I know it is possible to import a caravan from Europe, but I was just wondering if Brexit has had an effect on the process of doing this? Are there any new legal requirements for importing from Europe or is the cost of doing so higher now due to Brexit?
Can I import a caravan from Europe?
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- Mar 14, 2005
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Importing a caravan from Europe is more complicated now. You will have to pay VAT upon arrival in the UK. To offset those costs it would be worth getting the VAT that you already paid abroad refunded, but to do that you have to notify the dealer at the time of purchase because only he can apply for the refund and then pass it on to you. To do that you need customs papers issued where you bought the caravan. These have to be stamped when the caravan leaves the EU and again by UK Customs. The thus completed customs forms must then be forwarded back to the dealer who will complete the process of obtaining the refund.
- Nov 16, 2015
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Legally or illeagally?
In 5 years of touring France I have never been asked for paperwork for my caravan. So coming back with a caravan with a British Number plate on. !!!
But your travel docs will show you went out solo and back with a caravan. ?
When ever I have shipped my personal effects back from overseas HMG, have never charge me for items older than 6 months.
But never had a caravan in my suitcase.
This could be interesting.
In 5 years of touring France I have never been asked for paperwork for my caravan. So coming back with a caravan with a British Number plate on. !!!
But your travel docs will show you went out solo and back with a caravan. ?
When ever I have shipped my personal effects back from overseas HMG, have never charge me for items older than 6 months.
But never had a caravan in my suitcase.
This could be interesting.
- Mar 14, 2005
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I have helped a couple of non-EU purchasers export their caravans in the past so do have a rough idea of what’s involved. If the process is too complicated one can always call upon the services of a forwarding agent.
When touring France you were only importing the caravan temporarily so there wouldn't have been the need for any paperwork.
I presume that the OP is importing the caravan before he has had it for 6 months. If he has had it and used it abroad for longer, there would be no UK VAT to pay because it counts as personal effects, as you say, but on the other hand he wouldn't be able to get a refund of the VAT paid abroad, either.
When touring France you were only importing the caravan temporarily so there wouldn't have been the need for any paperwork.
I presume that the OP is importing the caravan before he has had it for 6 months. If he has had it and used it abroad for longer, there would be no UK VAT to pay because it counts as personal effects, as you say, but on the other hand he wouldn't be able to get a refund of the VAT paid abroad, either.
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- Jul 18, 2017
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What is to stop you taking an old caravan across to the continent, leaving it at the dealer and then bringing the new one back. You would have paid the VAT. The only downside is of course you will not have a warranty in the UK and may need to return to the original dealer for any issues.
- Mar 14, 2005
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You would be guilty of tax evasion if you don’t pay UK VAT. HMRC aren’t interested in whether you’ve already paid VAT abroad. It’s of no concern to them so it would be silly not to take advantage of the opportunity to get the foreign VAT refunded.
Admittedly the chances of getting caught for tax evasion are probably remote, but there is still a risk, especially if you later have an accident with the caravan and the police or the insurance are involved.
Warranty is not necessarily affected, but it’s something that needs to be clarified at the time of purchase.
- Jul 18, 2017
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I am wondering how the HMRC would be involved in the caravan was involved in an accident. Surely neither the insurance company or the police have to inform HMRC that you were involved in an accident? Just to add I would never consider tax evasions so this is a general question.
- Mar 14, 2005
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After an accident the police, or in the event of a claim, the insurance company could ask questions about where you got the caravan from and if you are unable to give a plausible explanation it is possible that they may refer to HMRC.
There’s also a chance that Customs could ask questions if they see you entering the country with an obviously shiny new foreign caravan.
- Mar 14, 2005
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It may still be a viable proposition if you purchase the caravan in a country with a particularly high VAT rate. In such countries the manufacturer sometimes sets the net price without tax low in order to remain competitive. It’s worth shopping around. Also, some models are only available in certain markets, so if the official UK importer doesn’t offer the model or the spec that you particularly want you may have to go abroad.
- Mar 14, 2005
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It's almost certain that privately (and legally) importing a foreign made caravan will cost more both in money and effort than for the equivalent caravan already available in the UK, so there would have to be some compelling reason to want to do it.
The OP hasn't told us why he(she) is considering it. However we often see and hear people who casually claim that especially continental caravans are better made and more reliable than UK constructed products, and if that is the principle reason for this thread then they need to carefully review the evidence, before assuming all continental makes are better than UK products.
The adage of the "Grass always looks greener on the other side" could well be very apt in this situation.
