Purge on small vans in Co Clare ?

mann

As expected there seems to be a bit of a push now by the law to stamp down on commercial vans being taxed commercially and used for private use,

One chap in Co Clare said he was pulled last Sunday while driving his little Caddy van - said the lawman asked why he was driving his van with commercial tax on Sunday…. He replied he was on his way to work “True”
The lawman said today is Sunday - to which the chap replied “I know and here’s my Gaffers card if you want to phone him”

The lawman let him go

I told my mate about this and he said that as he travelled to Galway on Monday he came upon a check point and seen they only looked at the tax before waving people on but he did notice that they had 2 small vans that had been pulled over to the hard shoulder and it came into his mind that they may have been pulled for the commercial tax thingy,

I now feel a little better about having paid the extra tax so I can use my van for private use as well as use it to bring my tools to work,

I heard most people say that they wouldn’t be going after vans because it’s the like of Jeeps and fat 4x4’s that they want to get some handy money from - but it looks like they could very well be wrong,

Has anyone else heard or had the misfortune of being stopped over this new van tax thing,

Both Check points that I heard about were in the Co Clare area

Insect Overlord

Moved from Midwest to Clare.

Clareman

I think this might get a bit more attention in the motoring section (with a redirect in the Clare forum of course)

mann

Clareman wrote: »

I think this might get a bit more attention in the motoring section (with a redirect in the Clare forum of course)[/QUOT,


Hi lads,

Whatever you think might get me a few answers is fine with me, its just that I found it a little strange to hear of 3 small vans being pulled over in the space of 2 days in the Co Clare area and I was wondering if this was happening all over the country or just a local thing,

Could be just a warm up for the bigger catches during the summer months when people will be towing caravans / Boats or Jet skis - start small but think big

talkin

maybe the two small vans had no current insurance could be just a coincidence

Atlantic Dawn

There is no and will be no clampdown on commercial taxing by the Gardaí, the only issue there may be at the moment is hassle at some centres not giving the tax disc when pushed, this can be overcome by asking them to give you a written reason as to why they will not provide you with tax and they then back down

colm_mcm

Far as I know the tax office in ennis isn't enforcing the law (is it actually in yet) and you could tax a van no problem regardless of whether you were in business or not.

mann

talkin wrote: »

maybe the two small vans had no current insurance could be just a coincidence

Hi Talkin,

That did cross my mind as well so I decided to drop it in to this “Pool of knowledge” to see if anyone else here got a pull around the country in the last week or so,

I still think they will hit the van driver after August as by then all van drivers should have signed the form stating the van with commercial tax will only be used for work, If they get caught using it for private use they wont have a leg to stand on,

Felt sorry for a chap I heard about last year “think it was on here” he got stopped taking his boat to the coast on a bank holiday weekend and couldn’t get them back till he got private tax in the window on the following Tuesday,

And to rub salt in the wound they charged him for holding his property in the compound over the holiday weekend,

Ah sure this is what memory’s are made of… I certainly wouldn’t forget that weekend if it happened to me.

Sids Not

Lose the green type will ya ,yer wreckin me head.

As far as i know..if the tax office doesnt issue a disc its because you havent given the correct paperwork in...i.e proof that you're registered with the revenue as a trader...cant see them "backing down" on it ...

mann

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

There is no and will be no clampdown on commercial taxing by the Gardaí, the only issue there may be at the moment is hassle at some centres not giving the tax disc when pushed, this can be overcome by asking them to give you a written reason as to why they will not provide you with tax and they then back down

I don’t know if that’s true dude… this is not the only van driver that I know of being pulled and asked about the tax,
My mate was driving down to his mobile home on a Saturday evening and was stopped in his van which had sign writing on the sides saying he is a plumber… they asked him why he was out and he had to explain that he was going to the mobile site to check for leaks after the big freeze we had a few months ago,

He said they started to get funny with him but he then told them it wasn’t only his own mobile that he was checking as he was asked by others to check they’re mobiles as well, he said it took a bit of explaining before they let him carry on his journey,

For you to say there will be no clamp down on vans now or in the future Doesn’t seem to fit in with what I been hearing,

colm_mcm wrote: »

Far as I know the tax office in ennis isn't enforcing the law (is it actually in yet) and you could tax a van no problem regardless of whether you were in business or not.

