Problem with reputable dealer

[peterc10]

Sorry, you are very wrong...
Broken Link Removed

Ermmmmmmm. Have you actually clicked on the links? They all seem to say you call the CAB

 

[HandyAndy]

If this is all true why not name the dealer

Because people on the internet tent to be twats.
Before you know it you've got random poor reviews being left, hoax phonecalls being made and god knows what else they think might be "funny"... left outside the dealers property.
If you had to go to court to get your problems settled, those sort of stupid pranks really hinders your chances of getting just reward!

 

[Ber090]

Just had a phone call from the solicitor. The money has come in to them, just within the time limit by an hour or two.

I'm not sure I should name and shame in this topic, after all the topic title is "Problem with a Reputable Dealer", if you get my point.

The "dealer" is The Leisure World Group/Catterick Caravans. I will put a full review on their page when I have half an hour or so! Its a long sad story. It has taken exactly 5 months since we rejected it to get to this point.

Hi thebriars, Sorry to hear your comments. I have always, over many years, found this dealer to be totally honest and trustworthy. You of course will have a different view. I believe it would be of more benefit to Funsters to explain your issues before just rubbishing a Dealer on here. Just my thoughts. I have no connection with the Dealer only has a long term happy customer.
Cheers
Bernie

 

[thebriars]

I think I can say that my experience proves Leisure World Group to be exactly the opposite to your view Bernie.

We bought a new caravan from them at the Tyneside branch, and the handover was simply dreadful. The sales assistant who did the handover clearly knew nothing about caravans, and there were a number of problems with the PDI I discovered the next day and later. It took several months to find and resolve these issues.

We did not use the caravan over the winter, and in spring it literally started to fall apart after the first week's use. There were 3 significant structural faults, and a host of more minor problems, such as a cupboard door hinge coming loose. Except in our case it wasn't just one cupboard door but 8 of them! After one significant repair failed within a couple of weeks, I exercised the final right to reject under the Consumer Rights Act in writing, and handed the letter to them at the dealership as nobody would speak to me directly. After a week I got the only contact made by them, a phone call asking if an Elddis engineer could look at the caravan, which I agreed to. After this I heard nothing. A couple of phone calls later to the dealer got no result either, so I wrote to the MD. Still no response at all, not even an acknowledgement.

At this point I took lots of legal advice.The CMC legal department were useless, and gave incorrect information saying that the caravan is classed as a motor vehicle, which it isn't. In the end I used the legal aid which came with my house insurance. Their excellent advice suggested I write once again and give a clear deadline otherwise they would be held in breach of contract. I did this and copied it to both directors.

At the end of the deadline, I had still heard nothing, not so much as an acknowledgement in any form. I happened to be going past Catterick Caravans the next day, and arranged to see somebody about the rejection. The only person who would speak to me turned out to be some junior person, who after hearing the issues, went off to discuss this with someone senior. They came back and told me they were not prepared to do anything, and if I was going to a solicitor they would give me the name of theirs. Up to this point, at no time had Catterick Caravans ever contested the fact that the caravan was unfit for use. By now 3 months had passed.

I them had to get a solicitor involved, who suggested a settlement figure to prevent it going to court. The first response of Catterick Caravans was a very childish and badly written response claiming that the caravan had never been repaired, (!!!!), and that according to Elddis, the majority of the faults were minor. What did that make the rest of the faults one wonders? Then they stated this case did not fall under the Consumer Rights Act, which clearly it did. However, minor faults count just as much as major faults after one repair, and eventually after their solicitor became involved an agreement was reached and the caravan was rejected under the Consumer Rights Act. The whole process took 5 months.

Now if this sorry saga is simply rubbishing a dealer, so be it. Catterick Caravans behaved deplorably and deserve rubbishing. Frankly they have proved themselves to be cowboys, nothing better. A reputable dealer would have invited us in at the earliest opportunity to discuss the matter and offer options. Had they been a reputable dealer we would have probably exchanged the caravan for a different make and could have enjoyed the rest of the season. I believe their tactic was that often used by less reputable traders. Firstly ignore everything and hope the customer goes away. Clearly this must work with many, if it doesn't then deny everything and claim the CRA doesn't apply, again this must put more off. However, it didn't work in my case.

