Registered Keeper Clarification

Dark_Jester

Im thinking of buying a car for my wife on finance and then register her as the registered keeper.

I have been told by the car dealer that this is not possible and that I should be the registered keeper otherwise I will be breaking the law and the finance company could demand the entire sum of the car from me!!

Is this true?

So in short can I buy my wife a car on finance; make her registered keeper for insurance purpose and I continue to pay the finance and be liable for the payments.

Dark_Jester

any way i can edit the title :S

Afro_Thunder

I know many people who have done what you are suggesting but I dont know if it is legal.

Im confused as to why the finance or trader would car as long as you keep up with payments and its not as if your selling the car on its going to your wife and you will both be in the same household.

Hammyman

Dark_Jester wrote: »

Im thinking of buying a car for my wife on finance and then register her as the registered keeper.

I have been told by the car dealer that this is not possible and that I should be the registered keeper otherwise I will be breaking the law and the finance company could demand the entire sum of the car from me!!

Is this true?

So in short can I buy my wife a car on finance; make her registered keeper for insurance purpose and I continue to pay the finance and be liable for the payments.

Yes you can. Even the DVLA state that the registered keeper on a V5 in no way implies ownership of the vehicle.

ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE V5C reg document, halfway down on the right side it says:

Remember: The V5C is not proof of ownership.It simply shows certain information about the vehicle and who's responsible for taxing it.


Show that on the V5C of the car you're looking at to the numpty who said its not legal when it even states on the V5C that the registered keeper isn't necessarily the owner. And then when he's looked sheepish I think I'd be getting his manager over and say you're taking your business elsewhere as you doubt their competency if they don't even know such a simple fact. Should get you another few hundred quid off or a sweetener.

The registered keeper is merely the adminstrative contact for DVLA for that vehicle. The owner and the registered keeper can be two different entities. The very words "registered keeper" are pretty self explanatory.

BillTrac

Anyone can be registered as the keeper.

I think the car dealer is talking through his back passage.

I would go elsewhere

mikey72

Don't think he need to tell them he's going elsewhere, they have already said they won't sell the car if he registers it to his wife.
It is far easier to just insure the car in your wifes name, with the op as registered onwer and keeper.

colino

Some finance paperwork spells it out that not only must the car be registered to the finance taker but other things like, kept roadworthy, comprehensively insured etc. Their money, their rules.

Dark_Jester

colino wrote: »

Some finance paperwork spells it out that not only must the car be registered to the finance taker but other things like, kept roadworthy, comprehensively insured etc. Their money, their rules.

I appreciate what your saying. However, if I do change the registered keeper how will they know?

All the finance company will care about is if I keep up with payments. Why should my wife driving the car matter to them, its still me who has to pay the loan!

Im going to go with someone else but I was just concerned if the dealer was telling the truth.

Afro_Thunder

I think the person is talking rubbish. As long as you keep up with payments you will never hear anything from them ever again!

Lets assume they did have something written in their contract; if you did change the registered keeper how exactly will they find out?

They are just "scare mongering" you. I have heard of stories where people have obtained car finance with false/fake identities and addresses, sold the cars and then cut the direct debit and disappeared. The finance company told you that to put you off in case you was one of those people.

mikey72

I think the point is you won't be the owner until you pay for it, The finance company is the owner. So as everyone says, the registered keeper isn't always the owner. But if the owner is allowing you to be registered keeper, they can also say you can't pass the car onto your wife to make her the keeper, as you don't own it.

wealdroam

mikey72 wrote: »

But if the owner is allowing you to be registered keeper, they can also say you can't pass the car onto your wife to make her the keeper, as you don't own it.

But he can change the registered keeper. Don't need to own the car to do that.

Quite why one would want to do that is beyond me... and no business of mine either.

As has already been said... registered keeper and owner are not necessarily the same person.