Damp in Bessacar E495 (1 Viewer)

Oct 25, 2014
124
72
Salford
Funster No
33,980
MH
Carthago Chic 5.0i
Exp
Since 2015
Hi Folks
Hope I'm posting this in the right place to give you all an update on our 'plight' regarding the damp issue in our van - which by the way - was 85% - under the fridge. When we contacted the dealer they said they would look at going halves with us on the repair. We contacted Trading Standards and they gave us a case ref number & have told us what we should do...to contact the dealer and give them everyopportunity to rectify the problem. We took it back to the dealer, a week last Thursday from Manchester to Carmarthenshire. (With me driving our car to come back in!) We were told 'leave it with us & we will keep you updated every step of the way' As of today we have heard NOWT!! The dealer is suppose to hand it back to us next Fri 23th. By the way, on further investigations we have found out that damp in this van is a manufacturing fault and that Swift did a recall.
I will keep you posted how we get on.
But it does pose the question...Do we keep her knowing that more damp (pardon the pun) could arise in the future???
 
Jan 11, 2010
2,743
9,476
Chester
Funster No
9,901
MH
Auto-trail
Exp
Well that`s our 13th year & still loving it.
You have to find out if the they are just going to repair the damp areas or repair damp areas and fix the design fault that caused the problem in the first place.

Swift has a history of building design faults.
 
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Ann&MikeMancs
Oct 25, 2014
124
72
Salford
Funster No
33,980
MH
Carthago Chic 5.0i
Exp
Since 2015
Thank for the reply. The dealers haven't even got back to us!! I can't see them doing anything other than repair the damp issue under the fridge. Swift are the main 'culprits'!!
I can't believe how few consumer rights people have when purchasing a new Motorhome. When you consider they fork out AT LEAST 40K+ it's scandalous that there aren't more consumer rights in place....oh I can feel a campagne coming on
 
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Ann&MikeMancs
Oct 25, 2014
124
72
Salford
Funster No
33,980
MH
Carthago Chic 5.0i
Exp
Since 2015
Not sure if to mention who the dealer is at this moment....I wonder if they read these?? We are first timers with a van!
 
R

Robert Clark

Deleted User
If trading standards have given you a plan - stick to it!
And let the dealer know you're being advised by them too
 
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Ann&MikeMancs
Oct 25, 2014
124
72
Salford
Funster No
33,980
MH
Carthago Chic 5.0i
Exp
Since 2015
Yeah we will do! They seem to hold some clout

Thank you the advice. Watch this space lol

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Feb 9, 2008
8,924
18,663
Corby, Northants
Funster No
1,455
MH
Coach Built
Exp
Since 2007
Thank for the reply. The dealers haven't even got back to us!! I can't see them doing anything other than repair the damp issue under the fridge. Swift are the main 'culprits'!!
I can't believe how few consumer rights people have when purchasing a new Motorhome. When you consider they fork out AT LEAST 40K+ it's scandalous that there aren't more consumer rights in place....oh I can feel a campagne coming on
Enhanced consumer rights under the Sale Of Goods Act came into effect from October 2015.
Broken Link Removed
 
R

Robert Clark

Deleted User
Enhanced consumer rights under the Sale Of Goods Act came into effect from October 2015.
Broken Link Removed
How do you think that might help?
The van is 2008 and therefore outside of the 6 year claim rule - unless I missed something?
 
Feb 9, 2008
8,924
18,663
Corby, Northants
Funster No
1,455
MH
Coach Built
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Since 2007
How do you think that might help?
The van is 2008 and therefore outside of the 6 year claim rule - unless I missed something?
Ann & Mike said it was scandalous that there are not more consumer rights and I was simply pointing out that from October of this year there is. I did not make any inference that this would apply in this case or be of any help to resolve their dilemma.
They do not state when they bought this motorhome and if it's a recent purchase they should have some protection under the previous Sale of Good Act and if so will be guided accordingly by Trading Standards.
If they purchased it in 2008 I fear they may have no protection what so ever and the offer from the dealer may turn out to be more than generous.

