Vrt - do we HAVE to reclassify conversion?

EileenNavan

Hi I have just bought a 2008 VW T5 and am getting a professional conversion. This will max out the 11,000 budget with no immediate funds for VRT at 13.5% of whatever revenue say its market value is. Can I continue to pay the commercial tax (has a new DOE) and try to insure under my private policy (mature female full no claims etc). At least then I could pay as I go..ie quarterly tax and monthly insurance. Husband has commercial taxi policy if that's any better? Any insight welcome. Thanks.

autumnalcore

EileenNavan wrote: »

Hi I have just bought a 2008 VW T5 and am getting a professional conversion. This will max out the 11,000 budget with no immediate funds for VRT at 13.5% of whatever revenue say its market value is. Can I continue to pay the commercial tax (has a new DOE) and try to insure under my private policy (mature female full no claims etc). At least then I could pay as I go..ie quarterly tax and monthly insurance. Husband has commercial taxi policy if that's any better? Any insight welcome. Thanks.

That would be insurance fraud, and tax evasion even if you could persuade your insurer to cover it do you really think they would pay out in the event of an accident? If you got stopped by the customs and to a lesser extent the guards you'll be walking home.

The better the converted van is the more you're going to pay in VRT. If you can't afford the VRT on the fully converted van then get the pop top and two windows fitted throw a crappy bed and cooker in the back and VRT. Once its road legal you can always improve it at a later stage.

niloc1951

EileenNavan wrote: »

Hi I have just bought a 2008 VW T5 and am getting a professional conversion. This will max out the 11,000 budget with no immediate funds for VRT at 13.5% of whatever revenue say its market value is. Can I continue to pay the commercial tax (has a new DOE) and try to insure under my private policy (mature female full no claims etc). At least then I could pay as I go..ie quarterly tax and monthly insurance. Husband has commercial taxi policy if that's any better? Any insight welcome. Thanks.

If you're starting from scratch with the conversion it is best to first do the minimum amount of work necessary to pass the qualification criteria and get the vehicle category changed to 'Motor Caravan'. That approach will minimise the new value and the V.R.T.
One the vehicle is re-categorised it will be tested under the motor caravan rules.

Afterwards, you can add all the bells and whistles of a complete professional conversion at no additional V.R.T.

EileenNavan

Thanks very helpful


quote="niloc1951;106267120"]If you're starting from scratch with the conversion it is best to first do the minimum amount of work necessary to pass the qualification criteria and get the vehicle category changed to 'Motor Caravan'. That approach will minimise the new value and the V.R.T.
One the vehicle is re-categorised it will be tested under the motor caravan rules.

Afterwards, you can add all the bells and whistles of a complete professional conversion at no additional V.R.T.[/quote]

EileenNavan

I think you misunderstood, I would have been asking my insurance company what could be done, whether it be a new policy etc..no fraud intensions..will probably get a more basic conversion and pay the VRT and work from there.

quote="autumnalcore;106267086"]That would be insurance fraud, and tax evasion even if you could persuade your insurer to cover it do you really think they would pay out in the event of an accident? If you got stopped by the customs and to a lesser extent the guards you'll be walking home.

The better the converted van is the more you're going to pay in VRT. If you can't afford the VRT on the fully converted van then get the pop top and two windows fitted throw a crappy bed and cooker in the back and VRT. Once its road legal you can always improve it at a later stage.[/quote]

The sad fact is that in Ireland there are few options regarding running a van.
1- Insure it as a commercial and use it as a commercial. Difficult if you haven't got a legitimate business and difficult if it is converted to a camper.
2-Run it as a private vehicle - just about impossible to get insured and very expensive in TAX if you could.
3-Run it as a camper and only use it as a camper. Hard to get it re-registered and insured initially and once done should not be used for normal domestic uses - especially commuting if you want to remain legal.

Really a camper is just a camper and should be treated as such. The tax regime in Ireland has forced the insurance companies to treat every one running a van as a potential criminal. If the Road Tax was a level playing field across all uses then all of these issues would simply disappear. Blame the Government for treating the domestic motorists as a cash cow.

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