Word of warning - re South registered vehicles

daveg


Joined: 11/01/2009
Posts: 69

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 12:03

A word of warning to anyone still using a Greek Cypriot registered vehicle The TRNC Customs and Excise people have changed the rules.



From about a month ago the rule is that any Greek Cypriot plated vehicle found by them (Customs) which has been in the TRNC for more than two weeks will be impounded in the Customs pound in Nicosia immediately, and will not be returned until the fine/fee (which they make up as they .go along) is paid.



Once the fine is paid the vehicle is released but is immediately escorted to the border and deported to the South.



The option of re- registering the vehicle in the TRNC is no longer available. It is now illegal to import a vehicle from the South.



I know that all of the above is true. It happened to me last week.



I asked one of the Customs officers why this new rule had not been published in the press and he said that he did not know, but looked very uncomfortable when he said it. When I suggested that had it been published people

Mindy



Joined: 27/10/2008
Posts: 1210

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 12:48

Hi Dave B,

I read your message but it wasnt complete, but I got the main gist of it, just typical of the beaurocracy here, even with the over-spilling departments of public workers they still can't inform us when they change the rules on a whim, I am so sorry this has happened to you, what do they expect you to do, drive the car over the border and leave it there, sell it for a song, I have friends with greek registered car, I will inform them forthwith. Thankyou for the information Dave

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 12:52

Whoops.. anyone want to know the address of a place I know to get new sets of RoC number plates..?



If this "law" was challenged by someone who lived slightly more in the "south" than the north - they'd clean up.. if not locally, DEFO at an ECHR court..



Desperate measure from a cash strapped "govt." I'll wager non TCs are targeted.



ELKO?????

Mindy



Joined: 27/10/2008
Posts: 1210

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 13:06

Dave, how long was the car in NC for? If I was you I would seek legal advice because this does not appear legal, sounds like the customs dept are a law unto themselves, think someone is telling us we are no longer welcome here now the cash cows are all but gone.

Littlenige



Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 3594

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 13:11

does this mean any one hiring a car in the south will have it confiscated if they are here for a month ?



Are they going to stop selling insurance for any longer than 2 weeks at the border coming north ??

denizkisi


Joined: 18/09/2008
Posts: 196

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 13:38

It will also be very hard on the Turkish Cypriots who work in the South and have also purchased cars there. This near bankrupt Government is on a crash and burn course and taking everyone with them..............

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 14:11

Rumour mongering the Hippo sugests !!

billy


Joined: 15/01/2007
Posts: 141

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 14:33

See my entry page 18 and 20 "Are cars really that much cheaper in South Cyprus"

Further;

I asked about hire cars and they could not answer that . If the south hire cars firms hear about this I think they will stop you from crossing.

On the point about insurance I was sold 3 mths on Dec.17th and this was inspected by the police and the customs officer. At the border.

There was no such thing as a time limit at that time.

When I asked at Customs they were all very confussed and eventually said a south car could cross but had to be back the same day?.

They were just making it up,they havent got a clue what is happening and they still can not produce anything written with this so called new regulation on.

daveg


Joined: 11/01/2009
Posts: 69

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 14:44

To answer the questions.



The bit missed off is that when I suggested that the lack of public information wa intended to make money the official just smiled knowlingly.



I have lived in the South for 17 years but spent last winter here. Came back here from the South last October.



My options are limited. I can sell in the South at a big loss or I can export my car to the UK where I spend the summer months. I have chosen the latter.



Hippo, What do you mean?



Dave.

dixie normus


Joined: 22/02/2008
Posts: 820

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 14:50

Instances of these vehicle confiscations should be brought to the attension of the press in the south so the customs can be seen for the corrupt nest of vipers they are, no doubt when word of this gets out and enquires are made into the legitamicy of their actions another change of rules will be made.



D.N

Mindy



Joined: 27/10/2008
Posts: 1210

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 15:03

thanks Dave for adding what was missing, I seriously thought about buying from a Dealer in the South after my car was written off by a speed freak. I had reservations, but also wasn't happy at paying the grossly inflated prices here in the North, which is down to the Government yet again imposing heavy taxes on the imported cars from Japan, Korea etc. I have now bought a replacement car here in North but needed to pay more as the Insurance payout is 25% less then the current price of the car we had, despite negotiating with the other sides Insurance company for more.

daveg


Joined: 11/01/2009
Posts: 69

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 16:13

Hi Mindy,



You did well not to buy. And yes, they are still selling insurace for up to 12 months on the TRNC side of the border.



I suspect that this new law/interpretation of the law was brought about by the motor traders group here in TRNC. There have been rerports in the press recently about the dealers complaining that they cannot sell cars here because the import duty is between 50% and 100%. According to the article I read cars here are 100% more expensive than in the South or the UK.



