MOT During lock down

[breakaleg]

My Mot is due at the beginning of May and already booked in.

We park on the road and it got me wondering what would happen if we are in self isolation either because you have the Virus or like me have underlying medical problems or over 70 or both.

would we receive a fine for having a vehicle parked on the road without an MOT?

if there is a long queue for a MOT if people did miss their mot slots, would you be able to use your Motorhome after the MOT date while waiting to be done?

Pete

[Brian Kirby]

So, why not phone DVLA, and/or DVSA, and then tell us the answer? :-)

[Billggski]

The self isolation being proposed is a voluntary avoidance of contact, not a lock down.

So there would be no problem driving it for an MOT or even get someone to take it for you.

But then ministers are giving conflicting information.

 

My local garage will even pick it up and return it.

[BruceM]

Although the term ‘self isolate’ has been used for the over 70’s I understand that the intention is that the over 70’s will ‘socially distance’ themselves ie reduce the circle of people they see on a regular basis, visit the supermarket only during quiet periods etc. Consequently I suspect you’ll still be required to get your van MOT’d. But you may want to avoid waiting in the waiting room, disinfect the vehicles controls after the MOT and not accept a cup of tea whilst you wait.

 

The exception to all of this would be if you are forced to self isolate because you think that you have contracted Covid-19. In that case, as Brian mentioned, a call to DVLA to request a waiver might be appropriate.

[StuartO]

If your are self-isolating you could SORN your MH, and re-tax and MOT when you are ready to use it again. Or if you're not self-isolating at the moment you could ring your garage and bring the date forward, so you'll then have a full MOT year up your sleeve. And even if you are self-isolating already you could perhaps still manage to take the MH for the MOT and then go and stand somewhere avoiding people for the hour or so the MOT will take and you could plan ahead by having the right change for the MOT fee so you could avoid handling change and take some hand sanitizer to wipe the keys when they are handed back.

 

It does sound a bit like you want everything served to you on a plate with no disadvantage to you at all rather than that you want to do your bit to make things work during this emergency, like everyone else is going to have to. A young-looking woman was moaning on Facebook a few days ago because she has mental health problems and gets anxious if she has to wait for a phone call consultation, so she expects our over-burdened GP practice to continue to provide her with what sounded like her regular pattern of face-to-face appointments. She does however have an elaborate Facebook Home Page and she's an activist this and that so I didn't feel much sympathy for her either.

[colin]

StuartO - 2020-03-16 1:44 PM

 

If your are self-isolating you could SORN your MH, and re-tax and MOT when you are ready to use it again. .

 

The OP states that the motorhome is parked on the road, therefore it must be taxed, mot'ed, and insured.

To get around this it would need to be taken off the road, unless DVLA can offer some waiver.

I've just renewed the tax at weekend, got MOT this morning, and phoned the insurance company up a few minutes ago, I have renewed the insurance, but removed European breakdown cover, as my operation is very likely to be postponed for months, add in recuperation and at best I would be going abroad in autumn, then we will be getting close to flying abroad for winter, so little use for European breakdown this year.

[StuartO]

colin - 2020-03-16 1:58 PM ...The OP states that the motorhome is parked on the road, therefore it must be taxed, mot'ed, and insured.

 

Sorry, didn't read that bit properly - but there are still lots of ways he can deal with this situation. I can't imagine he'll get any sort of dispensation from DVLA though.

[Derek Uzzell]

Pete

 

Can you not arrange to have your motorhome MOT-tested in the near future rather than in May?

 

OK, by doing that the expiry date of the new MOT certificate would be (say) a couple of months earlier in the year, but at least you would have a valid MOT certificate that would last into 2021.

 

 

[pepe63xnotuse]

Is there is nobody else who could take it for you?

 

..or, if the garage is somewhere that you have used frequently, maybe they would collect under the circumstances?(even for a small fee?)

 

Failing the above, I'd agree with Derek , bite the bullet, lose a couple of months, and just get it done whilst you still can.

There is little point it leaving it until it becomes an issue.

[teflon2]

You can MOT your van one month in advance so you will only lose a few days as you will have a 13 month MOT. (^)

[spirou]

Situation here in Slovenia is that all MOT stations are shut as of today and everything that depends on this (insurance etc) automatically extended for a month with possible extensions as necessary.

[colin]

teflon2 - 2020-03-16 6:55 PM

 

You can MOT your van one month in advance so you will only lose a few days as you will have a 13 month MOT. (^)

 

If the OP's MOT runs out in May any MOT made now will only be valid from the date it is taken, which will probably mean they lose 2 months, not a big deal in the 'great scheme of things'.

[Derek Uzzell]

Advice on the UK’s MOT test is provided here:

 

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot

 

The relevant information as far as Pete is concerned is as follows:

 

EARLIEST DATE YOU CAN GET AN MOT

 

An MOT lasts for a year. The date it runs out is printed on your current MOT pass certificate.

 

You can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.

 

Example

If your MOT runs out on 15 May, the earliest you can get an MOT to keep the same renewal date for next year is 16 April.

 

You can get an MOT earlier, but the renewal date for the following year will change to one year (minus a day) from the date the vehicle last passed its MOT.

 

Example

Your MOT is due to run out on 15 May, so the earliest you can get it done is 16 April. However, you take your vehicle for its MOT on 14 April and it passes. This means that the MOT expiry date changes to 13 April the following year.

 

IF THE MOT HAS RUN OUT

 

You cannot drive or park your vehicle on the road if the MOT has run out. You can be prosecuted if caught.

 

The only exceptions are to drive it:

 

- to or from somewhere to be repaired

- to a pre-arranged MOT test

 

My 2015 Rapido was serviced and MOTed on 13 March 2020. The motorhome’s MOT test ‘anniversary’ had been 22 April and its previous two tests had been performed on 27 March 2018 and 26 March 2019, thus retaining the 21 April expiry date. This had been something of a nuisance for me, as it had meant that the servicing was close to when we were accustomed to go abroad, so this year I chose to have the servicing (at a local Fiat Professional agency) done earlier. As a result, the expiry date of the Rapido’s current MOT certificate is 12 March 2021.

 

There had been a longer than usual lead time to book a servicing appointment due to the Ducato ‘brake line’ recall mentioned here

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Fiat-recall/54569/

 

I asked the service manager how many recall checks thay had carried out (several hundred) and how many incorrectly attached brake lines they had found (two).

 

[breakaleg]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, my MOT is booked in for the beginning of May but is a month in advance.

Unfortunately there is no one who could take it for me.

Sorry my question upset stewarto.

 

(It does sound a bit like you want everything served to you on a plate with no disadvantage to you at all rather than that you want to do your bit to make things work during this emergency, like everyone else is going to have to)

Obviously from my 6 line post you know exactly what I am like, even if you didn't read the post correctly.

But thanks to all.

Pete

[malc d]

breakaleg - 2020-03-16 12:32 PM

 

 

if there is a long queue for a MOT if people did miss their mot slots, would you be able to use your Motorhome after the MOT date while waiting to be done?

Pete

 

Under current laws you can't.

 

Once a vehicle MoT has expired you can only drive it to a pre-booked test.

 

 

( Rules MAY be relaxed later - if the need arises ? )

 

:-|