V5 Documentation - DVLA Rule Change for Motor Caravan Reregistration June 2019

[Kevin]

This is just going to go on and on.
Mine is registered as a motor caravan. Its was done a few years ago. They police say they need to be able to tell its a camper in traffic. If vans have a pop top its a camper generally? Because it has a high top its of necessary a camper? I struggle to see the reasoning. How many builders vans, delivery vans etc go flying down the outside line on motorways. It would be interesting to know what the professional convertors are doing, the companies approved by VW etc.

 

[Dahnhiller]

What system are they checking with?

Partly my fault - I noticed in the booking conditions that conversions that weren't updated on the logbook would not be allowed on site, so queried them on it. They were pretty adamant that they were sticking to the letter of their T&Cs and wouldn't allow any van conversion on site without the logbook to back it up. If I hadn't mentioned it, we might have gotten away with it, but didn't want to risk it after a long drive

 

[Kevin]

Partly my fault - I noticed in the booking conditions that conversions that weren't updated on the logbook would not be allowed on site, so queried them on it. They were pretty adamant that they were sticking to the letter of their T&Cs and wouldn't allow any van conversion on site without the logbook to back it up. If I hadn't mentioned it, we might have gotten away with it, but didn't want to risk it after a long drive

Where was this? I have seen that some camp sites will only take properly converted vans but not sure how they quantify that not sure?

 

[Dahnhiller]

Where was this? I have seen that some camp sites will only take properly converted vans but not sure how they quantify that not sure?

Hurley Riverside Park near Legoland. And just to be clear our van has pop-top roof with bed, a rock and roll bed, drive-away awning etc. Definitely not a commercial vehicle type thing. I guess this is down to them having to draw a line somewhere and/or insurance requirements

 

[Ads_Essex]

Hurley Riverside Park near Legoland. And just to be clear our van has pop-top roof with bed, a rock and roll bed, drive-away awning etc. Definitely not a commercial vehicle type thing. I guess this is down to them having to draw a line somewhere and/or insurance requirements

Christ. At this rate they will have empty sites in a few years time!

 

[DXX]

Last summer I saw quite a few large white hire vans parked up with people sleeping in them, it could be the backlash from that.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Hurley Riverside Park near Legoland. And just to be clear our van has pop-top roof with bed, a rock and roll bed, drive-away awning etc. Definitely not a commercial vehicle type thing. I guess this is down to them having to draw a line somewhere and/or insurance requirements

It has never been possible to register vehicles as " motorhomes and campervans" with the dvla - they cannot even get the terminology correct! The term is motor caravan. They must refuse one heck of a lot of vans.

"VEHICLES

1. All vehicles are admitted at our discretion. Caravans, motorhomes or RVS over 8 metres in length must inform us at the time of booking. Motorhomes and campervans must be registered as such with the DVLA.
2. Only cars are accepted on the park. Commercial, converted, sign-written or untidy vehicles will not be admitted even if booked. "

 

[Loz]

Hurley Riverside Park near Legoland. And just to be clear our van has pop-top roof with bed, a rock and roll bed, drive-away awning etc. Definitely not a commercial vehicle type thing. I guess this is down to them having to draw a line somewhere and/or insurance requirements

Send them a photo.

 

[Kevin]

I think they are also trying to reduce DIY campers. Looking at some of the conversion companies websites they state they are type approved meaning they can register campers as motor caravans.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

There is no requirement for type approval for self converted motor caravans - this is buried back in the early pages of the thread. DVLA used to state this but don't know if they still do.

 

[Kevin]

The issue is that some convertors are getting their vans registered as a Motor caravan where else everyone else is getting knocked back? It could be when they are 1st registered.

 

[Niknak]

What convertors have managed to get them registered and what are they doing different ?

 

[Kevin]

Just to name two: But new vans only (unregistered converted then registered)?

Vanworx web site:
VW approved campervans have to achieve a certain standard of safety. Vanworx are proud to hold accreditation to the Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) standards, which are the highest safety standards in the UK and Europe. There are very few converters in the UK who work to these standards – however, Vanworx is very proud to be one of them. Not only does the accreditation ensure that all vehicles are built to meet the highest possible standards for safety, security and?environmental requirements, it further permits Vanworx to build on unregistered vehicles so that they may be classed as motorhomes from first registration.

Rolling homes website:-
All our new campervans are fully type approved; this means we have crash tested our vehicles with the government body Vehicle Certification Agency, to keep them to the highest safety standard. Therefore, we can be registered vehicles as Motorcaravans!

 

[Niknak]

That’s good, begs the question why do people go to other converters that can’t offer this seems a bit moronic to me if your buying a brand new van to get it converted elsewhere, surely they are leading the way.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

I used Autohaus who are VW accredited also. Price might have been higher than the budget converters but theoretically safer etc. Mine was registered as panel van from new by them to me then changed to motor caravan after conversion. This was a workaround to get past the punitive taxation on over £40K vehicles. I don't know if they would still do this - mine was 2018 and a lot has changed since then.

 

[KR.]

Until you make an insurance claim and you get the money back for a van only

Not in my experience, my previous T6 fully converted campervan was registered as a van with side windows. When I insured it I told the insurers it was a campervan. I made a claim and the insurers paid out, in full, for a converted campervan. You might have to do the legwork to find the insurers but it's not that difficult. Far as I can see the ongoing debate over this is pretty pointless for insurance and speed limit purposes. I reckon people can relax a bit over it, once you realise it doesn't make any difference why bother?

 

[Kevin]

Not in my experience, my previous T6 fully converted campervan was registered as a van with side windows. When I insured it I told the insurers it was a campervan. I made a claim and the insurers paid out, in full, for a converted campervan. You might have to do the legwork to find the insurers but it's not that difficult. Far as I can see the ongoing debate over this is pretty pointless for insurance and speed limit purposes. I reckon people can relax a bit over it, once you realise it doesn't make any difference why bother?

If its ordered as a van with windows to take passengers its a van with windows. The only thing is as someone said earlier today they have been refuse a camp site because it was not a motor caravan on the log book? Some insurers are being funny about it. Hopefully it will settle down

 

[moomin-j]

Mine was ordered with 2 x single seats - on the V5 it was first registered as having 3 seats
Mine was ordered as a panel van - on the V5 it was first registered as a "van with windows"
Mine was ordered as a T30 - on the V5 it was first registered as a T32
The only thing on the V5 that was correct was the colour!!

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Mine was ordered with 2 x single seats - on the V5 it was first registered as having 3 seats
Mine was ordered as a panel van - on the V5 it was first registered as a "van with windows"

Same as mine!

It makes a mockery of the dvla's intent of identifying the vehicle.

 

[KR.]

Hurley Riverside Park near Legoland. And just to be clear our van has pop-top roof with bed, a rock and roll bed, drive-away awning etc. Definitely not a commercial vehicle type thing. I guess this is down to them having to draw a line somewhere and/or insurance requirements

If you actually contact them, you'll find that the park mentioned *will* take converted vans if you send them a picture. They're trying to stop people turning up with a blow up mattress in the back of a works van, which is fair enough. I emailed them and asked, I've no intention of going but intrigued to see if good old common sense could apply and I'm glad to say it does.