Every year in the UK thousands of cars are sold on even though there is still outstanding finance on the vehicle. As many as 1 in 3 vehicles checked have some sort of hidden history. This could mean that the car has outstanding finance, the car has been involved in an accident and written off or the car may be stolen.
Unfortunately it is impossible to tell any of this just by looking at the vehicle itself. Sure you can check the paintwork for signs that parts of the bodywork has been re-sprayed and the colour does not quite match the rest or the car. It could suggest that the car has had major repairs but you would have no way to confirm this. The only real way to check this is with a car registration check online.
You can do a car reg data check both on the internet and via a text on your mobile. Not all data checks are the same, a check that you can do online will generally be much more comprehensive than a car text check.
One of the components of the data report you can get will tell you if there is any outstanding finance on the car you are looking to buy. Every day cars are sold to unsuspecting buyers where the vehicle still has outstanding finance on it. There is no way you would know without having a check done.
If you do get caught out you could end up losing the car you have just paid for as the finance company will still technically own the car. Getting a quick car registration check can not only inform you of any outstanding finance but also let you know if the car has been stolen or written off.