5% in January and 9.5% in June 2016. These are very significant jumps. To give you some idea where we are coming from the levels of finance outstanding was 7% in December 2014 meaning the rate has doubled in three years. A buyer is advised to check a vehicle for outstanding finance as the finance house owns the vehicle until the last payment has been made – the bottom line is that you can lose the vehicle.”