Vans over 3.5 tonne - a legal minefield?
- Thread starter Imagedude
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Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Gym, showers, 3 x 24hr canteens, TV rooms, pool rooms, free wifi etc.
Looking forward to moving out of my current van...
Judging by your profile pic, you should be able to drive a 7.5 tonner. You can even drive one pulling a trailer without additional licensing.
Good luck getting it insured though. I had a 3.5 tonne van and my choices were either to register a business and get it insured as a commercial vehicle or register it as a motor caravan (following conversion to DVLA spec). I couldn't get it insured as a private vehicle with anyone. I think some rule changed during my ownership back around 2000. So I sold it and bought a car.
Good luck getting it insured though. I had a 3.5 tonne van and my choices were either to register a business and get it insured as a commercial vehicle or register it as a motor caravan (following conversion to DVLA spec). I couldn't get it insured as a private vehicle with anyone. I think some rule changed during my ownership back around 2000. So I sold it and bought a car.
Is it that big a deal insuring something over three and a half tons as commercial?
Its certainly no bother at all insuring my smaller Transit van on a commercial (with private use listed as well) policy.
Wasn't even that expensive either.
i really don't understand whats going on here, why are you, and by the sound of it others as well, sleeping in vans at your place of work ?
please forgive me if this is an intrusive or personal question that you don't want to answer.
please forgive me if this is an intrusive or personal question that you don't want to answer.
Because I work 250 miles from home and it is no longer viable to run a 2nd home
a) because house prices are not rising fast enough and
b) because of cost of running a house is rising way faster than my wages.
Oh and c) I wanted to release the capital in my 2nd home before the forthcoming government property grab.
a) because house prices are not rising fast enough and
b) because of cost of running a house is rising way faster than my wages.
Oh and c) I wanted to release the capital in my 2nd home before the forthcoming government property grab.
still can't get my head around a van though, i've worked the sites all over England, Scotland and Ireland and always managed to do deals with B&B's for longer stays....up to 3 months.
is that not an option ?
is that not an option ?
i can only take my hat off to you for your commitment mate, there are many that would not contemplate what you are doing.
fair play to you Imagedude.
have to admit, i've stayed in some awful places on my travels.
fair play to you Imagedude.
have to admit, i've stayed in some awful places on my travels.
I'd rather stay on my own **** stained mattress rather than a cheap B&B matresss.
Say what now?
If you look back through past economic crises the only way out was for the government to grab wealth; expect a pension and property grab in the near to middle distance...
Well, Broon nicked all the pensions. I suppose property is about the only thing they have left to thieve.
You may yet have a point Imagedude
You may yet have a point Imagedude
Two issues. I) insuring a commercial vehicle as a self conversion camper? The DVLA restrictions on conversions to commercial vehicles younger than 10 years old. The DVLA requirement insisting the outside of the vehicle is as standard and must resemble a campervan/motorhome and not a commercial vehicle for class 4 MOT or re registering as a camper/motorhome for insurance/mot.
As previously posted, loads of info on expedition portal about fitting out campers/vans for long term use.
No big deal living in a van if you have facilities at work I've done it for the last 3 years, as you say, far better sleeping in your own mattress and a load cheaper.
I used a Disco 1 before getting my RB, compact and bijou but standard bushcraft sleeping gear keeps you plenty warm enough and comfortable, a comfortable bed makes a huge difference to the experience, add a second battery to run your toys, laptop (get a tv tuner if you want one for the laptop) etc. LED lighting uses bugger all power, go for a roof light rather than side windows for better stealth, blackout curtains for the front and rear windows.
I know people recommend kingspan etc but I used cheap sleeping pads contact spray glued to the side panels, very flexible, easy to cut and thinner, I was car camping in -12 degrees without heating.
No big deal living in a van if you have facilities at work I've done it for the last 3 years, as you say, far better sleeping in your own mattress and a load cheaper.
I used a Disco 1 before getting my RB, compact and bijou but standard bushcraft sleeping gear keeps you plenty warm enough and comfortable, a comfortable bed makes a huge difference to the experience, add a second battery to run your toys, laptop (get a tv tuner if you want one for the laptop) etc. LED lighting uses bugger all power, go for a roof light rather than side windows for better stealth, blackout curtains for the front and rear windows.
I know people recommend kingspan etc but I used cheap sleeping pads contact spray glued to the side panels, very flexible, easy to cut and thinner, I was car camping in -12 degrees without heating.
You can make a van a very comfortable place. Drape all those steel walls with some interesting textiles. Asian shops are good - you can buy 5 saris for about £100 which will make the place look like an opium den. A wee wood burner is a good thing to have. Think small, doesn't take much to heat up a van. The best ones I've seen have been made out of fire extinguishers or small calor gas cylinders. I have to have a shower in the morning unless I'm roughing it - but if you have somewhere to go for that, it's cool. Nice to have somewhere clean to take a dump too.
Out in the wilderness these things are part of the challenge - but day after day you need some basic comforts in order to fit in with society!
Out in the wilderness these things are part of the challenge - but day after day you need some basic comforts in order to fit in with society!
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