Annual Habitation & Damp checks (1 Viewer)

Jul 20, 2008
45
25
North Hampshire
Funster No
3,374
MH
Bailey AA 625
Exp
7 YEARS
Hi All,

We have had our Bailey Autograph 625 for just under 12-months now. Van has complete main dealer service history including annual hab and damp checks It came to us with an extended water ingress warranty which has 6-years cover remaining. In order to maintain the warranty Bailey state that the van MUST have an annual hab and damp check and this MUST be completed by a Bailey main dealer . Just been quoted £270 ! (all in) by my local Bailey dealer, work will take 4-hours to complete. Seen prices quoted by local independent service centres which are way less than above. Don't want to getting into warranty void issues with Bailey (should the need to claim arise) so, is it a case of swallowing hard every time I pay the invoice at my local Bailey dealer ? .

Any advise and/or suggestions are very welcome.

Thanks for reading,
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,003
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
You may be able to use an AWS workshop do it rather than a Bailey dealer - Bailey are supporters of the AWS so should enable any of their members to do the habitation etc check.



Certainly worth asking the question of Bailey - if they say no then it begs the question as to why they are supporters of the AWS scheme!

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Jun 30, 2011
7,187
19,908
Barnard Castle, UK
Funster No
17,128
MH
Concorde Concerto
Exp
Since 2007
Wow, that's about 3 grand with inflation as the price inevitably goes up every year over the 10 year period.
 

Bart

Free Member
Jun 4, 2016
3,188
1,396
Northern Ireland
Funster No
43,436
MH
Boxer L4H2 van build
Exp
Since 2016
Wow, that's about 3 grand with inflation as the price inevitably goes up every year over the 10 year period.
Yip they are on the pigs back :) , also who is the MH manufacture i read about sometime ago where the longer you go into their damp warranty period that you make a claim , the more the end user ends up having to pay towards and repair costs ??

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OP
OP
HUGGY
Jul 20, 2008
45
25
North Hampshire
Funster No
3,374
MH
Bailey AA 625
Exp
7 YEARS
Many thanks for all your comments, will certainly look into the AWS scheme and ask Bailey if It's in order to use etc.

Thanks,
 

Musicboy

Free Member
Jul 18, 2012
191
182
United Kingdom
Funster No
22,021
MH
Rapido 7096+
Exp
fulltiming since 2003
If your tied into warranty agreements then that's unfortunate but understandable & above replies noted ..,
However, most hab checks are just that ....they are checks ...
So ... if yre in yre van for a few weeks away .... every day you are doing a hab check ... Yre using probably all the systems on the van & you will know very soon if any systems fail...
personally of many years of FT .. I've never had a dealer Hab check , apart from 2 new vans where I was required to do so re warranty for I think one year (ages sgo) ...
My own opinion only ..... Many dealers tie customers into hab checks re warranty for years & as you quoted £270... well .. that is just crazy , but yre obliged to adhere to the warranty ..
However I can undestand the warranty issues ... but ?....HAVING a fitter going round the van with a damp meter & gas device re checking leaks, getting a torch to see if any leaks from taps etc is just a ripoff ...which takes about 30 mins max more so less .... . But that's the system if ya need to maintain the years of warranty . No doubt customers will pay for that but as always it's risk assessments if anything does go wrong ...
like wise to mechanical ... If owners looked at service intervals , most are check this & chdck that ... Yeah .... we can all do that & don't need to pay done dealer £70.oo or to visually check the engine ...& I can assure you its a visual check ..
ie ... check power steering/ . Brake fluid .. . Coolant ..oil . Levels ...check brake pads ( little bit more involved)...hand brake ... driving lights etc ... That takes me 20 mins ... max ...
Well.... Just saying ...

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Duffer

Free Member
Jan 15, 2018
68
18
Derbyshire
Funster No
52,001
MH
Bessacarr coach built
Exp
12 years
Result !

