Uprated payload and Insurance

[Gixer]

Already had lots of useful advice about uprating pyload, just wondering about informing insurers - as it will be a technical paper excercise, their is no modifications made so do I need to inform insurer ?

 

[Minxy]

Yes, I agree the inspector will have access to the DVLA database. However, because of Covid delays that database will show out of date info. The question is whether its illegal to drive within the weight limits of the plate but outside the limits of an old out of date record on a database that hasn't been updated? I'm sure lawyers could debate this for some time.

I think the more interesting case would be if you are issued with a overweight summons generated by a "weight in motion" automatic station (think there are 6 in the UK but I may be wrong) which presumably accesses the DVLA database for determining if you are overloaded.

Until it is officially recorded though it is still registered at the existing weight ... there's nothing to say that the documentation sent in hasn't been 'lost' either by the Royal Mail or DVLA and of course the vehicle owner would need to have proof of it being sent in the first place. Even then the DVLA would still have to check the supporting engineer letter supplied to them is legit otherwise anyone could send in a 'mock' version - it doesn't mean they contact the engineer each time (although they may) but the engineer has to be recognised by them to undertake this certification work. The DVLA isn't just going to take the word of the owner that it is 'legal' at the higher weight and I doubt any 'official' (PC etc) would.

 

[Dave100456]

For information for those uprating; according to SV Tech;

"Provided you have the new weight plate on the vehicle and you have sent the documents to DVLA you can drive the vehicle in the UK without waiting for DVLA to update and return the V5."

 

[Minxy]

For information for those uprating; according to SV Tech;

"Provided you have the new weight plate on the vehicle and you have sent the documents to DVLA you can drive the vehicle in the UK without waiting for DVLA to update and return the V5."

That would be in 'normal' times though when there would be very, very little backlog so the timescale would be quite short ... as the time now can be months personally I wouldn't rely on it.

 

[Lenny HB]

That would be in 'normal' times though when there would be very, very little backlog so the timescale would be quite short ... as the time now can be months personally I wouldn't rely on it.

In normal times it took DVLA over 4 months to get my V5 right on the the last van when I uprated.

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[Minxy]

In normal times it took DVLA over 4 months to get my V5 right on the the last van when I uprated.

To get it 'right' yes, but how long did it take for you to receive the first changed one back?

 

[Lenny HB]

To get it 'right' yes, but how long did it take for you to receive the first changed one back?

first V5 was 2 - 3 weeks but they got MAM wrong. I ended up going to France still at 3500 with a good quality colour copy of the original V5.

 

[Dave100456]

That would be in 'normal' times though when there would be very, very little backlog so the timescale would be quite short ... as the time now can be months personally I wouldn't rely on it.

I don't know where you are getting the above information from.

SV Tech said nothing about the situation being any different now or in "normal" times". I also have the uprating instructions from another engineer who concurs with SV Tech and also states that you can drive in the UK at the new weight as soon as you attach the new plate to the vehicle.

We all make decisions on what we know and hear. I hear your advice that you "wouldn't rely on it" but I'd prefer to 'go with' two independent 'uprating professionals' who assure me otherwise.

 

[pete4x4]

DVLA took 2 months to return my paperwork, June to mid August, updated the revenue weight but didnt update the F1. MAM weight, thats still 3500kg.
So I've crossed it out and will send it back next year when they are quieter, DVLA website shows it as 3850kg and a P/HGV so thats good enough for me,
I'm not risking send it off again as we want to go off to europe and they will have to accept the excise duty weight and the weight plate as evidence.

 

[Minxy]

I don't know where you are getting the above information from.

SV Tech said nothing about the situation being any different now or in "normal" times". I also have the uprating instructions from another engineer who concurs with SV Tech and also states that you can drive in the UK at the new weight as soon as you attach the new plate to the vehicle.

We all make decisions on what we know and hear. I hear your advice that you "wouldn't rely on it" but I'd prefer to 'go with' two independent 'uprating professionals' who assure me otherwise.

You do what you will, and I'll do what I feel comfortable with ... 'normal' times' is the time it takes DVLA to update their records so it could be difficult to confirm the situation when abroad if the DVLA website still shows as a different weight to that which you are running at ... whether the foreign plod would accept your paperwork as opposed to the 'official' record I don't know - I'm not saying at all that the 'experts' are wrong, just not something I'd risk having the hassle over.

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[Dave100456]

You do what you will, and I'll do what I feel comfortable with ... 'normal' times' is the time it takes DVLA to update their records so it could be difficult to confirm the situation when abroad if the DVLA website still shows as a different weight to that which you are running at ... whether the foreign plod would accept your paperwork as opposed to the 'official' record I don't know - I'm not saying at all that the 'experts' are wrong, just not something I'd risk having the hassle over.

I did say in my posts the information from SV Tech & the other engineer related to driving in the UK so "foreign plod" (to which you refer) would not be involved.

 

[Minxy]

I did say in my posts the information from SV Tech & the other engineer related to driving in the UK so "foreign plod" (to which you refer) would not be involved.

Yes you did but at least in the UK I could 'argue' the case in my own language abroad though could prove more difficult.

Even in the UK though it is still down to the official whether he/she would accept it or not. I believe there used to be the ability to show your reg dogs etc at a police station within 7 days if you've been stopped and not had them with you but I don't know if this is still the case as I've never needed to, however with the DVLA 'backlog' at present if you don't get the docs back for a while how would you do it?

Unless there is a desperate need to drive the vehicle at the different weight to that which it is 'currently' registered at with the DVLA then it would seem to be better to wait until the new weight is showing on the DVLA system and/or docs have been received.

 

[Brockley]

Try a Guinness label and a hand written note saying “paperwork in the post”

Guinness label it is then, our paperwork literally is in the post. I won’t reproduce Stephen Heap’s (SvTech’s Applications Engineer) email reply as there is a bit of a data protection disclaimer tagged on.

He says that as long as our vehicle is taxed and insured and we’ve sent everything off to the authorities for amendment, we’re good to go.