Keeping a van legally parked
Discussion
Self storage seems bonkers pricing so I thought a good alternative is to buy the worst example of a transit possible (don't really care if the mechanicals is knackered as long as the back is fine and doesn't leak). I'd park it on a road I know where parking is unrestricted and the nearest house is about 200 metres away and out of sight, won't disturb residents. Would get it taxed so I don't get into trouble. But my main concerns is regarding safety and insurance.
It would require insurance when parked which I'm not willing to pay. If I was too leave it uninsured would I get fined (or even points?).
I'd fit in a good deadlock myself and keep it secured. But would it be likely for a a smackhead to cut their way in with an angle grinder? I wouldn't keep much in there, just scrap metal, a few bits and bobs (no power tools ever) and maybe a couple car parts?
It would require insurance when parked which I'm not willing to pay. If I was too leave it uninsured would I get fined (or even points?).
I'd fit in a good deadlock myself and keep it secured. But would it be likely for a a smackhead to cut their way in with an angle grinder? I wouldn't keep much in there, just scrap metal, a few bits and bobs (no power tools ever) and maybe a couple car parts?
Nads02 said:
Self storage seems bonkers pricing so I thought a good alternative is to buy the worst example of a transit possible (don't really care if the mechanicals is knackered as long as the back is fine and doesn't leak). I'd park it on a road I know where parking is unrestricted and the nearest house is about 200 metres away and out of sight, won't disturb residents. Would get it taxed so I don't get into trouble. But my main concerns is regarding safety and insurance.
It would require insurance when parked which I'm not willing to pay. If I was too leave it uninsured would I get fined (or even points?).
I'd fit in a good deadlock myself and keep it secured. But would it be likely for a a smackhead to cut their way in with an angle grinder? I wouldn't keep much in there, just scrap metal, a few bits and bobs (no power tools ever) and maybe a couple car parts?
Your main concerns seem valid It would require insurance when parked which I'm not willing to pay. If I was too leave it uninsured would I get fined (or even points?).
I'd fit in a good deadlock myself and keep it secured. But would it be likely for a a smackhead to cut their way in with an angle grinder? I wouldn't keep much in there, just scrap metal, a few bits and bobs (no power tools ever) and maybe a couple car parts?
Whereabouts? Depending on that it's a dead cert to attract the wrong sort of attention from societies assorted low life's.
Crackheads don't tend to carry grinders as most vans with factory locks can be opened with a screwdriver and will try anything, but once you upgrade the security and make it look like it might have something worth nicking then you attract pikes etc who will, especially if parked isolated.
Must be a better idea, rent a garage etc.
Crackheads don't tend to carry grinders as most vans with factory locks can be opened with a screwdriver and will try anything, but once you upgrade the security and make it look like it might have something worth nicking then you attract pikes etc who will, especially if parked isolated.
Must be a better idea, rent a garage etc.
k me is it half term? Oh yeah it was by about 3 hrs when billy 2 posts popped up. In the absence of any teachers I will score you 1/10 must try harder.
I am being serious, thought of the market traders nearby who keep fruit and veg in vans parked up for ages. I would just keep a bit of things like once I do battery changes, keep the old battery if the customer agrees (usually does) and store it in the transit until I have enough to fit in my car, then scrap it.
I'll still consider it anyways but I'll keep a look for cheap storage. Any ideas for London?
I'll still consider it anyways but I'll keep a look for cheap storage. Any ideas for London?
OK, serious answer to the insurance question; leaving an uninsured vehicle parked on a road or other public place is the same offence as driving it and can get you 6 points and a £300 fine (more if it went to court). If you are not actually driving it then enforcement is probably not a particularly high priority for the police so you *probably* wouldn't actually end up getting points, but it's at least a theoretical possibility.
It's more likely that you'd end up with a fixed penalty under the continuous insurance regulations for keeping a vehicle that was neither SORNed nor insured. That's done automatically by trawling the DVLA database and would get you a fine of £100 and no points.
Also be aware of the risk that some public spirited citizen/local busybody (according to preference) will report the van as abandoned and the council will tow it off to the scrapyard. Taxing it makes it somewhat less likely that they'll see it as abandoned but it's not the only thing they'll consider; a tatty uninsured van which hasn't been moved for weeks and is gradually getting (more) rusty sounds quite like an abandoned van to me.
It's more likely that you'd end up with a fixed penalty under the continuous insurance regulations for keeping a vehicle that was neither SORNed nor insured. That's done automatically by trawling the DVLA database and would get you a fine of £100 and no points.
Also be aware of the risk that some public spirited citizen/local busybody (according to preference) will report the van as abandoned and the council will tow it off to the scrapyard. Taxing it makes it somewhat less likely that they'll see it as abandoned but it's not the only thing they'll consider; a tatty uninsured van which hasn't been moved for weeks and is gradually getting (more) rusty sounds quite like an abandoned van to me.
Aretnap said:
OK, serious answer to the insurance question; leaving an uninsured vehicle parked on a road or other public place is the same offence as driving it and can get you 6 points and a £300 fine (more if it went to court). If you are not actually driving it then enforcement is probably not a particularly high priority for the police so you *probably* wouldn't actually end up getting points, but it's at least a theoretical possibility.
It's more likely that you'd end up with a fixed penalty under the continuous insurance regulations for keeping a vehicle that was neither SORNed nor insured. That's done automatically by trawling the DVLA database and would get you a fine of £100 and no points.
Also be aware of the risk that some public spirited citizen/local busybody (according to preference) will report the van as abandoned and the council will tow it off to the scrapyard. Taxing it makes it somewhat less likely that they'll see it as abandoned but it's not the only thing they'll consider; a tatty uninsured van which hasn't been moved for weeks and is gradually getting (more) rusty sounds quite like an abandoned van to me.
Thank you for that, was my main concern regarding insurance. Just want to keep my license clean, so will never risk the points. I will just keep a lookout for a cheap garage or little lock up to rent somewhere in East London, maybe Dagenham area?It's more likely that you'd end up with a fixed penalty under the continuous insurance regulations for keeping a vehicle that was neither SORNed nor insured. That's done automatically by trawling the DVLA database and would get you a fine of £100 and no points.
Also be aware of the risk that some public spirited citizen/local busybody (according to preference) will report the van as abandoned and the council will tow it off to the scrapyard. Taxing it makes it somewhat less likely that they'll see it as abandoned but it's not the only thing they'll consider; a tatty uninsured van which hasn't been moved for weeks and is gradually getting (more) rusty sounds quite like an abandoned van to me.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff