Does "NCC Approved" Mean Anything To You?

[Deadloss]

Like a gun without a firing pin.

Thank you - I was struggling to think of a good analogy

 

[TheCaller]

View attachment 967959
The Badge on my Adria Twin

• Does this badge mean anything to you?
• Would you buy a van that is not NCC approved?
• Is this badge something you look for when buying?

Should I add a few paragraphs in the next buyer's guide update?

Yes
Yes
Yes, but in a negative way. I'd check very carefully that I was buying a motorhome, not a caravan with an engine.

 

[Ian_H]

Not considered when buying. I did get better response from an approved workshop regarding their mods when I asked about starting the NCC complaint procedure.

 

[Jim]

From their Press Release.

The NCC is celebrating 85 years of being a key part of the UK’s domestic holiday industry.

The trade association has been representing its members since its creation in 1939 and is a leading voice that supports the investment, growth and development of the caravan, motorhome, campervan, park home and holiday caravan sectors.

John Lally, the NCC’s Director General, said: “The NCC team has been at the heart of our industry and domestic tourism through the decades by playing a pivotal role in shaping, growing and supporting what has been a great British success story.”

Staycations have been a hugely popular part of the nation’s leisure time, and the holiday park and campsite sector generates £12.2bn of visitor expenditure, according to the Pitching the Value Economic Benefit Report published earlier this year.*

Since its creation the NCC has created safety standards, helped drive up product quality and successfully lobbied Government on tax reduction. Today it continues to help shape future policy and legislation, champions the sector’s interests, provides best practice guidance, and offers technical support services. The NCC also operates a training academy dedicated to improving knowledge and skills for employees within the sector, and runs the Manufacturer Accreditation Scheme which ensures safety and technical compliance that ultimately offers consumers peace of mind when they purchase products.

NCC Chairman Mike Wills, Director of Pathfinder Park Homes, said: “The NCC’s purpose and commitment to lead and promote the industry is as vital today as it was 85 years ago. We will continue to advocate for the diverse interests of our sector, ensuring continued support for all our members for many years to come.”

John added: “While we are incredibly proud of our long and successful legacy, we always remain focussed on what lies ahead and are both excited and confident about the future despite inevitable challenges facing the industry. We have a team of experts on hand to help, and our commitment to our members never stops – we’ll continue to drive transformative change within the leisure vehicle and parks sector.”


Here are a few NCC milestones through the decades

1939: The National Caravan Council is founded by Bill Whiteman

1949: 215 manufacturers produce 3,000 caravans a year helping the nation recover from the Second World War through holidays

1959: The NCC runs the industry’s first dedicated event with the Caravan Show at Earls Court in London

1964: The NCC launches its Certification Scheme for mobile homes (tourers, motorhomes and holiday caravans later become part of the scheme)

1975: The NCC successfully lobbies Parliament to cut VAT on caravans

1984: The NCC continues to raise industry standards by publishing the first Towing Code

1987: A TV ad campaign called ‘Caravanning – get up and go’ is launched by the NCC

1992: The NCC sets up the Caravan Registration Information Service (CRiS) to register touring caravans and reduce thefts

2008: The Approved Workshop Scheme comes under NCC management, in partnership with the Caravan and Motorhome Club and the Camping and Caravanning Club, and today has over 575 workshops across the UK

2010: NCC Events is formed to run two annual consumer exhibitions at the NEC, now rated as the second largest exhibitions at the venue

2015: VIN CHIP, the anti-theft protection system, is launched and becomes the industry standard for touring caravan manufacturers

2020: The NCC successfully lobbies the Treasury to reverse its motorhome tax hike, which secures a bright future for manufacturers and consumers

 

[DT]

Load of nothing same as class 3 insulation.

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[peter.green]

Total incompetent idiots, every member I've ever met servicing fine actual repairs or fault-finding haven't a clue that the last contact was a fridge that wouldn't work on 12 volts he sent the fuse board to a mate even though I mentioned Apuljack it came back with the same fault promptly started to try and bypass the power board at that point told him to sod of. I'm a retired MCEA engineer 20 years ago and a lot has changed

 

[Pausim]

The trade association has been representing its members since its creation in 1939 and is a leading voice that supports the investment, growth and development of the caravan, motorhome, campervan, park home and holiday caravan sectors.

Sadly my impression is that the NCC has not been very successful at encouraging progress and innovation. Advances in motorhome technology seem to have come from Europe rather than the UK. If I am wrong then they have done a poor job communicating with me the consumer. If my worst fears are justified then they may have played a part in holding the UK industry back. I really don’t know enough to be sure. However I have bought 3 new motorhomes in the last 10 years and none of them have been UK built or had an NCC label on them so I do wonder what they are celebrating.

 

[The Wino]

I remember trying to register an imported hobby caravan on cris years ago they seemed to make it as hard as possible presumably in the misguidedly opinion that it might make caravans built here more attractive despite being built less solidly!
If had an independent arbitration service to help buyers of UK made products they might actually have something attractive to consumers buy I suspect they are just a body who puts a nice badge on .

