Proving car ownership

O_Miserly_one

How do I legally prove I own my car? The V5 (Logbook) only records the registered keeper and anyone can re-register your car without your knowledge - they just complete a form saying they weren't given the V5 when they "bought" it from me.

as for a "receipt" for purchase - well, anyone can create a professional-looking receipt for anything these days. So how do I actually prove - beyond reasonable doubt - that my car belongs to me?

This is important, because insurance companies treat "registered Keeper" and "Owner" as two separate things.

BertTheRaccoon

Registered keeper and legal owner are 2 different things.

If you have purchased your car on hire purchase for example, you don't "own" the car until you have paid off the finance.

In that situation, if you put the car around a tree and write it off, you personally would not receive the write off payment, the finance company would.

If you purchased the vehicle second hand from a private seller, you may or may not have a receipt.

So long as the insurer cannot establish anyone else has an equitable interest in the vehicle, by doing a HPI check etc, then the vehicle should be treated as yours.

thenudeone

When buying from a dealer you should insist on receipt/invoice from them.

When buying from a private seller it would be good practice to get a receipt (even if you've just printed it yourself and the seller signs it)

But as there is no designated form and no central register, ultimately it would be up to the courts to decide, should any dispute arise.

Gavin_C

O_Miserly_one wrote: »

How do I legally prove I own my car? The V5 (Logbook) only records the registered keeper and anyone can re-register your car without your knowledge - they just complete a form saying they weren't given the V5 when they "bought" it from me.

as for a "receipt" for purchase - well, anyone can create a professional-looking receipt for anything these days. So how do I actually prove - beyond reasonable doubt - that my car belongs to me?

This is important, because insurance companies treat "registered Keeper" and "Owner" as two separate things.

Why do you need to prove it, and to whom?

Insurers ask the questions on a proposal form, and usually take the answers you give in good faith ... unless they have reason to believe otherwise.

Proving something 'beyond all reasonable doubt' is usually restricted to criminal matters. What have you been up to? Whatever it is, I suggest you discuss it with your own legal representative.