Nuevo ES passenger seating.

I recently had cause to check the information in the V5C in particular under the heading ( Number of seats including driver ) which on our vehicle states 2.
I assume that only seats with factory fitted seat belts are counted, but the ES model does have two forward  facing seats both are fitted with seat belts and that is stated in the relevant handbook for this vehicle.
Am I reading this wrong or have DVLA made a clerical error, any one else in the forum come across this.
I raise this issue because if I carry passengers am I liable to be stopped and fined because the V5C states only 2 seats including driver.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

KennyA: I too have a NuevoES - a 2015 model - which no doubt has the same layout as yours: in the front, the driver's seat and the front passenger's; and behind the driver a fixed bench seat which has two seatbelts. That bench seat is fixed and cannot be relocated, albeit that its slatted base can be raised in situ to gain access to battery etc.

My V5C(W) describes my vehicle in D.5 (body type): Motor caravan; and in S.1 (number of seats including driver): 4.

There is an error in your V5C if yours is a standard Nuevo ES with the characteristics which I've set out above. 

Hope this helps.
Cymro

PS: of course, as I'm sure you know, you cannot carry passengers seated on the nearside bench, as it has no seatbelts. When travelling on the highway, the maximum number of passengers including driver is 4, for each of whom a seatbelt is provided.

I am sure that prior to 2007 registration you are able to carry passengers on side facing seats with out lap belts

Motorhome seat belt law 

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The ES of 2006 does have 2 rear forward facing seats with 3 point seat belts, so these are not lap belts. Therefore I think your V5 should show 4 seats. Where you go from here I don't know, perhaps contact DVLA.

Unless the law has changed FreelanderUK is right. We carried passengers in our old Autocruise no issues with insurance and that was a 2006 van. I would check with your insurance company the chances of the police being interested if the passengers are belted and "seated securely" is virtually nil.

Thank you all for your replies I will follow up with DVLA

FreelanderUK wrote:I am sure that prior to 2007 registration you are able to carry passengers on side facing seats with out lap belts

Motorhome seat belt law 

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Thanks Freelander UK: I'd not noticed that KennyA's van was pre 2007 though I'd picked up that it was the earlier version than mine. 

But his V5C is incorrect.  It's interesting that not infrequently we read on the Forum of errors on the V5C - usually because of incorrect information from the registering dealer. My Nuevo had two errors, since corrected. 

Cymro

FreelanderUK wrote:I am sure that prior to 2007 registration you are able to carry passengers on side facing seats with out lap belts

Motorhome seat belt law 

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An extract from the page linked above:

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Having had the experience of making a full emergency stop to avoid a head on collision with an idiot that caused cat box including cat flying 7 metres from where it was on the bed at the back of the van to hit the back of the front passenger seat I can only confirm that having anything (living or not) in the open area of a motorhome is extremely dangerous. in the potential to causing serious injury to those who are belted in. Needless to say the cat boxes were restrained after that experience.

Peter Brown wrote:

FreelanderUK wrote:I am sure that prior to 2007 registration you are able to carry passengers on side facing seats with out lap belts

Motorhome seat belt law 

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An extract from the page linked above:

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Having had the experience of making a full emergency stop to avoid a head on collision with an idiot that caused cat box including cat flying 7 metres from where it was on the bed at the back of the van to hit the back of the front passenger seat I can only confirm that having anything (living or not) in the open area of a motorhome is extremely dangerous. in the potential to causing serious injury to those who are belted in.  Needless to say the cat boxes were restrained after that experience.

If your vehicle does not have seatbelts, the following rules apply;

• You must not carry children under 3 in the vehicle
  
  

• Children older than 3 can be carried but must sit in the back
  
  

Bear in mind that these laws are only applicable where your vehicle was manufactured prior to the law being changed, for example, a pre-2007 motorhome or a classic car.


I travel on buses when away with side facing seats as does the wife,  as with everything it your choice as long as your not breaking the law

Interesting. I have a 2007 Nuevo ES but with a low profile roof i.e.  only 2 berths.  It has the two factory fitted forward facing rear seats with 3-point seat belts but the V5C states 2 seats including the driver. I wonder if the MoT tester checks the rear seabelts! 
I'd be interested to see what DVLA say.  I suspect they'd tie themselves up in regulatory knots. 

The Log book has just arrived for our Lancashire es 2011.
It states two seater. I questioned this at the dealer and was told that it is correct.

I very much doubt that we will be carrying more than ourselves so undecided about whether to contact DVLA.

Well I decided to ask by email. 
Just filled in the relevant section on the website but instead of giving me the opportunity to ask a question it just sends you an e-mail telling you to send the log book back along with evidence of the error.

I have now written to the Caravan club technical department to ask their advice. Sorry Caravan and motorhome club!

Our V5C had 3 seats noted, our van has 4. We filled in the box on the V5C, took photos of all 4 seats and seat belts and included a covering letter. Our motorcaravan (not an AS) was registered as a panel van and we had to jump through all sorts of hoops to get the V5C changed to show motorcaravan.

Nain wrote:Our V5C had 3 seats noted, our van has 4. We filled in the box on the V5C, took photos of all 4 seats and seat belts and included a covering letter. Our motorcaravan (not an AS) was registered as a panel van and we had to jump through all sorts of hoops to get the V5C changed to show motorcaravan.

Ditto - plus photos showing exterior, to include Windows and registration plates. I think there's DVLA guidance on the web.
Worked smoothly with no delay.

Cymro

Caravan and motorhome came back with advice to get the V5 changed.

Spoken to the dealer who is going to talk to AS and ask  them for a letter headed document to state it's 4 berth. I'm not holding my breath!

My point of view is that if we carry a passenger they must wear a seatbelt and be in the correct seat, the MOT should check these seatbelts so it should show up.  
The  dealer says the V5 is for the original van so is two berth, but he will pursue for us. #
Fingers crossed.

You should ask AS for the Certificate of Conformity - see below for the one from my last van:


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Sent in photos of the two passenger seats (printed by my kind neighbour) due to the defunct nature of our printer.
Then wrote with a fountain pen a letter to DVLA (!) can't remember the last time I did that.
V5 gone so will give feedback.

Never heard back from the dealer who was supposed to be asking Autosleeper.

Four weeks now and not heard from DVLA, but tried the live chat and a 2-4 week wait is the minimum, depending on the issue.

My corrected V5 arrived today. Thanks to this forum I knew to check it out.