Bailey 'covid-19' 6 month warranty / annual service deadline extension muddle

Aug 15, 2017
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Couldn't see anything in the search facility on this so here goes.

Not sure if anyone outside of Bailey (from whom I'm not as yet getting 100% clarity) can ever actually know the precise answer at this time and it will just be down to possibly arguing the point with Bailey in the months or years ahead in the event of any warranty claim, but what do they mean when, as on their website https://www.baileyofbristol.co.uk/news-events/covid-19-update-from-bailey-of-bristol/ when they say, "For owners concerned about getting their caravan or motorhome serviced during in the coming weeks to maintain the warranty, we have now extended the due date of the 2020 annual vehicle service for a further two months making six months in total."

On the face of it there's a "due date", its deferred "6 months". Simples.

However ....

First off, it seems some detail or further background might have been in whatever the initial announcement was (ie. the one granting the 4 month extension) as this latest announcement only builds a further 2 months on to an earlier provision. The original announcement text seems not to be on their website.

Secondly, and on to the more nitty gritty of it, our caravan's original purchase date was 27th March 2015. So it was due its 5 year service in March this year. Ordinarily to preserve the warranty you needed to (i) have it done at a Bailey approved service centre/retailer, and (ii) within 6 weeks either side of the purchase anniversary, save for I think the 3rd and certainly the 6th year services needing to be done before the anniversary.

I see in their latest May 2020 revision of the downloadable warranty PDF document they've relaxed point (i) so it may also be done at any Approved Workshop Scheme service centre but to me surely the 6 week "due date" window and "6 month extension" combine to mean I've until say Saturday 7th November to get a service. Meanwhile, one of the few Bailey listed service centres who are answering phones or emails reckons the 6 month extension only runs from the anniversary date, which would be to 26th September.

Bailey themselves, had previously emailed (with my uppercase highlighting)

“In order to accommodate customers who have been unable to get their vehicle serviced during the COVID-19 lockdown period we have taken the decision to extend the due date of the 2020 annual vehicle service by a further two months, making six months in total. Provided the vehicle is serviced in this extended window then the warranty will remain valid. The six month window extension applies to all vehicle services during the warranty period. This will mean owners of vehicles requiring their THIRD or SIX year annual service will therefore, as a gesture of goodwill, POTENTIALLY enjoy an additional six months on the term on their manufacturers’ warranty or bodyshell integrity warranty. …. The date of the 2021 annual service will however need to be brought back in line with the anniversary of the original date of purchase. This will mean that the required interval between 2020 and 2021 annual services may well be less than twelve months in order for the warranty to continue to be maintained.”

So, my question there that I’m awaiting word on from Bailey, is why single out the 3rd and 6th year services as possibly the sole beneficiaries of the extension and what’s that open-ended nasty “potentially” word doing in there? Is there a hidden catch?
 
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Nov 11, 2009
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Couldn't see anything in the search facility on this so here goes.

Not sure if anyone outside of Bailey (from whom I'm not as yet getting 100% clarity) can ever actually know the precise answer at this time and it will just be down to possibly arguing the point with Bailey in the months or years ahead in the event of any warranty claim, but what do they mean when, as on their website https://www.baileyofbristol.co.uk/news-events/covid-19-update-from-bailey-of-bristol/ when they say, "For owners concerned about getting their caravan or motorhome serviced during in the coming weeks to maintain the warranty, we have now extended the due date of the 2020 annual vehicle service for a further two months making six months in total."

On the face of it there's a "due date", its deferred "6 months". Simples.

However ....

First off, it seems some detail or further background might have been in whatever the initial announcement was (ie. the one granting the 4 month extension) as this latest announcement only builds a further 2 months on to an earlier provision. The original announcement text seems not to be on their website.

Secondly, and on to the more nitty gritty of it, our caravan's original purchase date was 27th March 2015. So it was due its 5 year service in March this year. Ordinarily to preserve the warranty you needed to (i) have it done at a Bailey approved service centre/retailer, and (ii) within 6 weeks either side of the purchase anniversary, save for I think the 3rd and certainly the 6th year services needing to be done before the anniversary.

I see in their latest May 2020 revision of the downloadable warranty PDF document they've relaxed point (i) so it may also be done at any Approved Workshop Scheme service centre but to me surely the 6 week "due date" window and "6 month extension" combine to mean I've until say Saturday 7th November to get a service. Meanwhile, one of the few Bailey listed service centres who are answering phones or emails reckons the 6 month extension only runs from the anniversary date, which would be to 26th September.

