Changing the V5c

I don't understand all the fine details of this, other than feeling really depressed.

But if I've got the gist, the DVLA are saying that it's essential that a campervan must look like a campervan, for the police to do their job properly and muh stuff?

If that's the case, why isn't this retrospective? There must be thousands of vehicles registered as motor caravans that don't conform with these stupid rules - like mine.

And as many of you have suggested, a plan is to put decals and awnings on and stuff, get the re-registrations, and then take the decals and awning off.

If it's so important that the police can identify these evil hidden campervans, it would be retrospective AND you'd have to resubmit every year AND it would be offence to be caught by the police in a motor caravan that doesn't look like one. Is this their end goal?

There's something really off about all this, but I don't understand it well enough to know what's wrong.
 
ITMA said:
I don't understand all the fine details of this, other than feeling really depressed.

But if I've got the gist, the DVLA are saying that it's essential that a campervan must look like a campervan, for the police to do their job properly and muh stuff?

If that's the case, why isn't this retrospective? There must be thousands of vehicles registered as motor caravans that don't conform with these stupid rules - like mine.

And as many of you have suggested, a plan is to put decals and awnings on and stuff, get the re-registrations, and then take the decals and awning off.

If it's so important that the police can identify these evil hidden campervans, it would be retrospective AND you'd have to resubmit every year AND it would be offence to be caught by the police in a motor caravan that doesn't look like one. Is this their end goal?

There's something really off about all this, but I don't understand it well enough to know what's wrong.
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As I posted on first page, this was initiated by the police in an attempt to stop the cloning of stolen motorhomes as converted vans, unfortunately the DVLA seem to have completely messed up.
 
Apparently there have been over 20,000 applications in the last 12 months.
This is a significant increase but over the last 7 years since they introduced the "look like a campervan" rules one might expect 100,000 vehicles to have been reclassified.
So retrospective checking would be an enormous task.
No doubt any they sought to change back would be appealed on the basis that photos had been provided and a decision against unchanged wording had been made.

Let's be clear - all that's changed is that "guidelines" have been issued along with a list of vehicle types deemed to be an acceptable base for conversion.
 
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Thanks Colin I did read your original post but it got lost in my cluttered up mind. I think I've got it.

Some fraudsters use conversion as a way of selling stolen vehicles => ban everybody from making conversions.

Brilliant plan.

Clown cars have never been used in armed robberies. I hear the DVLA are considering only issuing V5s in future to clown cars, to prevent armed robberies.

Clown-Car-Clarabelle.jpg


New DVLA "Guidelines" for car registration, effective 1 November 2019. Tick all four of "Red Nose (minimum radius 30cm); Garish Patterns (minimum 3 colours, grey not permitted); Big Hat (must be permanently affixed, preferably explodes with confetti everywhere if you press a hidden button); Wheels fall off after 3 metres (must also conform to MoT requirements).". Internal features - must be tiny and yet inconceivably be able to store 19 clowns. Pierrot clowns do not qualify as they are scary and not British.

NOTE: Bow ties are NOT permitted. The following vehicle would not be permitted.

f8805fc67fe166bab752798abf985cad.jpg




Those "guidelines" prevent many genuine conversions. How many Bongos or Hiaces have high tops? Or want them?
 
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The guidelines in themselves don't prevent conversion - merely whether the converter wants the change the change of classification.
 
We have given up and accepted van with windows status. As long as our insurance and cost of road tax are not affected, we will remain converted on the inside only! If the road tax changes ( is it less for a a motor caravan...can't work it out!) we might give it one more go. Annoying to think there would have been no problem in 2017 as ops have demonstrated , with no awning or two windows on one side! However, we will be parking on streets that say no motor caravans since we don't qualify as one and a number plate check with visual from police would confirm this ;);)
 
surely the only need to easily distinguish between van and conversion is on the speed camera pics? i guess manually checking the status of every speeding white van would be a tad tedious and getting computer software to do it too blindingly obvious
 
REC said:
We have given up and accepted van with windows status. As long as our insurance and cost of road tax are not affected, we will remain converted on the inside only! If the road tax changes ( is it less for a a motor caravan...can't work it out!) we might give it one more go. Annoying to think there would have been no problem in 2017 as ops have demonstrated , with no awning or two windows on one side! However, we will be parking on streets that say no motor caravans since we don't qualify as one and a number plate check with visual from police would confirm this ;);)
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Think you will be ok as long as not com use on log book.
 
ricc said:
surely the only need to easily distinguish between van and conversion is on the speed camera pics? i guess manually checking the status of every speeding white van would be a tad tedious and getting computer software to do it too blindingly obvious
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As I posted, DVLA have completely missed the reason for tightening up on requirements, take my van, made by a mainstream manufacturer and fully meets the guidelines, but there is no way from the outside of telling the unladen weight so nobody with can visually tell what speed limits I need to adhere to.
 
REC said:
We have given up and accepted van with windows status. As long as our insurance and cost of road tax are not affected, we will remain converted on the inside only! If the road tax changes ( is it less for a a motor caravan...can't work it out!) we might give it one more go. Annoying to think there would have been no problem in 2017 as ops have demonstrated , with no awning or two windows on one side! However, we will be parking on streets that say no motor caravans since we don't qualify as one and a number plate check with visual from police would confirm this ;);)
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So, in effect, they have shot themselves, well council's, in the foot. All the notices banning motor caravans no longer apply to self builds, Result, :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
Markd said:
The guidelines in themselves don't prevent conversion - merely whether the converter wants the change the change of classification.
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But it is going to cause people lots of problems getting reasonable insurance. You seem to not be able to understand that this is likely going to be at best very inconvenient for lots of individuals and businesses.
 
I do understand that insurance may cost more or take a bit of shopping round.
I merely make the point that converters now now exactly where they stand and can make an informed decision.
 
Markd said:
I do understand that insurance may cost more or take a bit of shopping round.
I merely make the point that converters now now exactly where they stand and can make an informed decision.
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ive just had the renewal through for my iveco panel van, (high top med wheelbase) 254 quid, last months renewal on the nissan xtrail was 270, went on meerkats and knocked 100 off, so im expecting similar on the van.
 
Your preferred vehicle must have cooking, sleeping and sanitary fitments. The vehicle must comply with all safety gas legislation and be roadworthy.

Preferred base vehicle would be a panel van with adequate ventilation to meet the standards needed for you to use a heater and a cooker. Basic canvas extensions attached to the vehicle are acceptable but again they must meet site safety standards. Mostly these vehicles are produced to accommodate people as a stepping-stone to larger units.

Professional panel van conversions will comply with all necessary legislation regarding safety and have all the necessary equipment built in at time of conversion. But they are still built on a commercial van chassis.

Smaller vans in the courier class also are converted with a large back and of course all the previous points as to safety apply.

This is the minimum requirement to reg with the motorcaravaners club.
 
ricc said:
ive just had the renewal through for my iveco panel van, (high top med wheelbase) 254 quid, last months renewal on the nissan xtrail was 270, went on meerkats and knocked 100 off, so im expecting similar on the van.
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That's a result.
 
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