Habitation/ Damp/ Leak check ******************* HOW MUCH ??

[JamesT@Dundee]

Just had invitation from my suppling dealer to have my first Hab/Damp/Leak check. They tell me unless these checks are done my warranty be invalid! How can this be? I
If I bought a brand new washing machine and it went wrong in the first year I would be covered by the Sale of Goods Act and the supplier would have it put right or replace it.


HOW MUCH ? ************************************* £599

We were quoted a similar high level from a local big dealership. Found a smaller van maintenance guy who did it for less than £200 originally (4 years ago). Now at £240.
As someone else said avoid the big dealerships and find a smaller business if you can.

 

[CazPaul]

Found this online
Buying advice for Carthago owners

I wonder how many potential owners of new vans don’t consider service / ownership requirements and costs ?

http://www.carthagoowners.com/index_htm_files/BUYING%20ADVICE.pdf

You need both a yearly leak proof inspection and a yearly service inspection I wonder how much they cost in total for 6 or 10 years?

 

[L' Hobo]

You need both a yearly leak proof inspection and a yearly service inspection I wonder how much they cost in total for 6 or 10 years?

An awful lot more than buying yourself a Damp Meter and booking yourself a PRE-MOT check before you start any serious travelling.

About a £100 for the two!

 

[TonyEmm]

Is a moho not the same as a car (never had a brand new moho), in so much that the servicing / hab checks does not need to be done by a main dealer.
As long as it is done by a qualified person who is able to put the relevant stamp in your service book.
Thinking of mobile technicians or another moho/caravan dealer.. After all it is a hab check so what is the difference between the habitation area of a motor home and a caravan.
IMV too many poeple have unfounded loyalty to the garage/dealer that they bought their car/moho from

Erwin Hymer Travelworld quote “

Our Warranties:​

When you purchase from Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld all of our new vehicles are issued with the manufacturer’s standard warranty of 2 years. This stays intact providing the annual habitation inspection and damp test has been carried out at a manufacturer’s approved dealer.”

In other words, you are not tied to the supplying dealer.

 

[Parrot Face]

For a full habitation check and damp check I pay £100

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[Coolcats]

TBH you're unlikely to get damp issues in a PVC
We paid £175 for our first year warranty hab check which took the dealer 90 mins (I waited while it was carried out)
Maybe I'll set up a mobile hab check business then I could rake in the equivalent of £116 / hour, and still be cheaper than most dealers

Wha amazes me is that the cost of a damp check is the same for a PVC as it is for an A class

 

[Coolcats]

Erwin Hymer Travelworld quote “

Our Warranties:​

When you purchase from Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld all of our new vehicles are issued with the manufacturer’s standard warranty of 2 years. This stays intact providing the annual habitation inspection and damp test has been carried out at a manufacturer’s approved dealer.”

In other words, you are not tied to the supplying dealer.

Indeed but I think the comment was that it still has to be done by a dealer

 

[The Old Man]

Just had invitation from my suppling dealer to have my first Hab/Damp/Leak check. They tell me unless these checks are done my warranty be invalid! How can this be? I
If I bought a brand new washing machine and it went wrong in the first year I would be covered by the Sale of Goods Act and the supplier would have it put right or replace it.


HOW MUCH ? ************************************* £599

Colyboy

Just had my Habitation Checks, including full Damp Checks at Mullacott Caravans, near Ilfracombe, Devon;

Caravan Servicing - Motorhome Servicing - Accessories - North Devon

Mullacott Caravan and Motorhome Centre, caravan servicing and motorhome servicing in north devon. caravan and motorhome accessories in north devon

s490444246.initial-website.co.uk

£196

 

[gpat]

Its about time this was challenged in a court of law. Its pure profiteering.

Its been discussed on here many times before.

I think the manufacturer has a valid case ONLY if a situation had not been spotted and remedied in good time. However if an owner had damp checks done by a person or organisation that was suitably qualified and in accordance with the frequency that the manufacturer recommends and this found some damp, and this was reported within a reasonable time, you would have a good case under the Sale of Goods Act (forget the warranty) because this is a mobile home. Its reasonable to expect that a home would last at least 5 years otherwise you could argue it was not fit for purpose.

