Habitation check

[BigClick]

Hi all,
Any suggestions for a mobile Habitation Check service near Walsall?

 

[h1ghway1]

I use Dave Newell in Telford....very helpful and great customer service..

 

[BigClick]

I use Dave Newell in Telford....very helpful and great customer service..

Thank you. We have used Dave in the past. We are looking for someone who can come to us or are more local to Walsall.

 

[h1ghway1]

whoops.. missed the mobile bit -))

 

[two]

GoEuropean, in Cannock?

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[busby]

Buy a damp meter and do your own,,I have never paid to have one done,,Only my opinion but i think it is an utter rip off.BUSBY.

 

[colyboy]

BU. I agree with what you say.

Colyboy

 

[138go]

With a few basic tools you can fix most of it yourself. Why pay for someone to come round and spray the window blinds with silicon spray or check all the rings on the gas cooker are working. Habitation CHECK is just that. The Dealers charge YOU to find faults that they can CHARGE you to fix. All a bit of a rip off really. You may need a Damp Check if your MH is still under warranty for Water Ingress but this may have to be done by an appropriate Dealer. Nearly all UK built MH Manufacturers insist on a full Habitation and Damp Check mainly to line the pockets of their Dealers. Our local Dealer is now also a Fiat Professional Approved Workshop but I certainly would not take anything I owned anywhere near them. Think they have only done it so they can charge for a FULL Service at some extortionate fee.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I thought that the question was “where can I find a mobile service” not the perceived value of such a service. That is the sole prerogative of the OP.

https://www.approvedworkshops.co.uk/find-approved-workshop

 

[138go]

I thought that the question was “where can I find a mobile service” not the perceived value of such a service. That is the sole prerogative of the OP.

https://www.approvedworkshops.co.uk/find-approved-workshop

Do you really think that posting a link to Approved Workshops is any good. It’s a club where you pay to join. The only checking that ever takes place is the cheque they write to join.

PLUS

The OP may not realise that you don’t have to have a full Habitation Check on some models. SMC insisted that we needed a FULL Habitation Service on our Pilote every year. I pointed out to them that Pilote only required a Damp Check. They did not have a price for just that so went elsewhere.

..

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[tonka]

Mark at Central leisure services..
He's a funsters. NCC approved.
Doing mine here in Cannock next Friday.

That's unless I buy a new rapido tomorrow

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Do you really think that posting a link to Approved Workshops is any good. It’s a club where you pay to join. The only checking that ever takes place is the cheque they write to join.

PLUS

The OP may not realise that you don’t have to have a full Habitation Check on some models. SMC insisted that we needed a FULL Habitation Service on our Pilote every year. I pointed out to them that Pilote only required a Damp Check. They did not have a price for just that so went elsewhere.

..

Fair comment but it is a starting point. The engineer that I used is very thorough and I am happy with the service, particularly the comprehensive damp check and the full testing of the gas system complete with CO readings etc. I watched him do it all. If your Pilote damp check was not done by an approved Pilote workshop then your warranty is worth nothing. I found that one out the hard way with my last (Pilote) van.

 

[138go]

Took it to Hayes Leisure who were happy to do the work. Also have access to Pilote Database to register it as being done.

We had a Swift previously and you have to watch that one. They allow you 1 month either side of its first registration date but the 3rd one can only be done up to 1 month before and not after. It's also recorded online so no chance of getting it done at any other time.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Took it to Hayes Leisure who were happy to do the work. Also have access to Pilote Database to register it as being done.

We had a Swift previously and you have to watch that one. They allow you 1 month either side of its first registration date but the 3rd one can only be done up to 1 month before and not after. It's also recorded online so no chance of getting it done at any other time.

Well Hayes are a Pilote dealer of course and very good - two vans from them. Sadly my warranty claim was rejected by Pilote because once I didn’t fancy the 3 hr trip up to them for the damp check etc. It was only about £100 anyway so I coughed up. Chris Hayes is very knowledgable and happy to show things and talk through self fixes for simple problems. Drop down TV bracket failed due to a broken plastic clip. He held the repair back until I picked up the van (Le Voyageur) and very quickly showed me how to do it if it happened again.

 

[138go]

Part of the fun having a MH. The Laika is very good just a few bits and bobs that have needed sorting. The Swift Bolero kept me entertained for hours something was always falling off that or breaking. Done far more miles in the Laika and had nothing just fall apart. Everything is screwed together even the underneath of the seats in the back are screwed to the bases. Had a Pilote and they used thin ply under the seats and I spent ages trying to stop it all squeaking.

Better shut up now and let the OP have his thread back.

Ps. Mark at Central leisure services is very good but is usually very busy.

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[Nik]

Buy a damp meter and do your own,,I have never paid to have one done,,Only my opinion but i think it is an utter rip off

I agree when out of warranty until then you have to pay the money

 

[Lenny HB]

On our third new van never had a hab check, never had any problems with warranty claim, I just have the damp check.

