Definition of a Caravanette

[Goodyt]

Hello
I am new to all this so please be gentle with me! I have recently bought a van that has seats in the rear which could be made into a bed, why I say could is that I don’t know if they can as I didn’t buy it to sleep in, just to transport people in(if I did camp I would use an awning and sleep outside the van)

Anyway the complex that I live in has a clause and does not permit caravanettes. They have said that my van is a caravanette and I must remove it from site.

By the way I do not have anything else in the van apart from the seats.

Anybody had a similar issue or can guide me in the direction of a definition as to what my van actually is….is it a caravanette?

 

[Mr Plodd]

There is no legal definition or classification of caravanette, camper van or motorhome. They are all, according to the Construction and Use Regulations "Motor cars"
In the same way that caravans are, by legal definition, trailers just like ones that you can transport cars on!
I think the people who have told you it must be moved need to explain to you what exactly a caravanette is. Its up to them to prove you have broken "the rules" not you to prove you haven't.
My personal view is that they are trying it on and, if challenged to show any legal definition of a caravanette in order to prove you have breached a part of your tenancy will, to say the least, find it exceedingly challenging to do so.
Ask them to show you the legal (not any other form of) definition!
In addition if there is no sink, toilet, bed etc present ask what badis they use to call it a caravanette. Whats to stop you countering that a large estate car is a caravanette How many seats does your vehicle have?

 

[otherclive]

Hello
I am new to all this so please be gentle with me! I have recently bought a van that has seats in the rear which could be made into a bed, why I say could is that I don’t know if they can as I didn’t buy it to sleep in, just to transport people in(if I did camp I would use an awning and sleep outside the van)

Anyway the complex that I live in has a clause and does not permit caravanettes. They have said that my van is a caravanette and I must remove it from site.

By the way I do not have anything else in the van apart from the seats.

Anybody had a similar issue or can guide me in the direction of a definition as to what my van actually is….is it a caravanette?

What does your V5 give as the vehicle type. What does your insurance say? You would expect a caravanette to have a small two burner hob, small sink as an absolute minimum. Just because the seats recline doesn’t automatically make it a caravaneette. What is the make, do you have a photo.

 

[Jcloughie]

Hi and welcome Goodyt.

Good advice in the posts above.

John

 

[Lutz]

I've never heard the term 'caravanette' before. Perhaps whoever has lodged the complaint would care to explain what it is and how it differs from a campervan which is the usual term for similar vehicles. However, as Mr Plodd says, not even 'campervan' has a legal definition.

 

[RogerL]

There is no legal definition or classification of caravanette, camper van or motorhome. They are all, according to the Construction and Use Regulations "Motor cars"
In the same way that caravans are, by legal definition, trailers just like ones that you can transport cars on!
I think the people who have told you it must be moved need to explain to you what exactly a caravanette is. Its up to them to prove you have broken "the rules" not you to prove you haven't.
My personal view is that they are trying it on and, if challenged to show any legal definition of a caravanette in order to prove you have breached a part of your tenancy will, to say the least, find it exceedingly challenging to do so.
Ask them to show you the legal (not any other form of) definition!
In addition if there is no sink, toilet, bed etc present ask what badis they use to call it a caravanette. Whats to stop you countering that a large estate car is a caravanette How many seats does your vehicle have?

There is a definition which separates motorhomes from cargo vans as they have different speed limits on some roads, and a different requirement for limiter fitment if they're over 3500 kg GVW - I seem to recall it relates to windows and cooking facilities - but I don't know the detail.

 

[Buckman]

I think they could be foreign as per their second sentence regarding transporting people. This is forbidden in any caravan in this country or the EU and their use of the word "caravanette".

 

[Mr Plodd]

Caravanette is a term that was also used some while ago in the UK to describe a camper van type vehicle. It is a motor vehicle such as a VW transporter rather than any form of towed caravan.

 

[Beachball]

Hi Goodyt Welcome to the forum .
Very good advice in the posts above .