 

[Abacist]

I remember registering our caravan on CRIS.

 

[bigtwin]

I remember registering our caravan on CRIS.

Brit brand, or foreign?

Ian

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[Clive Mott]

Hi Jim,
The NCC is the self imposed trade club to this industry. It has no legislative powers. It does have some input to the legislative organisations in this country though. They are paid for and supported by our industry so ultimately the cost or running the NCC is born by all of us who spend the odd pound or two on motorhomes, caravans and all things associated with it. A few years back I was invited to join the battery working committee of the NCC, which I did. There were several other genuine experts at these meetings so it was well represented. This at a time when there were a few rougues selling small batteries in big plastic boxes claiming they were special light weight devices. The NCC were initially keen to start a battery testing scheme, however when the requirements to actually carry this out were explained an alternative arrangement where verifiable test data was provided by manufacturers and vendors was used. Todays Battery Vetification Scheme which lists by design duty many batteries is the result.
A similar scheme for Lithium batteries has been tabled but so far the evolution of these has been too fast for the NCC to keep up with. So yes, no legislative powers whatsoever but generally accepted by our industry as an influence for good. They did pay my travelling expenses.

 

[plug]

I've had a press release sent to me about the NCC celebrating it's 85th Birthday. This organisation was set up to represent the maker's and dealers interests. And in that I'm sure that in this, it does a good job.

They do many things, but their main claim to fame is the Manufacturers Approval Scheme. It says the scheme is recognised throughout the industry and is proof of a manufacturer's commitment to the safety of its products and its customers.

View attachment 967959
The Badge on my Adria Twin

• Does this badge mean anything to you?
• Would you buy a van that is not NCC approved?
• Is this badge something you look for when buying?

Thing is, I've written the most downloaded Motorhome Buyer's Guide in history, and I don't mention the NCC Scheme. Is this remiss of me? Should I add a few paragraphs in the next buyer's guide update?

Just a another thing the manufacturer brought out for the customer to have carried out to keep the warranty on their Motorhome/ caravan, my understanding is this should be carried out free of charge by the manufacturer because they are the ones that need the guarantee not us and taking into account the amount of money we pay to buy one of their products. I believe it should be free of charge.

 

[Jim]

A few years back I was invited to join the battery working committee of the NCC, which I did.

Hi Clive, hope you are well. You are just the man to answer this question.

The Verified Battery Scheme. Looking at it On the surface, it would appear that the only thing verified is the weight, width and height ect. Sometimes the cycles given are 25 or so cycles less than the manufacturer's quote.

Is this just a list of batteries, or have they undergone meaningful testing to get on that list? How did they get on the list?

 

[PhilandMena]

In my opinion, one only has to look at how the NCC Battery verification scheme was managed to see what the NCC priorities are. Their priority is their membership. Motorhome owners are a different matter.

 

[Victor And Margaret]

1. Yes - Yet another B.S. scheme that charges a fortune for a worthless B.S. badge that's supposed indicate quality but is totally worthless.
2. Absolutely.
3. Really couldn't give a bugger!

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[The Wino]

I've had a press release sent to me about the NCC celebrating it's 85th Birthday. This organisation was set up to represent the maker's and dealers interests. And in that I'm sure that in this, it does a good job.

They do many things, but their main claim to fame is the Manufacturers Approval Scheme. It says the scheme is recognised throughout the industry and is proof of a manufacturer's commitment to the safety of its products and its customers.

View attachment 967959
The Badge on my Adria Twin

• Does this badge mean anything to you?
• Would you buy a van that is not NCC approved?
• Is this badge something you look for when buying?

Thing is, I've written the most downloaded Motorhome Buyer's Guide in history, and I don't mention the NCC Scheme. Is this remiss of me? Should I add a few paragraphs in the next buyer's guide update?

Back to the original question maybe a paragraph in the buyers guide should include information that the scheme is run by a body set up by manufacturers and the badge is worthless!

 

[Spriddler]

I've heard of the NCC because there's one of their badges on my m/h but I've never been interested in knowing who they are or what they do. I'm not influenced by any manufacturing trade assurances anyway.

 

[PORKSTER]

Quick answer I couldn't care less.

 

[mitzimad]

Much like the master craftsman guild which anyone can pay to join well favoured by our traveling builders friends

 

[Tim P]

I suspect its a bit like the "checker-trade" and " institute of master craftsmen" trade bodies. The manufacturer or supplier in question, pays the fees and gets to use the logo/badge. They might get inspected once a year. When I was a "member" of the " institute of master craftsmen" i was never once visited except by the salesman, once a year, to collect the fees. Not worth the paper its printed on!
Just sayin'

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[TSD1623]

I've had a press release sent to me about the NCC celebrating it's 85th Birthday. This organisation was set up to represent the maker's and dealers interests. And in that I'm sure that in this, it does a good job.