Bailey have confirmed that using AWS will not effect my warranty, and I have a mobile AWS engineer 8-miles from my home. MFUN sub, best money I ever spent !
Can I suggest that you double check that you can use any AWS. Some (certainly Auto-Trail) insist that the AWS is VAT registered. Not sure why, but I struggle to understand so much these days. If you have a good AWS, they can sometimes sub the mechanical service to a nearby (non VAT registered) garage and you can therefore avoid main dealer prices but stay within warranties.
 

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
Our Swift dealer told us they would like to do the annual hab check, but it can also be done by anyone who is authorised to complete a certain type of summary form for warranty purposes, probably AWS as mentioned above.

We'll probably have the first hab check done by the dealer anyway, as there's one or two minor warranty niggles I'd like sorting, but the mobile guy who serviced our old MH only used to charge us £80-100 so it'll be interesting to see what the dealer's price is. As for the Fiat engine and mechanical service - I'll be taking it to a trusted local independent garage who've been doing our cars for ages.
 

Duffer

Free Member
Jan 15, 2018
68
18
Derbyshire
Funster No
52,001
MH
Bessacarr coach built
Exp
12 years
Our Swift dealer told us they would like to do the annual hab check, but it can also be done by anyone who is authorised to complete a certain type of summary form for warranty purposes, probably AWS as mentioned above.

We'll probably have the first hab check done by the dealer anyway, as there's one or two minor warranty niggles I'd like sorting, but the mobile guy who serviced our old MH only used to charge us £80-100 so it'll be interesting to see what the dealer's price is. As for the Fiat engine and mechanical service - I'll be taking it to a trusted local independent garage who've been doing our cars for ages.
Good idea - if there's warranty issues in the first or second year, the manufacturer normally expects the dealer to resolve those out of their profit margin.Personally, I'd rather they built them better. I'm fed up with working as unpaid quality control.

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mrmalik

Free Member
Aug 12, 2017
23
15
Lincoln, united Kingdom
Funster No
49,951
MH
Elddis Evolution 196
Exp
Newbie
I've just googled an AWS approved workshop for a habitation check in the hope of saving money after reading this thread and there is one only 3 miles away. Quoted £270, yet the dealer i bought it from 6 months ago, Brownhills charge less at £249. Looks like its back to them unless anyone can recommend one cheaper in the Lincoln area
 
Jan 31, 2016
1,117
606
Halifax
Funster No
41,522
MH
A Class Rapido 9097F
Exp
June 2016
Try camper uk think they charged me 250 last year
My local AWS mobile guy has indicated will be half that this year
 

Duffer

Free Member
Jan 15, 2018
68
18
Derbyshire
Funster No
52,001
MH
Bessacarr coach built
Exp
12 years
I use GW Caravans in Creswell - they charge £150 and do a good job. Probably a bit far for you unless you have a wander around Creswell Crags while they do it.

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OP
OP
HUGGY
Jul 20, 2008
45
25
North Hampshire
Funster No
3,374
MH
Bailey AA 625
Exp
7 YEARS
Hi All, Read through my Bailey warranty T's & C's last night (slept very well after that !) and they state that an approved agent (i.e AWS) can be used for annual hab / damp checks during the warranty period. Bailey reserve the right to determine where and who will be used for any repairs arising from ingress etc. So, I'm as sure as I can be that I do not need to use a main dealer in order to maintain warranty. Local AWS engineer as quoted £125 main dealer wants £269.99

The front end (cab) now out of warranty is looked after by a local independent guy who provides an excellent service.

Again, Many thanks for everyone's help and comments. MFUN, what a mine of info and worth every penny of the sub.
 

PeteH

Free Member
Nov 22, 2007
6,853
9,029
East Riding of Yorkshire
Funster No
900
MH
Rapido, 999M.
Exp
18+yrs plus 25+Towing
I appreciate that not everyone is willing or capable, of carrying out what (to me) are the sort of logical checks needed to maintain the Motorhome in "good order". One of the problems is that they are time consuming, and most workshops have a minimum charge and a hourly charge which has to cover (expensive) overheads and labour, VAT and Taxes, NI, H&SE. The manufacturer has to be sure that the vehicle has not been neglected, as the cause of any failure. That is why they put in place the warranty "T&C`s". Put the two things together and the cost of a hab service and damp check, etc; can easily look as expensive as it does. To put it in to some context. I had to replace the gearbox in an R-V some years back at a cost of £6.500. 60% of which was charged as "Labour".

