Cars with Green Circular Badge in Windscreen

[clk320x]

I am looking at car for sale which has a green circular badge in the windscreen - the owner said he is a driver for an affluent family who live in C.London and used the vehicle to ferry them around on errands etc so therefore needed this badge/PHV registration due to this & that he is NOT a taxi… does this sound normal or taxi in disguise? The vehicle has also been MOT’d 6monthly rather than annually.

I’m buying the car regardless as it all checks out HPI etc, condition is good & price is right…

 

[MercedesDriver]

Green circular badge is issued by TFL for private hire vehicles (taxi by call only) aka mini cab. In essence it is a taxi.

 

[clk320x]

Thanks! So no chance he required that badge working for hire/reward for a family? Perhaps for insurance etc?

 

[mattc]

Does that badge let you drive in taxi lanes?

 

[MercedesDriver]

Thanks! So no chance he required that badge working for hire/reward for a family? Perhaps for insurance etc?

He is a TFL registered mini cab driver, whether he worked for only one household or for many doesn't make any difference from TFL point of view and as I was told by many London cabbies their insurance is sky high, something like houndreds of £ pm, so I don't think he decided to have a badge for insurance purposes. He would be much better off without it tbh.

Does that badge let you drive in taxi lanes?

Yes, mini cabs are considered as public transport.

 

[SpikyMikey]

The 6 monthly MOTs are a bit of a giveaway also

 

[Darrell]

Yes, mini cabs are considered as public transport.

Even without fares??

 

[Dippo]

From TfL's website:

Bus lanes​

PHVs can also cross bus lanes to gain access to the kerbside to pick up or drop off passengers, but must leave the bus lane straight away.

In most cases, taxis are permitted to use bus lanes but licensed PHVs are not.

 

[clk320x]

He is a TFL registered mini cab driver, whether he worked for only one household or for many doesn't make any difference from TFL point of view and as I was told by many London cabbies their insurance is sky high, something like houndreds of £ pm, so I don't think he decided to have a badge for insurance purposes. He would be much better off without it tbh.

Yes, mini cabs are considered as public transport.

Yes my question is , if he works for one household/family is he required to have such a badge? Or in your opinion is it a complete lie?

 

[E55BOF]

His account, if I understand it correctly, is that he only ever worked for one family. If so, he was not available for hire, so why would he need a taxi MoT every six months?

It's bollocks, innit. You're buying a taxi. If the mileage does not reflect this, how sure are you that it is correct?

 

[clk320x]

His account, if I understand it correctly, is that he only ever worked for one family. If so, he was not available for hire, so why would he need a taxi MoT every six months?

It's bollocks, innit. You're buying a taxi. If the mileage does not reflect this, how sure are you that it is correct?

The mileage does reflect it - but he still says he wasn’t a taxi… it’s just a matter of principle for me as I like the car regardless and the price is decent, but I don’t like liars…then again if he wanted to hide it he could have just peeled off the badge..

 

[E55BOF]

I'm guessing it's an E class, and they stand up to high mileage pretty well; they wouldn't be so popular as taxis if they didn't. If you're happy the car is genuine, it doesn't matter that the owner is silly; you're not buying him, you're buying his car.

 

[m80]

When looking at Vianos many were from London(ish). If the MOt's were every 6 months that told me the period it was a taxi. If the mileage didn't reflect 'towards' 40k p.a. it had been clocked.
If taxis aren't doing mega miles they aren't in business.

 

[MercedesDriver]

Yes my question is , if he works for one household/family is he required to have such a badge? Or in your opinion is it a complete lie?

My guess, it's a lie. It would cost too much to pay for the badge and insurance just to work for one family. Is that S class you are looking at?

 

[MercedesDriver]

From TfL's website:

Bus lanes​

PHVs can also cross bus lanes to gain access to the kerbside to pick up or drop off passengers, but must leave the bus lane straight away.

In most cases, taxis are permitted to use bus lanes but licensed PHVs are not.

That I didn't know.

 

[MercedesDriver]

Even without fares??

Not without fares, I think, but @Dippo made it much clearer.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Guide to taxis and private hire

What people need to know about taxis and private hire before their journey

tfl.gov.uk

 

[Rory]

Reminds me of going to look at a Cortina (showing my age) GT - but when I got there is was in an 'L' model body. Previous owner was Lancashire Police. The interior had had a very hard life - clearly some sort of 'undercover' car. Seller absolutely insisted it was the Chief Constables's car.

 

[Bellow]

The mileage does reflect it - but he still says he wasn’t a taxi… it’s just a matter of principle for me as I like the car regardless and the price is decent, but I don’t like liars…then again if he wanted to hide it he could have just peeled off the badge..

What about its previous owner? How long has the seller had the car? Did he buy it after its last MOT?

 

[clk320x]

What about its previous owner? How long has the seller had the car? Did he buy it after its last MOT?

3 years from 2017 - been Mot’d 6 monthly since then and 50k+ per year