My motorhome is in Spain MOT Due to expire Help (2 Viewers)

[Skyblue3491]

My 6.3 m motorhome is in Valencia province Spain, my MOT runs out 20/08/20 . I am in Australia, with no flights to UK until further notice, because of COVID 19
I was due to fly back to UK 22/04/20 but all flights stopped. Any Suggestions?

 

[Hilewaychile]

Try quoting what you've been told to the Policeman at the side of the road and arguing it in Court.
No nationalities mentioned but peeps did that back in the day, travelling three hundred miles to a prearranged test before their hols. in Cornwall, cancelling the test when (if) they got here and then repeating the exercise at the end.
They've closed that loophole.

OK. Call DVLA and ask them yourself. I did and that's what I was told. Pre-booked - go where you want. There is no 'loophole'.

 

[mikebeaches]

It would have been OK to drive it back on the basis that you were only on the road in order to get the MoT done. With ferry booking and hard copy of the test appointment, you would have been OK. I did exactly this, from Valencia city.

A GB reg camper, heading north - Plod would know you're going home and let you get on with it without pulling you over.

Yes, I kind of reckoned that might have been the case in reality, particularly in the light of the circumstances with the pandemic.

But, we decided to avoid the risk of a run in with the Spanish or French police. There was also the personal risk to consider, being of a certain age, and me a lifelong asthmatic (albeit normally well controlled).

We estimated the cost of flying to Alicante, to then drive the van back was going to be between a third and a half of what we paid to get it transported. Since we were travelling via the tunnel and have a Frequent Traveller A/C, we didn't have the cost of an unused crossing*. And we didn't know, at that stage, when it would be possible to fly to Spain in any case...

So to end all the uncertainty, we just got it recovered. And it wasn't simply about the van, we wanted all of our 'stuff' in it back too!

No regrets about the decision.

*Our EuroTunnel Frequent Traveller a/c has been extended to September 2021.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Theonlysue]

Not having a valid MOT does not invalidate the 3rd party legal minimum requirement for use on the public road, this has been stated many times in this thread.

But this is not in uk, where that may apply.
Its in europe.

 

[Theonlysue]

Taking a vehicle out of the UK

Taking your car out of the UK - when VAT is not payable on a car you're exporting, procedures, registration and vehicle tax.

www.gov.uk

Says you must have current mot for driving vehicle abroad.

 

[2657]

But this is not in uk, where that may apply.
Its in europe.

If it's covered for third party in the UK then it is covered in the EU, some may not cover comprehensive but at the moment all policies cover 3rd party risks in the EU, might change after 31st December though.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DavidG58]

We totally innocently went 11 months without , did our normal 6000 miles including crossing the channel

I am not recommending it

We just got lucky, the cameras are maybe not as efficient as thought

but I wouldn’t have fancied untangling all the aggro had we broken down or worse had a bump

Broken Link Removed

try DG 369 in above link

 

[Dorset Diver]

But this is not in uk, where that may apply.
Its in europe.

Not having a valid MOT does not / will not invalidate your insurance in any of the territories covered. If the vehicle is not road worthy or it has not been regularly maintained your insurance, with the exception of third party liability, may be invalidated. Of course, with certain exceptions, it is illegal to drive a vehicle on HM highways without both a valid MOT and Insurance.

 

[2657]

Taking a vehicle out of the UK

Taking your car out of the UK - when VAT is not payable on a car you're exporting, procedures, registration and vehicle tax.

www.gov.uk

Says you must have current mot for driving vehicle abroad.

That is not in contention.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TerryL]

Okay, think the subject of MoT has been well-aired.

Now, what's best for the OP? I would've happily flown out and driven it back for them, insurance sorted out of course, but now with anyone returning from Spain facing a 14 day quarantine (and talk this morning of making over 70's - yeh, that's me - stay in lockdown) I'm not so sure. Maybe a professional delivery driver or chauffeur?

Otherwise it's repatriation on the back of a truck, which of course wouldn't need an MoT..........................

