Hab check, yes or no?

[coliwogs]

I bought the motorhome just over 8 months ago now, It came with a damp and gas hab check which was already 2 months old so it is coming up soon for the year. Question is do I need to do this? Ive only done about 3000 miles in it, just had a full service and Mot last month, Is this like the MOT as a requirement or just a re selling factor? Could do without the hassle of it right now to be honest.

 

[Guigsy]

It's not a legal requirement.

My feeling is it's just a check that you can largely do with common sense. And it's mainly a way for dealers to keep you coming back and spending money to keep the guarantee valid. Which may not pay out anyway.

 

[Andy Norfolk]

I don't believe it's a legal requirement, but you should check whether your insurer requires it. You don't say if the vehicle has any warranty. If it does it will probably be a requirement of the warranty.

Not sure on the vehicles value but generally they are not cheap. So personally I always want to protect something that's cost me a chunk of money.

Minimally I would want the gas and electrics checked as an issue with them could cause a fire.

 

[Jim]

Have a read of this

Motorhome Habitation Check

Some say that Annual Motorhome Habitation Checks are an essential part of owning a motorhome. Others are not covinced,

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Phill D]

It is most certainly not a requirement other than if your warranty is still valid.

Remember it’s an inspection they don’t actually service anything.

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[hja]

We are. It particularly tech minded and whilst can do basic checks we get some reassurance from an annual hab check. But our van is just under four years old.

 

[steve69]

My Elddis is 14 years old and only ever done my own Hab checks using only my eyes & nose. So far so good.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

If your van has a warranty your bound to have one done at a 12 month interval to keep up the warranty or otherwise lose it. Even if your a month out on the required anniversary checks the dealer will renage on any warranty issues

 

[Apacheman]

I bought the motorhome just over 8 months ago now, It came with a damp and gas hab check which was already 2 months old so it is coming up soon for the year. Question is do I need to do this? Ive only done about 3000 miles in it, just had a full service and Mot last month, Is this like the MOT as a requirement or just a re selling factor? Could do without the hassle of it right now to be honest.

I get one done as needed for Autotrail warranty. As far as I can see they check for damp, a gas pressure check and Hab battery condition. Once out of warranty I won’t be rushing to spend £250+ a year on one.

 

[coliwogs]

No warranty left on this, only had 6 months. It coming up for 29 years old but only done just over 40000 miles. I’ll think I’ll hold of this check for now then lol thanks for all your advise

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[Mr porky]

Only if you need to keep up the damp warranty.

 

[Brocksford]

If there's a damp issue they will pick it up before you notice it (when it is worse).
At the place I used to use the guy would just rectify any minor defects found and would only make a modest charge. When you are using gas unless you are quite knowlegable you could be putting yourself at risk. You can find an authorised workshop that will charge far less than £250.

 

[Camper Sue]

I do have an annual habitation check. It's the thought of having grandchildren in my van and no knowledge of whether gas and electrics are safe.

 

[SVMC15]

Damp check for warranty.

In my limited experience I don't have much faith in the people who are 'qualified' to carry out checks or sort issues.

Had a small oven defect which should have been an hour job. I waited. After an hour the 'technician' came in to speak to the manager, apparently he was having big issues. Half hour later I thought I'd ask what the issues are! Was told there was a major gas leak in my van! Confused I asked why they came to that conclusion as I was using it yesterday...... I was asked how as I was using it as there was no gas getting to the oven! I say did he not check the manifold? I closed it knowing the oven work was being done! He hasn't started the job yet as he hasn't got any gas to the oven, so hasn't looked at the manifold!

Also a fridge issue which they couldn't fix, I fixed it myself.

My van has been inspected by me ever since.

 

[Ernesto]

Its a bit of a joke really isnt it. Manufacturer offers to fix problems for 3 years after manufacture date for “free” …but only if you pay a fee every year to the dealer, for them to check whether you need work doing.
Feels like an unfair terms and conditions …?

