Motorhome Testing

Old Timer

I have received a notification from my local authority that I will need to have a DOE for my camper before I can tax it next month. On the question of Testing there was a lot about window markings a number of months ago. Has anybody heard any more about the markings. Has a new test been implemented now for motorhomes.

peasant

You're the first one we've heard of here.

This "note" ...does it mention some legalese under which you're required to have this test done or is it just a note without any further references?

EDIT
I am not aware that the testing procedures for motorhomes have actually been finalised ...so what standards will you be testet under I wonder?

Old Timer

Just a notice from Cork County Council that I need to have a DOE before I can renew my camper tax.

peasant

I'd be interested to see if other councils follow that line...if there is a line.

Please let us know how you get on with the DOE and under what criteria they test your van

Malta1

Perhaps ring the motor tax office that the "note" came from and challenge them on the grounds that the findings from the consultation paper from the RSA are not out yet......hence no defined standard against which to test the van

joed571

I put my camper through the test once i bought it in may, all i had to was put 4 new tyres on and beam benders on the lights. i think it was just tested as a commercial.

nyeb2007

we just taxed ours last week with Westmeath County Council and they asked about DOE, hubbie got into a flap, rang me and I told him there was nothing in "by law" yet and to point this out, once this was said there was no problem with taxing it.

Macspower

I taxed mine online a few weeks ago with no problems.. this seems to be a new line they are taking

edit Kildare

shaysue

Renewed my tax last week and no mention of testing requirement.

zoltar_boi

Perhaps people could say what county council they have renewed recently under, and if they were asked for DOE. - that way we could see how may councils are adopting this approach.

Might also help to know if the campers are conversions or factory builds - perhaps this makes a difference?

Just did mine in Dublin without query.

allthatGlitters

zoltar_boi wrote: »

Just did mine in Dublin without query.

Last month in Mayo without query. Factory built

zoltar_boi

allthatGlitters wrote: »

Last month in Mayo without query. Factory built

Quick Question - did they ask for DOE?

allthatGlitters

zoltar_boi wrote: »

Quick Question - did they ask for DOE?

No - just got the renewal as usual and did it online.

shaysue

Renewed mine in Kildare - Factory build - 2 years old.

Hope this this thread does not give all councils ideas. What is legal situation?

peasant

shaysue wrote: »

What is legal situation?

In short ...it's Irish

Theoretically, when the NCT was introduced there should have been a test for campers introduced at the same time. There is a statute somewhere that says so.

As "motorcaravans" lead a somewhat strange existence in the Irish legal framework (they are private vehicles for motor tax purposes with a special rate and somewhat affiliated to commercials for VRT purposes) nobody knew what to do with them. They certainly can't be tested by the NCT because of size and weight issues.

So they came under the guidance of the DOE system, but nobody bothered to write up testing guidelines, never mind make the test mandatory.

At some stage, the EU stood on the RSA's foot and reminded them that "motorcaravans" do indeed need to be tested. So in their wisdom, they bungled up some test guidelines (with elements of the HGV test thrown in for good measure and something about glazing that they copied from god only knows where) and distributed that to DOE centres, instructing them to accept campers from now on and test them to these guidelines.

It then turned out that there were a few ...well let's call them idiosyncracies:D ...in the procedures and the RSA ventured upon a public consultation as to what test procedures for campers should look like ...this is still ongoing.

In the meantime there is general confusion as to whether campers should be DOE testet in order to be taxable or not and every council seems to be making up its own rules in regards to that.

In short ...nobody knows for sure and everybody just does as they think best

niloc1951

Remenber, 'motor caravans' are, as yet, not defined under Irish Statute as a category of vehicle which is subject to roadworthiness testing.
Neither pieces of legislation, those which relate 'DoE' and those which relate 'NCT' currently include 'motor caravans' within the categories of vehicles listed therein.
If one was to take the Italian definition, which I saw recently on Verona, as being private motor vehicles designed to provide living accommodation and not having more than eight passenger seats, then the NCT would appear to be an appropriate home for testing, but we know the problems with that.:rolleyes:

Old Timer

As an owner of a motorcaravan have you received this from your County Council.

img024.jpg

spaceHopper

Old Timer wrote: »

As an owner of a motorcaravan have you received this from your County Council.

img024.jpg

No and if you read the IS campers aren't covered but at the sametime they aren't excluded

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2004/en/si/0771.html

“goods vehicle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, or an articulated vehicle, constructed or adapted primarily for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description whether or not the vehicle is used for such a purpose;

3. (1) Subject to paragraph (2), these Regulations apply to—


(a) vehicles used for the carriage of passengers with more than 8 seats, excluding the driver's seat.


(b) goods vehicles,


(c) goods trailers, and


(d) ambulances.


(2) These Regulations do not apply to vehicles which are used by the Defence Forces or the Garda Síochána

OuterBombie

Just taxed in Galway office, no questions asked

Irishgoatman

allthatGlitters wrote: »

No - just got the renewal as usual and did it online.

Hi, I'm in Mayo, my tax is due at the end of this month but haven't received a renewal yet. How long in advance did you get the renewal notice please.

Malta1

about 2 weeks if i remember correctly

pandos

[QUOTE=

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2004/en/si/0771.html

“goods vehicle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, or an articulated vehicle, constructed or adapted primarily for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description whether or not the vehicle is used for such a purpose;

[/QUOTE]

Given that the vast majority of all campers are built originally for carriage of goods or burden, it would seem that these regulations do apply,

peasant

pandos wrote: »

Given that the vast majority of all campers are built originally for carriage of goods or burden, it would seem that these regulations do apply,

It's quite a while since I carried 1.5 tonnnes of gravel in my camper
(seenashow that's not what it was primarily built for)

pandos

peasant wrote: »

It's quite a while since I carried 1.5 tonnnes of gravel in my camper
(seenashow that's not what it was primarily built for)

The statute says "goods vehicle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, or an articulated vehicle, constructed or adapted primarily for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description whether or not the vehicle is used for such a purpose;"

Not "used for", in my opinion, in simple terms the decision as to whether or not it is a goods vehicle was decided "at birth" by the manufacturer.

I do agree that in one way this is ridiculous, because we have altered the vehicles, but at the same time without getting too caught up in things whether the "burden" is a well balanced shell " or the load is a "well secured load"
the reality is that the brakes and steering systems etc need to perform, and ought to be testable to the same standard.

What is really annoying is the cost and short lifespan of the commercial test versus the life and cost of the nct. Not to mention the insidious cost, in terms of time taken and in euros of presenting the certificate to the tax office and paying to have another cert issued and then using this to tax the van.

I have had a camper since 1997, am working on my third, I drive a commercial vehicle which requires a test annually and it is a money making racket, given the simplicity of the testing process and the cost. I have had my campers tested "informally" in test centers in the past where no cert was issued but I got an " opinion" and values for brake and steering performance for about £ 20.

It is really the competition authority that should be the target for criticisms as in fairness I think most people would be happy enough to have their vans tested provided the cost was reasonable rather than extortionate.

Given that it takes 20 minutes of a technicians time, what is neededed is to break the stranglehold that the existing centers have, and allow the market and efficiencies to set the price. This would see prices like the UK mot or the French controll tecnic creep in here very fast. Why not make a UK or european test certificate usable for taxing purposes, in this country given that their ( EU and UK) vehicles can use our roads under those self same standards.

Rant over.