Interesting comment about being in Spain over 6 months although I wouldn't think it would be a problem - El Plod has many more important things to worry about at the moment!

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Big fuss over nothIng, must book it to the nearest authorised test station at Dover ie Husks at Lydden aind you are totally legal under the regulations.

 

[Coolcats]

Just a thought.

If the MoHo is not on a public road and in storage or Campsite, Sorn it. Notify the insurance company it is Sorn

Then it is legitimate to drive a vehicle from where it is stored for repair and MOT (pre booked) by taking the most direct route

Personally I can’t see an issue with the above , if your concerned maybe give someone like the RAC legal advice line for guidance.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Clipgate]

I really cannot understand why the owner of a vehicle and ultimately responsible for its safety and that of others, let alone legalities will not do there own research. Its no good saying Fred said so etc.
Contact insurers and national authorities get the answers in writing, on the subject of disclosure please remember at the time of purchasing an insurance policy most not all I agree have an MOT, if that is the case it is a material fact if it has run out, unless the policy says otherwise, for instance driving to a pre arranged MOT.
Ask the insurer and get it in writing regarding cover in particular circumstances, barrack room lawyers like me will run a mile when challenged in a court of law.
My brother earns a good living from people who are free with advice, and then step back from being counted.
Please seek advice from the company who will be asked to pay out if it all goes wrong, and the authority who is there to enforce the law.

 

[mikebeaches]

Just a thought.

If the MoHo is not on a public road and in storage or Campsite, Sorn it. Notify the insurance company it is Sorn

Then it is legitimate to drive a vehicle from where it is stored for repair and MOT (pre booked) by taking the most direct route

Personally I can’t see an issue with the above , if your concerned maybe give someone like the RAC legal advice line for guidance.

Unable to SORN a vehicle that is overseas. I checked with DVLA for my van. No ifs, no buts.

 

[mikebeaches]

I really cannot understand why the owner of a vehicle and ultimately responsible for its safety and that of others, let alone legalities will not do there own research. Its no good saying Fred said so etc.
Contact insurers and national authorities get the answers in writing, on the subject of disclosure please remember at the time of purchasing an insurance policy most not all I agree have an MOT, if that is the case it is a material fact if it has run out, unless the policy says otherwise, for instance driving to a pre arranged MOT.
Ask the insurer and get it in writing regarding cover in particular circumstances, barrack room lawyers like me will run a mile when challenged in a court of law.
My brother earns a good living from people who are free with advice, and then step back from being counted.
Please seek advice from the company who will be asked to pay out if it all goes wrong, and the authority who is there to enforce the law.

Exactly what I did, including keeping my insurer informed of all the circumstances throughout.

And hence why I decided to have the van transported back - solved all of the problems... apart from the bank account...

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[nicholsong]

Unable to SORN a vehicle that is overseas. I checked with DVLA for my van. No ifs, no buts.

It is on the SORN form or notes, that for a vehicle to be SORNed it must be a UK vehicle i.e. present in the UK.

 

[mikebeaches]

It is on the SORN form or notes, that for a vehicle to be SORNed it must be a UK vehicle i.e. present in the UK.

Exactly, although I hadn't seen that at the time. Just had it confirmed direct by DVLA. And my van was not only off the road, but locked inside a secure storage hall.

 

[gus-lopez]

Yes third party so long as the policy has been paid for but obviously that doesn't provide any cover at all for the MH itself.

In reality it is only when you live abroad that you realise that the UK is the only place that wants full comp for ever.When we first moved here they think you are odd if you have full comp after the vehicle is 3 years old. If you would like to chop & change you often couldn't get it with another company & if you had already given notice to your own company you could end up with out f/c.

But this is not in uk, where that may apply.
Its in europe.

It is the law everywhere & has been in the UK since I was born .