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[SteveandSueJ]

I get one done as needed for Autotrail warranty. As far as I can see they check for damp, a gas pressure check and Hab battery condition. Once out of warranty I won’t be rushing to spend £250+ a year on one.

It is peace of mind in my view .. plus necessary for my warranty.....

 

[Apacheman]

Another thing with Hab checks is when to get them done. Mines due in July and the past two have shown no damp. Last winter it went back to the dealer under warranty for water ingress. It went back again yesterday for the same problem. A Hab check might give you a clean bill of health in the height of summer that is not reliable.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

On a 29 year old van I would spend thd cost of a hab check on something you need rather than for a check on paper which you could do better yourself.. you know your van better than anyone else.

 

[Tonks]

Remember it’s an inspection they don’t actually service anything.

That depends on who is doing it. Mine has a hab check every couple of years, and they certainly do 'service' things. This has included checking and adjusting the roof mechanism and operation, sorting out the water pressure (which I'd not even realised was low, because it had gradually got bad), fixing damaged or worn trim etc.

To my mind, the habitation service gives me peace of mind that everything in the van is working, and working properly. My van is a pretty simple beast - although the electrics have become more complex over time with changes and upgrades. I therefore decided some time ago to have the habitation services done every other year rather than every year. However, the next one will be carried out somewhere new after I discovered after the last one that the workshop hadn't checked some of the electrics because they were an after-market installation! When I take it for a hab check I really want ALL the electrics to be checked and approved, surely that's the point! So I would say yes, get them done, but make sure that what you think is being covered, actually is.

Should it ever be necessary, it is also evidence that I have routinely and properly maintained the 'camper' side of things, in the same way that my service records show that I have properly and routinely maintained the vehicle mechanics and bodywork bits.

 

[Verteuil Man]

I always have a hab check. It gives me piece of mind that my main electrics have been checked aswell as the gas lines.

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[Rob Wheeler]

Our 'new' Hymer Free 600 Campus passed it's first habitation requirement date last November. It's now 15 months old and we've only done 3000 miles.
We're based in South Devon, the supplying dealer is in Portsmouth.
This is a 340 mile 7 hour round trip for us, TWICE, in two vehicles, as I was told the camper would need to be left for a number of days.

The only Hymer registered dealer in Devon is Highbridge Caravan Centre.
Yes they will do a habitation test, but are in no way interested in any warranty work on vehicles they haven't supplied.
I questioned whether that was infringing their Hymer dealership, that went down like a rat sandwich. They told me they were to busy with the vehicles they'd supplied.

So no way am I giving any dealer habitation inspection business if they are not going to fix genuine warranty work.
The cost of travelling to the supplying dealer in Portsmouth for any warranty work outweighs any likely warranty issues, and my experience from a VW world is they will do everything possible to wriggle out.

An example of this is our sink tap, which is just 10 months old.
This is really a switch that turns the water pump on. The switch has failed, the only way I can get water into the kitchen sink is to turn the shower basin water on to activate the water pump.
I've simply purchased a new tap assembly for £38 which is relatively easy to fit, and has saved huge cost on travelling 7 hours each way twice in two cars to get home whilst they keep the Hymer, plus fuel, all to argue over a warranty repair.

So, I shall leave the habitation inspection until we choose to sell the vehicle and I shall be taking it to a non-caravan campervan dealership who quoted me £100.
The gas will be checked by my gas safe registered plumber.

 

[SVMC15]

Another thing with Hab checks is when to get them done. Mines due in July and the past two have shown no damp. Last winter it went back to the dealer under warranty for water ingress. It went back again yesterday for the same problem. A Hab check might give you a clean bill of health in the height of summer that is not reliable.

I had exactly the same thing, you could push your finger through the rear corners but because it was dry rot swift would not accept the claim. Luckily Marquis back in 2016 said it was reading damp.

