DVLA conversion request (1 Viewer)

[Roc C]

Hi, I'm having a bit of a mare with the DVLA, I recently submitted my Renault Master Minibus for a change of use to a motor caravan, I'm not sure if I should have stated it as a camper van as they have come back stating that they will not register it as a motor home and on viewing the photographs they agree that it is converted so they are sending me a new V5 stating that although it is still a bus they are classing it as a van with windows and increasing the road tax to that of a commercial van.

As a foot note on the letter they that that this is their final decision and cannot be consider this in another application.

Any advise please.

Rob

 

[34127]

Nearly all van conversion applications are coming back from the DVLA as van with windows, even professional converters are having this problem. If it a base van that has been converted and the DVLA agree with that, as in your case, then the vehicle can be used as a motor caravan with the benefit of motor caravan speed limits etc.
The term campervan is not recognised by the DVLA and it will either be classified as motor caravan or van with windows, assuming the application is not totally rejected by the DVLA.

 

[Simon Select]

1600 rejected proposals since they changed it in October last year.
Needs to be a mix of:
High top (Not a pop top)
2 or more rear side windows not including the cab
Awning
Graphics

Your letter should say on one of the paragraphs that you can STILL use it as a camper van though as long as its converted safely!

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[34127]

1600 rejected proposals since they changed it in October last year.
Needs to be a mix of:
High top (Not a pop top)
2 or more rear side windows not including the cab
Awning
Graphics

Your letter should say on one of the paragraphs that you can STILL use it as a camper van though as long as its converted safely!

Even that is not a guarantee of acceptance as a motor caravan.

 

[Roc C]

Thanks, my main annoyance is that they've taken it on themselves to increase my road tax for the privilege of trying to do the right thing even though the minibus has a Euro 4 rating and is basically lighter thus causing less pollution, it does state in the letter that it can be used as a motor caravan as long as safe.

 

[34127]

I suppose their argument is that it is no longer being used as a bus but as a campervan and therefore should pay same tax as everyone else.

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[Otter Spotter]

Happened to me and I am awaiting a response to my email asking what is missing from my vehicle that causes them to make this decision. 2 weeks and counting.

 

[Emmit]

Being a keyboard warrior, wouldn't there be an ombudsmen to whom you could complain.
If the 'van conversion complies in all respects to being a motor caravan then who is a jumped up, pen pushing minion to tell you, not only that in their jaundiced view it does not comply with their idea of what your vehicle is, but, in addition, refuses to tell you what has led to that decision and disallows you from appealing their stupid and incorrect decision.

I've just checked.
Of course being what they are, they don't make it simple.
First of all, you have to appeal their decision, even though they've told you you can't, (which in itself is contrary to their own procedure)
If that is unsuccessful, one has to appeal to the Chief Executive. Yea, right, he looks into the appeal himself.?
If that goes nowhere, you have to get your MP to contact a independent arbitor, and after that you can go to the Gov. Ombudsman.
No doubt, despite them contradicting their own systems you will have to jump through hoops 1 and 2 before you would get to any sense at all. Good luck.

 

[34127]

The 'defence' that the DVLA use is that they say the V5 classification depends upon what the van looks like externally.

DVLA is required to record vehicle details for road safety and law enforcement. The body type information held on the vehicle record must describe what a vehicle looks like in traffic. This description, as well as other distinguishing features, allows the police and other enforcement agencies to easily identify vehicles.

I wonder how many times during the initial lock down period that the police would have seen a van in a holiday area and said to themselves 'that is a van with windows, not a campervan, therefore no need to check it.

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[Minxy]

Hi, I'm having a bit of a mare with the DVLA, I recently submitted my Renault Master Minibus for a change of use to a motor caravan, I'm not sure if I should have stated it as a camper van as they have come back stating that they will not register it as a motor home and on viewing the photographs they agree that it is converted so they are sending me a new V5 stating that although it is still a bus they are classing it as a van with windows and increasing the road tax to that of a commercial van.

As a foot note on the letter they that that this is their final decision and cannot be consider this in another application.

Any advise please.

Rob

Regardless of their saying you this can't be considered in another application but it doesn't say you can't appeal, so do so.

Do you have any photos of the outside of your camper that we can have a shuftie at?

 

[chaser]

While I sympathize with anyone in this position, as I got my ambulance through two years ago with a couple of goes, but they do have to be exactly what they want, it was fine till people started getting clever and photographing the insides of other vans and claiming it was theirs, and worse than that was going on to forums and Facebook saying what they had done.
DVLA aren't stupid and are also on this media.
and clever buggers have done it in for genuine folks.

 

[Minxy]

The 'defence' that the DVLA use is that they say the V5 classification depends upon what the van looks like externally.

DVLA is required to record vehicle details for road safety and law enforcement. The body type information held on the vehicle record must describe what a vehicle looks like in traffic. This description, as well as other distinguishing features, allows the police and other enforcement agencies to easily identify vehicles.

I wonder how many times during the initial lock down period that the police would have seen a van in a holiday area and said to themselves 'that is a van with windows, not a campervan, therefore no need to check it.

I suspect this is what has brought it to a head - with the Police turning around vehicles which weren't 'welcome' a month or so ago it was easy for them to tell what was a coachbuilt/A-class MH but campervans are not always so easy to identify so if they are due to their outward appearance rather than being mistaken for a legitimate business vehicle going about it's normal work (I know they are called motorcaravans on the V5C when accepted for that classification) it will no doubt make it easier for them to tell what is what and thus not stop legitimate vans/buses.

It also could be something that insurance companies will require too in the future so that a vehicle insured as a motorcaravan actually LOOKS like one in the eyes of the DVLA. Also, if your 'camper' gets nicked it would be more likely to be identifiable from the mass of vans and minibuses out there.

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[34127]

I suspect this is what has brought it to a head - with the Police turning around vehicles which weren't 'welcome' a month or so ago it was easy for them to tell what was a coachbuilt/A-class MH but campervans are not always so easy to identify so if they are due to their outward appearance rather than being mistaken for a legitimate business vehicle going about it's normal work (I know they are called motorcaravans on the V5C when accepted for that classification) it will no doubt make it easier for them to tell what is what and thus not stop legitimate vans/buses.

It also could be something that insurance companies will require too in the future so that a vehicle insured as a motorcaravan actually LOOKS like one in the eyes of the DVLA. Also, if your 'camper' gets nicked it would be more likely to be identifiable from the mass of vans and minibuses out there.

A lot of insurance companies are aware of the situation with the DVLA and are quite happy to insure vehicles as a motor caravan if the interior complies with DVLA guidelines.
The DVLA are also saying that the V5 classification type does not affect the vehicle from being used as a motor caravan.

 

[Minxy]

A lot of insurance companies are aware of the situation with the DVLA and are quite happy to insure vehicles as a motor caravan if the interior complies with DVLA guidelines.
The DVLA are also saying that the V5 classification type does not affect the vehicle from being used as a motor caravan.

I know that, but it wouldn't take much for them to decide they want to change it ... especially if it means they don't have to make such large payouts.

 

[St Ivian]

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