Bronwyn
Took 1 month almost exactly for us. Though alas we did not get the change certified, hope you have better luck!
Bronwyn
Im afraid your van is ANOTHER LEVEL of epic compared to ours (nice job on it btw). As ours is a lot smaller (we are students lol), Im not sure your tactics would work. That said, maybe its just a sign that we have to figure out how to earn more money to afford a 'real' van...
(will try find some pics to show you what I mean)...
Bronwyn
...just posted reply to your pic
Bronwyn
Im afraid your van is ANOTHER LEVEL of epic compared to ours (nice job on it btw). As ours is a lot smaller (we are students lol), Im not sure your tactics would work. That said, maybe its just a sign that we have to figure out how to earn more money to afford a 'real' van...
(will try find some pics to show you what I mean)...
Millie Master
Forum Member
I honestly believe this whole time wasting issue has gone far to far and it is about time that the jobsworth hair splitters at the DVLA were taken to task!
Unfortunately those of us who have already been successful in having their efforts reclassified can't really become involved, but those who are going through this mire of petty annoyance might want to write to their MP's asking for their help and assistance in this matter.
As there is a need to send photographs to the MP along with your letter, then it won't be possible to use this on-line link, however, this link will be able to give you the name of your own representing chocolate tea pot in the house of annoyance (Parliament). https://www.writetothem.com/?gclid=...qNjtFiUNH3Y1HHgTgb9BYiJ40JDF_cnxoCzjQQAvD_BwE
I also know that one or two of you have already been in contact with senior people in the 2 large clubs (Caravan & Motorhome Club and the Camping and Caravan Club), might it be time to dust off your contact details and get in contact with them once again with the view to bringing this issue onto the agenda of their forthcoming meetings with the DVLA?
Phil
Unfortunately those of us who have already been successful in having their efforts reclassified can't really become involved, but those who are going through this mire of petty annoyance might want to write to their MP's asking for their help and assistance in this matter.
As there is a need to send photographs to the MP along with your letter, then it won't be possible to use this on-line link, however, this link will be able to give you the name of your own representing chocolate tea pot in the house of annoyance (Parliament). https://www.writetothem.com/?gclid=...qNjtFiUNH3Y1HHgTgb9BYiJ40JDF_cnxoCzjQQAvD_BwE
I also know that one or two of you have already been in contact with senior people in the 2 large clubs (Caravan & Motorhome Club and the Camping and Caravan Club), might it be time to dust off your contact details and get in contact with them once again with the view to bringing this issue onto the agenda of their forthcoming meetings with the DVLA?
Phil
Vanman13
Well this whole DVLA business has left me in a predicament. Had a read through this thread yesterday and seems like more BS than I already thought. DVLA dragging their feet but not playing their cards either.
I got insurance for my self build as a camper whilst waiting for my 2nd application for a motor caravan change back off the dvla (the first was conveniently lost and cost me 4 weeks) so I had to get insurance as I was going away in the van. The application came back as van with side windows as you probly gathered. I am now driving a van with side windows under a campervan insurance and fear if I advise the insurance company they will void the insurance all together. Any advice would be appreciated.
Ive thought about getting some professional vinyls done but im currently in spain so that wouldnt be the easiest of exercises... any advice or info would be appreciated.
Just to note the van is of a very good standard. It is wrapped full on the outside to change the colour. Has a rear door ladder. A maxxfan, midi heki rooflight and solar on the roof. Boiler flue, electric and water hookup points on the outside.
The letter i got was that is doesnt look sufficiently like a camper. I tried another applocation with some make shift go faster stripes with white tape but that got a knock back aswell. 3 applications in and no further forward. Was a mess on!
I got insurance for my self build as a camper whilst waiting for my 2nd application for a motor caravan change back off the dvla (the first was conveniently lost and cost me 4 weeks) so I had to get insurance as I was going away in the van. The application came back as van with side windows as you probly gathered. I am now driving a van with side windows under a campervan insurance and fear if I advise the insurance company they will void the insurance all together. Any advice would be appreciated.
Ive thought about getting some professional vinyls done but im currently in spain so that wouldnt be the easiest of exercises... any advice or info would be appreciated.
Just to note the van is of a very good standard. It is wrapped full on the outside to change the colour. Has a rear door ladder. A maxxfan, midi heki rooflight and solar on the roof. Boiler flue, electric and water hookup points on the outside.
The letter i got was that is doesnt look sufficiently like a camper. I tried another applocation with some make shift go faster stripes with white tape but that got a knock back aswell. 3 applications in and no further forward. Was a mess on!
wildebus
Forum Member
#1. NOT telling your insurance company a material fact is a very bad idea. Your knowledge of it and lack of communicating it does not make it ok.