We totally innocently went 11 months without , did our normal 6000 miles including crossing the channel

I am not recommending it

We just got lucky, the cameras are maybe not as efficient as thought

but I wouldn’t have fancied untangling all the aggro had we broken down or worse had a bump

Broken Link Removed

try DG 369 in above link

My nephew actually had his mot'd. ran around for 4 months & lives not far from ezzex interceptors, then drove down here & looked after house for 3 months ,Drove back , went to tax car at end of april & said "vehicle has no mot" The garage had faled to put in on the data base.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

If the MoHo is not on a public road and in storage or Campsite, Sorn it. Notify the insurance company it is Sorn

Then it is legitimate to drive a vehicle from where it is stored for repair and MOT (pre booked) by taking the most direct route

You are mistaken I'm afraid as you cannot 'legitimately' drive it without tax, no ifs, no buts. You cannot SORN a vehicle outside the UK either as it MUST be back here and off road in order to do so.

 

[Coolcats]

Unable to SORN a vehicle that is overseas. I checked with DVLA for my van. No ifs, no buts.

Thats a shame but it is legitimate within the UK and you are able to drive directly to an MOT station for service and MOT (and back home if you are doing a self repair or arranged a repair at another garage) as you cannot tax the vehicle without an MOT

 

[tonyidle]

over 70's - yeh, that's me - stay in lockdown)

Over 70s have only had to do the same as anyone else. Anything more was a recommendation.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Nanniemate]

Exactly what I did, including keeping my insurer informed of all the circumstances throughout.

And hence why I decided to have the van transported back - solved all of the problems... apart from the bank account...

Mike I knew this had come up before and you were from Bristol but cold not remember the thread.

 

[Coolcats]

You are mistaken I'm afraid as you cannot 'legitimately' drive it without tax, no ifs, no buts. You cannot SORN a vehicle outside the UK either as it MUST be back here and off road in order to do so.

Thats interesting, if the MoHo is out of the country and it is not exported and due for an MOT which means it cannot be taxed, bring the MoHo back say two months after the MOT is due I suspect that the DVLA will still want the two months back tax ?

So how does an owner overcome this so they are not fined for outstanding tax or for failing to maintain a vehicle if they cannot SORN? (its a genuine question). Let's say the vehicle has no MOT and is insured you arrive in portsmouth on the 20th and the MOT is booked for the 22nd driving the vehicle directly from Portsmouth to a MOT station in say Louth Lincolnshire it would be legal if you believe there is nothing wrong with your vehicle. What would not be legal is to drive to a village outside of Louth on the 20th and drive to the MOT station on the 22nd.

Its a strange world, full of weird rules, but I am sure that there is an answer to the SORN question, it may just be notifying the DVLA of the situation an booking in that pre-arranged MOT.

Just to add you can legitimately drive a vehicle from your home post SORN, directly to an MOT station without being Taxed as long at it is Insured and does not have any known dangerous faults.

If it fails an MOT you can then take it directly home for repair or to a workshop for repair and re-present to the MOT station all without Taxing the vehicle as long as the vehicle has not been deemed to be dangerous to drive. You cannot Tax a vehicle until it has an MOT so the TAX is post SORN, post MOT and any required repairs for re-presentation for MOT. Phew....

 

[nicholsong]

You are mistaken I'm afraid as you cannot 'legitimately' drive it without tax, no ifs, no buts. You cannot SORN a vehicle outside the UK either as it MUST be back here and off road in order to do so.

Quite legally correct.

However, a DVLA employee once said to me, with some emphasis 'The SORN form does not ask for the location of the vehicle'

Talk to your conscience and then make up your own mind.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Coolcats]

Quite legally correct.

However, a DVLA employee once said to me, with some emphasis 'The SORN form does not ask for the location of the vehicle'

Talk to your conscience and then make up your own mind.

Intersestingly I had not noticed that the location is not required for SORN.


legally you can drive an untaxed roadworthy vehicle on the road post SORN as you cannot tax them until an MOT is carried out and passed (you do not have to trailer the vehicle to the MOT station).

