Hobby Caravans

[James_374314871]

Hello,

This is my first post on this site and hope someone can clear up an issue I have.

I & my family have become hooked on caravanning having bought a old caravan from a friend. I have just returned from holiday in Aviemore with an idea to purchase a Hobby tourer. I have been told by a dealer that it is illegal in the UK to tow one due to their width and therefore they must be kept on site similar to a static van.

Can anyone confirm this for me, I look forward to some advice.

Many thanks

 

[Lutz]

The information that the dealer has given you is misleading. It is quite legal to tow any Hobby up to and including the 540 series as these are not over the 2.3m overall width limit. Larger Hobby models, 560's and above, are 2.5m wide and require a vehicle with a GVW of over 3.5 tonnes to tow legally in the UK.

 

[Mike_374315756]

I'm not an expert at all, but I am looking to buy a foreign caravan and Hobby is/was an option for me. However, when I was looking at some insurance websites yesterday I noticed that some refuse to insure Hobby caravans(among a handful of other makes). I'm not sure why though.

 

[Damian]

Mike, the reason, or at least one reason, why Insurers decline to accept Hobby caravans is that they have a reputation for being favoured for being stolen by , usually, the "travelling" community, along with many of the larger foreign makes, tabbert, etc.

As such, some, but not all, camp sites will refuse to allow entry to Hobby vans,again due to the connection with "travellers".

Whether this is justified or not is not the question, the fact remains that this is the perceived view.

A further point is that the wider Hobby vans and others similar (over 2.3 mtrs) are illegal to tow with anything less than a 3.5 ton GVW vehicle, a commercial in reality, again giving credence to the dubious side of perception.

 

[martin.]

Check out the depreciation aswell, the prices drop quicker than cars once you tow it away.

 

[philip_374229949]

does anyone know what the consequence of it being illegal is. Is insurance of car etc invalidated if in accident. Is there a fixed penalty etc. A response from police would be ideal or sadly anyone caught foul of this.

 

[AnnM1]

Hi Mike

The problem with insuring Hobby caravans is that the travelling fraternity rather like them. However, we had one insured (very reasonably) with the National Union of Farmers (NFU). Hope this helps.

Ann

 

[Cockovan]

In response to what can happen I have extracted from another site an account by an unfortunate owner of an oversized foreign van.

"I can assure all of you that it is an expensive experience that you will regret, if you are involved in an accident, even when the following driver is at fault - I stopped safely to avoid a pedestrian, who was jaywalking, but the following driver didn't!

I had insured my van with the company that is quoted so often on here. I had given them full details of the HOBBY van in question - including overall length and width. I had been assured by the UK dealer that it was legal to tow a 2.5m width van in this country. I had notified my car insurer that I would be towing the caravan and that the towing vehicle had been modified from standard by the fitting of a towbar (How many of you have notified your insurer of that modification? It is a requirement). I "thought" I had done all of the right things and yet, when the accident happened, I was the one hammered from every direction - Police, Courts, 3rd Party Claims (because I was on the road in an illegal state), non payout by vehicle insurer, non-payout by caravan insurer and we even had to pay for our hospital treatment!

So, for any of you who have 'got everything covered', I wouldn't count on anything if you get involved in an accident.

Your choice, either to drive within the law or drive outside of the law (AWARE AS YOU ARE, that you are breaking the UK Law) and face up to the personal/family consequences if things go bottom up."

So straight from the horses mouth.

 

[jason_5132801]

In response to what can happen I have extracted from another site an account by an unfortunate owner of an oversized foreign van.

"I can assure all of you that it is an expensive experience that you will regret, if you are involved in an accident, even when the following driver is at fault - I stopped safely to avoid a pedestrian, who was jaywalking, but the following driver didn't!

I had insured my van with the company that is quoted so often on here. I had given them full details of the HOBBY van in question - including overall length and width. I had been assured by the UK dealer that it was legal to tow a 2.5m width van in this country. I had notified my car insurer that I would be towing the caravan and that the towing vehicle had been modified from standard by the fitting of a towbar (How many of you have notified your insurer of that modification? It is a requirement). I "thought" I had done all of the right things and yet, when the accident happened, I was the one hammered from every direction - Police, Courts, 3rd Party Claims (because I was on the road in an illegal state), non payout by vehicle insurer, non-payout by caravan insurer and we even had to pay for our hospital treatment!

So, for any of you who have 'got everything covered', I wouldn't count on anything if you get involved in an accident.

Your choice, either to drive within the law or drive outside of the law (AWARE AS YOU ARE, that you are breaking the UK Law) and face up to the personal/family consequences if things go bottom up."

So straight from the horses mouth.

i had my 8ft wide hobby repair done after an accident they dident even ask wot i was towing it with i had the repair done at e wood caravans they have been repairing hobby caravans for 20 years and told me that they have never had a claim terned down why do we have to read this crap about towing 8ft wide hobby caravans week after week it just gets boring. you shouldent drink drive its also against the law but if you have a crash your insurence have to pay out