 

[Dustydog]

Welcome to the Forum Goodyt.
Agree with all the above comments.
Caravanette a word I recall from the 60s.
Our French teacher had a Bedford CA caravanette.
He told us it was a small powered caravan. The ‘ette’ meaning the French for small.
eg. cigar cigarette, kitchen kitchenette etc.
Was he pulling my leg😉😉

 

[Mr Plodd]

Was he pulling my leg😉😉

No, your legette !

 

[Sam Vimes]

Groanette

 

[Mr Plodd]

Caravanette, along with Dormobile, was a generic term used to describe early campervans/motorhomes.

 

[Raywood]

Caravanette is an old term I seem to remember from my long lost youth and was generally used for the old Dormobile type conversions. I doubt there is any legal definition but it would have to include the things the Prof refers to like a sink and cooking although possibly not a toilet. Frankly it sounds to be either a van or people carrier and nothing more and I would challenge the to explain what a caravanette is and how your vehicle is included in the definition.
Frankly I suspect that most of the cars parked there have reclining seats that could be used as beds and therefore like yours could be included in their definition.

 

[Challenger]

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/caravanette

 

[ProfJohnL]

... I doubt there is any legal definition but it would have to include the things the Prof refers to like a sink and cooking although possibly not a toilet. ...

Not me...

 

[Lutz]

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/caravanette

That's all very well, but what is then the difference between a caravanette, a campervan and a motorhome? Someone is referring specifically to a caravanette so they must have some idea.

 

[otherclive]

Not me...

Mea Culpa post 3 and Plodd at post 2 beat me

 

[Dustydog]

That's all very well, but what is then the difference between a caravanette, a campervan and a motorhome? Someone is referring specifically to a caravanette so they must have some idea.

And we have Dormobile. Which was a conversion of any of the 1960s vans.
May be we need to see an extract of the OP document referring to ‘caravanette’

 

[Lutz]

And we have Dormobile. Which was a conversion of any of the 1960s vans.
May be we need to see an extract of the OP document referring to ‘caravanette’

I think Dormobile is or was a trademark held by Martin Walter Ltd

 

[Jcloughie]

I think Dormobile is or was a trademark held by Martin Walter Ltd

It might have been. But that never stops people from calling anything similar a Dormobile, or Caravanette, or campervan, or even motor home.

People are very good at getting these things wrong, but most are forgiving.

John

 

[otherclive]

When I was at tech college one of our group could borrow his Dads Comma Dormobile and we all used to go to the pub in it at lunchtime or over to Nottingham at night.

Commer - Dormobile Owners Club

Early Commer Dormobile Commer Coaster Commer Coaster. A conversion of the Commer 1500 van, this Dormobile had the usual Dormatic elevating roof, but had a full length side kitchen, with top loading fridge. A full double dinette, which folded to give a full length double bed.

www.dormobile.org.uk

Wikipedia has a good write up too.

 

[Dustydog]

I think Dormobile is or was a trademark held by Martin Walter Ltd

Yes . That’s correct. He used Bedford CAs, Thames Traders, Austin’s. But the point is they became a generic name , like Hoover . Ask James Dyson when someone refers to his vacuum cleaners as a ”hoover”!

 

[Lutz]

Yes . That’s correct. He used Bedford CAs, Thames Traders, Austin’s. But the point is they became a generic name , like Hoover . Ask James Dyson when someone refers to his vacuum cleaners as a ”hoover”!

I fully appreciate what you are saying. It's alright to use trade names as generic terms in ordinary conversation, but here we are talking about a written agreement where the meaning of every word counts.

 

[Buckman]

Yes . That’s correct. He used Bedford CAs, Thames Traders, Austin’s. But the point is they became a generic name , like Hoover . Ask James Dyson when someone refers to his vacuum cleaners as a ”hoover”!

The company I worked for had several of the Thames or Bedford vans for the TV technicians. Quite reliable if I remember correctly.