I have vehicles that get Sorn'd, they may be off the road 6 months or even a couple of years. They are all insured, I cannot Tax the vehicle until it has passed an MOT, once the MOT is completed I drive home and TAX the vehicle you are allowed to do this. The maximum time you can pre Tax a vehicle in advance is two months.

If you do not have a Tax disc you can legally drive to an MOT Station, you cannot get a tax disc unless you have an MOT and Insurance ( its a Chicken and egg situation)

If your MOT has run out: DVLA states:

You cannot drive or park your vehicle on the road if the MOT has run out. You can be prosecuted if caught.
The only exceptions are to drive it:

• to or from somewhere to be repaired
• to a pre-arranged MOT test

Interestingly if you bring your MoHome back to the UK the Current situation:

When you must not take your vehicle for its MOT
You must not take your vehicle for its MOT if either:

• you or someone you live with has coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms
• you’ve been told by the NHS Test and Trace service that you’ve been in contact with someone who has coronavirus

You must stay at home (self-isolate) if either of these situations apply.

Follow the guidance for what to do if your MOT runs out.

If you recently entered the UK
If you’ve entered the UK in the last 14 days you must not take your vehicle for its MOT, unless you:

• arrived from a country on the ‘travel corridor’ list
• have a job that means you do not have to self-isolate

If you’re shielding
You must not take your vehicle for its MOT if you’ve been told you should ‘shield’ because you’re extremely vulnerable to coronavirus.

Shielding has been paused in England and Scotland, and will be paused in Wales from 16 August 2020.

 

[Wagoneer]

Hope all this good information is being digested by the OP Skyblue3491 last seen at 4.25am today.

Seems strange he/she hasn't responded considering the kind offer to drive their MH from Spain to UK.

 

[Ivory55]

I think save all the hassle is to torch it , claim on the insurance and buy another one. Sorted.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[gus-lopez]

Thats interesting, if the MoHo is out of the country and it is not exported and due for an MOT which means it cannot be taxed, bring the MoHo back say two months after the MOT is due I suspect that the DVLA will still want the two months back tax ?

If they caught up with you.

So how does an owner overcome this so they are not fined for outstanding tax or for failing to maintain a vehicle if they cannot SORN? (its a genuine question).

They can't. as soon as the tax expires & sorn should be declared or vehicle retaxed & neither is done it generates an auto fine for failing to sorn ,to my knowledge.

If it fails an MOT you can then take it directly home for repair or to a workshop for repair and re-present to the MOT station all without Taxing the vehicle as long as the vehicle has not been deemed to be dangerous to drive. You cannot Tax a vehicle until it has an MOT so the TAX is post SORN, post MOT and any required repairs for re-presentation for MOT. Phew....

Yes but what you have not foreseen is that if it passes it cannot be driven home again legally without tax.If it passes it must be taxed online at the garage before leaving to be legal.

a DVLA employee once said to me, with some emphasis 'The SORN form does not ask for the location of the vehicle'

ntersestingly I had not noticed that the location is not required for SORN.

To both these that is true.The problem is if the vehicle is then involved in an accident you might as well shoot yourself as it will all be down to you due to the fact that the vehicle could not legally be there therefore the accident would not have happened.

When you must not take your vehicle for its MOT

You'd still be fined as the onus is on you to maintain its legality.

At the end of the day if there was an incident with the vehicle on the road they 'd be asking ,why was it on sorn?
Why was it in Spain without the owner?
Why was the owner in Oz?
Etc.

 

[Minxy]

One thing that none of us know is whether or not the tax expires at the same time as the MOT so the issue might only be the MOT as I suspect the OP would have mentioned if the tax was gonna run out at the same time ... of course it could be that the OP has already SORNed it ...

 

[EuroTrotters]

well the Op has not replied to my PM, I hope they are okay.

I have to make plans soon too.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Wagoneer]

well the Op has not replied to my PM, I hope they are okay.

I have to make plans soon too.

Perhaps non payed-up members can't receive PM's ???