Is it ok to keep a UK car here during lockdown?
Hi guys,
My daughter drove home to Dublin from London last October in her UK-registered car. It has been sitting on the road outside the house since then, she drives around occasionally to keep the battery up. She is still here because of the lockdown here and in London. My neighbour has said that if someone reports the car to Customs that they can take it off her and she will have to pay import duty to get it back. She has owned it more than six months. It is her intention that if we and the UK EVER get out of lockdown that she will drive back to London.
She has no money as a result of Covid and is on the Covid payment and came home because she could not afford her rent in London. My husband and myself have been in lockdown for over a year now, we are just not able for the worry of this. Have you any advice please? We do not have a driveway big enough to take this car.
Regards Helen
Helen ONeill (Dublin)Mar 2021 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Helen,
OK, first off there’s nothing to be concerned about. People who are temporarily resident in Ireland are allowed to bring their cars with them, and not have to re-register or fully import them for as long as 12 months. There are no forms to fill out, you just have to be able to show proof of address, purchase, tax, and insurance when and if you’re asked. Students who are studying in Ireland can keep cars with them for the duration of their studies, even if that exceeds 12 months, so there are clearly generally lenient rules when it comes to this. Given that your daughter is (a) intending to return to the UK when it is safe to do so and (b) effectively sheltering with you because of the pandemic, I wouldn’t be too concerned about having the car taken away nor anything like it.
Really, the only issue that would arise is if your daughter wanted to sell the car here, but if she’s going to keep it, I would say you’ve not much to worry about.
I have a unique import question from NI!
I have a two-part question. Can you offer clarification on the distinction between registering a car vs importing a car to NI/ROI after the Brexit cut-off date? Back story: I have a GB reg car and I've been the registered keeper of it for more than two years. I took it to NI in Sep 2020, before the Brexit cut off date of 1 Jan 2021. However, it has still been registered at a GB address, whilst I move between the two countries. I am now ready to register the car in NI at a permanent address.
1) Are there UK custom duties and VAT now attached to this if I register it in NI? Or because the car was taken (can I say imported?) to NI before the cut off date - just not registered - is the process the same pre-Brexit? It is still registered at an English address. I would specifically like to check if registering the vehicle in NI before the cut off date was necessary to avoid the extra UK import fees due to Brexit?
2) When I subsequently move to the ROI, will the car be subjected to Irish Customs Duty, VAT and VRT? I keep reading used cars from Northern Ireland will not be subjected to the new customs/VAT fees but I'm not sure if this is applicable to the car detailed above. Revenue.ie state: "You can register a vehicle registered before 1 January 2021 without any checks on the customs status if it was registered: i) in Northern Ireland or ii) to a person resident in Northern Ireland". So whilst it wasn't registered in Northern Ireland, it was registered to a person with an address in Northern Ireland before the cut off date.
Any information is gratefully received.
Cheers
Caroline Ponsonby (Lisburn)Mar 2021 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Caroline,
Right, this is a bit of a tricky one. The good news, first off, is that there’s no issue with moving a car between England and Northern Ireland — no duties nor VAT to pay, all you have to do is inform the DVLA of the change of address.
Bringing that car south might then represent a difficulty, but it will depend on how long you wait between your registering the car in the North and bringing it south. Technically, Revenue have told us that there is no specific timeline when it comes to having a car registered in Northern Ireland and not having to pay import duty and VAT when importing that car into the Republic. However, they have also said that they will be carefully monitoring the paper trail of each car to ensure that no-one is trying to game the system. If there’s only going to be a short gap between you registering the car in the North and then importing it into the South, that could get antennae twitching at Revenue, even if you’re technically above board.
Which cars can fit three child seats?
Hi,
What cars are capable of putting three child seats across the back seats? Ages new born, 2 and 4 years old. So none would be in booster seat just yet. Is it just SUVS or vans? I'm hoping there are some estates capable of this!
Thanks John
John Smyth (Dun Laoghaire)Mar 2021 Filed under: child or baby seats
Expert answer
Hi John,
In my experience (I test a few hundred cars a year and I have three kids myself), your only proper options are people carriers, MPVs and larger SUVs. We ended up buying a Volkswagen Touran, which was absolutely excellent, but there are plenty of other cars with the same kind of space. The Tiguan Allspace, Skoda Kodiaq and SEAT Tarraco all are virtually the same as that inside and ideal for the job. Watch out for smaller SUVs, such as the Qashqai etc, as their rear seats are no wider or more accommodating than an average estate.
Now, depending on whether you're using ISOFIX and how wide the child seats are, you might find an estate that will accommodate the three, so don't give up just yet. The only way to know for certain is to bring the seats with you to try out in the backs of a few cars at a dealer or wherever. The Skoda Superb Combi and VW Passat Combi would be worth a try for sure.
Please do let us know in the comments below how you get on.
How to change from N1 van to M1?
Hi,
I want to buy an N1 van and change to M1 status. How do I do this?
Mohammed Ahmed (Midleton)Mar 2021 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Mohammed,
If you mean changing the tax status on a van to a private car, then really all you have to do is ring up your local motor tax office, and tell them that you want to change the tax status of your vehicle. Insurance is the tricky part — some insurers don’t like covering vans being used as cars, so make sure you shop around carefully before you decide.
Read Buying a commercial vehicle for private use for more.
Start-stop issues with my Tucson...
Hi.
I have a 2017 Hyundai Tucson and the auto stop-start button has a light on it at startup and the light on the dash is amber permanently. When I press the stop-start button nothing happens, the light remains on. None of the stop-start functions have worked for a while but I put that down to not driving a lot during lockdown. I’m now beginning to suspect there is a fault.
