For information, and just to have a bit of a rant really. I have just received email confirmation that the camping and caravan club have changed their policies, as of June 2018. Now, to book a campervan/motorhome pitch, the vehicle has to be registered with the DVLA as a motorhome. The likes of amdro boot jump, temporary conversions, or home conversions that don't meet the strict DVLA standards are now not allowed. They helpfully said I could book a tent pitch, with a tent, but cannot sleep in my amdro converted plush single bed in my doblo!!! Any advice?
I converted my own van and did it properly, when I had finished the conversion I prepared a special brochure which included 24 photographs of the conversion along with details, as well as a spread sheet which gave details of the costs etc.
10 days after I sent the brochure and application by registered post to the DVLA I received my new V5 back.
What I can't understand is the mentality of some people who quite simply throw a conversion together which so often looks no better than a shed on wheels and they then complain that the DVLA refuse to change the V5.
But by a large margin, the worst are those who produce what are known as STEALTH VANS with no windows. These are never registered with the DVLA, but because they are modified, they are in fact illegal, so there insurance will be invalid as well.
Three cheers for the C & C for laying down the law!!
------------- There is a great World to be found out there, but by the very day, to find where it is becomes more of a challenge!
The only thing I can suggest if you are a club member is not to book in advance and just turn up ( if its not miles out of your tour) and see what happens with the site manager. I recon if its tidy looking you will have no problem, when you book in advance on the internet they only want to know what unit you have and its dimensions, nothing about if it meets DVLA approval.
I have looked at pictures on 'tinternet', and I can see absolutely nothing that anyone who belongs to the C & C Club could possibly object to. If your vehicle the Amdro/Doblo looks anything like the pictures I just viewed.
If I were you, unless you are adamant that the club no longer exists in your minds eye? I would either ignore the letter and carry on as you are and let your membership run to expiry. Or write to them with pictures of your outfit and say they are being discriminatory. You vehicle seems to me to be dual purpose.
Good Luck.
Before officially "challenging"(for want of a better word) such a policy, it'd be useful to know the reasons for it cropping up now..
I don't know,as we haven't been in the C&CC for years but it may be a 'site insurance, vehicle "conformity" type of thing..?
or are we to believe that they are being over-run with Quote, "Stealth",and supposedly "illegal" vans and/or folk just sleeping in their estate cars, with an awning draped off the side. (doubtful, I would've thought?)
If it IS down to safety concerns(and therefore "vehicle conformity"), then it'd worth them bearing in mind that a good many "factory" made motorhomes/campervans have electrics and gas systems that have been messed with by their DIYing owners(eg extra 240v sockets, additional leisure batteries, solar panels..self installed,and sometimes modified,refillable gas bottle systems etc)
So, if they really did want to cross the "T"s and dot the "I"s, then maybe they should be insisting on checking the certificates for every non-standard modification?
No?..I thought not.
Presumably there's a C&CC forum?..if so, is there chatter on there about it, and what is the general consensus?
Quote: Originally posted by pepe63 on 16/9/2018
Presumably there's a C&CC forum?..if so, is there chatter on there about it, and what is the general consensus?
Yes, there is a forum, and no, I can't find any discussion on the subject, possibly because of lack of publicity?
I'd certainly never heard about this policy change until alerted by the OP's post.
We have still to get our T5 Camper King van reclassified and booked and stayed on a CCC site a couple of weeks ago and no mention was made of this policy at any time. Booked on another in a couple of weeks time and again no issues.
The irony is that the CCC site was the first night on our circuit of Wales and out of the 8 sites we stayed on was the most expensive by some margin and had the poorest facilities.....
Thanks for the reply - have checked all of the website and the literature they send every month and I cannot find any mention of the change in policy - the paragraph which said that they allowed sleeping in cars (3.5) has just disappeared! I agree that it could be due to safety concerns or other legitimate reasons however they should notify their members if they have changed something that could affect many, such as those with older Danbury dynamics which I believe were classified as a 'van with windows' not a motorhome and all those day vans, professional conversions that have got non standard facilities that mean they just don't meet the DVLA criteria but are still safe functional, fit for purpose units. I will book with a tent as they have advised until I clarify the situation with them further.
The C & C Club doesn't 'police' people's documents. I doubt they'd pay for an ANPR check before you're allowed on site, I can't see how that would be 'spending member's money wisely'.
From what I've learned a lot of campervans are not registered as motor-caravans, they're often vans with windows or MPVs.
It's my experience of staying with the C & CC is as long as you pay your money, you're polite and don't make too much noise after about 11pm you're welcome in pretty much any tourer type.
Quote: Originally posted by Buzzy-Beans on 12/9/2018
But by a large margin, the worst are those who produce what are known as STEALTH VANS with no windows. These are never registered with the DVLA, but because they are modified, they are in fact illegal, so there insurance will be invalid as well.
Wrong for the most part.
Aye - A lot has changed since May this year. As well as the internals, van has to have stylised camper decals & a high top as well as meeting window & interior requirements. Pop tops don't count.
The benchmark for smaller campervans is often the VW California Ocean. This is a MPV not a Motor Caravan on the V5c.
If the club is refusing them they're being very silly. Even if they don't check docs but just ask they are putting folk in a position where they may feel they have to lie to be allowed to stay.
Our professionally converted van could have been reclassified as a Motor Caravan if we did it prior to May 2019. Now it doesn't meet the criteria. The club could be in a position of 2 identical vans on site - one reclassified, one not.
Most insurers are not insisting on the classification for conversions now so there will be many VW Transporter type conversions still being banged out which are 'MPV' or 'van with windows'.
The company we used specialise in Transporters & they are as busy as ever!
When we were members our van was not converted - just a panel van & we camped with a tent. If they are not allowing legit conversions I'm even happier I cancelled my membership this year.
I've been camping at C&CC sites for nearly three years in my Peugeot Partner / Amdro / tailgate awning combination. I have always booked through the website as a campervan and have never had a problem. In fact on many sites, the staff have shown interest in the set-up and been surprised at how practical it is.
The only relevant references I could find stated in site policies:
2.4 - If planning to use a non-proprietary camping unit, please seek approval from Customer Services before camping for the first time.
& in Membership Undertaking
'If your caravan, motor caravan or tent trailer is of a non proprietary make, a photograph or illustration should be provided.'
I would take a conversion - self or pro to be 'non-propriety'.
As far as the thread coming to a finish a year ago. If it's not locked that's down to the individual to decide.
I think it the original post is still relevant because people like myself will follow the policies and forward pictures of their 'non-proprietary' vans to the C&CC as required, and subsequently get told they cannot book onto a site as a campervan rendering their membership useless. I no longer own my doblo so personally the point is mute. However I feel it important for people to know that they may have to make a moral decision to ignore the policy which from others doesn't appear to be enforced.
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Topic: The friendly club? New policies!
via mobile 14/11/2019 at 9:31pm