Hi Colm,

Yes its in at my tax office for sure, they wanted me to get a form stamped at the cop shop but i didnt have a vat number so i went private and had a nightmare finding an insurance company to cover me with private tax on the van,
But thanks to a couple of peple on here I got sorted, even the 2 people i spoke to in the tax office said its different rules in other offices... so ya it depends on where you live, Crazy or what

mann

Sids Not wrote: »

Lose the green type will ya ,yer wreckin me head.

cant see them "backing down" on it ...

Soz's Sid,

Didnt see your reply before i wrote the last post so i got rid of the green type 4 u,

As for backing down.. They dont need to give any leters out saying why they wont tax you - they will give you a note telling you what you need to bring with you next time you go see them... so i agree with you on that

slavetothegrind

this is new to me, i am taxed insured and doe'd commercially in my van, full of my tools and spares and i drive it six days a week for work and the odd sunday ( when i am lucky enough to have enough work)

any garda who has an issue with where i am going on a sunday can write me a ticket and i'll see him in court.
**** that .
enough with this bull****, country ravaged by breakins, violence and robbery and stopping people for this bull**** is a priority?
i think i'll change my name to Ward and have no fixed abode and get away with anything.

when we have the serious stuff sorted then happy days go look for something to do but until then.....

comments aimed at the commissioner btw, i know the garda is just doing as instructed.

-Chris-

mann wrote: »

Soz's Sid,

Didnt see your reply before i wrote the last post so i got rid of the green type 4 u,

Lose the coloured type altogether please.

Other people may be viewing boards on a different skin than you and you may be making it very difficult for them to read your posts.

CiniO

Gentleman, please explain me, which part of our Irish law, would forbid to use a commercially taxed vehicle for private use, if it's being used for business use as well.

Because I made some research recently, and there seems to be no regulations which would forbid commercially taxed vehicles, which are used for business purposes, to be used also for private purposes from time to time.

Obviously if van is used only for private purposes, it has to be taxed privately.
But if it's being used both for private and business, it has to be taxed commercially.
That's the law.

Juniorhurler

CiniO wrote: »

Gentleman, please explain me, which part of our Irish law, would forbid to use a commercially taxed vehicle for private use, if it's being used for business use as well.

Because I made some research recently, and there seems to be no regulations which would forbid commercially taxed vehicles, which are used for business purposes, to be used also for private purposes from time to time.

Obviously if van is used only for private purposes, it has to be taxed privately.
But if it's being used both for private and business, it has to be taxed commercially.
That's the law.

I hope somebody takes this up in court soon and does away with all this bull****. I am a part time farmer and have a crewcab jeep, commercially taxed because I need it to pull cattle about the country I also happen to drive it for some personal use as myself and the wife have one car and I can't always have that. What is the govt. suggestion, buy another car and have 3 vehicles to pay for? Before somebody suggests taxing the jeep privately I can't get that through my business accounts then so thats out.
I would love to see a third tax rate called maybe commercial social and domestic. Have the rate at about double the commercial rate and take out the grey areas.

CiniO

Juniorhurler wrote: »

I hope somebody takes this up in court soon and does away with all this bull****. I am a part time farmer and have a crewcab jeep, commercially taxed because I need it to pull cattle about the country I also happen to drive it for some personal use as myself and the wife have one car and I can't always have that. What is the govt. suggestion, buy another car and have 3 vehicles to pay for? Before somebody suggests taxing the jeep privately I can't get that through my business accounts then so thats out.
I would love to see a third tax rate called maybe commercial social and domestic. Have the rate at about double the commercial rate and take out the grey areas.

If I were you, I would just drive it like it is, for both commercial and private use.
If you are stopped and fined, or your vehicle is impounded, get a good solicitor, and I can't see any reasons why should you not win the case.

CoDy1

Juniorhurler wrote: »

What is the govt. suggestion, buy another car and have 3 vehicles to pay for?

