Who owns the car?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Tue 31 May 2011 13:30
Who owns the car? - Archie35

Hello,

we'll be moving overseas for a few years. My father has offered to look after our car while we are away, driving it every week or so for 20 miles or so, keeping it MOTd and serviced. My wife will probably be back in the UK for a couple of months each summer, during which time she will drive the car (it is currently in her name). Therefore, do you think we should:

  • transfer ownership and insurance to my father, as he will have possession for most of the year, or
  • keep it in my wife's name as she will, over the summer months, do far more mileage than my father will during the rest of the year?

Or doesn't it matter?!

Many thanks,

Archie.

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Tue 31 May 2011 15:25
Who owns the car? - LucyBC

There is no concept of registered ownership in the UK - only of the registered keeper. Your father would clearly be the keeper but bear in mind you will add another name to the logbook which may affect the value. The other issue is insurance no claims discount which may be limited or lost if she transfers the policy. I would be temopted to leave the keeper as is but change the registered address to that of your father and cover him as a named driver on the policy.

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Tue 31 May 2011 16:15
Who owns the car? - Archie35

Lucy,

thanks - that is what I was thinking also, just wondering whether anyone knew if DVLA would argue, should there be a problem, that we should have transferred the keeper to my father even though we would be using it most often (ie about 60 days over the summer, rather than maybe 45 short trips over the rest of the year). Also, don't want to fall foul of an insurance company insisting we should have done the other option!

Definitely would add my father as a named driver!

"Archie"

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Tue 31 May 2011 17:46
Who owns the car? - LucyBC

Unless there is an obvious element of "passing off" whereby your father has an incredibly bad driving record or your wife is 18 there should not be an issue as to who is the first named driver.

There is a reasonable expectation that the named driver should be the one who covers the most miles in the year and they should also have an "insurable risk" ie they should be the one to be paid if the vehicle is written off ( - complicated area that; don't take me there).

I don't think the DVLA would be interested either as long as the address was "good for service". If you are moving out of your own house then your father's would clearly fit that bill (as long as he is prepared to field the post) and as long as you only change the address you will not add a further keeper,.

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