When I spoke to the customs men (3)(they followed me home.) they suggested that obtaining an address in the South and buying a car there to use in the North was a common practice. The first thing they looked for in my passport was a residence stamp. But even when I convinced them that I actually lived in the South it made no difference, my car was still impouned. In fact I was made to drive, accompanied by one of them, from Ozanykoy to their premises in Nicosia.



Dave

booitsme


Joined: 04/02/2009
Posts: 667

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 18:22

Where's your car now? Is it still impounded? Did you pay the fine and if so how much and did you get an official receipt? Another day; another law!

Mindy



Joined: 27/10/2008
Posts: 1210

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 18:41

It must have been a very worrying time for you Dave to be escorted like that as if you are a criminal. It is disgusting as I read on another thread that it doesnt apply to tc's only foreigners. As we now know that it is NOT unlawful to protest here I think it is time as EU citizens to all form en-masse and get answers to a lot of questions.

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 19:11

If we all have to pay TRNC taxes, why should a few exploit the system and who live here, drive cars registered in the South?



Any Government will close a loophole to raise taxes, especially if this one is benefitting the South.



Could I keep my UK registered car in France for as long as I wish. No, even within the EU, you can only "temporarily" import your vehicle for a maximum of 6 months.



If you want to bring a non-TRNC registered car here, get the temporary import form which allows you 6 months. When you are stopped, show this form. No problem.



Those with GC registered plates that live here, imho, should pay up, why should the others subsidise them?

Stubs


Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 641

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 19:34

Pinkchilli



You could keep your UK registered car in France, however it can only stay for 90 days at one time. If you cross over to Belgium in your car and back to France then you have another 90 days. As there is no border control it is a very easy loopehole.



Secondly EU legislation regards the freedom of movement of goods and people states that if a car has done more than 6000 km or is more than 6 months old it may be re-registered in another EU member state tax free. Now this only applies to VAT and local taxes may still be charged.

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 20:04

pinkchilli,



Spot on. I do not see the surprise with the customs people tackling this loophole. It has been talked about on the forums regularly over many months and most people we know have wondered, When!!



Alarm bells should have rung couple of months ago when they started impounding illegal UK registered vehicles. I do not have and cannot confirm the newspaper comments but I am certain this issue was discussed by the authorities in the CT article.

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 21:40

Stubs



Thankyou for correcting me. The rules in ROC (as I understand it), have been given dispensation by the EU to allow the charge of Import Duty on vehicles. I believe Malta operates the same policy.



The situation between the TRNC and ROC is that TRNC import charges are higher, so some people "living" here are currently able to take advantage of this loophole. EU to EU re: France and Belgium would not benefit anyone as the import charges are the same.



You may remember some years back where UK residents were buying cars manufactured in the UK, then shipped to Belgium, then sold back to the UK, as there were some differences in duties that outweighed the extra costs in buying from abroad.



How did you feel when you saw foreign registered cars in the UK get parking tickets that would never get paid, or you saw them get caught by speed cameras that would also never get fined.



By the way, Germany has no agreement with the UK to share data on minor driving offences!

Stubs


Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 641

Message Posted:
15/02/2009 23:06

pinkchilli



There is an interesting article in today Cyprus Mail regards car import duties. It says how their current policy breaches EU legislation and the penalties for doing so. The ROC tries to get around this by charging a "consumption" tax which breaches the relevent EU treaty. Every EU country is the same no one has any dispensations.



As for foreign cars getting parking tickets the the easy way to deal with it would be to put them on a truck and take them to a compound then the fines have to be paid before the car is released.

booitsme


Joined: 04/02/2009
Posts: 667

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 08:30

Check out your facts. If you get any speeding ticket or fine in the north whilst driving a south registered vehicle they sting you at the border crossing when you go "down south" as a friend of ours found out, or when you re - enter the TRNC after going abroad. In fact, if the fines go unpaid for a certain length of time they are automatically doubled! So, no unpaid fines!

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 08:54

Hello Booitsme.



My comments relating to parking tickets had nothing to do with ROC/TRNC:



(My comment)......"How did you feel when you saw foreign registered cars in the UK get parking tickets that would never get paid, or you saw them get caught by speed cameras that would also never get fined."



So, please explain WHO you are referring to when you state "Check out your facts".



