Customs took a car that wasn't mine

lilywhites1982 · 10-11-2009, 13:11

Hi Guys,

Just to give you a background on this. I live in the middle of a town so don't need really need a car that much but I get a lend of my father in law's car every so often. This morning I was driving it to work and the customs stopped me and seized the car. The car (northern reg) is registered in my father in law's name who lives in Newry and I am a named driver on the insurance from my address in the south. All legal when I did it the insurance company.

When I explained this to the customs officer she wouldn't except and leaned into the car and took the keys out of my ignition saying that she was seizing the car?

Dunno what to do now without paying them thr 450 euro fine to get it back to my father in law?

cadaliac · 10-11-2009, 13:18

At minimum - €450 to get it back.
The alternative is to leave it there and ask your Father in law to get it back with proof of ownership, address and cert of insurance with your name as a named driver.

**peasant** · 10-11-2009, 13:19

If you are normally resident in the Republic, you are not allowed to drive a foreign registered car (regardless of what the insurance says or does) and in that case plain out of luck ...no other choice but to pay the fine, get the car across the border and leave it there.

EPM · 10-11-2009, 13:22

^^^^what he said

**faceman** · 10-11-2009, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by peasant

If you are normally resident in the Republic, you are not allowed to drive a foreign registered car (regardless of what the insurance says or does) and in that case plain out of luck ...no other choice but to pay the fine, get the car across the border and leave it there.

Thats interesting. My car once broken down when I was in NI and it needed to be left in to a garage (in NI) for a few days. I drove an NI hire car from NI to Dublin and used it for 2 days before driving back to return it and collect my own car.

So technically, could the gardai have seized the hire car?

craichoe · 10-11-2009, 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by faceman

Thats interesting. My car once broken down when I was in NI and it needed to be left in to a garage (in NI) for a few days. I drove an NI hire car from NI to Dublin and used it for 2 days before driving back to return it and collect my own car.

So technically, could the gardai have seized the hire car?

http://www.vrt.ie/vrtDetail.php?page=23

Quote:

# It cannot be disposed of or hired out in the State.

Technically no, you can't Rent a car in Belfast and Drive it in the south as a Republic resident.

Exact same in the Netherlands, one of the lads I work with had his SIXT car siezed by the Douane as it was the second time he was caught driving a German Rental car over the border.

He had to pay the fine + a few extra days rental.

its a STUPID tax

steve06 · 10-11-2009, 14:45

I'd get your father in law to get onto his solicitor!

didn't someone say in a another thread recently that they can't actually take a car any more?

Paulw · 10-11-2009, 14:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by faceman

So technically, could the gardai have seized the hire car?

No, the Gardai can't, but customs can.

Twin-go · 10-11-2009, 16:44

So much for the free movement of goods a labour around the E.U.
This is a scandal. Need to get rid of this illegal Tax/Duty asap and get the customs looking at activities that cause real problems to the state.

steve06 · 10-11-2009, 16:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twin-go

So much for the free movement of goods a labour around the E.U.
This is a scandal. Need to get rid of this illegal Tax/Duty asap and get the customs looking at activities that cause real problems to the state.

Really, lets not go down this road again... it's not an illegal tax!

Cookie_Monster · 10-11-2009, 16:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by craichoe

http://www.vrt.ie/vrtDetail.php?page=23

Technically no, you can't Rent a car in Belfast and Drive it in the south as a Republic resident.

Exact same in the Netherlands, one of the lads I work with had his SIXT car siezed by the Douane as it was the second time he was caught driving a German Rental car over the border.

He had to pay the fine + a few extra days rental.

its a STUPID tax

So how does that work if you're hiring a car to drive around Europe? Since the hire companies will let you hire in A and drop back in B...

