Importing from the UK - definitive guide (Q&A)

MidlandsM

Road-Hog wrote: »

Many thanks, kind of responses I was looking for.......

your welcome .....one piece of solid advice to you is not to drive the car on the public road whilst on eng plates. If you have an accident or claim, the insurance co can refuse to pay out as your not the registered owner of the car.......as its still in someone elses name in the uk.

Thread very carefully.

The_Conductor

Road-Hog wrote: »

yes hindsight is a wonderful thing...........I sense a bit of a 'condesending' tone to your response..............maybe someone else can offer an opinion as to the likehood of the customs or guards stopping an english reg car and checking up on its vrt status and also the likely actions they might take, such as give you a warning and a period of time to sort it out or sieze the car immediately until vrt is sorted.

I worked with an english guy recenlty who was living here and he had his english reg plates on his car for over four years before getting a knock on the door by the officials to get it re-registered.............not that I have any intention of leaving it four years.

It all depends- if you were in Dublin last weekend- there was a checkpoint outbound at Guinness on the Quays- all vehicles were stopped, tax and insurance checked, every 5th diesel had its tank dipped- and they did have 4 UK reg'ed and 1 Latvian reg'ed car pulled in for investigation. I was similarly stopped in Lucan village a week previously- and a week prior to that again- there was a major checkpoint manned by Customs, Social Welfare and god only knows who else- on the Sligo road, on the Sunday.

You could get lucky and never get stopped- but you'd be taking a major risk- and that English friend of yours who was driving on UK plates for 4 years certainly wouldn't get away with it if he tried it these days.

Regarding what to tell them in the Vehicle Registration office- they will ask you the date on which the vehicle was imported, and whether the vehicle is available for inspection. If the vehicle is not available for immediate inspection (and they do go out in the street to check details when they feel like it)- or if they suspect the date of import you've given them to be bogus- they can ask for proof (the consignment docket from the importer, a car ferry ticket- or whatever- some way of verifying the import date. They don't ask for this as a matter of rule- only if they are suspicious of the date you give them (however their suspicions may be aroused).

You are taking a chance by trying to get away without complying with the law- the implications of which are your car might seized, you might be fined, and you could potentially be imprisoned (its one of the prescribed penalties, however likely or unlikely they are to use it).

Road-Hog

smccarrick wrote: »

It all depends- if you were in Dublin last weekend- there was a checkpoint outbound at Guinness on the Quays- all vehicles were stopped, tax and insurance checked, every 5th diesel had its tank dipped- and they did have 4 UK reg'ed and 1 Latvian reg'ed car pulled in for investigation. I was similarly stopped in Lucan village a week previously- and a week prior to that again- there was a major checkpoint manned by Customs, Social Welfare and god only knows who else- on the Sligo road, on the Sunday.

You could get lucky and never get stopped- but you'd be taking a major risk- and that English friend of yours who was driving on UK plates for 4 years certainly wouldn't get away with it if he tried it these days.

Regarding what to tell them in the Vehicle Registration office- they will ask you the date on which the vehicle was imported, and whether the vehicle is available for inspection. If the vehicle is not available for immediate inspection (and they do go out in the street to check details when they feel like it)- or if they suspect the date of import you've given them to be bogus- they can ask for proof (the consignment docket from the importer, a car ferry ticket- or whatever- some way of verifying the import date. They don't ask for this as a matter of rule- only if they are suspicious of the date you give them (however their suspicions may be aroused).

You are taking a chance by trying to get away without complying with the law- the implications of which are your car might seized, you might be fined, and you could potentially be imprisoned (its one of the prescribed penalties, however likely or unlikely they are to use it).

I take your points, but just to reiteatate I am not trying to get way with anything. I have full intention of paying up the VRT, will not be trying to lie about the import date, have all paperwork bar the 'cert of permanent export'.................and the person who was on the UK plates that I refer to above did it over the years 2007 to 2012.............

Soarer

Don't know if it's been covered in the previous 160 odd pages, but what's the story with bringing in pre 2008 LPG converted car?
Obviously it'll be rated on co2 emissions. But will that be the book value, or the (hopefully) reduced emissions when running on LPG? And will the road tax will still be CC based?

MidlandsM

Soarer wrote: »

Don't know if it's been covered in the previous 160 odd pages, but what's the story with bringing in pre 2008 LPG converted car?
Obviously it'll be rated on co2 emissions. But will that be the book value, or the (hopefully) reduced emissions when running on LPG? And will the road tax will still be CC based?

yes, the tax will be Cc based, and standard OMSP valuation.

Soarer

Thanks for that.

So the only saving would be at the pumps?

MidlandsM

Soarer wrote: »

Thanks for that.

So the only saving would be at the pumps?

basically.....but a big saving

Our man in Havana

Not at the moment due to rising prices and poor availability of LPG.

Esel

Our man in Havana wrote: »

Not at the moment due to rising prices and poor availability of LPG.

80c per litre in Finglas....

Esel

MidlandsM wrote: »

your welcome .....one piece of solid advice to you is not to drive the car on the public road whilst on eng plates. If you have an accident or claim, the insurance co can refuse to pay out as your not the registered owner of the car.......as its still in someone elses name in the uk.

Tread very carefully.

The car is in his name, just that the V5 has been sent in rather than handed over.

MidlandsM

Esel wrote: »

The car is in his name, just that the V5 has been sent in rather than handed over.

can't be......he's not the registered owner of the car in Ireland, where the car is insured.

Esel

MidlandsM wrote: »

can't be......he's not the registered owner of the car in Ireland, where the car is insured.

I don't follow your logic, so I can't argue with it.

MidlandsM

Esel wrote: »

I don't follow your logic, so I can't argue with it.

the car cannot be registered to him, he's not a uk resident.....