I quoted this on a previous purchase (An ABB Caravan - many years ago) and I soon as I quoted the Act (and that I intended to take legal advice) they sorted it straight away and without question.

 

[Ditcha]

Found this online
Buying advice for Carthago owners

I wonder how many potential owners of new vans don’t consider service / ownership requirements and costs ?

http://www.carthagoowners.com/index_htm_files/BUYING%20ADVICE.pdf

They don't supply the black stickers anymore so this form must be out of date.

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[Bobbydaisy]

Due to get my hab service done by Brownhills, but live in Glasgow so the cost of fuel and stay was more than the Hab service , got 2 years free servicing from them , booked into local dealer , told Brownhills we were doing this and they will give me a £250 voucher to cover the local service cost , now that’s what I call a good deal from a good dealership .

 

[Steve-N]

A so called 'full service' to almost all modern vehicles is actually just an engine oil/filter change and then a host of 'visual checks'
I got my Fiat based PVC serviced at our local Fiat main dealer and said I'll do the air / pollen filter myself (its really easy to do) so they did the eng oil/filter and charged me £115 which I thought was reasonable.
All other checks on brakes, lights etc I do myself (on a 3 yr old van with 11k on the clock there will be nothing that needs attention anyway)
I flatly refuse to pay dealer inflated prices of £150/hour just to look at things and tick a form

 

[63720]

If anyone in Somerset is looking for mobile van servicing I have used this one and will use him again.

MRE Services, Mobile Caravan and Motorhome Servicing and Repairs, Somerset,

MRE Services, Mobile Caravan & Motorhome Servicing and Repairs at your home, site, or Storage Place. Based near Bridgwater Somerset

www.mreservices.co.uk

 

[Lenny HB]

Erwin Hymer Travelworld quote “

Our Warranties:​

When you purchase from Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld all of our new vehicles are issued with the manufacturer’s standard warranty of 2 years. This stays intact providing the annual habitation inspection and damp test has been carried out at a manufacturer’s approved dealer.”

In other words, you are not tied to the supplying dealer.

That Travel World statement is not correct if you bought a Hymer from them.
Hymer's do not require a habitation check for the warranty only a damp check, this applies to most German vans.
With Hymer manufacturers approved dealer it has to be a Hymer dealer.

Really pees me off how dealers rip off customers telling them they must have a hab check when it's not required.

When I bought our first Hymer I asked our dealer about had checks he said not necessary if want, have one at 5 years.

 

[Detnor]

Over the last 17 years I have made the annual visit to a Hymer dealer for the damp test with different vans. Like any insurance, only as good as they day you need it.
For me it was last year, and to make it worse, the supplying dealer and damp tester for the previous 3 years had stopped doing it. The damp problem was quickly identified by Travelworld, booked in and completed under the 6 year damp warranty. 40+ hours labour and parts.

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[Sapper520]

Sunlight INSIST on annual Habitation checks to maintain their three year warranty…..Habitation warranty that is, and this MUST be carried out at a Sunlight Dealership.

I’ve had warranty claims and they’ve been agreed with Sunlight…..but wouldn’t have been honoured if I hadn’t had the Hab check done…..£225! The warranty claims have far exceeded that.

Once out of Warranty I’ll be trying MRE or another local mobile company to us. Mainly for the gas and electricity safety checks.

 

[Plumb]

Indeed but I think the comment was that it still has to be done by a dealer

Yes and there's the problem not many approved dealers to choose from ! Certainly not Dethleffs unless you are prepared to travel the length and breadth of the country , which is as broad as long
You are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to choice I'm afraid .

 

[Plumb]

The other thing I find galling is the fact if you ask a non supplying dealer there not interested and find some cock and bull story as not being able to accommodate

 

[VXman]

Hi, every year I have a habitation check this includes a damp check for the warranty. Dealers are usually not as cheap as local mobile caravan/MH servicers. I'm nr Peterborough I use Happy Caravan company / Melton tourers. They always do a good job for me.

What make of van? Is it a warranty from new? Our Burstner needs to be done by a Burstner authorised dealer so mobile technician would not be acceptable.

