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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

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Original poster

Give it back?

6 replies

clare1279 · 01/08/2013 22:57

I am thinking about leaving my partner and have a practical question.

18 months ago my partner and in-laws made a car swap to help me start driving. My lack of independence was driving my partner mad so when he got a company car he gave his car to his parents (as it had lower mileage than their current car) and his parents gave their small car to me keeping their high mileage car also. The small car is signed over to me on the V5 document and I paid my partner £1400.

If I leave should i give the car back? I paid for it but have benefited from my partner's parents' investment in looking after it over the years (it is 11 years old). When I talked about getting another car my partner's sister expressed an interest in having it and when I accidentally scratched it (new driver) his mum was very concerned - all as if it it is really on loan rather than mine. I'm really grateful for everything they've done and don't want to take the piss but at the same time I have paid quite a lot of money just to give it back. I have taxed, mot'd and serviced it in the past 18 months - £420 for the service this week.

What do you think? TIA

OP posts:

purplewithred · 01/08/2013 23:02

No. Its your car, you've paid for it and you are the legal owner. Yours.

Xales · 01/08/2013 23:02

You paid for it and the documents were transferred to you.

It is your car.

ImperialBlether · 01/08/2013 23:03

It's your name on the V5 document. You paid for it. You have taxed it and serviced it and taken it through its MOT.

His parents did well getting a company car with a low mileage.

I think when older people give you something they do still think they own it, but you know what? That's their problem! They did alright out of that deal. Who kept the £1400 by the way?

CastroIsDead · 01/08/2013 23:21

my ex gave me a car. it didn't even enter my head that i wouldn't be keeping it when we split up. i didn't pay him for it and he was still using it and had to buy a new one when we split. he gave you the car your name is on the papers and had you paid some. its yours i wouldn't even mention it

Mum2Fergus · 01/08/2013 23:25

Nope, I'd say its yours.

Original poster

clare1279 · 01/08/2013 23:27

My partner kept the money as he was left with no car of his own, only the company car. He spent a lot of cash on up keeping his car well looked after.

My worry is that I got a safe deal for the money I spent as in I knew it had been well looked after. If I had bought a second hand car from joe blogs it would have been a risk.

About two wks after I had the car it broke down. Our local garage said it was the head gasket and only fit for scrap. His parents were so sure it was ok because of the maintenance they had done that they had it collected and taken back to their local garage (400 mile round trip ) and paid for it to be fixed.

I don't want it to become messy with his family as they are really nice and have been very kind and generous to me over the years. I think they did all this to help my partner who was getting very frustrated with me not driving.

OP posts:

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