Bailey themselves, had previously emailed (with my uppercase highlighting)

“In order to accommodate customers who have been unable to get their vehicle serviced during the COVID-19 lockdown period we have taken the decision to extend the due date of the 2020 annual vehicle service by a further two months, making six months in total. Provided the vehicle is serviced in this extended window then the warranty will remain valid. The six month window extension applies to all vehicle services during the warranty period. This will mean owners of vehicles requiring their THIRD or SIX year annual service will therefore, as a gesture of goodwill, POTENTIALLY enjoy an additional six months on the term on their manufacturers’ warranty or bodyshell integrity warranty. …. The date of the 2021 annual service will however need to be brought back in line with the anniversary of the original date of purchase. This will mean that the required interval between 2020 and 2021 annual services may well be less than twelve months in order for the warranty to continue to be maintained.”

So, my question there that I’m awaiting word on from Bailey, is why single out the 3rd and 6th year services as possibly the sole beneficiaries of the extension and what’s that open-ended nasty “potentially” word doing in there? Is there a hidden catch?
Still think that your safest option is to get clarification from Bailey. Preferably in writing. If you give them your original servicing window ask them what us the lates you can extend it to. Relying on Forum advice may not be the best approach.

are the 3 and 6 services significant Alutech checks? Your owner handbook may say.
 
Aug 15, 2017
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Relying on Forum advice may not be the best approach.
Was hoping someone might have the inside track on obtaining/sharing the text of what I have just discovered was a Bailey "bulletin sent to [their] Retailer network on the 18th March 2020 in regards to the extension to the 2020 service window". Can't see Bailey sharing it direct with the public, not really their style.
 

Damian

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Mar 14, 2005
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The reason the 3rd anniversary service must be done on or before the due date is that the equipment in the van, such as water heater, fridge, space heater etc have a 3 year makers warranty, so it makes sense that in order to avoid a potential claim the inspection is done within the makers warranty time.

The 6th year service is all about water ingress, making sure there are no leaks before the extension to 10 years.
Again it is to get it inspected to catch any problems within the original warranty period.

Quote " and what’s that open-ended nasty “potentially” word doing in there "

Simple really, if the service is not done within the time scale taking account of the Covid situation, then the extra warranty will not be activated.
 

Damian

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Mar 14, 2005
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Was hoping someone might have the inside track on obtaining/sharing the text of what I have just discovered was a Bailey "bulletin sent to [their] Retailer network on the 18th March 2020 in regards to the extension to the 2020 service window". Can't see Bailey sharing it direct with the public, not really their style.


Even if someone does have information relating to the bulletin they would not be legally allowed to share that with the public.
I have had several bulletins from them and other makers, none of which would I share with anyone else.
 
Aug 15, 2017
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The reason the 3rd anniversary ... The 6th year service is all about water ingress, making sure there are no leaks before the extension to 10 years. ...

All good stuff and true, but what about the thrust of the question in hand: Where now stands the cut-off date for 1st, 2nd, 4th or 5th year service in the light of the 6 month extension. Is it 6 months after the purchase anniverary, or 6 months plus the long-standing 6 week leeway??
 
Nov 11, 2009
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All good stuff and true, but what about the thrust of the question in hand: Where now stands the cut-off date for 1st, 2nd, 4th or 5th year service in the light of the 6 month extension. Is it 6 months after the purchase anniverary, or 6 months plus the long-standing 6 week leeway??
Doesn’t your dealership know?
 

Damian

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The date of the 2021 annual service will however need to be brought back in line with the anniversary of the original date of purchase. This will mean that the required interval between 2020 and 2021 annual services may well be less than twelve months in order for the warranty to continue to be maintained.”

Says it all really !

It is only the 2020 service that has the leeway to move .
 
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Jul 18, 2017
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I am under the impression that the extension applies to caravans that shoudl have been serviced during the lockdown period and does not apply to caravans who required servicing after the lockdown was lifted. Catch 22 is that the dealers are so busy catching up on servicing from the lockdown period that is very difficult to get a booking for a caravan that was due for its service in July, Aug, Sept etc. Not sure what will happen to these people who cannot get a booking due to dealer being overloaded?
 
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Jul 18, 2017
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There is always the option to use a mobile NCC Approved Workshop.
Not if you are having warranty work done at the same time. BTW AWS technicians around our area are so fully booked that it is taking them 6 weeks or more before they can offer you a booking. Remember that they also could not do any work during the lockdown.
 
Jan 31, 2018
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Yes the rules allowed it but I am pretty sure quite a few dealers furloughed staff and were slow to get them back and working though not speaking from any experience here. Our local dealer has closed its servicing site at Worksop entirely and only the Chesterfield branch are now servicing which is a pain for us as it is much further.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Mine was last serviced May 2019. Earliest fir this year is end November. This is mobile AWS who also does it in storage within a nice workshop.
 
May 7, 2012
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The third and sixth services are when the parts and water ingress warranties run out. In normal circumstances therefore the faults if any that would constitute a claim under the warranty have to be discovered before the third and sixth years are ups. The other ones are during the guarantee period so getting in before the guarantee period expires does not matter.
 

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