If you go to:
- Revert from Trial Version to avast free - From the avastUI > Maintenance > Registration, scroll down to Other Options and the "Switch me back to avast! free" option is there.
Is that option there, if not has your son-in-law done a system restore recently, coinciding with this pro trial issue (some instances of that in the forums) ?
If the option to revert isn't there, he may have to do a clean reinstall of avast free, more on that if it is required.