Hi
has anybody driven a van from the U.K. to Spain with their tools in the back, to undertake work on their own property? And if so how did it go customs wise etc?

I used to do this all the time on the Portsmouth to Santander/bilbao ferry prior to Brexit.

i was just wondering if it’s still possible? Or would they suspect me of working in the black economy

regards
Al

That is a very good question as I was planning to do something similar in a few months time. I rent out my cottage in Scotland and it failed an electrical inspection. I was planning to drive from Croatia to Scotland with the tools needed to renew 3 consumer units. I used to do jobs like that as part of my sole trader business before I retired in 2011.

I found this link that outlines what you suggest it would seem it depends upon the value of the tools as to whether formal or verbal application to import is required ?

https://www.freightlink.co.uk/knowle...h-tools-out-uk

It is, but you pays your money and takes your chances.

We drove from home (Polop) back to the UK in October via St Malo in France (it's cheap compared to heading to Santander or Bilbao, even with an overnight and the fuel/tolls).
Most of the plain vans were being given a glance at St Malo, but we didn't see anyone get taken into the shed for a closer look.
BUT the logoed ones were being checked, and so were we (I think mine was the only Spanish-registered car on the ferry).

On the way back at Portsmouth a van was being unloaded, and the bloke was not amused; he had plasterboards, loads of timber and other stuff, and they made him take it out and put it back. He was still in the little room after we had been checked.
At St Malo, nothing every single vehicle just drove off the ferry, went through passport control and out of the port.

But on other days, who knows?

I'd make sure I had a full inventory and secondhand values just in case.
I moved the rest of my stereo stuff, a couple of hundred records, all of my dad's model railway stuff, and the wife got enough clothes in the UK to open a store here. I listed that just in case.

But why not just keep a set of tools here and be done with it??
Then you can fly or even drive a car, and you will not waste all that fuel towing loads of stuff around.

Thank you for your reply… it’s good to have first hand stories

in reply to

But why not just keep a set of tools here and be done with it??
Then you can fly or even drive a car, and you will not waste all that fuel towing loads of stuff around.

i couldn’t justify having thousands of pounds worth of tools in Spain, i have collected lots over the years that make the work far easier. Some of them are worthless second hand but are invaluable to me. I think most tradesmen would agree !

that’s why it is easier to turn up with all my stuff, from tile cutting to electrical to plastering gear (although i am a spark I am multi skilled), buying it all again would make it more viable to employ the local trades, of which I have not really been overawed with!

regards
Al

On the Spanish site I think you need to file a DUA with code 53 Inclusión en el régimen de importación temporal, but unfortunately I have no idea how it's done.