Annual Habitation Service Check

[RhinoInstalls]

Hi all

 

Just spotted this post and new to your forum.

 

Rhino installs was set up last year and we have gone strength to strength in the last 10 months. Before Rhino installs, I (Phil McNally) was in partnership for another company in the North West which is still running offering the same services. If you check out out testimonials page. http://www.rhinoinstalls.co.uk/testimonials.htm These are some comments left for us.

 

Cheers, Phil

[tonyishuk]

I have just been quoted £195 for a habitation check, About 3 and half hrs work for a first year check.

 

Things are relative, I prided myself with my damp meter on checking my M/home so saving myself some ££££. When I traded the M/home in there was damp (damage) in the flooring to the very rear of the vehicle only seen from underneath.

 

Lost £1000 on the PX price as the back external panels would have to removed to get to the damaged area.

 

You have a choice, seems i made the wrong one !

 

Rgds

[JDS]

Had a full service and habitation service at Dave Newell yesterday, Dave supplied a 3 page check list and went thro all the items with me explaining anything I didnt understand. He also fixed the buzzer that had failed on the rear step. I was very impressed and the price was superb half the cost of Peugeot dealer or motorhome dealer.

 

Dave

[Wirralian]

I have had Dave Newall do my habitation check in the past and found him very thorough (checking both inside and outside of the van). He may not be mobile like with many new firms cropping up but he is knowledgeable about motorhomes and I have had every confidence in his work. It's better the devil you know really.

 

His charges have been reasonable but not having been able to use him for the last couple of years I don't know what they are these days.

 

John

[fjmike]

For Big Momma I don't know who your dealer is but for the habitation side of servicing try Heather caravans, they will a lot cheaper than your present quote and they will come to you.

 

http://heathercaravans.co.uk/default.aspx

[How Much]

Im liking the sound of this Kevin fella from Rossendale. As im in West Yorkshire (ok, he may need a passport to be allowed in :-D ), he'd be handy to do my hab. check. Can i ask those whove used him, what sort of money are we looking at so ive an idea?

[dick GCT]

0n the website for Rossendale Mobile Caravan Services it quoted £90 (2010 price) for hab.check but you need to contact him for a quote as price will be up this year and depends on his distance he needs to travel to you and whether he can do more than one job in the area he has travelled to. Reckon on approx £120.

 

Regards Dick

[ips]

The only reason I had my dealer rip me off for a hab service was for the warranty. Warrantys in my experience are rarely worth the paper there written on so not sure if I will bother this year just do a propper job myself. It seems like a licence to print money to me. Have a look round try the catches and draw handles turn on the taps have a look for leaks check all the plug sockets work etc etc etc. I reckon the best person to know there is a fault is the owner as he / her is using the van every few weeks or so.

I accept that the electrical test (if you really think you need one as everythings on an RCD anyway), and the gas test need doing by a proffesional (gas test no probs for me cos my company is gas safe reg) so that just leaves buying a damp meter and having a poke around inn the corners.

There you go one habitation test done. Or am I being synical.

PS

Had a few caravans before incl brand new ones and never had any of them serviced.

[How Much]

dick GCT - 2011-02-11 12:41 PM

 

0n the website for Rossendale Mobile Caravan Services it quoted £90 (2010 price) for hab.check but you need to contact him for a quote as price will be up this year and depends on his distance he needs to travel to you and whether he can do more than one job in the area he has travelled to. Reckon on approx £120.

 

Regards Dick

Thanks for that. Ive a year left on the warranty, but A) im not doing a 120 mile round trip to pay £200 + vat to the place i bought it, and B) ive no intention of ever letting them near my van again, unless ive to claim on said warranty.

 

I do also sort of agree with the bloke above as regards stuff working or not - which it all is. Its just the damp aspect id need to be sure of more than owt else. Ill give Kevin a ring once the covers come off.

