Cris confuses me ! In august I changed my caravan purchasing from a reputable dealer locally. At the time I asked the dealer about the Cris document who replied he would notify Cris and I would receive the doc thro the post in due course with the proviso that "IT may take a while as they are a bit slow", however, last week I eventually received it, bit slow, understatement !
Today, I received yet another letter from HPI the operators of the Cris system. This time it informs me that they have noted that I am the new owner of the van and invite me to register it with them. So here I am looking at a current reg doc in one hand and an invite to register in the other.
Taking into account the time it took Cris to issue my certificate and the obvious confusion that reigns within their organisation, I am wondering if the £12 fee is money well spent or not. Apart from administrating(?) a data base what useful purpose does it serve. The answer being of course, it enables the rightful owner to be established in the event of the van being recovered after theft. How often, I wonder, is it used to track an owner.If my van were to be stolen, I don't think I would want it back anyway. What percentage of vans are currently registered? Probably less than 50% I would think as the majority on the road or on sites have changed hands several times during their lifetime and on many of these the registration has lapsed.
I have concluded that until we follow the lead of other EU countries where all trailers are registered and are obliged to display a registration plate, then Cris is rather a pointless operation.
I know many will disagree and would welcome other opinions and/or first hand experience of the data base being usefully utilised...........Mick
Cris is run for profit by hpi & is better than nothing but not as good as dvla registration as is the case with most other European countries. If a stolen caravan is recovered it is usually the property of the insurance co. that paid out the owner for his loss.
Some stolen 'vans have been recovered yrs later when after having been sold on several times the current owner decides(rather unwisely)to revive the Cris reg. & the caravan is then taken off their hands with their only recourse being to whoever sold it to them.
The police are behind the CRIS xtra bit as yiu have 1000 bits to stick on everywhere seen & unseen. Once you put a gadget inside the cupboard next to the outer wall so a police gadget can read not just the CRIS number but it can come from anyone of the 1000 you have stuck on it. The t.leaves apparently get fed up with not only getting them off but actually finding where you put them. Every little helps to deter thieves.
Also get another bit off the insurance as its on the forms.
I have the xtra as well, but why should it be extra! make it part of the registration and then maybe even less caravan would be stolen. in the first place. Yes Cris could be better managed and a better way of caravan registration could be implemented.
But until then, cris, better than nothing, or is it?
Quote: Originally posted by iain.morrison3 on 18/10/2012
I have the xtra as well, but why should it be extra! make it part of the registration and then maybe even less caravan would be stolen. in the first place. Yes Cris could be better managed and a better way of caravan registration could be implimented.
But until then, cris, better than nothing, or is it?
Quote: Originally posted by michael on 18/10/2012
as far as can remember all caravans from new had a chip placed in them from 2005.just knowing where it is.
That's true Michael we were told that. Only the thieves are somehow getting through that tech knowhow. Hence the Cris xtra and the 1000 bits to stick everywhere on show & hidden they seem to be "at this time" leaving then more alone that and going for an easier one.
Anything to deter there works cannot be too bad. But as said before they should be incorporating that stage into the new ones and going onto the next round to keep ahead of them as much as possible maybe getting a faster response for a theft may be an asset also somehow.
What the answer is I have no idea. Maybe someone can think of some good ideas that we can do for ourselves. Another post maybe Hmmmmm!!!
Quote: Originally posted by Hacksaw Bob on 18/10/2012Slightly off topic, but after about six years(?) of UKCS's Stolen Unit Database, the Camping and Caravanning Club has launched a similar theft alert scheme.
Bob its not of subject really as its all about trying to deter the thieves that take hard earned own property of ours for thier attitude of "its there its mine I dont want to work just take".
Where is the phone numbers of these websites. I do not use my computer on holiday and we do a 10 weeker & a 6 weeker. I we had a phone number I could use that as all those with mobiles can. But not everyone has access to a computer or the gadgets which carry them ie.phones that do. Mine does not as its for emergency only as a pay as you go is more expensive to use. Don't need any other one.
I never saw any phone number unless someone else has.
Quote: Originally posted by Hacksaw Bob on 19/10/2012Good point! I suppose you could print off recent listings before departure then in the event of a suspected sighting use the non-emergency 101 number?
(When I say "you" I mean "one" - I don't carry a computer around either, or even a basic phone if I can help it! )
What about your RAC or AA or Green flag etc..... no phone means no help ....yes!!! even a pay as you go cheapy gets you out of trouble.
We do not have a tv either with us. But use an old laptop no internet options as I took them off. But the sceen is 15inches against an 8inch screen to watch old films.
Thanks for the input but have yet to see a posting from anyone with first hand experience of Cris proving to be of any use to the van owner.
What is this "Chip" that is installed in later models ? Presumably it contains certain info, what? I assume a "Reader" of some description is required to decipher the info, who would have the reader, the Police? How could this possibly be a deterrent to theft? The Cris "Extras" are hardly a deterrent, only a means of identification. Now a tracking device really is useful as is an audible alarm activated by movement.
I am of the opinion that for a profit motivated undertaking, Cris's administration leaves a lot to be desired and am not convinced of the benefit to the van owner, anybody convince me otherwise?......Mick
One of the things mentioned on these forums, whenever anyone asks for advice on buying a second hand caravan, is that the Cris registration should be checked. In other words, make sure that the person who is selling the caravan is the registered owner. So when I bought my caravan I did just that. And I re-registered the 'van so that when I sell it on I will be shown as the registered owner, my name and address tallying with the number on the caravan. Maybe not foolproof but better than nothing I think.
David
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Topic: CRIS
