Non-Resident expat, no NI or address, how to keep car in uk?

[Bucketlist]

So I have been pondering this for a while.

I hold a British nationality (not by birth) and have spent a significant amount of my formative years in the UK. Have never worked so no NI number.

I live in Asia where there are no decent cars to be bought at reasonable prices (no history, all 3x the price) and no decent roads anyway.

Getting to an age where I can finally think about buying a decent car in the UK where I visit a couple of times a year for a week or two.

Question is - How can I actually register or insure a car in the UK? And if I can do so, will there be any issues regarding my non-resident status calculation for UK (i.e. I will be able to stay out of the tax realms)?

If not, then perhaps some other European country where I can do this easier?

Thanks a lot guys!

E

[TooMany2cvs]

Bucketlist said:

Question is - How can I actually register or insure a car in the UK?

NI number, nationality, personal tax - all irrelevant.

You simply need a UK address to register it to. Doesn't have to be where you live, just somewhere from which post will reach you in a timely and reliable manner. And, obviously, you need somewhere to keep the car when you're not in the country. If you've got somewhere to keep it, then you're two-thirds of the way to having an address to register it at. Then you just phone up various insurers - or try the comparison websites - until you find somebody who offers you the cover you need at a price you like.

Then you've got to tax it (online's a doddle) and MOT/maintain it. Perhaps the storage place can sort that bit?

Sounds like it'd be a lot easier and cheaper to just hire a car when you're here, though.

[Seesure]

Find a postal address using a relative or friend's home....you could even rent a PO box...

I have an Australian cousin who has kept a Discovery over here since 1998, he leaves it at a storage place in Portsmouth, flies in to Heathrow and train down to Portsmouth, normally has a service booked or MOT arranged and that's done whilst he catches up on his sleep...

VED and Insurance is done over the WWW, and usually SORN'd when he's in Aus.

He usually comes back to the UK twice a year, May and October and usually he'll be over for up to 4 weeks.

Often he goes touring with his furthest road trip to date was going to Morocco - normally he'll do Germany or Italy etc but has ended up in Greece a couple of times...

[majordad]

Ah, but he will find it difficult or impossible to get insurance.

[Seesure]

majordad said:

Ah, but he will find it difficult or impossible to get insurance.

Why do you say that?

My cousin has no issues at all, albeit he does use the AA for insurance so perhaps doesn't get the lowest possible rates.

[Vaud]

Seesure said:

Why do you say that?

My cousin has no issues at all, albeit he does use the AA for insurance so perhaps doesn't get the lowest possible rates.

Insurers don't tend to like non-residents as the primary driver?

[Expatboy]

Read the AA insurance details carefully, I was on my UK resident wife's AA car insurance as a named driver but noted as I'm non-resident I am not covered. I now have to take out expensive 'day insure' recommended on this site for expats like me, when I am back in UK to drive her car.

[Seesure]

Vaud said:

Insurers don't tend to like non-residents as the primary driver?

Tnx

[Bucketlist]

Thanks a lot guys. I am exploring some options with the professional car storage people. Wonder how that would work though in terms of car ownership and registered to a commercial address (which I will have no control over... i.e. what if they fold?).

The insurance part does sound like the biggest pain in all this.

[TooMany2cvs]

Bucketlist said:

Wonder how that would work though in terms of car ownership and registered to a commercial address (which I will have no control over... i.e. what if they fold?).

If they go titsup, it doesn't make a lot of difference where the V5C address is - the car's still at their place, and you're not in a position to quickly move it.

The address on a V5C - even the name - makes no comment at all about the legal ownership of a vehicle. In the event administrators are involved, you can easily prove your ownership.

[Vaud]

Given the complexities, and likely high insurance, wouldn't it be more fun to just rent a premium car in the UK when you visit? Or even join a performance car club? All budget dependent, of course!