 

[Jim]

@thebriars Please leave a review of your experience here, thanks https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/reviews/catterick-caravans-leisure-world.101/

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[Ber090]

I think I can say that my experience proves Leisure World Group to be exactly the opposite to your view Bernie.

We bought a new caravan from them at the Tyneside branch, and the handover was simply dreadful. The sales assistant who did the handover clearly knew nothing about caravans, and there were a number of problems with the PDI I discovered the next day and later. It took several months to find and resolve these issues.

We did not use the caravan over the winter, and in spring it literally started to fall apart after the first week's use. There were 3 significant structural faults, and a host of more minor problems, such as a cupboard door hinge coming loose. Except in our case it wasn't just one cupboard door but 8 of them! After one significant repair failed within a couple of weeks, I exercised the final right to reject under the Consumer Rights Act in writing, and handed the letter to them at the dealership as nobody would speak to me directly. After a week I got the only contact made by them, a phone call asking if an Elddis engineer could look at the caravan, which I agreed to. After this I heard nothing. A couple of phone calls later to the dealer got no result either, so I wrote to the MD. Still no response at all, not even an acknowledgement.

At this point I took lots of legal advice.The CMC legal department were useless, and gave incorrect information saying that the caravan is classed as a motor vehicle, which it isn't. In the end I used the legal aid which came with my house insurance. Their excellent advice suggested I write once again and give a clear deadline otherwise they would be held in breach of contract. I did this and copied it to both directors.

At the end of the deadline, I had still heard nothing, not so much as an acknowledgement in any form. I happened to be going past Catterick Caravans the next day, and arranged to see somebody about the rejection. The only person who would speak to me turned out to be some junior person, who after hearing the issues, went off to discuss this with someone senior. They came back and told me they were not prepared to do anything, and if I was going to a solicitor they would give me the name of theirs. Up to this point, at no time had Catterick Caravans ever contested the fact that the caravan was unfit for use. By now 3 months had passed.

I them had to get a solicitor involved, who suggested a settlement figure to prevent it going to court. The first response of Catterick Caravans was a very childish and badly written response claiming that the caravan had never been repaired, (!!!!), and that according to Elddis, the majority of the faults were minor. What did that make the rest of the faults one wonders? Then they stated this case did not fall under the Consumer Rights Act, which clearly it did. However, minor faults count just as much as major faults after one repair, and eventually after their solicitor became involved an agreement was reached and the caravan was rejected under the Consumer Rights Act. The whole process took 5 months.

Now if this sorry saga is simply rubbishing a dealer, so be it. Catterick Caravans behaved deplorably and deserve rubbishing. Frankly they have proved themselves to be cowboys, nothing better. A reputable dealer would have invited us in at the earliest opportunity to discuss the matter and offer options. Had they been a reputable dealer we would have probably exchanged the caravan for a different make and could have enjoyed the rest of the season. I believe their tactic was that often used by less reputable traders. Firstly ignore everything and hope the customer goes away. Clearly this must work with many, if it doesn't then deny everything and claim the CRA doesn't apply, again this must put more off. However, it didn't work in my case.

Hi, I am amazed at your choice of words. I would suggest with the greatest respect that you choose your words carefully on a forum like this. Obviously loose hinges and 3 “structural “ issues lit your fuse.I presume you are happy with the settlement and I hope you can move on and enjoy your new Motorhome and put this episode behind you.
Cheers
Bernie

 

[Bognor Saint]

I think he chose his words very Well. Mine would have been a little more Anglo Saxon.

 

[Ber090]

I think he chose his words very Well. Mine would have been a little more Anglo Saxon.

Each to their own. My concern was the potential repercussions in this day and age of litigation at the drop of a hat. I’m out of here now . Just made a point.
Cheers
Bernie

 

[thebriars]

I did choose my words carefully. Frankly the dealer has left themselves wide open to any criticism when they fail to respond to a formal rejection letter and follow up. Webster's dictionary defines a cowboy as: "a business or businessperson operating in an uncontrolled or unregulated manner". Catterick Caravans breached their contract under the Consumer Rights Act with me and refused to acknowledge any correspondence.

There was a lot more than a few loose hinges. There were a raft of minor issues like this. One structural issue was the caravan roof collapsing in on itself! Another was wall cupboard holding the microwave starting to fall off the wall (twice), or how about a 1.5m plywood panel falling off the ceiling? I think on a new caravan with less than 1000 miles travel, any normal person would be annoyed to pay £20k for a piece of junk like that.

