"Borderline" if it's a commercial vehicle

skivenov

OK, I'll put my hands up and say I take the !!!! with parking all of the time, I routinely park in loading bays on the road when I'm mystery shopping (a visit takes 20-30 minutes + 10 minutes to write it down, and doesn't pay much, especially if I pay and display it)..

I drive a single cab Skoda pickup, with a lidded back (basically makes it into a van). I got back to it to find a traffic warden stood next to it doing the ten minute wait, and obviously did the old blag "sorry I had to walk and find the place that I'm delivering to", etc.

Then she pulled a pure curve ball on me, she didn't question what I was deliverring, or how long I'd been there, but said she was waiting because it was "borderline whether it's a commercial vehicle".

Needless to say, I didn't debate it, just hopped in and drove off, but that one's really got me confused. If it were any more commercial, it'd be a wheelbarrow :huh:

Coupon-mad

You were lucky not to get a ticket for mystery shopping when parked in a loading bay! Always appeal though if you do get a PCN, and NOT just the first stage.

Choose loading bays carefully in future as this must have been one saying 'Goods vehicles only' which can get an instant ticket if a CEO thinks it's not a van. With a normal loading bay a CEO has to wait and observe for 5 mins and they are easier to appeal if you can show your were loading for longer than that.

skivenov

Hehe - yeah, I just don't get how a pickup truck isn't commercial, I suppose if it was a doublecab Chelsea tractor.

To be fair, I save hundreds on parking, so I take the odd ticket as a gamble (though I never did pay a PPC for a ticket they gave me for parking a Transit smack in front of their pay and display machine because I was late to see a gig), it was just her reasoning that floored me.

Computersaysno

Obviously a muppet...clearly a commercial vehicle.

peter_the_piper

AFAIK, if you are loading/unloading a substantial item(s) then it does not matter if its a commercial vehicle or not, the exemption is loading/unloading, (unless the sign says otherwise)

fisherjim

skivenov wrote: »

Hehe - yeah, I just don't get how a pickup truck isn't commercial, I suppose if it was a doublecab Chelsea tractor.

This may help you>
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/sectors/motors/what-is-car.htm
Commercial vehicles

VAT-registered businesses can generally reclaim the VAT when they buy a commercial vehicle. Any vehicle is a commercial vehicle if it has a payload of one tonne or more, or an unladen weight of three tonnes. In addition, it's normally easy to tell the difference between a car and a commercial vehicle like a van, lorry or tractor. But there are some vehicles where it's harder to be sure whether they're a car or a commercial vehicle. These vehicles are car-derived vans and vans with rear seats - combination vans, or combi vans.
Car-derived vans

Car derived vans are based on cars and look similar to cars on the outside. But either the manufacturer or a vehicle converter has altered the inside of the vehicle so that it's sold as a commercial vehicle. For example the rear seats and seat belts will have been taken out and a new floor panel will have been fitted in the back to make a load area. The rear side windows will have been replaced by opaque panels.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) considers that a car derived van is a commercial vehicle if it meets all three of the following conditions:

• The alterations that the manufacturer or vehicle converter makes meet the technical requirements that HMRC specifies in their guidance. If you're not sure if the alterations do meet the requirements it's advisable to get written confirmation from your vehicle supplier. You can contact HMRC if you need more information about the guidance.
• The adaptations give the vehicle the functionality of a commercial vehicle. For example, it's not enough to just take out the back seats.
• It must be quite clear that the space that remains behind the front row of seats is highly unsuitable for carrying passengers.

If it meets these conditions then it's a commercial vehicle and you can reclaim the input VAT.

Tilt

peter_the_piper wrote: »

AFAIK, if you are loading/unloading a substantial item(s) then it does not matter if its a commercial vehicle or not, the exemption is loading/unloading, (unless the sign says otherwise)

Glad you added that otherwise your comment would of been totally wrong.

If the bay had a sign with "Goods Vehicle" stated upon it, there is no exemption for loading/unloading in a different class of vehicle other than one purely designed for carrying goods.

The taxation class as stated on the VED is taken into account I believe.

rdwarr

My first thought is that this is a "Felicia Fun" and may be classed as a leisure vehicle rather than a commercial one (the name doesn't help). But then I read this which says it's definitely a goods vehicle.
So, as long as it's properly taxed and insured I don't see the problem either.