#2. A vehicle does NOT have to be recorded as a Motor Caravan with DVLA for it to be used as a Motor Caravan, MOTed as a Motor Caravan OR INSURED AS A MOTOR CARAVAN. This has been stated multiple times.
You may have to chose a specialist insurer, but you have to do that anyway with a self-conversion.
I am pasting below a message from A-Plan insurance to clarify this situation. I have no doubt other insurers have taken a similar stance
________________
Hello,
I spoke to a lot of Vdubbers this weekend at Dubtoberfest about the issues with the DVLA.
A few people at the show had also had vans turned down and popped over for advise.
The great news is we can still cover vans that are converted and used as a camper at the campervan rates, so they do not have to be registered as a camper.
Someone mentioned the DVLA will be making an announcement on the website in the next 2 weeks.
Hope this helps with the insurance side at least.
All the best
Dan
A-Plan
#2. A vehicle does NOT have to be recorded as a Motor Caravan with DVLA for it to be used as a Motor Caravan, MOTed as a Motor Caravan OR INSURED AS A MOTOR CARAVAN. This has been stated multiple times.
You may have to chose a specialist insurer, but you have to do that anyway with a self-conversion.
I am pasting below a message from A-Plan insurance to clarify this situation. I have no doubt other insurers have taken a similar stance
________________
Hello,
I spoke to a lot of Vdubbers this weekend at Dubtoberfest about the issues with the DVLA.
A few people at the show had also had vans turned down and popped over for advise.
The great news is we can still cover vans that are converted and used as a camper at the campervan rates, so they do not have to be registered as a camper.
Someone mentioned the DVLA will be making an announcement on the website in the next 2 weeks.
Hope this helps with the insurance side at least.
All the best
Dan
A-Plan
Squiffy
Forum Member
Just a note on having to go to specialist insurers if self built is not actually true, I am insured with Saga, they did ask for an engineer's report on build quality though, for this I went to my local MoT station and they charged me £25 to write a letter stating that in their opinion the vehical was built to a high standard and equivalent to any commercially built motorhome that they had ever MoT'd, along of course with a description of windows, furnishings etc. ( I also sent several photos with the report). Saga then excepted this with an agreed insured sum of £45000, I have been insured with them now for 4 years and the premium has stayed at the same amount for 3 years now. Phil
Squiffy
Forum Member
That wasn't the point of my post Dave, it was to clarify that major insurers such as Saga will insure self builds, but none the less they did not as I remember ask if it was registered as a motor caravan I would have to go back through all the correspondence which is archived in the loft. Phil
Vanman13
Thanks for the reply. What would you suggest I do. Approach the insurer or not? I want the insurance to be straight but at the same time I could have the insurance cancelled and loose the remaining premium (i paid annually)
Squiffy
Forum Member
What did you actually tell the insurers, did they ask if the vehicle was registered as a " Motor caravan" .Phil
Vanman13
I cant exactly remember but I think they did yes. It was a struggle finding an insurer to be honest.
Is getting it changed over to a motor caravan out of the question at the moment. Its not ideal in any circumstance.
Squiffy
Forum Member
They must have been aware it was a self built as there would not have been a standard to go by in their data base of vehicles, so if they did not ask if it was registered as a "Motor caravan" they must have maybe assumed? But they must have also agreed a write off value in the event of "Not financially viable repair". However having been in the motor trade for many many years I have to agree with Dave that it is important to be 100% correct with insurance companies as they will try to wriggle out of their responsibilities for very minor reasons. Phil
Millie Master
Forum Member
This situation is not going anywhere, indeed by the sound of things it is getting worse, as such @Squiffy can you possibly dust off your old files from a month or so ago when you contacted the head man at the Caravan & Motorhome Club and update him on the ever worsening situation.
I also suggest we all write to our MP's because at the very minimum they will have to make contact with the relevant minister or government department that has powers over the DVLA. I think that most of us will agree it is absolutely no use making direct contact with anyone at the DVLA as all they ever appear to do is to fob us off.
With immediate effect I am now sending an email to my chocolate teapot, shirt lifting, fence jumping and generally useless MP (do you gather that I don't have any time for him), if for no other reason that he is duty bound to pass on my communication.
Phil
I also suggest we all write to our MP's because at the very minimum they will have to make contact with the relevant minister or government department that has powers over the DVLA. I think that most of us will agree it is absolutely no use making direct contact with anyone at the DVLA as all they ever appear to do is to fob us off.
With immediate effect I am now sending an email to my chocolate teapot, shirt lifting, fence jumping and generally useless MP (do you gather that I don't have any time for him), if for no other reason that he is duty bound to pass on my communication.
Phil
Millie Master
Forum Member
This is the email I have now sent to my MP, duly changed since @Squiffy passed his eye over it
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear xxxxx
I write to ask you to make contact with the minister or department who has responsibility for the DVLA.
