MOTs for caravans

[Stephen_374341239]

Hi All

Does anyone now? Ref The National Caravan Council is it true there trying to make it Law Caravans have to have a MOT every year.

This will cover the following:

Habtation requirement relating to Health and Safety.

Mains electrical test BS7671:2008 section 721.

LPG test EN 1949.

Safety ventilaton checks EN 721.

Payloads EN 1645-2

12volt electrical installation test EN 1648-1.

Chassis checks, Brakes, Shocks, etc.

You will be given a certificate and a sticker very much similar to to th present day car MOT arrangment. The sticker will have to go in the front window top left side of the caravan.

When does this come into being ?

HOW LONG HAVE I GOT TO SELL THE VAN.

 

[WiltshirePete]

This is already the case in Germany, where the trailer or caravan has its own Registration number and logbook, and is subject to an annual inspection. Maybe this is coming EU wide?

Of course this system would also help prevent theft etc, so maybe it is no bad thing if it also gets unroadworthy trailers off the roads?

Pete

 

[Stephen_374341239]

Yes thats what I am hereing. I here moves are afoot to bring it in. Right across the EU ? Thats why i am asking when it will be installed over here in uk. They have a bad habit in the UK of just bring in new laws under the counter as it were then just let every body now some time or other in the furture.

I would like to know because I for one am not paying any more stealth taxes to these badits we have in our parlayment. I for one am not keeping them in the life style they have become a custome too.

 

[Lutz]

Not just in Germany but also in most European countries are trailers/caravans treated as vehicles in their own right with their own log book, number plate, etc. This would have to be the case in the UK, too, before an MOT can be introduced. Apart from the advantage of making it more difficult to sell a stolen van it also means that any towcar can tow any trailer without the need to transfer number plates. A car may even tow a foreign registered caravan, or vice versa (haulage contractors on the Continent already make use of this possibility with artic units often registered in a country different to that of the semi-trailer).

The German MOT which, by the way, is only carried out every 2 years, covers neither the electrical system (other than exterior lighting equipment) nor habitation requirements relating to health and safety.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Stephen,

This topic has come up on a number of occasions, and whilst it would only be fully resolved when, or if the Govt, does something about it, it seems unlikely that conventional MOT centres would be looking at the habitation side of things. They are run by VOSA & DVLA and are only concerned with road running gear.

I believe it is unlikely that caravans would be singled out for MOT's mainly because caravans are in the eyes of the law just a trailer, so it would have to apply to all trailers.

In a number of other EU countries, each home has to have electric, water and gas systems annually certified, and if, or when that happens in the UK it is likely to be applied to all habitation units which might include caravans.

 

[Lutz]

John, can you tell me in which countries an annual certification of home electric, water and gas systems is carried out? It certainly doesn't apply in Germany, a country which is renowned for keeping the T

 

[Stephen_374341239]

LUTZ

I did not know this. A yearly certification on home heating system emissions. How long has that been in place.

 

[Lutz]

It has always been a requirement in Germany to have the chimney cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified chimney sweep (he comes anyway, so you don't need to make an appointment). I don't know exactly when the chimney sweeps started to measure the emissions as part of the yearly inspection, but I think it was sometime in the early 80's.

 

[Chrisbee]

Depending on the cost an MOT sounds a good idea to me. Currently I pay

 

[Lutz]

Just an indication:

The equivalent of the MOT for trailers (caravans) in Germany costs between 35 and 40 Euros, depending on which part of the country you live. The gas inspection costs roughly another 30 Euros. Both checks are carried out every 2 years.