Justina Plaxton (Hull)Mar 2021 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Justina,
Start-stop issues are common with a lot of cars and we get many queries about it. If your car is not being used much right now, then the battery may not be in great condition and that's a leading reason for stop-start problems. It could be something else of course. Your car should still be under warranty if you want to talk to your Hyundai dealer about it.
In the meantime, read Why won't my car's stop-start system work? on the subject.
Looking for outright comfort in a car...
I am trying to identify the car that will provide the best possible ride quality for my wife who suffers from chronic pain due to multiple injuries.
So far she has found an Audi A3 and Audi A4 too hard, a Mercedes A 220 much better but with a seat that pushes her neck forward, a Volvo V40 R-Design with the best seat for her so far but too harsh a ride.
Perhaps you cannot say precisely what brand and model of car might be more suitable but the factors that overall might offer the best solution. Under consideration at the moment are a Volvo XC40 or XC60 and a Subaru Forester.
Thanks.
Seamus - Dublin 14
Seamus Connolly (Dublin 14)Mar 2021 Filed under: comfort
Expert answer
Hi Seamus,
This is obviously a tricky decision, and we wish your wife all the best in coping with this. When it comes to ride quality, the most important factors are the stiffness, overall, of the suspension, the size of the wheels, and the sidewall depth of the tyres. Basically, smaller wheels and normal suspension is the rule of thumb if you’re trying to get a car with a soft ride quality.
SUVs are actually generally quite bad for ride quality. That sounds counter-intuitive, because of course they’re taller and have longer-travel suspension, but the problem is that the springs and dampers have to be stiffened up to prevent the higher centre of gravity from inducing too much body roll. I would therefore suggest that keeping away from SUVs would be a good bet.
That said, the Subaru Forester you’ve mentioned below does indeed have a soft ride quality, again as long as you avoid the larger alloy wheel options. Ditto the smaller Subaru XV, which is helpfully lower to the ground and can get away with slightly softer suspension rates. Citroen, of course, is famed for having pillowy-soft ride quality, and the current C5 Aircross is pretty soft and springy, and has great seats into the bargain. You should definitely look at a Toyota Camry as well (very soft, and again with great seats) and the Skoda Superb.
Avoid anything that has a sporty designation (S line, R-Line, M Sport etc) as that will almost automatically have stiffer springs and bigger wheels.
Hope that helps. Below are links to our reviews of the cars mentioned above:
How much to insure a Transit privately?
How much would a 171 Ford Transit Connect cost to insure privately?
Maire Twiss (Milltown )Feb 2021 Filed under: insurance
Expert answer
Hi Maire,
Unfortunately, you might as well ask us how long a piece of string might be. Irish insurance companies are something of a law unto themselves, and the cost of insurance will depend more on you and your record than on the vehicle itself. On top of which, some of our readers have been telling us that they have been finding it difficult to get some insurers to cover commercial vehicles as private cars at all. Our advice is to get hold of a good broker, who can help you navigate through all this.
Should I bring a car with me from England?
If I move to live in Ireland from England is it a good idea to bring my car with me or should I buy over there?
Russell Drake (Bolton )Feb 2021 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Russell,
If you like your current car then it’s definitely a good idea to bring it with you. Importing a vehicle as part of a change of address means that you won’t have to pay Vehicle Registration Tax, which is a significant saving. All you need is proof of the change of address, and proof of at least six months’ tax and insurance at your previous address.
Read our Guide to Importing Cars from the UK feature for more.
Are electric cars subject to new import taxes?
Importing a fully electric car from the UK: are these still VRT and VAT exempt, as fully electric cars, up to the limit of €35k? Importing a fully electric car from NI: is this as above as well?
Regards, Donal
Donal Murphy (Cork)Feb 2021 Filed under: electric cars
Expert answer
Hi Donal,
They’re not VRT exempt; it’s that Revenue applies a rebate of VRT, up to a maximum of €5,000, on an imported electric car, as long as it’s a regular production model, up to a maximum OMSP of €50,000 (that’s the current Irish market value as defined by Revenue). So, as a rough example, if the car you’re importing has an OMSP of €35,000, you’ll technically pay VRT of seven per cent, at €2,450, but that is obviously covered by the VRT rebate, so you effectively pay nothing. However, the car has an OMSP of €60,000, you’ll pay €4,200 in VRT and won’t get any rebate.
If you’re bringing a car in from the England, Scotland or Wales, even if it’s an EV, you’ll be liable for 21 per cent VAT (charged on the OMSP value) and ten per cent import duty (charged on what you paid for the car plus the costs of getting it here). If you're bringing it in from Northern Ireland, as long as it’s either previously been registered to a person or company resident in the North, or you’ve bought it from a dealer, then you won’t pay the import duty, and you’ll only be charged VAT if the car is younger than six months, or has fewer than 6,000km on the clock.
Paperwork needed for NI imported car?
Buying a car purchased by a NI garage before Xmas but originally registered in UK. Do I need additional paperwork for VRT centre e.g. proof they purchased and imported cars before Brexit?
L GKelly (Cork)Feb 2021 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Leanne,
In theory, no. According to Revenue’s official wording on this, you don’t have to pay either import duty nor VAT on a used car coming from Northern Ireland as long as it was either previously registered to a business or an individual resident in the North, or was sold to you by a car dealer whose business is registered and addressed in the North. In theory, the invoice for the car, issued by the dealership when you bought it, should cover you but just make sure you have as much paperwork as humanly possible to back you up.