Nearly replied the other day but didn't want be a smart arse but the misinformation is getting too much to ignore.
They're illegal. Not having been pulled is no indication of whether its acceptable. More the case that its a very fringe offence that until there's any major clampdown, most coppers won't know enough about it to know they've got you.
Have a search for Directive 2007/46/EC.
Anything over 750kg needs brakes, which has always been the case. These regulations go further and now prohibit over-run brakes on anything other than centre axle (caravan style) trailers. Which outlaws over-run turntable trailers as are popular on the continent unless they are on air brakes (or other suitable continuous system) and which also catches A-frames as you're still in this case talking about a towed combination which does not have a single set of centre axles, but which is too heavy to fall outside of the scope of the regs.
This came in to force November 2014.
Its never been a grey area, heavy stuff needs brakes and most recovery stuff doesn't have it. But even now A-frame set ups which operate the brakes on the towed vehicle are also no longer legal. Which if you notice has annoyed a lot of motorhome owners as it affects them.
The ONLY dispensation is for recovery to a place of safety. ie. not very far at all. You could possibly use some story to convince someone you've only come from down the road but its a very poor defence and very easy to disprove. Particularly if whatever you're towing has quite clearly not been on the road for some length of time.
One thing I would not rely on is ignorance of the law by those enforcing it. You only need to be out the day the briefing email arrives and you'll be next up.
but any trailer with a weight over 750kg needs to be braked,so if you have a A frame and a friend sat in the car pressing the brakes it's legal i think........... but technically your friend is sat in a trailer and that isn't legal lol :grin: should be fine anyway
