I Pay Loan But Car Is Registered In Partners Name

[Fudge17]

I may be splitting with girlfriend, I took out a loan to pay for a car but the car is in my girlfriends name

[Baldric]

Whose name is on the original bill of sale?
The V5, log book is not proof of ownership.

[fiction-factory]

If the loan is in your name only then you will remain responsible for repaying it. I think the issue of getting the car back from her is a separate issue

[EDDIE51]

Then your girlfriend is the legal owner. Who actually makes the payments is not relevant to the ownership.

[fiction-factory]

eddie- the DVLA states that the person named on the registration document is not necessarily the owner

[fiction-factory]

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

[Fudge17]

My girlfriends name is on the bill of sale

[Rockrose]

Your girlfriend is the owner

[fiction-factory]

Thanks. So it looks like she owns the car and you own the loan. You need to come to some agreement with her

[Fudge17]

I’m trying to contact the bank to see if I made the payment to the garage or if I transferred the money to her

[Peter Pedant]

clearly you have some interest in it
because they can make you pay for a loan

you need to negotiate in a sensible way ( ha! there is someone splitting in my family and talking to them is like reading an AB post from a usual suspect - it doesnt even start off as semi-logical)

NOT paying when you split - easy the car gets taken from the girl and you get saddled with the remainder debt

PAYING for the car - you have a lever of "everyone can see I dont pay for a car I dont drive"

She has legal title and you have an equitable interest
Citizens advice may be able to help (tell you how to get out of this maze at least cost)

remember than the loan contributions are not necessarily an asset ( ha! hem hem) because you have had the use of the car for which there would be a charge. If the loan is greater than the book value then you are both screwed

[Peter Pedant]

oh
oh dear I think you need to stop off at Citizens advice

[she may well say you gave her the car in which case it may be difficult to re-link the two if she says no - no -no )

[Fudge17]

I’ve contacted the bank and they have confirmed I made the payment directly to the garage... does that bear any significance

[tonyav]

I shouldn't think so, it's still your girlfriends name on the bill of sale.

[Peter Pedant]

yes i think it does
it shows you have an equitable interest in the car
yippee !
unburden yourself to citizens advice - they are good at this sort of thing

there is - see the label at the top - a variety of advice in quality and accuracy

eddie wrote
Then your girlfriend is the legal owner. Who actually makes the payments is not relevant to the ownership.

and clearly only one of us can be right .....

[Peter Pedant]

eek my head hurts
see this
https://www.confused.com/car-finance/finance-options/sell-car-with-outstanding-finance#

you will see that the BA asnwer does not er really reflect the position