No, The government suggestion is to tax the vehicle privately if you use it for private use (SD&P).

CiniO

CoDy1 wrote: »

No, The government suggestion is to tax the vehicle privately if you use it for private use (SD&P).

Can I see any article or anything where government suggests it?

Juniorhurler

CoDy1 wrote: »

No, The government suggestion is to tax the vehicle privately if you use it for private use (SD&P).

Then I cannot get any tax benefit from the high prices I pay for insurance, diesel and motor tax as it will be classed as a private vehicle.

red sean

I am involved in the service industry and have 3 Berlingos on the road. I allow the lads who drive them to take them home at the weekends. A few weeks back one of them got stopped on his way home from a football match on the Sunday and was confronted about the commercial tax. He referred the Garda to me and I had a visit the next day from a very dutiful member of the force. I re-directed him to the nearest halting-site and said when I see all those 11 reg. Transits fully equipped with rear seats, belts and booster seats where appropriate, not to mention private tax, then I will gladly comply as well. As he turned away he told not to get smart with him. Rang his station and was told to forget about it!

dharn

red sean wrote: »

I am involved in the service industry and have 3 Berlingos on the road. I allow the lads who drive them to take them home at the weekends. A few weeks back one of them got stopped on his way home from a football match on the Sunday and was confronted about the commercial tax. He referred the Garda to me and I had a visit the next day from a very dutiful member of the force. I re-directed him to the nearest halting-site and said when I see all those 11 reg. Transits fully equipped with rear seats, belts and booster seats where appropriate, not to mention private tax, then I will gladly comply as well. As he turned away he told not to get smart with him. Rang his station and was told to forget about it!

well said and well done, but unfortunately telling the guards how to do their job does not always work:(

Fey!

I asked a friend of mine in traffic in Ennis about this, and he reckons it's BS; they're not doing any "crackdown" or pulling for this.

pburns

I heard the same rumour just this week. A fearful old guy who had just taxed his Dyna privately (almost €1000!?:eek:) was tipping me off. I use a 4x4 pick-up sometimes, have the car also. I'd be flabbergasted if a garda pulled me for this but I guess someone's gotta pay for the mess Bertie left behind so all bets are off.

The gardai are into revenue generation now. So how long before the gullible realise that the same is true for so-called 'safety' cameras...

manco68

Sounds more like a "crackdown"on social welfare fraudsters to me so we go back to the tax office

mann

-Chris- wrote: »

Lose the coloured type altogether please.

Other people may be viewing boards on a different skin than you and you may be making it very difficult for them to read your posts.

Point taken Chris,

I got a new phone from China last week that I find impossible to read text messages on because the background is a pale yellow and the text is white…. Never thought that some folk would have trouble reading the coloured text on here,

I will try to change it to normal,

Apologies all round.

Quiggers

I have a car/van and have had to change it over to domestic use
as its my only vehicle and i only work part time, i then had to change my insurance to private use, which was a ball ache, eventually got insured with FBD, quinn were extremely un-helpful even thought i was their customer.

now i'm paying twice the tax, about the same in insurance and
have to go annually for the nct.

Added to the stupid amount of duty we pay on feul, i feel like i'm only working
to keep my van on the road. but i've no choice as there is feck all public transport here in rural ireland.

Guy:Incognito

red sean wrote: »

I am involved in the service industry and have 3 Berlingos on the road. I allow the lads who drive them to take them home at the weekends. A few weeks back one of them got stopped on his way home from a football match on the Sunday and was confronted about the commercial tax. He referred the Garda to me and I had a visit the next day from a very dutiful member of the force. I re-directed him to the nearest halting-site and said when I see all those 11 reg. Transits fully equipped with rear seats, belts and booster seats where appropriate, not to mention private tax, then I will gladly comply as well. As he turned away he told not to get smart with him. Rang his station and was told to forget about it!

Any chance you can get a letter that your in the clear and I can have a copy. It'd be nice to have a free reign with the law as long as someone else is doing it too and not being caught.

sure why bother insuring and taxing the vans at all? May as well buy them in the UK too if you can get them cheaper. No need to register them cos the lads in the halting site dont.