 

[Ber090]

I did choose my words carefully. Frankly the dealer has left themselves wide open to any criticism when they fail to respond to a formal rejection letter and follow up. Webster's dictionary defines a cowboy as: "a business or businessperson operating in an uncontrolled or unregulated manner". Catterick Caravans breached their contract under the Consumer Rights Act with me and refused to acknowledge any correspondence.

There was a lot more than a few loose hinges. There were a raft of minor issues like this. One structural issue was the caravan roof collapsing in on itself! Another was wall cupboard holding the microwave starting to fall off the wall (twice), or how about a 1.5m plywood panel falling off the ceiling? I think on a new caravan with less than 1000 miles travel, any normal person would be annoyed to pay £20k for a piece of junk like that.

Hi, Read above answer
Finished.
Cheers
Bernie

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[Clarky]

I did choose my words carefully. Frankly the dealer has left themselves wide open to any criticism when they fail to respond to a formal rejection letter and follow up. Webster's dictionary defines a cowboy as: "a business or businessperson operating in an uncontrolled or unregulated manner". Catterick Caravans breached their contract under the Consumer Rights Act with me and refused to acknowledge any correspondence.

There was a lot more than a few loose hinges. There were a raft of minor issues like this. One structural issue was the caravan roof collapsing in on itself! Another was wall cupboard holding the microwave starting to fall off the wall (twice), or how about a 1.5m plywood panel falling off the ceiling? I think on a new caravan with less than 1000 miles travel, any normal person would be annoyed to pay £20k for a piece of junk like that.

Well done for standing your ground and seeing it through.
If more customers did the same some of these dealers might start to get the message.
There are often disputes about quality issues and what standard one should expect for a given price but to completely ignore a customer with genuine complaints is unforgivable.

Richard.

 

[thebriars]

@thebriars Please leave a review of your experience here, thanks https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/reviews/catterick-caravans-leisure-world.101/

Your wish is my command Sir.

 

[Barclaybasher]

This a very sorry tale. For those, like me, who are new to motorhoming, its less tricky if you buy from a dealer. It is a no leg to stand on if like me you accept assurances of a private seller, (I was assured there were no damp problems VERBALLY, ( so nothing in writing)), and that they rarely used it in the rain, and pay the money.I bought from a member of this Forum who had not carried out a pre sale hab check ( and they are of course not obliged to do so) nor had they done gas and electricity checks for me. I should have walked away there and then. But having just viewed a motorhome days before which was a dump, this one looked gleaming, I acceped, like an idiot, the private seller's verbal assurances.I drove it back to South Devon and had both Marquis and Alan Kerr carry out hab checks. And of course, both, independently of each other, found damp and dry rot.I now face a potential bill of some £5k. Sorry if this is off the title thread, but the lesson to newbies like me is, if no gas or electric certs, and no hab check has been done - then walk away. We can't, he has our money and it's too late for us.Not the entry to the ( for us, new) world of motorhoming we were so hoping for.

If you paid the asking price or less it might still be an OK purchase

I would question £5k to repair and would ask the firms who carried out the hab checks to give a detailed report of the areas affected by damp.

I would then check the areas with my own damp meter (cheap on Ebay) before having any work done.

 

[Stand Off]

An update on the story.

After much wrangling, my friend was reimbursed with all but a grand (the deposit) which he is more than happy with. And he can have the deposit against another van should he so choose.

So many, many thanks to you all for your invaluable input without which i think the drama would still be ongoing.

 

[Lenny HB]

By reimbursing him they have admitted liabilty, so they should refund the deposit. I wouldn't think he would trust buying another van from them so why is he happy to give them a grand of his hard earned cash for nothing. He should get his deposit back and some compensation for the stress they have caused.

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[Yorick]

By reimbursing him they have admitted liabilty, so they should refund the deposit. I wouldn't think he would trust buying another van from them so why is he happy to give them a grand of his hard earned cash for nothing. He should get his deposit back and some compensation for the stress they have caused.

Then.....

 

[Kerry9]

My apologies @hilldweller - the thread hijack was not intended. But point taken, thank you.