bigears Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 hibeen offered a uk touring caravan for not much money. Thought we could us it to accomodate extra guests or for the grand kids to sleep in at our holiday home. Thought we could also tow it ocassionally with our uk reged car down to spain maybe once a year. Are there any french regulations that might be infringed by doing this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gosub Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Seems OK to me, provided your car insurance covers you for towing a caravan, it's what lot's of UK residents with holiday homes do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sid Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Hello BigearsYou don't make it clear what your residence situation is, but I assume that because you have a UK-registered car you are not resident in France? In which case you'd be no different to any other visiting caravanner from the UK; just make sure that your insurer includes the caravan on your insurance certificate. [It'd be helpful if you added your location to your user details.]I must admit that I'm unsure of the case of a caravan kept in France just for holiday use; I feel that the 'van would have been exported form UK and therefore needs to be registered here in France?? I think I just contradicted myself!! Sorry! If you do actually live here in France there are several points to note. 1 your car should be French registered by now, 2 the caravan needs to be French registered too, and this can be a tedious process for some people, although I registered our 20-year-old Lunar without too much difficulty, 3 it is illegal to tow a UK registered 'van with a French-registered car, and finally, the one I have difficulty understanding but have read on this forum... 4 it is illegal for a French resident to drive a UK-registered car here in France (apparently there are some relaxations of the ruling for close family). I'm sure this one will stir up a few responses. Bonne routeSid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 [quote user="sid"]I feel that the 'van would have been exported form UK and therefore needs to be registered here in France??[/quote]Being as there is no registration scheme for caravans in UK there is no requirement or procedure to 'export' one. Assuming UK residence I see no reason why you cannot take it where you want and leave it there for use towed behind a UK regged car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 [quote user="sid"] but have read on this forum... 4 it is illegal for a French resident to drive a UK-registered car here in France (apparently there are some relaxations of the ruling for close family). . Sid[/quote] I hadn't read that but I guess there must be some other dispensations... french garages have certainly had to take my cars for test drives on the roads. (It's wrong wrong wrong for a car to need work while you are on holiday!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sid Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 [quote user="AnOther"][quote user="sid"]I feel that the 'van would have been exported form UK and therefore needs to be registered here in France??[/quote]Being as there is no registration scheme for caravans in UK there is no requirement or procedure to 'export' one. Assuming UK residence I see no reason why you cannot take it where you want and leave it there for use towed behind a UK regged car.[/quote]I think we're going to get bogged down on this query, but if anything, car, caravan or even a television is brought from UK to France and left here I thought that was exporting, or as far as the French are concerned, importing? Whilst there is no registration necessary for a caravan in UK, so therefore no export procedure, there definitely IS a registration process here. I had to produce an invoice for example to prove that VAT had been paid in the country of purchase. They only worry about this for new/nearly-new vehicles but the "quittus fiscal" was still required for registration. So who is to know if you don't tell anyone? Well, no-one until you have an accident! Surely then the police could request evidence of import, or if not, of ferry crossing tickets for the caravan? Maybe I'm just paranoid [:-))]I hope that SD will come along with definitive help on this one.Sid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Yes, but I rather think you're the one doing the bogging though Sid [blink]In the literal sense of the word than yes, if you take something from one country to another you are exporting and importing it but the topic is not about the definition of the word.I think it's very simple, you would only have to register a caravan in France if you were intending to tow it behind a French registered vehicle and if you're not registering it then invoices and a quittus don't enter into the equation. I fail to see why anything other would be the case but if SD cares to pop in and disagree...............A ferry ticket proves nothing BTW other than on a certain date you left UK with a caravan (and I stress a because model and serial No. etc are not required when booking) subsequent to which it could have been in every country in Europe for months at a time which is perfectly allowable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 [quote user="gosub"]Seems OK to me, provided your car insurance covers you for towing a caravan, it's what lot's of UK residents with holiday homes do.[/quote]The first reply says it all.......[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sid Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Fair enough! [:$] Perhaps I look for complications where they don't exist! [Www]Sid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Just coz you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you [:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigears Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 who........where.