Thompson v Bertie and another [2007] EWHC 2238 (QB)

Mr Thompson challenged the seizure of his motorbike under a writ of fieri facias on the grounds that he used it to get to his part time job as a university lecturer and also to travel to private lectures and martial arts classes that he taught. His main argument was that it was more economical for him to travel by bike than by public transport.

The judge did not accept this interpretation of the exemption.

A vehicle required for "business, employment or vocation" is one that is directly necessary for performing that work.

As a sociology lecturer, using the bike to travel to and from where he exercised his vocation, Mr Thompson did not satisfy the condition. Certainly, the fact that it was cheaper for him to travel this way did not mean that the bike was used for his employment.

Note: This can be defeated in court because it only applied to high court writs and in any event pre-dates Regulation 4 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013.