Thankyou.

booitsme


Joined: 04/02/2009
Posts: 667

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 09:01

Pinkchilli, message 15



We have absolutely no objection to paying the official taxes, we've paid enough of them since we got here - however, we do object to paying the extra Bank of UK tax added on by unscrupulous car dealers upon hearing a British accent. We looked for a car for over 3 months (whilst paying hire car fees!) and got fed up with being asked to pay at least £1000 over the proper price simply because of our country of origin. How do we know this? We asked a Turkish friend to go and ask a price, guess what? He was going to be charged £1200 less for the same vehicle!!! We didn't send him to buy because it turned out to be a death trap on wheels. If you are on a fairly limited budget for car buying that extra "tax" makes most cars unaffordable.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 11:01

our friends were told one month for their gc registered car.

this was because they only had one months insurance, as we checked that with a friend who has family in traffic.

that was about a month ago.

booitsme


Joined: 04/02/2009
Posts: 667

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 11:12

Hi Pinkchilli

Apologies but I took it that you were making a parallel statement about fines, as in - It wasn't fair how foreign visitors to the Uk get off with fines so therefore the same applies here. Can you please explain what you were getting at?

Cheers

gates


Joined: 08/12/2008
Posts: 1096

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 11:18

when you lost your motor did you have it regestered in the south at your address if not that is why it was taken you have to have an address in the south you cant tell me all the motors that come over are at risk of being taken that is daft

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 13:25

A suggested answer to an earlier theory, ie people holidaying from south.



If it is a GC registered vehicle obviously the person will have valid ID and I would suggest that would be OK.



For hire cars from the south ditto, they are entitled to be here, where as people living here driving GC registered vehicles are illegally driving here.

daveg


Joined: 11/01/2009
Posts: 69

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 13:28

Dear Gates,



Yes I do have an address in the South and yes, the car is registered at that address.



Daft as it may seem, any GC registered car found to have been here for more that two weeks by the CUSTOMS (not police) will be impounded and will not be released until the fine has been paid. The vehicle will then be immediately exported south. This information was repeated to me by four different customs officers whilst my car was impounded.



I hope that I have now made this clear enough for you to understand.



Dave.

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 16:49

Hi Stubs



Apology accepted. Thankyou.



The point I was trying to get to was that ANYONE living (or in this case driving) in another country, should, imho, be subjected to all the laws of that country.



I feel saddened when I used to see foreign registered cars in the UK get parking fines that I knew would not get paid. Similarly, cars with diplomatic plates, were also "above the law".



I knew of a scam in the UK, where people used to buy German cars, simply to avoid being caught by speed cameras, etc.



I, like you, reluctantly, do pay the taxes this Government ask of me. Some like the new Road Tax, are ridiculous, but these are the laws, and therefore I pay!



I know at least one UK businessman that lives and works here full-time and has at least two, if not three, GC registered cars. I'm not saying he is alone, but it is a loophole that should be closed.

gates


Joined: 08/12/2008
Posts: 1096

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 17:04

you are not a car dealer or frind of i think you have been unlucky or pahaps they have targeted you for some other reason it just does not ad up wont bother on this any more keep watching flying saucers tonight

Stubs


Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 641

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 17:37

Folks a couple of points.



It is not illegal to drive or indeed own a GC registered vehicle and drive it in the north.



Secondly tax evasion is illegal however tax avoidance is not. No one likes to have to pay more tax than is neccessary.

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 19:47

Sorry Stubs, my previous message was directed at booitsme.

Stubs


Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 641

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 19:49

no worries pinkchilli

billy


Joined: 15/01/2007
Posts: 141

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 21:20

My experience was the same as dave.

My car was registered at my address in the south. The problem is if you also have an address in the north.

They are saying it is illegal to live in the north and own a south car.

No time period was mentioned to me even though I asked.

My car was only here for three weeks and for two weeks of that period I was away in the USA.

My leagal advice was that what they, (customs)did was illegal and there was no basis for the fine however when they are threatening you with arrest ect. you have just got to find the best way out.

This post was created as a warning to everyone who was contemplating driving a south car in the north.

The way I was treated was; we are not interested in what you are saying we will take the car and make enquiries in our own time.

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
16/02/2009 21:29

I suppose it is possible for someone to live in the North and the South.



This happens in the UK and other countries where things like work means your family live in one place and you live in another, perhaps travelling to the family at the weekends.



Some TC's live in Lefkosa during the week and at the coast (Lapta, etc) at the weekends, but still within the same controlling area.



The TRNC will act like a law unto themselves. Everyone here appreciates that Customs sometimes does some very strange things. Sometimes legal, sometimes illegal.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
17/02/2009 05:59

i know a few tc's who have been driving gc registered cars for quite some time.

it will be interesting to see if this new law/rule applies to them as well.

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
17/02/2009 09:19

There's also a well known estate agent based "near" Pia Bella, that still drives a UK registered black Landrover for well over a year.



Can be seen regularly at the new sandwich bar opposite Lemar Karakum!

Mindy



Joined: 27/10/2008
Posts: 1210

Message Posted:
17/02/2009 12:29

maybe crossed a few palms with the readys, Oh forgot its called 'Favours' here.