 

[bschaldon]

While still under warranty, and after a recently passed hab check, we noticed water dripping down inside our wardrobe. Dealer charged us £120 for “diagnostic work” before effecting a (free!) simple repair to the leaking cable insert from the solar panel.
A problem with an ineffective fly screen on the Heki was rejected by the manufacturer , so I bought and fitted one myself.
So much for warranties and hab checks.

 

[iandsm]

I bought the motorhome just over 8 months ago now, It came with a damp and gas hab check which was already 2 months old so it is coming up soon for the year. Question is do I need to do this? Ive only done about 3000 miles in it, just had a full service and Mot last month, Is this like the MOT as a requirement or just a re selling factor? Could do without the hassle of it right now to be honest.

I thin one out of warranty I would do it myself and I do. I took mine to a well known dealer and when presented with the bill and habitation check sheet I found that there were several item ticked as "checked OK" which in fact were not fitted to my motorhome. Also the "technician" marked the circuit breakers as "Not Fitted" when in fact they are easily visible should he have bothered to lift a cushion and peer underneath. You will not be surprised that I had a few words with the service manager over the £175 bill and have not returned to that dealer.

 

[tonyysue]

I bought the motorhome just over 8 months ago now, It came with a damp and gas hab check which was already 2 months old so it is coming up soon for the year. Question is do I need to do this? Ive only done about 3000 miles in it, just had a full service and Mot last month, Is this like the MOT as a requirement or just a re selling factor? Could do without the hassle of it right now to be honest.

Ive had my van for 25 years (5 years old when purchased) and never had a check of either - gas system came with year coded gas flexibles so have changed those as necessary but have never had any damp ingress!

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[Sleeveless]

I thin one out of warranty I would do it myself and I do. I took mine to a well known dealer and when presented with the bill and habitation check sheet I found that there were several item ticked as "checked OK" which in fact were not fitted to my motorhome. Also the "technician" marked the circuit breakers as "Not Fitted" when in fact they are easily visible should he have bothered to lift a cushion and peer underneath. You will not be surprised that I had a few words with the service manager over the £175 bill and have not returned to that dealer.

There is only a relatively short training course to become a Hab Check "Technician" so experiences will vary .....

 

[Ingwe]

I always have a hab check. It gives me piece of mind that my main electrics have been checked aswell as the gas lines.

This.

 

[Apacheman]

I always have a hab check. It gives me piece of mind that my main electrics have been checked aswell as the gas lines.

Do you have a yearly gas safe check and an EICR (electrics) checked at home?

 

[Peregrinator]

I bought the motorhome just over 8 months ago now, It came with a damp and gas hab check which was already 2 months old so it is coming up soon for the year. Question is do I need to do this? Ive only done about 3000 miles in it, just had a full service and Mot last month, Is this like the MOT as a requirement or just a re selling factor? Could do without the hassle of it right now to be honest.

Don't need, only when you go to sale it.

 

[Faster-Fletch]

We bought our motorhome from a dealer two years ago so thought it was time to have a hab check. Damp was identified. It would appear in all likelihood the problem was there at the time we purchased it for £48,000.

The lesson for me, having watched the guy do the hab check is buy a damp meter. Under £20 from Amazon. Anything over 15% potentially needs attention. Check obvious areas like under windows, near shower trays, water tanks, water pumps etc. coach built homes have lots of seals and they deteriorate over time. Look for signs of black streaks on the outside of the motorhome to identify potential "hot spots" for damp.

Our Hab check resulted in identifying damp at a stage where it could be made good for a relatively small cost by a keen DIYer. I think it was a bargain at £250 as it saved us a potentially much higher cost if it hadn't been identified. We chose a mobile service so we could easily talk to the guy and see what he was actually doing.

My only other point is that apart from the gas pressure check, everything else is easy to do yourself. Damp meter, battery checker and some common sense are all you need.