JHMEG · 10-11-2009, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by peasant

If you are normally resident in the Republic, you are not allowed to drive a foreign registered car (regardless of what the insurance says or does) and in that case plain out of luck ...no other choice but to pay the fine, get the car across the border and leave it there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Citizens Information

You must register your car and pay VRT by the end of the next working day following its arrival into Ireland.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/ca..._ireland#rules

If the Customs had evidence the car was being driven by a resident for longer than 24 hours then it's a fair assumption that the driver is the owner. If they didn't they shouldn't have seized it.

Bottom line is you can drive the car under the current rules, as long as you leave the state with it before the end of the next working day. This would appear to cover arriving on Friday and leaving by Monday morning.

Drummerboy08 · 10-11-2009, 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookie_Monster

So how does that work if you're hiring a car to drive around Europe? Since the hire companies will let you hire in A and drop back in B...

Alot of companies wont let you take the car from one country and leave it in another. I think as along as its in the same country, there's no problem where its dropped off.

Twin-go · 10-11-2009, 17:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve06

Really, lets not go down this road again... it's not an illegal tax!

You're right but there are no reasonable reason for it to be still in place.
1, It is anticompetive
2, Its a double tax, you pay the VAT on the car then you pay VRT on the + VAT price (Should be cal. on the price less VAT)
3, the government are looking to harmonise road laws with the North will this mean they get VRT or we loose it?
4, It is prohivitive to the free movement of people in the EU.
5, It penalises the general public as commercial only pay minimal VRT of €50
6, Why are Customs Offers the patrol VRT and not the Revinue if it is not an import TAX?
7, As for the OPs situation. They should not be allowed to take a car if the owner is not present or if they do the should return it at no cost.

mickdw · 10-11-2009, 17:17

if you had told them that it was the father in laws car and that he lives and normally operates the car in NI and that the car was going to be in this state for less that 24 hrs, then I dont think they could have taken it.
You probably told them..... I live here in republic, and I use it sometimes. This is not allowed as pointed out above.

10-11-2009, 13:11	#1
lilywhites1982 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 48 Adverts \| Friends	Customs took a car that wasn't mine Hi Guys, Just to give you a background on this. I live in the middle of a town so don't need really need a car that much but I get a lend of my father in law's car every so often. This morning I was driving it to work and the customs stopped me and seized the car. The car (northern reg) is registered in my father in law's name who lives in Newry and I am a named driver on the insurance from my address in the south. All legal when I did it the insurance company. When I explained this to the customs officer she wouldn't except and leaned into the car and took the keys out of my ignition saying that she was seizing the car? Dunno what to do now without paying them thr 450 euro fine to get it back to my father in law?

10-11-2009, 13:19	#3
peasant Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 11,297 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Motorhomes & Campervans	If you are normally resident in the Republic, you are not allowed to drive a foreign registered car (regardless of what the insurance says or does) and in that case plain out of luck ...no other choice but to pay the fine, get the car across the border and leave it there. __________________ Due to general cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel will now be switched off.

10-11-2009, 13:22	#4
EPM Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Cork/Reading Posts: 3,710 Adverts \| Friends	^^^^what he said __________________ 2006 Seat Leon for sale

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

10-11-2009, 13:18	#2
cadaliac Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 182 Adverts \| Friends	At minimum - €450 to get it back. The alternative is to leave it there and ask your Father in law to get it back with proof of ownership, address and cert of insurance with your name as a named driver.

10-11-2009, 14:45	#7
steve06 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,863 Adverts \| Friends	I'd get your father in law to get onto his solicitor! didn't someone say in a another thread recently that they can't actually take a car any more?

10-11-2009, 16:44	#9
Twin-go Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mid-West Posts: 289 Adverts \| Friends	So much for the free movement of goods a labour around the E.U. This is a scandal. Need to get rid of this illegal Tax/Duty asap and get the customs looking at activities that cause real problems to the state.

10-11-2009, 17:17	#15
mickdw Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,720 Adverts \| Friends	if you had told them that it was the father in laws car and that he lives and normally operates the car in NI and that the car was going to be in this state for less that 24 hrs, then I dont think they could have taken it. You probably told them..... I live here in republic, and I use it sometimes. This is not allowed as pointed out above.