Having said that, It is one of the reasons I would never buy any NEW vehicle. I always remember my Dad brought his then Brand New Ford Anglia home, and had lost 20% of his purchase just crossing the kerb at the dealership!.

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Oct 17, 2016
453
376
Cheshire
Funster No
45,657
MH
A-class
Exp
40 years caravanning. New A-class Moho owners
I appreciate that not everyone is willing or capable, of carrying out what (to me) are the sort of logical checks needed to maintain the Motorhome in "good order". One of the problems is that they are time consuming, and most workshops have a minimum charge and a hourly charge which has to cover (expensive) overheads and labour, VAT and Taxes, NI, H&SE. The manufacturer has to be sure that the vehicle has not been neglected, as the cause of any failure. That is why they put in place the warranty "T&C`s". Put the two things together and the cost of a hab service and damp check, etc; can easily look as expensive as it does. To put it in to some context. I had to replace the gearbox in an R-V some years back at a cost of £6.500. 60% of which was charged as "Labour".

Having said that, It is one of the reasons I would never buy any NEW vehicle. I always remember my Dad brought his then Brand New Ford Anglia home, and had lost 20% of his purchase just crossing the kerb at the dealership!.

But if I and other lovely Funsters on here didn’t buy new, you would not be able to buy our “previously owned” models.;)
 

PeteH

Free Member
Nov 22, 2007
6,853
9,029
East Riding of Yorkshire
Funster No
900
MH
Rapido, 999M.
Exp
18+yrs plus 25+Towing
But if I and other lovely Funsters on here didn’t buy new, you would not be able to buy our “previously owned” models.;)

I would not disagree, and I hope you all carry on so doing.:D2. But I was born and raised in Yorkshire!:D2(y). Where we can show the Scot`s what "Tight" is:whistle:. The Yorkshire war cry is "HOW Much?" :cry:.
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,003
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
I would not disagree, and I hope you all carry on so doing.:D2. But I was born and raised in Yorkshire!:D2(y). Where we can show the Scot`s what "Tight" is:whistle:. The Yorkshire war cry is "HOW Much?" :cry:.
Which bit of Yorkshire?

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swanseajack13

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 19, 2013
983
2,292
Swansea
Funster No
27,612
MH
A class
Exp
3 years
you are lucky it's not a GERMAN m/h then you are in the shit only main dealer at £260 long storey ray xx lol still lol and they bombed the local chippy they can :lips: my :moon2:
 

Bobby22

Free Member
Dec 15, 2013
1,537
6,408
Scotland
Funster No
29,386
MH
Rapido 680ff
Exp
since 2013
I reckon MotorhomeFun could/should strike a deal with a Mobile AWS engineer. Then when we have a rally the AWS guy could turn up and do any work needed.

Habitation, gas , solar, satellite, tv aerials, batteries, navigation, minor repairs, leeks, sog, reversing cameras and much more.

Different engineers could be involved at different venues throughout the year.

A decent discount for Funsters and a decent workload in the one area for the Mobile AWS engineer.

The organiser of the meet would advertise the fact that an AWS engineer will be available at certain times. Obviously if you were travelling to the meet to have a hab service you would book with AWS so as not to be disappointed because he was over booked.

If the prices were reasonable then it could really take off.

A win win situation for all.

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Mar 22, 2016
201
202
Lancashire
Funster No
42,097
MH
AutoTrail V line 635se
Exp
Caravanner since 1993
We sort of do don't we ( have Motorhome fun network) with out Motorhome fun recommended companies section. I've used rhino Installs about 40 miles away. His prices are reasonable but not bargain cheap but he has a special system the main dealers never have. Whatever the price charged HE DOES A PROPER JOB AND CORRECT AND BY THE BOOK AND YOU NEVER NEED TO GO BACK UNDER WARRANTY COS THE JOB HE'S DONE DOESN'T GO WRONG. (he also puts right jobs done by the dealer while he's at it) So I know where my pound gets spent
 

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