Whist it is true we see far less complaints in the forum about continental brands, the reality is there are far fewer continual caravans sold in the UK so the number of complaints are bound to be lower, but whether they represent a lower percentage of failures is difficult to assess as there is no direct means of looking at sales figures.
It could also be the continental manufactures only export their best models to the UK which would skew British buyers perception of quality.
For all we know, our continental cousins might see the same effect in their own countries that makes foreign products look more attractive.
Just make sure you do the homework, becasue a mistake cold be quite costly to get corrected when having to deal across national borders.
The OP hasn't told us why he(she) is considering it. However we often see and hear people who casually claim that especially continental caravans are better made and more reliable than UK constructed products, and if that is the principle reason for this thread then they need to carefully review the evidence, before assuming all continental makes are better than UK products.
The adage of the "Grass always looks greener on the other side" could well be very apt in this situation.
Whist it is true we see far less complaints in the forum about continental brands, the reality is there are far fewer continual caravans sold in the UK so the number of complaints are bound to be lower, but whether they represent a lower percentage of failures is difficult to assess as there is no direct means of looking at sales figures.
It could also be the continental manufactures only export their best models to the UK which would skew British buyers perception of quality.
For all we know, our continental cousins might see the same effect in their own countries that makes foreign products look more attractive.
Just make sure you do the homework, becasue a mistake cold be quite costly to get corrected when having to deal across national borders.
Then of course Prof, the OP asked us for our advice, only on the impact of Brexit on the buying process.
Interested in this as my situation (posted more about this elsewhere) is that we have arrived in France with a very broken van and one option is to drag it to a dealer and buy something else possibly using our old one as per trade in.
- Mar 14, 2005
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I think you'll find a French dealer very reluctant to accept an unregistered UK caravan as a trade in, especially as you say it's a very broken van.
Though a Hymer it is an 18 year old van with a massive structural chassis failure, I suspect it is presently deemed valueless within the trade, and would be even over here. With now a possible disposure charge rather than exchange value.
- Nov 11, 2009
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Won’t Red Pennant put you in accommodation near to where your trip plan is scheduled to take you. They did that for our friends whilst their British caravan was recovered back to UK. But looking at your caravan I would think the only commercial entity that could be interested would be a caravan breakers. But whether a French breaker would be interested I don’t know.
We certainly share that love for aging Hymers, ours now 14 years of exceptional service.
Adding to that one we can't replace with new as apparently the present brand holders have coped out of building products of that quality standard. A hard act, if not impossible one these days to follow with whatever brand.
I feel for you.
Adding to that one we can't replace with new as apparently the present brand holders have coped out of building products of that quality standard. A hard act, if not impossible one these days to follow with whatever brand.
I feel for you.
It’s never let us down until now, not a whiff of damp always sailing through services.
With have put many, many miles on it so it shouldn’t be a surprise I guess. The one thing we can’t replace are the memories every time we step through the door…
We always say that the caravan ‘smells of holidays’ (in a good way!)
I take your point but the van is not unregistered (CRIS - owned from new).
It’s a somewhat moot point as I’m not sure it is safely towable anywhere.
However I do think this has a point to the earlier comment about ‘just driving it through customs’ you wouldn’t be able to register it with Cris in the uk I expect without some evidence you had paid for it.
That said, we were thinking of getting an Eriba Troll and they are a little cheaper over here so it may be something we look into.
It’s a somewhat moot point as I’m not sure it is safely towable anywhere.
However I do think this has a point to the earlier comment about ‘just driving it through customs’ you wouldn’t be able to register it with Cris in the uk I expect without some evidence you had paid for it.
That said, we were thinking of getting an Eriba Troll and they are a little cheaper over here so it may be something we look into.
- Jul 18, 2017
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CRIS is not an officially recognised registration entity so caravan is not truly registered like a car with a V5. If you get RP to trail it back to the UK, you may be able to sell it on eBay as someone may want it as an office or perhaps spares?
- Mar 14, 2005
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If you're in the market for a new Troll, the closest dealer to Annecy to have a few in stock is Nord Sud Caravaning in Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune. That's about 140 miles away, but it would be on your way back home.
ps: Buckman is right. CRIS doesn't count as being registered. For the caravan to be considered registered abroad it would have to be taxed and licenced like a car and have its own number plate.
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- May 7, 2012
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Because it is a Hymer and therefore familiar to French firms, perhaps a beaker would take it for spares, as most should be identical to the continental ones. Given the damage and the fact they would probably have to load it onto a truck though, you might find the best they will do is take it away.
If you do buy a new one to take home though your insurer should be able to cover this but if they are writing off the old one, you may need a new policy.
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