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 behind you...........................................[:'(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 [quote user="sid"][quote user="AnOther"][quote user="sid"]I feel that the 'van would have been exported form UK and therefore needs to be registered here in France??[/quote]Being as there is no registration scheme for caravans in UK there is no requirement or procedure to 'export' one. Assuming UK residence I see no reason why you cannot take it where you want and leave it there for use towed behind a UK regged car.[/quote]I think we're going to get bogged down on this query, but if anything, car, caravan or even a television is brought from UK to France and left here I thought that was exporting, or as far as the French are concerned, importing? Whilst there is no registration necessary for a caravan in UK, so therefore no export procedure, there definitely IS a registration process here. I had to produce an invoice for example to prove that VAT had been paid in the country of purchase. They only worry about this for new/nearly-new vehicles but the "quittus fiscal" was still required for registration. So who is to know if you don't tell anyone? Well, no-one until you have an accident! Surely then the police could request evidence of import, or if not, of ferry crossing tickets for the caravan? Maybe I'm just paranoid [:-))]I hope that SD will come along with definitive help on this one.Sid[/quote]My apologies (if necessary) for resurecting this old thread.I realise that an invoice showing VAT has been paid in UK is required to get the quittus fiscal but, is the fact that UK VAT is 17.5% and French TVA is 19.6% a relevance, does the difference in VAT rates have to paid? Am I correct in assuming that new UK caravans are compliant with French registration rules, ie in terms of gas / electric etc, even though fitted with UK style socket outlets. Do UK new vans now come with a cert of conformity or are there modifications needed to comply with French norms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 No and no.Vat rates are not important, just that it's been paid either in the country of purchase or import. With UK VAT going up to 20% logically your notion would create an argument for France refunding you the 0.4% difference [:'(]I cannot see how a UK van can automatically pass muster in France without some modification which in turn unfortunately means local inspection and certification, although if someone knows otherwise please feel free to jump in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 Some facts might be helpful here...........VAT rates are not important for the simple reason that VAT on a caravan is payable in the country of purchase, not in the country into which it is subsequently imported, so there are no formalites to complete in France. The quittus fiscal only applies to motor vehicles imported from within the EU where a potential VAT liability arises in France due to different VAT rules.UK caravan manufacturers have large modern production facilities which meet common EU technical standards such as chassis design, gas/electricity systems which comply with EU safety directives, etc. If they export their caravans to France, they obtain French series type approval for them so that they can issue certificates of conformity allowing immediate registration here. As an example, the current UK market leader is the Swift Group who also export their products to Europe, including France.If a van doesn't already have type approval, then an SVA is necessary. As usual, check out the situation before buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 I'm wondering if it matters, from a safety point of view, which side the caravan's door is on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 It is forbidden to transport passengers in a trailer so the position of a caravan door is immaterial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex H Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 [quote user="Sunday Driver"]It is forbidden to transport passengers in a trailer so the position of a caravan door is immaterial. [/quote]But stopping in a layby to use the 'facilities' and then forgetting where the road is, maybe.................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 What is wrong with you people? Are you all budding politicians?The original question was answered correctly and succinctly in post #2 yet there have been a further 16 posts, mostly concerned with points not raised by the OP.Try to remember the advice I was given at school, prior to sitting my first half-term exam.Answer the question that has been asked, not the one that you think has been asked nor the one that you wish had been asked.John - who has just added another needless post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 [quote user="Iceni"]What is wrong with you people? Are you all budding politicians?The original question was answered correctly and succinctly in post #2 yet there have been a further 16 posts, mostly concerned with points not raised by the OP.Try to remember the advice I was given at school, prior to sitting my first half-term exam.Answer the question that has been asked, not the one that you think has been asked nor the one that you wish had been asked.John - who has just added another needless post[/quote]Iceni,I resurrected the thread some 7 posts ago with an additional question, therefore the answers to the original question are, in fact, academic and hence irrelevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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