Downrating Motorhome Weight (1 Viewer)

[lorger]

I have just sold the MH and the new owners are needing it downrated to 3500 from 3850, when i uprated it there was no physical changes just paper work.

I called DVLA yesterday and was told i would need to get a certificate of plating, basically they said take it to a weight bridge and get a cert of the weight to prove its still under 3500.

They have told me i then just fill in the log book part for the tax class and put new weight in so just wondering if anyone has done this and is this the correct way.

 

[vwalan]

yes that should be ok. down plating is easy.
there will be more tax to pay.
a simple letter explaining why and that no changes were needed could just help.
but it will be simple .
at one time you just went to local office but these days thats gone .

 

[lorger]

Thanks Alan i thought it would be just reassuring to here from someone who knows

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[Larrynwin]

I have just had my Hymer downplated by SVTech at a cost of £144.
I provided the weighbridge tickets and they produce the new plate, verification letter and V7 for sending to DVLA , all done in a few days. If you tax it at phg , don't forget to send DVLA the difference as plg is a bit more

 

[lorger]

Larry did you just use a private weigh bridge or did you use a DVLA/DSA one

 

[Larrynwin]

Larry did you just use a private weigh bridge or did you use a DVLA/DSA one

It was a private one on a farm, they will all be calibrated for accuracy and should provide a printed ticket with both axles and complete weight.
My was weighed with a 1/4 fuel all tanks dry and no driver and was 2780 kgs so sufficient payload

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[CWH]

Dealers told me they could do it & it would cost close to £1000????? Enough for us to decide to put up with the higher weight. Can anybody explain please how they could come up with this amount?

Also, I think I must have misunderstood - I'm under the impression that the weight we're talking about is when the van's loaded, so how can a weighbridge weight "to prove its still under 3500" be of any use? What am I missing here please?

 

[Larrynwin]

Dealers told me they could do it & it would cost close to £1000????? Enough for us to decide to put up with the higher weight. Can anybody explain please how they could come up with this amount?

Also, I think I must have misunderstood - I'm under the impression that the weight we're talking about is when the van's loaded, so how can a weighbridge weight "to prove its still under 3500" be of any use? What am I missing here please?

The object is to prove there is adequate payload to be able to keep within the new gvw so a miro is required. Some new vans include full fuel and 75kg for driver , others do not.

£1000.........on the make I think

 

[CWH]

prove there is adequate payload

Ah ... thank you. So a bit of subjectivity involved then, in terms of what you'd carry. (I realise it's then up to the driver to make sure the loaded van is under 3500.)

Seems unlike this dealer to beef up the cost to this extent!

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[Larrynwin]

Ah ... thank you. So a bit of subjectivity involved then, in terms of what you'd carry. (I realise it's then up to the driver to make sure the loaded van is under 3500.)

Seems unlike this dealer to beef up the cost to this extent!

Perhaps misunderstood and was quoting for an uprate of weight which could potentially entail tyre/brake /suspension changed.

As i posted earlier SVTech charge £144

 

[Judge Mental]

I thought for a downgrade all you needed was a weighbridge ticket and write to the DVLA

 

[lorger]

I thought for a downgrade all you needed was a weighbridge ticket and write to the DVLA

Yes that's what I was told just a ticket and fill in the correct section in the log book.

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[Larrynwin]

Yes, that corrects the V5 registration document, but you still require a plate displaying the new gvw and axle weights and dvla dont produce those.

 

[vwalan]

the op already knows the axle weights and possibly still has the old plates . even so its a scrible on a sticker if they want to.
remember in the first post they say they uprated the vehicle .

 

[lorger]

Yes old plate still on van next to the new sticker which I will just score out

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[vwalan]

when i down plate vehicles i leave the higher plate there in case of future needs .
i use a voluntary down plate sticker . next to the original ones .

 

[Larrynwin]

when i down plate vehicles i leave the higher plate there in case of future needs .
i use a voluntary down plate sticker . next to the original ones .

Yes in my case I have left the higher plate

 

[vwalan]

the daftest thing is you can down plate yet the original train weight stays .
mind it suits what i do.
i,m sure larry would be better off with a fifth wheeler . ha ha .
i know we have been here before .
its the answer for over 70 yr olds for sure.

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[Larrynwin]

the daftest thing is you can down plate yet the original train weight stays .
mind it suits what i do.
i,m sure larry would be better off with a fifth wheeler . ha ha .
i know we have been here before .
its the answer for over 70 yr olds for sure.

We like fifth wheelers but we are tourers and dont stay put for long, so a modest motor home will suit our needs best.
The other thing Alan is with the new plate , front and back axle weights also stay the same which if checked by dvsa gives a bit more flexibility.

 

[vwalan]

We like fifth wheelers but we are tourers and dont stay put for long, so a modest motor home will suit our needs best.
The other thing Alan is with the new plate , front and back axle weights also stay the same which if checked by dvsa gives a bit more flexibility.

i know its so daft you couldnt imagine what goes on in their minds . if i down plate mine i can leave the axle weights and the rear would be a ton over the gross vehicle weight .
its hilarious really .
the 7500kg down plated can still have 5200kg as its rear axle weight.
the fronts stay at 3100kg .
you can see how confusion beats them .
specially as it keeps the 11ton train and can be driven on some b+e driving licences .
its just a game really.

 

[Larrynwin]

i know its so daft you couldnt imagine what goes on in their minds . if i down plate mine i can leave the axle weights and the rear would be a ton over the gross vehicle weight .
its hilarious really .
the 7500kg down plated can still have 5200kg as its rear axle weight.
the fronts stay at 3100kg .
you can see how confusion beats them .
specially as it keeps the 11ton train and can be driven on some b+e driving licences .
its just a game really.

Yes, barmy

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[kcy]

When ours is out of warranty we'll be putting it up to 3850 from 3500. Can't understand why anyone would want to lower it.

 

[vwalan]

i lower trucks so they can be driven on a blicence .then as many before 2013 have b+e they can use the full trainweight of the original listing .
like i say at 70 i will lower mine and slide the trailer wheels /axles forward to lighten the weight on the fifth wheel. and i dont have to worry about licencing .
mind i will then have to mot the truck . always a negative somewhere.

 

[Adam C]

yes that should be ok. down plating is easy.
there will be more tax to pay.
a simple letter explaining why and that no changes were needed could just help.
but it will be simple .
at one time you just went to local office but these days thats gone .

Hi I’m thinking of buying a mh which weighs 4000kg is it possible to down plate it ?
Regards Adam

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[Lenny HB]

Hi I’m thinking of buying a mh which weighs 4000kg is it possible to down plate it ?
Regards Adam

Very unlikely but to check, load it with everything you take with you for a trip including people water, fuel, food & beer then get to a weighbridge if you are under 3500kg you should be OK. Then you need to unload everything including fuel & weigh it again to prove to DVLA if can be run at 3500kg with enough payload to be useable.
You will also need a weight new plate, officially can only be obtained from a registered engineer but you can get "show plates" on ebay.

 

[Edenside]

I think it all depends on who you get at DVLA. We tried to downplate a converted ex minibus so family could use it. Weight at weighbridge empty 2.5 tons. Wanted it down graded from 3.8 to 3.5. Numpty at DVLA insisted I needed a weighbridge ticket saying 3.5, I tried to explain if it weighed 3.5 empty I would not have any payload. His response was Madam I own a caravan and fully understand payload, I need a weighbridge ticket stating 3.5 before I can downgrade it. Needless to say we stayed with original weight & sold the vehicle.