Name changed and posting on behalf of a friend.
Her ex-partner walked out on her and their two girls two years ago. He took the car she owns (still registered in her name), and she has been paying the insurance and road tax on it for all the time he has been driving it. He hasn't once acknowledged this or offered to contribute. In fact, he has cut money he gives her for the girls to an unbelievably miserly amount while incredibly being semi-supported by her.
He has now got a new girlfriend that he wants to move towns to be with, routinely vilifies her to their girls, we think has secured legal aid, and is starting a custody battle in spite of the fact his actions are making his girls absolutely hate him.
My friend is now in the position of having to raid all her savings that she had put to one side for her girls university to try pay legal fees to fight this, and she's already struggling financially.
She is desperate and needs to sell that car and is planning to stop paying insurance and road tax, and offering to let him have first option to buy it from her.
Can he refuse to do this and defy her and keep the car? Is she liable if he drives without insurance because the car is in her name? Can he insure the car without her permission and keep driving it even if he doesn't own it?
Asking for advice so I can help my absolutely broken friend sort it out.