[Dave Newell]

Just a couple of points that can be picked up on a hab inspection that the end user might not know about:

 

Gas regulator failing, the end user won't know anything till it stops passing gas altogether but a proper test may show up a failing reg earlier.

 

Earth bonding to the chassis failed thus leaving the electrical system in a potentially dangerous state.

 

Gas equipment not burning cleanly and producing potentially lethal amounts of Carbon Monoxide (CO).

 

Tyres older than is recommended for use.

 

Damp/water ingress problems.

 

D.

[bob b]

tonyishuk - 2011-02-10 3:42 PM I have just been quoted £195 for a habitation check, About 3 and half hrs work for a first year check. Things are relative, I prided myself with my damp meter on checking my M/home so saving myself some ££££. When I traded the M/home in there was damp (damage) in the flooring to the very rear of the vehicle only seen from underneath. Lost £1000 on the PX price as the back external panels would have to removed to get to the damaged area. You have a choice, seems i made the wrong one ! Rgds

Was the model that you traded in the same as mine Tony?  If so I'd better check my floor out. I've got a good damp meter, but haven't given the floor a thought as regards dampness. 

[How Much]

Dave Newell - 2011-02-11 3:36 PM

 

Just a couple of points that can be picked up on a hab inspection that the end user might not know about:

 

Gas regulator failing, the end user won't know anything till it stops passing gas altogether but a proper test may show up a failing reg earlier.

 

Earth bonding to the chassis failed thus leaving the electrical system in a potentially dangerous state.

 

Gas equipment not burning cleanly and producing potentially lethal amounts of Carbon Monoxide (CO).

 

Tyres older than is recommended for use.

 

Damp/water ingress problems.

 

D.

Some important points there. The tyres though....im surprised they would be 'included' in a hab check, given they are part of the chassis-cab? Though, if they were mentioned, you'd be a fool to ignore it.

[Dave Newell]

How Much??????? - 2011-02-11 7:39 PM

 

Dave Newell - 2011-02-11 3:36 PM

 

Just a couple of points that can be picked up on a hab inspection that the end user might not know about:

 

Gas regulator failing, the end user won't know anything till it stops passing gas altogether but a proper test may show up a failing reg earlier.

 

Earth bonding to the chassis failed thus leaving the electrical system in a potentially dangerous state.

 

Gas equipment not burning cleanly and producing potentially lethal amounts of Carbon Monoxide (CO).

 

Tyres older than is recommended for use.

 

Damp/water ingress problems.

 

D.

Some important points there. The tyres though....im surprised they would be 'included' in a hab check, given they are part of the chassis-cab? Though, if they were mentioned, you'd be a fool to ignore it.

 

They are included in my habitation check simply because so many people don't know/ignore them.

 

D.

[peterandlinda]

"Gas equipment not burning cleanly and producing potentially lethal amounts of Carbon Monoxide (CO)."

 

D.

 

We had this problem and Dave fixed it by taking out the fridge and thoroughly cleaning the flue - it has been fine since then (September last). The annual check is something we would not do without.

 

P&L

[Dave Newell]

All of the above mentioned faults are ones that I have picked up on various hab inspections over the last six months.

 

D.

[How Much]

Well, ive been in touch with the much-recommended 'Kevin from Rossendale', and hes coming to do his stuff next month. Sounds a very fair bloke, as well.

In a weird way, even though i never look forward to parting with cash, im sort of looking forward to his check of the van, just to be reassured (hopefully), that theres nowt amiss with it.

[Mike88]

In order to keep the 3 year warranty going I'm supposed to get the van habitation serviced. Its a panel van so no damp to check; the fridge runs on 12v so no gas to check on that and the heating/hot water system has only been used once on gas. Everything seems to work so how can a dealer justify a £200+VAT service on a panel van which at most will probably be a superficial gas check. In fact the only job my dealer has done on my vehicle (fitting a second battery) required 3x180 round trips to get it right so I'm not exactly confident about their ability to do a decent job.

 

I'm wondering whether to bother although I shall of course get the vehicle serviced. Do any others chance it?

