Habitation Check

[Simon Select]

Morning all, as you guys all know, Howards Group have got into Motorhomes and we are the new kids on the block!
We are going to be putting an offer up and I wanted some feedback to see if its worth it.
We are launching Habitation Checks for £149. Is this good value? Prices seem to vary a lot and also the degree of what they actually check!

So my question is..... Is this worth it? I think its a pretty good way of flying the flag!

Simon

 

[Paul and Kate]

Depends where your based really.
We get ours done £125 by an elddis franchise but does all makes.
Ncc approved and local to us in stoke on trent.
Will you be offering a funster discount

 

[SpeedyDux]

It is certainly cheaper than Highbridge who want £230 for a hab service.

Taunton is still a long way to travel for us.

 

[Paul and Kate]

It is certainly cheaper than Highbridge who want £230 for a hab service.

Taunton is still a long way to travel for us.

I was under the impression a hab check and hab service were two separate things.

 

[Minxy]

I was under the impression a hab check and hab service were two separate things.

It's the same thing - people think that a hab service means they get things like gas servicing etc done but it usually doesn't include this, just a gas leak test only. So its just basic checks and a damp check (although some may charge extra for this!) and maybe the odd squirt of lubricant here and there on hinges etc - I always assume they are just a basic check. There doesn't appear to be an industry standard so you have to ask what is included and more importantly what's excluded.

There's a confusion that many people make in that just being NCC members doesn't give any 'protection' for a manufacturer's warranty, in simple terms it's just a 'club' that they join to get the NCC badge. Its the Approved Workshop Scheme workshops/members (which the CMC, C&CC and NCC support) that may be recognised by a motorhome manufacturer for hab servicing in order to meet the terms of a warranty but ONLY if that manufacture states that the AWS is authorised to do so - if you look on the AWS website you can see a list of those manufacturers who will accept them in lieu of using manufacturer's franchised dealer's service centre, if they're not listed then they won't usually accept them so this would invalidate your warranty regardless of how well the checks have been done.

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[Minxy]

Back to the OP ... I assume as you sell Romahome and Bailey you are authorised by those manufacturers to carry out servicing and thus meet the warranty terms, however, for other makes a what other manufacturer's warranties would you be able to 'protect'? Also, would you be a member of the Authorised Workshop Scheme?

 

[SpeedyDux]

I was under the impression a hab check and hab service were two separate things.

I find that confusing. From my admittedly limited experience the manufacturer and the dealer also have different checklists. I questioned why the checklist in the handbook hadn't been ticked and signed off but was told that the warranty is still OK.

Everything checked was OK, and the only work done was to tighten a couple of loose screws in one of the lockers. £230 seemed a lot of money for that. Not to mention the cost of diesel for the round trip.

 

[tonka]

May be a useful service for locals but depends how many others are doing same nearby ..

If you were near me I could not use you on my Autotrail unless you are NCC member as that's part of the warranty conditions.
Price seems keen for a dealer BUT personally never use one as I prefer mobile engineer that comes to me and charges less (25-30%).

 

[hilldweller]

Habitation Checks for £149. Is this good value?

Simon

You've been on FUN nearly two years now, surely you realise that price is at least £100 too much for the FUNsters.

Does it include tea and biscuits ?

And an overnight parking, with hook up ?

 

[Odd job]

I have had camper vans of one type or another for many years, all pvc's I have never had a habitation check/service done. I've never had a new van and have no faith in any of the dealers. When we bought our current van it had a 3 year "Warranty" as long as we had their own hab check done, the cost was great and the warranty poor in the second and third years, so we did not carry on. Is there a need for theses habitation checks? or are they just to generate income? When we collected our van after a "full habitation check" the heating did not work, the aircon did not work and several cupboard doors squeaked when opened. So what do we get for our money?

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[Lenny HB]

Don't see the point of hab checks anyone who uses their van regularly knows if anything is not working. Nothing in a hab check that any sensible can't do themselves.
Always bought new vans never had a hab check, never been a problem with getting warranty items sorted.

 

[The Wino]

Morning all, as you guys all know, Howards Group have got into Motorhomes and we are the new kids on the block!
We are going to be putting an offer up and I wanted some feedback to see if its worth it.
We are launching Habitation Checks for £149. Is this good value? Prices seem to vary a lot and also the degree of what they actually check!

So my question is..... Is this worth it? I think its a pretty good way of flying the flag!

Simon

I think your post answers the question a bit what do you include?

 

[sonny]

Swift have their own habitation check list so probably have your check list the same as whatever make you are checking.
Does your price include VAT.

 

[Minxy]

With reference to my post above this is a list of the manufacturers who are happy for members of the Approved Workshop Scheme to do work on their behalf:

https://www.approvedworkshops.co.uk/supporters