What should I look for in a vehicle history check provider?

A few things separate a genuine check from a low-quality one:

• Data sources — does it draw from the DVLA, DVSA, police-reported stolen vehicle records, finance companies, and the insurance write-off registers, or just a subset?
• A financial guarantee — reputable providers back their report with a guarantee if the data turns out to be wrong through no fault of their own
• Update frequency — how current is the underlying data, and how often is it refreshed?
• Transparent pricing — the full cost should be clear before you pay, with no surprise add-ons for basic sections of the report

Be wary of any "free" check claiming to cover finance or write-off status — that data isn't publicly available, so a free version can't legitimately include it.