[paul2]

Hi I also have a Modial rl and I've just booked in with

http://www.central-leisure-services.co.uk/

£95 (plus £20 travel costs because I'm more than fourty miles away from them) and the good bit their Swift approved and will also do Swift warranty work.

Paul

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi, Habitation Check at Marquis Poole, cost me £99 last october, and the previous year was same price. elsewhere quoted 200 or upwards. I just hope that come october when 1st mot, tax, insurance and habitation check become due again, that the bank manager doesnt take fright.

 

tonyg3nwl

 

[How Much]

Mike88 - 2011-02-12 9:40 PM

 

Everything seems to work so how can a dealer justify a £200+VAT service on a panel van which at most will probably be a superficial gas check. In fact the only job my dealer has done on my vehicle (fitting a second battery) required 3x180 round trips to get it right so I'm not exactly confident about their ability to do a decent job.

 

I'm wondering whether to bother although I shall of course get the vehicle serviced. Do any others chance it?

I think the waranty work is where the dealers make money for nothing, having folk think they have to have it done there or lose the cover. Similarly servicing the chassis-cab bit. This will be tendered out in a lot of cases to the cheapest quote. The place where i bought ours uses a local commercial garage to do their work. I cant comment on the quality of work on their 'private' or fleet customers, but they do a very quick and crap job as far as the Motorhome dealer is concerned.

After a supposed 'service' and PDI check prior to me collecting the van, it left the place basicaly unfit for the road. Once id got home, the rear brakes were binding, and on having a look underneath, one of the shock absorber bolts was half way out - and it wasnt a recent thing as it was rusted solid. Neither did they change the starter battery, though it said it had been done on the work sheet.

I had all the work done locally at the dealers expense, refusing to return the van to them as it was unroadworthy.

Im having the hab service done privately (as mentioned earlier), and the van service is done by the the local garage thats kept my other vehicles on the road for the past 20 years.

[mike 202]

" Quote Tonyg3nwl" - Hi, Habitation Check at Marquis Poole, cost me £99 last october, and the previous year was same price. elsewhere quoted 200 or upwards. I just hope that come october when 1st mot, tax, insurance and habitation check become due again, that the bank manager doesnt take fright.""

 

Hi Tony, out at Marquis Hampshire recently and although there is a winter offer on, they jack the habitation check price up to just under £200 for this summer. The philosophy seems in winter it is cheaper, but if your van was registered in the summer then it is a case of hard luck !!

Will check Marquis Poole in case different branches charge different amounts or have special offers on.

 

[nowtelse2do]

Mike88 - 2011-02-12 9:40 PM In order to keep the 3 year warranty going I'm supposed to get the van habitation serviced. Its a panel van so no damp to check;

Hi Mike.

Although you have a panel van conversion you can still get damp in it via where the skylights, window's, TV Ariel's have had to have had the panels cut out to fit these items, even in the wash area (shower room if you have one)

So damp can be a problem even in a Panel van.

Dave

[Mike88]

nowtelse2do - 2011-02-13 12:25 PM

Mike88 - 2011-02-12 9:40 PM In order to keep the 3 year warranty going I'm supposed to get the van habitation serviced. Its a panel van so no damp to check;

Hi Mike.

Although you have a panel van conversion you can still get damp in it via where the skylights, window's, TV Ariel's have had to have had the panels cut out to fit these items, even in the wash area (shower room if you have one)

So damp can be a problem even in a Panel van.