They do many things, but their main claim to fame is the Manufacturers Approval Scheme. It says the scheme is recognised throughout the industry and is proof of a manufacturer's commitment to the safety of its products and its customers.

View attachment 967959
The Badge on my Adria Twin

• Does this badge mean anything to you?
• Would you buy a van that is not NCC approved?
• Is this badge something you look for when buying?

Thing is, I've written the most downloaded Motorhome Buyer's Guide in history, and I don't mention the NCC Scheme. Is this remiss of me? Should I add a few paragraphs in the next buyer's guide update?

Yes
Yes
No
Personally, I use a NCC approved garage, but purely because they can service, MOT and do a habitation check at one appointment. I have no reason to trust or distrust the NCC, approval. I am most likely among the majority of members here, I trust no scheme, without validated proof that they are honourable and trustworthy. This forum guides me to any decisions I have to make regarding motor-homes and anything to do with them.

I do not think you are remiss to not mention them, Jim. If they were interested in consumers, I am sure they would be better known and also be pushing the benefits on the best motor home forum there is. I certainly do not see this happening here.
Thank you for all the hard work, Jim. I have learned so much here, as a reasonably novice motor-homer, that does not get away nearly as much as I would like.
Thank you.

 

[Rockpool]

Yes recognise there is a badge on the side of the Motorhome.
Yes.
No.

 

[weejocky]

The NCC run a trade show that is seriously inferior to shows on the continent. They often pretend to be on the side of the consumer, but it's obvious that bit of toast is unbuttered.

Why would a trade organisation have a verified battery scheme, is it to help jo public, or help their customer members choose which batteries to put in vans. Neither makes sense. Why should the public listen to what a trade body says anyway when everyone knows their vested intrest is (rightly) with there customer, the maker and dealer.

We all know many motorhomes have a weight/payload problem, the NCC could cut through the confusion and state exactly what payload is and how much (minimum) an "approved" van should have. But while that would help the public, their customers wouldn't be so happy so don't hold your breath.

As far as a motorhome consumer is concerned, the NCC are just about OK at putting on a caravan show, everything else is just jobs for the boys and don't concern us.

 

[Adeydub]

Maybe foreign makers think that they will sell more vans here if they are "Approved" By the NCC. However, I think the NCC has such a low profile among the buying public, that maybe these makers are wasting time and money getting approved.

I just looked it; it’s a scheme for just uk based companies and they need to pay so it could be something of a ‘club’

The NCC objective is to ensure the UK Leisure Vehicle industry exceeds the fundamental criteria for products to be safe and fit for their purpose.

So it provides a level of assurance for uk manufactured vehicles, not sure if there is an equivalent in Europe

Anyway, it keeps someone employed!!

 

[Pausim]

I just looked it; it’s a scheme for just uk based companies and they need to pay so it could be something of a ‘club’

The NCC objective is to ensure the UK Leisure Vehicle industry exceeds the fundamental criteria for products to be safe and fit for their purpose.

So it provides a level of assurance for uk manufactured vehicles, not sure if there is an equivalent in Europe

Anyway, it keeps someone employed!!

The EU has standards and regulations that manufacturers have to comply with. I suspect the UK still has much the same regulations and trade body standards contribute little to consumer protection.

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[The Wino]

The EU has standards and regulations that manufacturers have to comply with. I suspect the UK still has much the same regulations and trade body standards contribute little to consumer protection.

I suspect trade bodies if anything would be against consumer protection if it comes at a cost to the trade

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

To me NCC Approved is what I was looking for in a mobile motorhome/ caravan repair/service engineer. If my van had it's annual hab service done by one, it kept my 10 years water ingress warranty valid as per the T&Cs.

 

[TonyEmm]

Maybe foreign makers think that they will sell more vans here if they are "Approved" By the NCC. However, I think the NCC has such a low profile among the buying public, that maybe these makers are wasting time and money getting approved.

It sounds to me a little like CaSSOA, it’s run by an insurance group, and their insurers insist you’re on a ‘Gold’ Site.
I was one, for 16 years! They never checked us, and we eventually pulled out when they doubled the fees for small sites.
We were afraid we may lose some business but not so…. Folk it seems, prefer a small “secure” site that doesn’t have all the bells & whistles they now insist on for gold status.

They don’t improve security, which is what folk are paying for!

 

[Neilfg]

Yes, Does this badge mean anything to you?
Yes, Would you buy a van that is not NCC approved?
Yes, Is this badge something you look for when buying?

I have learnt that the NCC has guidelines for Dealers members on how they deal with customers and handle issues, the one time I have had to use them the dealer was poor and ignored the issue the NCC basically made them pay up. So have found the NCC to be excellent in this regard in assisting me in getting a fair outcome.

NCC membership is definitively something I would consider when looking at a UK dealer and buying from them.

 

[Pausim]

Do NCC workshops, dealers and manufacturers get regularly inspected or does the badge come automatically with membership?

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