Car Finance - Ownership

[Chapter1980]

My friend has finance on a car that their ex partner has.
The log book is in their partners name but the finance is in my friends name.
I am presuming that legally the car is the person that has the finance not who's name is on the log book??
Can anyone shed any light on this as there is 2 years finance left and i do not see why they should be driving around in a car that my friend is paying for?

[tigersam258]

the car is legally the person that owns the rights to it i.e. the person that holds the registration document. the person that has taken finance against the car is the debtor therefore they need to pay the finance company irrespective of whether they are in possesion of the car or not. You could advise your friend to issue a Small Claims summons against the owner of the car but unless there was some contract between them in the first place in that the owner agreed to payback the person that took the finance, I doubt that it would be upheld.

[CheekyChops]

The log book / registration document only shows the registered keeper of the vehicle which is not necessarily the same as the legal owner.

[CheekyChops]

What is the difference between the 'owner' and 'registered keeper'?
There may be a reason for the owner and registered keeper to be different individuals. For example, you may use a car that is owned by someone else in which case you would be the registered keeper. Or you may own a car that you allow your children to use and therefore the registered keeper would be one of your children.

[donna74]

the person who is named on The log book / registration document is not the owner of the car...

ie was going thought a divorce new man bought me a car ex husband tried to claim half in court judge asked who owned the car new man said he payed for the car
judge said ex husband had no case because it the person who payed for the car and can prove it owns it and the debt

and the police told me that as well

so go and get your car back!!

[themas]

You don't say whether this finance is hire purchase or some other form of credit agreement. If it is hire purchase, then the finance company owns the car until the final payment has been made; it then belongs to whoever entered into the hire purchase agreement. If it is another form of credit agreement then the car belongs to whoever entered into the agreement.

The name on the logbook is irrelevant - it is only a record of registered keepers.