Dave

You are right but damp in a panel van isvery different to that in a conventionally constructed motorhome. Having had two caravans destroyed by damp I have some experience of the problems that can be caused. Conventional motorhomes and panel van conversions are built very differently. As I recall, a conventional motorhome shell normally has 3 bonded layers - metal, wood with an absorbant substance in between. When this absorbent material gets heavily impregnated with water staining appears on the inside wooden walls and rot begins to set in. Gravity dictates that water sinks to its lowest point and in bad cases the wooden floor also rots. If left unattended the problem becomes so severe that major work will be required to rectify the damage. For that reason regular checks with a damp meter for conventional motorhomes are important. A panel van is different - a layer of metal, a thin insualting material and then a plasticised removable paneli on the inside. As the construction is not bonded any water can be seen and dealt with more easily by sealing the leak and cleaning up the panelling afterwards. You won't have to replace large areas of the floor or sides.Although I don't know, I very much doubt whether a dealer would bother checking for damp in a panel van; in fact I'm unsure how they could do it as there is nothing in particular they can prod into. A dealer might take a visual look but I think it would be easier to identify water ingress on a panel van and cheaper to rectify. Indeed when water enters a panel van it tends to drip quite soon in the process as there is nothing much to absorb the water unlike a conventionally constructed motorhome.I have seen the references on here to £99 services - thanks - and that seems to be the way to go for me while the vehicle is under warranty.

[Wighteyebrow]

Just had Marquis at Poole do my first annual habitation check.

A year old and only done 2000 miles I wondered if it was really necessery.

Glad I had it done though. The offer was £99 and they took us down to Poole town where they drop you off near the station and a hundred yards or so from the shopping centre.

A call on my mobile from them at lunchtime to say all was well and be back at the pick up point in 15 minutes.

 

There was a gas leak on the fridge!! I was shown the end of the old pipe that had not been fitted correctly from new, they got the sticking cupboard catches to work and advised me what to do and supplied free of charge and fitted a new cover to the roof vent pipe that had gone missing.

 

Very pleased with my Lancashire Autosleeper but was suprised at the faulty gas pipe. Makes me wonder what sort of build or PDI checks were done.

 

Everyone I met at Poole Marquis was very helpful and friendly and the round trip from my home was only 20 miles more than if I had gone to Marquis at Lower Upham who had a different deal on which I think was around £145 plus vehicle and roof wash.

[Brian Kirby]

Mike88 - 2011-02-12 9:40 PM In order to keep the 3 year warranty going I'm supposed to get the van habitation serviced. ................

Contrary to what has been implied above, the conditions of your motorhome warranty cannot be interpreted in the same vein as for the base vehicle.

For the base vehicle, there is European legislation that says a manufacturer must not make his vehicle warranty conditional on servicing being carried out by a franchised dealer.

However, this legislation does not apply to the conversion elements, and a converter is free to make his warranty conditional on whatever he wishes to specify.

So, you can entrust the base vehicle servicing to any competent garage and, providing they show they have used OEM parts, or alternatives that can be proved of equivalent quality, and have used only fluids and lubricants that meet or surpass the manufacturer's specified quality, they cannot legally cite a non-franchised service agent as reason to void the warranty.

Not so the converter.  If his warranty terms state that a franchised dealer must carry out a habitation service, and/or a damp check, within whatever time limit from purchase, they are legally entitled to void the warranty if the service and check are not carried out as, and where, specified.

If you think one franchised Swift dealer is charging unreasonably for what needs doing, you are free to turn to another for a better price, but not to a non-Swift franchised dealer, possibly not even to a dealer franchised for a different Swift brand.  That warranty means exactly what it says, and if there is doubt, it will Swift who rule on its interpretation.

There is no concept of "spirit" in warranty/guaranty matters, it is the letter that counts.  If you don't like their ruling as to whether something is included or not, if they are members of the Caravan Council I believe there is an appeals procedure, but I have no knowledge or experience of its working.  Your final recourse would be to the courts, but I understand no one has yet successfully used the relevant legislation to sue a manufacturer for non-compliance with their own warranty terms.  Such a case would almost certainly fall outside the remit of the small claims procedure.

So, if you value the converter's warranty and want to preserve it, you must comply with it to the letter.  If, on the other hand, you think it not worth the cost of doing so, and you are happy to possibly forfeit the warranty, you can take your van wherever, for whatever level of servicing you feel appropriate.