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Car insurance, CT etc

dessiedog

By dessiedog
in Driving in France

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dessiedog Newbie

dessiedog

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Considering taking our 10 year old Passat to house in France whilst taxed / insured as UK car, leaving it in the barn when we return to the UK for say 2-3 months during the winter but surrendering the tax / cancelling the insurance and getting refunds on both. From other threads I believe it will have to be 'exported' in order to get the tax refund. Leaving it registered /insured as a UK vehicle isn't an option due to the limit upon the number of days it is insured outside the UK.

When we return to France the intention would be to purchase French insurance which no doubt will require a 'Controle Technique' and French registration? Any thoughts upon whether this course of action is viable, and can you drive to a CT appointment in a car with UK registration plates but no tax disc as you can in the UK? Suspect it would be better to just bite the bullet and arrange for the CT, French registration and insurance before leaving it over the winter?  

Dessie Dog

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Will Newbie

Will

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SORN is not an option. The correct procedure is to notify DVLA that the vehicle is exported. As long as the date of export is correctly stated and the British insurance is still valid on the day, you will be totally legal and will still get a refund of unused full calendar months of the vehicle excise duty.

Cancel the British insurance and get French insurance, then visit the hotel des impots for your quittus fiscal certificate. You then have a month or so to get the CT organised and complete the immatriculation process. Although strictly speaking you should do this on arrival - you are supposed to have vehicles insured in France even if they are stored and not used - if you keep it in the barn I can't imagine anybody is going to be too bothered if you leave this until you arrive again. No problem with going to, and having, a CT without tax, as the vehicle is properly exported. There would be problems here if you have SORN because SORNed vehicles have to stay in Britain.

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AnOther Rookie

AnOther

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[quote user="JMB"]Just do a SORN. The french CT is meaningless unless you are going to register it in France. Try AGF for insurance they don't seem to ask about registering or not.[/quote]100% behind Ron on this, if this is the best advice you can offer I really wouldn't bother in future [:'(]

EDIT: I see Ron's post has disappeared but the meat of the message remains.

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AnOther Rookie

AnOther

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Could I be going mad on my birthday [:D]

I'm certain Ron had one of his usual, no compromise, posts here and even remember the majority of what he wrote [:-))]

There was a not so nice word in it, think spratt minus the S, so maybe it got reported and pulled.

Ron/Mods please put me out of my misery.......[blink]

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Ron Avery Newbie

Ron Avery

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[quote user="ErnieY"]
Ron/Mods please put me out of my misery.......[blink]

[/quote]

Maybe it was suggesting that the "advisor" held a post on an expat newspaper that upset them.  After all many accept the English word as if it were the New Testament, particularly where it saves them money in tax and car registration fees[8-)] 

 Funny that they let the original posting that recommended an illegal action stand, thought that was against the rules of the Forum laid down by Argent[:P]

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mint Newbie

mint

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[quote user="ErnieY"]Could I be going mad on my birthday [:D]

I'm certain Ron had one of his usual, no compromise, posts here and even remember the majority of what he wrote [:-))]

There was a not so nice word in it, think spratt minus the S, so maybe it got reported and pulled.

Ron/Mods please put me out of my misery.......[blink]

[/quote]

Happy Birthday, dear Erns!  And don't worry too much about the Alzheimer's because you'd be the last person to know if you did have it, see?

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Will Newbie

Will

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From http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/UntaxedVehicle/DG_4022058

"SORN or vehicle tax due to expire while you’re abroad

You can make a SORN up to two calendar months in advance. The vehicle must remain in Great Britain."

Many people get this wrong - there was even a case of somebody who said they were told by DVLA that they could make a SORN declaration on a vehicle to be taken overseas, and when they returned they were hit with a fine and a large amount of back road tax.

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Cat Newbie

Cat

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Ernie, happy birthday [B]

JMB, sorry but you are mistaken, the following text is taken directly from the government website http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/UntaxedVehicle/DG_4022058

In advance – SORN or vehicle tax due to expire while you’re abroad

You can make a SORN up to two calendar months in advance. The vehicle must remain in Great Britain. Complete a V890 ‘Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)’ together with a letter explaining why you’re applying so far in advance and post them to DVLA, Swansea SA99 1AR.

And this text is taken from the DVLA website http://www.dvla.gov.uk/media/pdf/leaflets/ins107.pdf

Going abroad?
You can make a SORN up to two calendar months before you go abroad. You need to apply on form V890 and send us a letter to explain that you will be out of the country when the current tax disc or SORN runs out. Send these direct to us at DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR. You can only make a SORN for a vehicle that is being kept off the road in the UK.
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dessiedog Newbie

dessiedog

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Thanks to all for your comments, looks like French insurance etc once the car is in France is the solution - didn't know that they have to be insured even if off the road. Have to admit that the thought of a SORN even with the car in the barn had crossed my mind, but knowing my luck.......

Once again, comments appreciated 

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AnOther Rookie

AnOther

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In essence the entire subject is somewhat moot because whatever you do or do not do will be no impediment to registering it in France, the authorities will be concerned solely with it's legality here not any irregular status in UK.

Just to be clear I am not advocating that course of action just making the observation.

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