My reason for doing so is to highlight what has become a major cause for concern amongst a very large number of like minded people who convert vehicles into campervans or motorhomes.
As you will more than likely know, it is stipulated in law that all DVLA issued registration documents (V5c etc.) must correctly list the type of vehicle registered with them and that is where the problem lies.
I am a active member of a UK based internet forum as well as several Facebook working groups who all concentrate on the activity of converting commercial vehicles and sadly, it is a very regularly reported that applications to the DVLA for vehicle reclassification have been rejected for numerous reasons despite the vehicles looking virtually identical to professionally converted vans that appear to receive immediate approval !!
It is simply not good enough for the DVLA to either offhandedly reject the application or at best to return a V5c with it now listed it as a “Van With Windows” because patently they aren’t and if they were, then if the vehicle were to be stopped at a road side check by DVSA (Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency) and they were to find a fully equipped motorhome instead of a van with windows then this could lead to a prosecution!
There are also some very significant problems being experienced by people throughout the country when it comes to insurance, as quite simply, numerous insurance companies are refusing to issue cover unless the vehicle is correctly listed on the registration document.
I know of many, many people who have written to the DVLA about this matter only to be fobbed off with meaningless opinionated pseudo official speak!
Very fortunately my own efforts were met with immediate approval by the DVLA, but that was 4 years ago before they started their unfathomable reasoning.
Yours sincerely
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear xxxxx
I write to ask you to make contact with the minister or department who has responsibility for the DVLA.
My reason for doing so is to highlight what has become a major cause for concern amongst a very large number of like minded people who convert vehicles into campervans or motorhomes.
As you will more than likely know, it is stipulated in law that all DVLA issued registration documents (V5c etc.) must correctly list the type of vehicle registered with them and that is where the problem lies.
I am a active member of a UK based internet forum as well as several Facebook working groups who all concentrate on the activity of converting commercial vehicles and sadly, it is a very regularly reported that applications to the DVLA for vehicle reclassification have been rejected for numerous reasons despite the vehicles looking virtually identical to professionally converted vans that appear to receive immediate approval !!
It is simply not good enough for the DVLA to either offhandedly reject the application or at best to return a V5c with it now listed it as a “Van With Windows” because patently they aren’t and if they were, then if the vehicle were to be stopped at a road side check by DVSA (Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency) and they were to find a fully equipped motorhome instead of a van with windows then this could lead to a prosecution!
There are also some very significant problems being experienced by people throughout the country when it comes to insurance, as quite simply, numerous insurance companies are refusing to issue cover unless the vehicle is correctly listed on the registration document.
I know of many, many people who have written to the DVLA about this matter only to be fobbed off with meaningless opinionated pseudo official speak!
Very fortunately my own efforts were met with immediate approval by the DVLA, but that was 4 years ago before they started their unfathomable reasoning.
Yours sincerely
Last edited:
Squiffy
Forum Member
Hi Phil, I would recommend that in the last paragraphs of your letter you wrote "Many many people" and not hundreds and instead of " Twaddle" I would put " Meaningless opinionated pseudo official speak" or something of that ilk, and finally instead of "Stupid" maybe unfathomable reasoning, this is my humble thoughts Phil other than that good letter. As for me contacting The Caravan club and Caravan and camping club again it was last time of interest to a considerable amount of club members " About carrying bikes and use of rear garages" this was of course great interest to club members as it affected a good many of them, I feel that on this particular issue they will not be anywhere near as interested as I have yet in 20 years come across another self built particularly on Caravan and motorhome rallies other than my own, there must be others but certainly not in my area, it maybe that the Caravan and camping club might raise an interest as they seem to be a lot more relaxed on what type of vehicles partake on their rallies, maybe I'll give them a try. Phil
Millie Master
Forum Member
@Squiffy, my letter to my MP has now been sent, but it would help if as large a number of people on here or indeed anywhere else in the self building world did exactly the same because there is always strength in numbers.
Even those of you over in Northern Island can write because although your regional government is in melt down, you are still all represented in London, that is with the exception of those constituencies whose elected Parliamentary reps. refuse to take their seats.
As I wrote before the simplest way to make contact with your MP is via this link https://www.writetothem.com/?gclid=...qNjtFiUNH3Y1HHgTgb9BYiJ40JDF_cnxoCzjQQAvD_BwE
Phil
Even those of you over in Northern Island can write because although your regional government is in melt down, you are still all represented in London, that is with the exception of those constituencies whose elected Parliamentary reps. refuse to take their seats.
As I wrote before the simplest way to make contact with your MP is via this link https://www.writetothem.com/?gclid=...qNjtFiUNH3Y1HHgTgb9BYiJ40JDF_cnxoCzjQQAvD_BwE
Phil