Kotek Besar

MidlandsM wrote: »

Esel wrote: »

I don't follow your logic, so I can't argue with it.

the car cannot be registered to him, he's not a uk resident.....

Why does it matter who the car is registered to? I can buy an insurance policy today, in my name, for your car. It would be valid and legal.

MidlandsM

Kotek Besar wrote: »

Why does it matter who the car is registered to? I can buy an insurance policy today, in my name, for your car. It would be valid and legal.

it will not, you are 100% incorrect.....in the event of a claim, you will not be the registered owner on the logbook, so they will not pay out to you......

Kotek Besar

MidlandsM wrote: »

it will not, you are 100% incorrect.....in the event of a claim, you will not be the registered owner on the logbook, so they will not pay out to you......

So you're saying that, in Irish law, one can only purchase insurance for a vehicle if it is in the purchaser's name?

MidlandsM

Kotek Besar wrote: »

So you're saying that, in Irish law, one can only purchase insurance for a vehicle if it is in the purchaser's name?

why do you think they'll ask "are you regsitered owner etc" , and "where is the vehicle kept etc"on the declaration? you can buy "willy nilly" insurance for cars all day long, they'll not care about your lies as they'll take your cash, but its when a claim happens the investigations ensue from the insurance co's.

Kotek Besar

MidlandsM wrote: »

why do you think they'll ask "are you regsitered owner etc" , and "where is the vehicle kept etc"on the declaration? you can buy "willy nilly" insurance for cars all day long, they'll not care about your lies as they'll take your cash, but its when a claim happens the investigations ensue from the insurance co's.

If you could just answer the question.

MidlandsM

Kotek Besar wrote: »

If you could just answer the question.

I did.....

Kotek Besar

MidlandsM wrote: »

I did.....

Nope, you asked questions and you made a statement. I'll ask again:

So you're saying that, in Irish law, one can only purchase insurance for a vehicle if it is in the purchaser's name?

MidlandsM

Kotek Besar wrote: »

Nope, you asked questions and you made a statement. I'll ask again:

So you're saying that, in Irish law, one can only purchase insurance for a vehicle if it is in the purchaser's name?

lol ....... do you think you are a barrister....... lol

look, you seem to think you know it all, so work away..... :pac: There is an old say......Fools and their money are easily parted.....

Kotek Besar

MidlandsM wrote: »

lol ....... do you think you are a barrister....... lol

look, you seem to think you know it all, so work away..... :pac: There is an old say......Fools and their money are easily parted.....

Ok so..

MidlandsM

Kotek Besar wrote: »

Ok so..

ok, no hassles..........

but I'll tell you a quick story, young lad I knew had a claim. He bought a Audi A4 tdi from the uk and never vrtd it for months, just left his insurance policy on it. Then he had an accident, a claim arose. The car was wrote off, but all he had was a V5c for a Mohammed bloke in Birmingham as the registered owner.....Insurance co did'nt pay out....he was left high and dry.

Kotek Besar

MidlandsM wrote: »

ok, no hassles..........

but I'll tell you a quick story, young lad I knew had a claim. He bought a Audi A4 tdi from the uk and never vrtd it for months, just left his insurance policy on it. Then he had an accident, a claim arose. The car was wrote off, but all he had was a V5c for a Mohammed bloke in Birmingham as the registered owner.....Insurance co did'nt pay out....he was left high and dry.

His own fault for not telling the truth to his insurance company. A grave mistake.

MidlandsM

Kotek Besar wrote: »

His own fault for not telling the truth to his insurance company. A grave mistake.

indeed....he got €800 scrap salvage for the car as he flogged it to a breaker himself, and was down approx 5k. But still had the claim on his insurance as his insurance co had to cover/pay out for other third parties in the accident ........a right mess.....

Our man in Havana

You have to have an insurable interest in the car. Owning the car gives you this regardless of who is on the logbook.

MidlandsM

Our man in Havana wrote: »

You have to have an insurable interest in the car. Owning the car gives you this regardless of who is on the logbook.

if that was the case, the insurer would have paid out for the lad with the A4. It not the case and not protocall or insurers to pay out for a car thats not registered to you.

The_Conductor

Our man in Havana wrote: »

You have to have an insurable interest in the car. Owning the car gives you this regardless of who is on the logbook.

The logbook details the legal ownership of the vehicle. Possession being 9/10ths of the law- is bull****, the logbook is the legal document accepted as such by insurance companies and other interested parties (including leasing companies!!!!)

Until such time as you legally register the car in Ireland- it is legally registered in the UK, and legally the possession of the last person on its UK logbook.

MidlandsM

smccarrick wrote: »

The logbook details the legal ownership of the vehicle. Possession being 9/10ths of the law- is bull****, the logbook is the legal document accepted as such by insurance companies and other interested parties (including leasing companies!!!!)

Until such time as you legally register the car in Ireland- it is legally registered in the UK, and legally the possession of the last person on its UK logbook.

A massive +1

Kotek Besar

smccarrick wrote: »

The logbook details the legal ownership of the vehicle. Possession being 9/10ths of the law- is bull****, the logbook is the legal document accepted as such by insurance companies and other interested parties (including leasing companies!!!!)

Until such time as you legally register the car in Ireland- it is legally registered in the UK, and legally the possession of the last person on its UK logbook.

You are confusing Irish and UK vehicle registration certificates.

Irish versions of the document detail the registered owner, but not the keeper.

The V5C in the UK details the registered keeper, not the owner. Due to the fact that the DVLA are not able to list a non-UK resident as the registered keeper, it is entirely possible for a vehicle registered in the UK, but physically outside of the UK, to be in the legal possession of someone other than the person listed on the V5C and that person may or may not be the legal owner.