 

[Nik]

On our third new van never had a hab check, never had any problems with warranty claim, I just have the damp check.

You are very lucky then @Lenny HB .
I've had a new floor in the garage of my Auto Trail under warranty. They wouldn't have touched it under warranty if I hadn't sent them all my Hab checks to confirm they were done each year and within period.

 

[Two on Tour]

But of course you would be mad not to have a regular hab and damp check on an Autotrail with their history of water ingress.

 

[Lenny HB]

You are very lucky then @Lenny HB .
I've had a new floor in the garage of my Auto Trail under warranty. They wouldn't have touched it under warranty if I hadn't sent them all my Hab checks to confirm they were done each year and within period.

Not lucky at all, not required on German vans, it's just another British rip off.

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[busby]

Makes me laugh as They call it Habitation Service,,,they do nothing? Hardly..Still cant blame them for dipping their bread.BUSBY.

 

[138go]

It is just a Rip Off. If you have a Uk MH they insist that you have a Habitation and Water Ingress Check. So a ten year warranty generates the Dealer an extra £3000 + over the life of the warranty. Not bad when you think that if they CAN FIND any other work thats needed, like checking the gas or cleaning the fridge chimney its all extra.

 

[Conal]

Autotrail give a ten year warranty but, as said, you have to have the services carried out. Another way of looking at it is, if I had bought a similar van without the long warranty and I was offered the extended warranty for £300 per year I would take it. This is after experiencing the excellent warranty after sales service at Brownhills. If our dealer wasn’t so reliable I might not take this view.

 

[Nik]

But of course you would be mad not to have a regular hab and damp check on an Autotrail with their history of water ingress

Unfortunately You are absolutely right. It would be lovely to inhabit the perfect world of German MoHo ownership where they have no problems whatsoever but being a masochist I like a bit of suffering.

Not lucky at all, not required on German vans, it's just another British rip off.

It's like many things we buy @Lenny HB you have to comply with conditions to maintain warranties or guarantees. I have to comply with the servicing schedule on my Mercedes to maintain the warranty in case of a fault arising. So it is not just a British thing. (This is not a dig by the way just a statement of fact)
Best regards and happy Christmas to you and all.

 

[BigClick]

Interesting posts thank you.
The reason I was thinking if s habitation service was because I could smell what I thought was gas when I was in the van (HymerB544).

However turns out it’s not the propane but something todo with the electrics.

I believe the obnoxious smell was coming from the electro block. It was very hot and popped the springy breaker.

So now it’s an electrical problem

I need to get the electro block checked and check that the solar is working as the battery was flat after I had left it on drive for about two months without hookup. I can’t hook it up now because the block gets hot and pops the breaker.

So I suppose it’s Dave Newall unless anyone can suggest a motorme electrician locally who knows solar and electro blocks ?

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[Two on Tour]

If you need it repairing then these guys will be worth a call.
They can check the unit but it will need to be sent to them .

http://www.apuljackengineering.co.uk/product_repair.html

 

[Larrynwin]

On the Hymer the damp check and spray are necessary for ingress/damp warranty but habitation check is separate and optional .
Mine is now three years old so might get hab check done for peace of mind .

 

[Feltwell]

I agree that a hab check can be done yourself for the most part, but the thing that drives me to get it done by someone else (Dave Newell in my case) is the gas side of things - in particular the gas analysis of the flues, making sure that the fridge and heater are functioning properly and are safe.

Plus, whilst I could do the base vehicle service myself, I don't particularly enjoy crawling around on my cold damp driveway in winter, I've reached the stage in life where I'm happy to pay someone else who has a workshop with a proper lift to do that work ! A combined hab & base service is not that much more than a base service on it's own. I am lucky though, Dave is only a few miles away from me, having someone you trust to do the work and who is local is a big plus.

Any work that needs doing during the year I'll do myself, certainly all the little running repairs on the hab side and any service items or minor repairs on the base side.

I think there's also value in a fresh pair of eyes looking over the vehicle once a year, especially when it's up in the air on a lift. The MOT does that I know but only to a point.

To the OP, personally I'd stick with Dave, especially if you've an electrical problem, but if you want mobile then one of these two may be an option - I've no idea what they're like though.

http://www.abpcaravanservices.com/

 

[BigClick]

Thanks for all the replies very interesting.
As I said the original problem turned out to be electrical as opposed to gas.

I had some great advise from Martin Bushell at AandN caravans.

I took out the leisure battery and it had swollen to the point where the sides were bulged and quite round! I think this is what caused the smell and set the alarm off.

New leisure battery and the ekectroblock is humming nicely as it used to

 

[Feltwell]

Blimey, you were lucky - an exploding battery can propel acid a fair way. Keep an eye on your new battery and check it's not being over-charged would be my first step!

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