Legal owner and registered keeper

lissa_23

I know this is not strictly "money saving" but I have a bit of a dilemma.

My son is the registered keeper of his car (his name is on the log book V5) but his dad bought the car for him so the invoice was probably put in his dad's name.

My son has had a row with his dad and his dad has said he can't have the car (it's kept at his dad's house).

What does the law say about this? Can my son just take the car (he has one set of keys)?

Any help with this would be greatly appeciated.

Ebe_Scrooge

Sounds like his dad is the legal owner - legal owner is not necessarily the registered keeper :

https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q743.htm

So if he took the car without his dad's consent, he could wind up in hot water.

Gloomendoom

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

Sounds like his dad is the legal owner - legal owner is not necessarily the registered keeper :

https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q743.htm

So if he took the car without his dad's consent, he could wind up in hot water.

Using that logic, I still own a fair few of the Christmas and birthday presents I have given over the years. I have the receipts.

Guest101

lissa_23 wrote: »

I know this is not strictly "money saving" but I have a bit of a dilemma.

My son is the registered keeper of his car (his name is on the log book V5) but his dad bought the car for him so the invoice was probably put in his dad's name.

My son has had a row with his dad and his dad has said he can't have the car (it's kept at his dad's house).

What does the law say about this? Can my son just take the car (he has one set of keys)?

Any help with this would be greatly appeciated.

Was this car a gift?

Legally the Keeper, is not necessary the owner of the vehicle. 99% of the time, it is probably one and the same. But as you have discovered, 1% of the time it needs abit of working out.

If this was for example a birthday present, or a present for passing his test, or a proveable gift. Your son can do as he wishes.

If your sone pays for the insurance himself, and/or is the sole driver on the policy, this would reinforce his arguement.

This normally happens with lease cars, where the owner is the company, but the keeper is the leaseholder.

I would wager that if he took the car, the police would deem this a civil matter. The registered keeper is entitled to drive the vehicle.

Car_54

If dad does have some proof of ownership, e.g. the invoice, then it's straightforward. Otherwise it could be messy, as always when families fall out.

Quentin

Your OP brings up another question.


Who does the car's insurer believe to be the owner?

Guest101

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Using that logic, I still own a fair few of the Christmas and birthday presents I have given over the years. I have the receipts.

No you dont, they were gifts.

This is two contracts / agreements.

1: dad purchased the car
2: dad either lent, or gave the car to son - this is where it gets tricky.

Car_54

Guest101 wrote: »

The registered keeper is entitled to drive the vehicle.

Are you sure about that?

Gloomendoom

Guest101 wrote: »

No you dont, they were gifts.

This is two contracts / agreements.

I see no mention in the OP of any contract or agreement. All we know is that the father bought the car for the son.

It could have been a birthday or Christmas present for all we know.

Ebe_Scrooge

This is where it gets tricky. If it was a gift, then the son is the legal owner. But how does one prove it was a gift ?

The registered keeper is responsible for speeding fines, parking fines, etc. ( as in most company car setups - the company owns the car, but the sales rep is the RK ).

DUTR

lissa_23 wrote: »

I know this is not strictly "money saving" but I have a bit of a dilemma.

My son is the registered keeper of his car (his name is on the log book V5) but his dad bought the car for him so the invoice was probably put in his dad's name.

My son has had a row with his dad and his dad has said he can't have the car (it's kept at his dad's house).

What does the law say about this? Can my son just take the car (he has one set of keys)?

Any help with this would be greatly appeciated.

Where is the help required?
There is information missing from the post, the other replies, are correct if not debatable.
My view is that your son is being disrespectful to his parents, he should be looking to make purchases of his own .
Considering the vehicle is not where the son lives, suggests there is much more to the episode than you are letting on.