 

[Sapper520]

The other thing I find galling is the fact if you ask a non supplying dealer there not interested and find some cock and bull story as not being able to accommodate

Luckily, although we didn’t buy our van locally, the nearest Sunlight dealer to us who did the Habitation check agreed to take over our warranty issues.

The supplying dealer, 3 hours away from us, weren’t great at after sales or warranty issues.

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[VXman]

No you can have the MoHo serviced anywhere, for the warranty I believe you only need the damp test undertaken by a dealer not a habitation check but others may correct me in this

I contacted Burstner about this very question. The reply seemed to suggest a full habitation service was needed. However, the habitation is only under warranty for 2 years whereas the water ingress warranty is 10 years. So I reckon maybe that's just for while the habitation is under warranty. I certainly hope so.

I don't see why I should be forced to get an authorised dealer full hab check for 10 years when they are only warranting the damp. I will do the hab this year but follow up the rest later. I am keen to leave my purchasing dealer as he is useless but am stuck with him while some habitation problems are dealt with. After that I will be searching for a new dealer that will just do a damp check

 

[Plumb]

Luckily, although we didn’t buy our van locally, the nearest Sunlight dealer to us who did the Habitation check agreed to take over our warranty issues.

The supplying dealer, 3 hours away from us, weren’t great at after sales or warranty issues.

Well done for me the nearest dealer is only 100 miles round trip ,tried another a similar distance away and they didn’t even reply to my enquiry

 

[Minxy]

Found this online
Buying advice for Carthago owners

I wonder how many potential owners of new vans don’t consider service / ownership requirements and costs ?

http://www.carthagoowners.com/index_htm_files/BUYING%20ADVICE.pdf

That isn't the case now thankfully ... see bottom of post.

You need both a yearly leak proof inspection and a yearly service inspection I wonder how much they cost in total for 6 or 10 years?

You actually don't ... see bottom of post.

An awful lot more than buying yourself a Damp Meter and booking yourself a PRE-MOT check before you start any serious travelling.

About a £100 for the two!

But will invalidate your warranty.

They don't supply the black stickers anymore so this form must be out of date.

No it's all done electronically.

The current requirement for Carthagos:

We had a full hab and damp check the 1st time as this was included as part of the purchase deal, it would have a cost of around £370 so least we didn't have to pay for it.

When it was coming up to our 2nd anniversary I double checked the requirements with Go European who said that although we could have a hab check done it was up to us if we wanted to as our warranty for that part would end then anyway (no 3rd year for Carthagos), this meant it would be an expensive box tick for the sake of it especially as we were more than capable of checking things were working ourselves just as they would do (we put in some claims which had been accepted to be sorted when we took it in).

They said however that the damp check was definitely needed to keep the water ingress warranty valid (6 years) but not having a hab check done wouldn't affect the validity of this but to be certain that there had been no change to the requirements they contacted Carthago and it was confirmed that ONLY a damp check was required ... for a Carthago it means dowsing them for a long time in water (ie a mock heavy rainstorm) and then checking for leaks all over, you can't use a damp meter on them as it won't work due to their allow sides etc. Due to us travelling through horrendous weather to get to them they didn't need to do the dousing just the checking!

There is also mention of an initial damp check at 3 months from new but this was definitely voluntary so we didn't bother with it and had no problem with warranty claims.

 

[Minxy]

I contacted Burstner about this very question. The reply seemed to suggest a full habitation service was needed. However, the habitation is only under warranty for 2 years whereas the water ingress warranty is 10 years. So I reckon maybe that's just for while the habitation is under warranty. I certainly hope so.

I don't see why I should be forced to get an authorised dealer full hab check for 10 years when they are only warranting the damp. I will do the hab this year but follow up the rest later. I am keen to leave my purchasing dealer as he is useless but am stuck with him while some habitation problems are dealt with. After that I will be searching for a new dealer that will just do a damp check

Yes once the hab warranty runs out then you should only need to get the damp one done. As I've said above you don't need the 2nd year hab doing if you are able to check it yourself, just get the damp done by an approved company ... in our case it has to be an authorised Carthago service centre as they have to enter the info into their system. Independent engineers are great cost wise but many of them are not approved and/or cannot put the info into the electronic system so negates your warranty.