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TheBig1

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 27, 2011
17,509
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many many years! since I was a kid
if I recall correctly the manufacturing fault was using cheaper unsuitable ply in the floor, or was that the 2004 debacle
 
R

Robert Clark

Deleted User
Ann & Mike said it was scandalous that there are not more consumer rights and I was simply pointing out that from October of this year there is. I did not make any inference that this would apply in this case or be of any help to resolve their dilemma.
They do not state when they bought this motorhome and if it's a recent purchase they should have some protection under the previous Sale of Good Act and if so will be guided accordingly by Trading Standards.
If they purchased it in 2008 I fear they may have no protection what so ever and the offer from the dealer may turn out to be more than generous.
I just read in their other post that they've had the van just over a year
Hope they get the problem sorted by dealer at no cost to them
 
Feb 9, 2008
8,924
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Corby, Northants
Funster No
1,455
MH
Coach Built
Exp
Since 2007
Just found the other thread so now have the whole story. Might be worth getting in touch with previous owners and explaining your situation. They may (or may not ) confirm damp was present when sold.
Either way best of luck going forward,

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Feb 24, 2013
12,991
101,170
Bolsover, Derbyshire
Funster No
24,833
MH
Hymer S800
Exp
not long enough
So frustrating, it would seem virtually impossible that the damp had not started 15 months ago when you bought it, two things then concern me

1. Surely when they bought it in they damp tested it, so would / should have known then
2. When sold, the hab test I would like to think they did, should have shown it up then as well

Did they by chance give you a copy of the habitation test with damp checks done as you bought it?

Best of luck, but I do fear that a 50/50 deal may be as good as you get, many dealers probably wouldn't offer that much help on a MH so old
 
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Ann&MikeMancs
Oct 25, 2014
124
72
Salford
Funster No
33,980
MH
Carthago Chic 5.0i
Exp
Since 2015
Hi David

We were told by the dealer that a habitational check WOULD DEFINATELY be done prior to us picking her up. 'Oh dont worry all things like that will be done thoroughly' they said.
We received an A4 check list 'ticked' by them, when we collected the van, so we were happy.
We NEVER doubted the dealer.
We had complete faith that they'd done everything that they said they would.
(Oh I know....we are now wiser after the event)

It was only when we came back from Ireland & booked her in for her 1st hab check that the problem was noticed by the hab engineer.

Now,however, when we've gone back & checked over our paperwork especially this 'A4 check list' from the dealer, we've realised that they HADNT ticked the 'damp check done' box when we took delivery of our van!

We bought the van Aug 14.
 
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Ann&MikeMancs
Oct 25, 2014
124
72
Salford
Funster No
33,980
MH
Carthago Chic 5.0i
Exp
Since 2015
Hi Bart
In the end the DEALER put the job right! It was 2 weeks outside their 12 month warranty. All the way through this 'saga' they had insisted they had done the damp check when we bought it.....when we noticed the problem and check through the tonnes of paperwork we'd been given when we bought her...guess what hadn't been checked off the check list prior to us picking it up....? Yep! The DAMP CHECK. We'd bought a van in good faith,supposedly with a full healthy damp report and someone hadn't done one! They were very good, once we mentioned that we had a T/Standards case number. We took the van back, the job got done, FOC.
We've sold her since though. Lost faith in Bessie's I'm afraid.
Cheers
Ann
 

Khizzie

Free Member
Jul 26, 2014
3,794
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Le Repaire,Thiviers,France
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since 2002
I can understand your loss of faith in your bessecar. I have been lucky enough to have bought an auto cruise before swift took over that group and degraded the quality build ..so have had no problem..touch wood . So far ... However in a dealers recently I. Was looking at an autotrail Cheyenne 2014 model to upgrade and believe it not the floor was rotten .you could smell it when you entered and the floor felt very spongy...when I spoke to the salesman he said they knew and would sort it once it had been sold ...not going to that dealer again ..will be going back to webbs for my upgrade .
 
Feb 9, 2008
8,924
18,663
Corby, Northants
Funster No
1,455
MH
Coach Built
Exp
Since 2007
Glad it worked out well for you. I'm of the view the dealer knew it had a damp problem and that is why no damp test was undertaken. He was challenged by you and knew he was on a hiding to nothing if he stood his ground, hence the repair FOC.

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Baggers53

Free Member
Dec 30, 2013
187
221
Stafford
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29,491
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C Class
Exp
2013
I have a 2006 Bessacarr e425, bought it privately, and had a damp problem with the floor
around the hab door area. Completely rotten. I cut it all out , back to frame front and back edges
and replaced it. Other than that we have been very pleased with our Bessie.
 

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