 

[Scout]

That isn't the case now thankfully ... see bottom of post.


You actually don't ... see bottom of post.


But will invalidate your warranty.


No it's all done electronically.

The current requirement for Carthagos:

We had a full hab and damp check the 1st time as this was included as part of the purchase deal, it would have a cost of around £370 so least we didn't have to pay for it.

When it was coming up to our 2nd anniversary I double checked the requirements with Go European who said that although we could have a hab check done it was up to us if we wanted to as our warranty for that part would end then anyway (no 3rd year for Carthagos), this meant it would be an expensive box tick for the sake of it especially as we were more than capable of checking things were working ourselves just as they would do (we put in some claims which had been accepted to be sorted when we took it in).

They said however that the damp check was definitely needed to keep the water ingress warranty valid (6 years) but not having a hab check done wouldn't affect the validity of this but to be certain that there had been no change to the requirements they contacted Carthago and it was confirmed that ONLY a damp check was required ... for a Carthago it means dowsing them for a long time in water (ie a mock heavy rainstorm) and then checking for leaks all over, you can't use a damp meter on them as it won't work due to their allow sides etc. Due to us travelling through horrendous weather to get to them they didn't need to do the dousing just the checking!

There is also mention of an initial damp check at 3 months from new but this was definitely voluntary so we didn't bother with it and had no problem with warranty claims.

I concur with this, our Carthago was 3 y/o last year, the dealer said "have the damp service" to keep the warranty valid, dont bother with a hab check, theres no piont in wasting money

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[TonyEmm]

That Travel World statement is not correct if you bought a Hymer from them.
Hymer's do not require a habitation check for the warranty only a damp check, this applies to most German vans.
With Hymer manufacturers approved dealer it has to be a Hymer dealer.

Really pees me off how dealers rip off customers telling them they must have a hab check when it's not required.

When I bought our first Hymer I asked our dealer about had checks he said not necessary if want, have one at 5 years.

I couldn’t find any t&c’s on Hymer’s site.

Hab checks are a total rip-off in my opinion. As a user, you don’t need to be told when something’s not working! A check is simply that, a visual check! They will do nothing even if faults are found without extra charges.

Apart from the damp check, (and I understand that from a warranty point of view), the only visual checks really needed are date codes and condition of the gas pipes. Well within the capacity of the majority of motorhom owners, I would have thought!

 

[TonyEmm]

I contacted Burstner about this very question. The reply seemed to suggest a full habitation service was needed. However, the habitation is only under warranty for 2 years whereas the water ingress warranty is 10 years. So I reckon maybe that's just for while the habitation is under warranty. I certainly hope so.

I don't see why I should be forced to get an authorised dealer full hab check for 10 years when they are only warranting the damp. I will do the hab this year but follow up the rest later. I am keen to leave my purchasing dealer as he is useless but am stuck with him while some habitation problems are dealt with. After that I will be searching for a new dealer that will just do a damp check

A habitation service is not the same as a habitation check.
A check is a visual inspection, nothing more.
A service should include servicing appliances.

 

[ronecc1]

The thing that really pigged me of. Was when my dealer charged me £200+ for doing a habitation check on my PVC. It said on the checklist, ' cannot do damp test on a panel van because of the construction'. I asked why it cost so much then. They told me because it has to have it's gas test and it takes a few hours to check for leakage. So they fill the van with gas , leave it for a few hours, then check the speed the gas had leaked out? Even if they did that, they will not have been working on it, so the hours left standing should not be charged for. I never had the subsequent checks, just kept the money in the bank to put towards a new part should I need anything.

 

[Bobbydaisy]

For Elddis as long as you use an NCC Approved workshop the warranty is valid , doesn’t have to be your original dealership or even an Elddis dealership.

 

[Plumb]

For Elddis as long as you use an NCC Approved workshop the warranty is valid , doesn’t have to be your original dealership or even an Elddis dealership.

That’s as it ought to be a much flexible and fairer idea

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