Bailey Unicorn Barcelona fridge freezer problem

[AndrewTams]

Hi all

Bought a new unicorn Barcelona in July 2011 and seasoned it straight away, beginning of August developed fridge freezer issues regarding condensation between 2 units that ingressed into the circuit board causing the fridge freezer to keep turning off on its own. So would come to caravan at weekend and all freezer items thawed out. Informed company of issue and they said get in touch with Domitec. Called Domitec Nd they said get in touch with local engineer which I did but no reply.
Suddenly fault rectified itself so no worries. End of September reoccurred so called local Domitec engineer who finally came out end of October looked and said will try and sort it out over winter period but it looks like a design fault. 5th January no engineer contact,

Question paid 22000 for a caravan and not happy so firstly has anyone ideas or same problem with ff. thanks in advance for any replys

Andy Tams

 

[ProfJohnL]

hello Andrew,

As your caravan is so recent, and the fact that you reported the fault within 6 months of purchasing, you should be fully covered under the Sale of Goods Act.

Write to your supplier, and detail all the relevant fact, with dates. Tell them that you reject the ff as it is faulty, and as the fault was manifest and reported within 6 months of purchase, ask them to supply and fit a new replacement within a reasonable number of working days, such as 14 under SoGA. You should not have to do anything, as SoGA requires the seller to accommodate you.

If they play hard ball and don't react contact trading standards.

 

[NigelDonnelly]

Andy

Sorry to hear of your problems. Can I just ask, have you been contacting your supplying dealer or Bailey customer service up to this point?

Regards

 

[Surfer]

You should be contacting the dealer and the dealer should be contacting Dometic as it is the dealer's responsibility to do this under SOGA as John pointed out, not yours.

 

[ChristineandAlan]

Hi Andy Tams,it seems to be problems with new caravans all the time.
your contract is with the dealer that you bought the caravan off so dont let fob you off,they should sort it out not you.the problem lies with them dont worry get back to them for them to sort it.
All The Best Alan P/T
kia sorento
Abbey Gts 620

 

[AndrewTams]

Thanks for all your replys people some good points I will keep you informed

 

[AndrewTams]

Thanks

 

[Royston]

Hi Andy,
Sorry to hear of your problem, Its amazing to hear that despite purchasing a top of the range caravan £22.000 that your problem is being delt in the way you describe.
The advise being given so far is correct up to a point, your dealer should be the one that should be bending over backwards to rectify your very serious problem.
Point being that you cannot enjoy the use of your caravan.
I would write to the dealer explaining the problems that you are experencing, with a copy to the caravans manufacurers M D, so that they are aware of a possible design fault..
I have only ever once purchased a brand new caravan , it was the same manufacture as you, The price paid was half of what you have paid, The problem was , (which has affected all the range of vans produced ) was leaky front and rear end panels, mine being the rear end panel.
The dealer tried to do a bodge job ie repair the cracks wirth special fillings, this I rejected, Frustration not being able to use my van, I wrote a letter to the MD, explaning the problem , and what was his intending solution to rectify it.
I received a reply signed by the MD explaining that they had appeared to have solved the problem , and that they were sending a new rear panel to be fitted to my van.
I lost 2 months of summer caravanning through no fault of mine.

 

[xtrailman]

Or has the dealer gone belly up.
The dealer should sort it.
When my last caravan fridge failed the dealer sent out a local engineer, on the second occasion the dealer repair.
On the last occasion i repaired it.
And yes it was a Dometic.

 

[AndrewTams]

Hi All

Would like to thank you all for your comments they have brought me to the decision to go to the dealer tomorrow and tell them what I want them to do as yes you are all right it's their problem not mine. I bought this caravan brand new from Lowdhams leisure in all good faith and now they need to get it sorted or replaced before the new season starts otherwise we loose more season time.

Thanks again and I will keep you all informed take care happy caravaning

 

[AndrewTams]

Hi Nigel

I have been contacting the dealer (Lowdhams Leisure Huddersfield) and Dometic who told me to talk to the local engineer who isn't employed by either of them.

Thanks

 

[NigelDonnelly]

Hi Nigel

I have been contacting the dealer (Lowdhams Leisure Huddersfield) and Dometic who told me to talk to the local engineer who isn't employed by either of them.

Thanks

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the reply.

As the rest of the thread has already suggested, go to the dealer, explain the problem, don't be fobbed off, don't lose your temper and let us know how you are getting on. I'd suggest that you also keep note of your contact with dealer, Dometic and anyone else. It helps demonstate that you are being mucked about if you can produce a diary of your inconvenience.

As the dealer and the component are essentially good, I've got my fingers crossed for a good result

Good luck!

 

[Surfer]

I find it difficult to believe that the dealer is getting you to do all the legwork and I thought they were one fo the better dealers. Tell them that it is their responsibility to get it fixed, not yours. The only thing you should be doing is agreeing to an appointment time.

 

[GStockton]

Andrew, Over the last 25 or so years I have Bought 4 Brand new caravans from Lowdhams. Yes there have been snags with some of them, but all of the faults and complaints have been delt with both speedily and Professionaly by them.
Will I by from them again ? Yes of course, I walk in to there Showroom and the Staff know me, This year its time for a new one
Speak to them in a proper manner, don't pull them on a public forum and they Will sort it for you.
Glenn

 

[RogerL]

Speak to them in a proper manner, don't pull them on a public forum and they Will sort it for you.

If it had been sorted when it was first reported there wouldn't have been any need to post on a public forum - but they didn't sort it.

 

[AndrewTams]

Hi All

Just to let you all know that it is now first week in march and guess what. Caravan fridge freezer still not fixed yet. Spoke to retailer who has spoke to Dometic who have said that there is now a kit available to repair the fault due out 1st February 2012. Not seen an engineer or kit as of yet.

Customer satisfaction guarenteed. Mrs not happy neither. Ground rent due by the 1st April, starting to think I should drop caravan back off at sale point and ask for replacement or just go for something else.

Have seen new Willow retreat well nice, but if you look at the fridge freezer in it they have put the fridge freezer from he Pegasus in. What does that tell you. Happy days.

 

[Damian]

From your description you have a series 8 fridge in your van.
There are known condensation problems and a kit is now available to remedy the problem.
If the dealer is making you do all the work, then it would probably be quicker to contact your local Dometic Approved Engineer and get him to sort it out.
It should be a lot quicker than going through Dometic head office.

You can find your nearest engineer here: http://www.dometicapproved.co.uk/service.aspx

Put your postcode in and it should give you a list of engineers

Just as an aside, the Dometic Approved Engineers were only informed of the kits and repair instructions in an email dated 3rd February .

 

[AndrewTams]

He already knows about it and has been dealing with it since September 2011. Things don't happen quick in Yorkshire not in my world of caravaning but thanks for the advice.

 

[Almeria]

Contacted my local Dometic Engineer re fridge/freezer 8xxx series, as I have one in my Bailey Unicorn Almeria, (but so far, no problems in mine), and he explained the modification kit provided by Dometic.
Apparently in humid conditions, condensation can build up on the doors, as the heaters in the doors are programmed to switch off after a certain time, and water could get into the electronics. The modification is to fit plastic lips to prevent water running into the electronics, and also to change the circuit board, such that the heaters stay on permanently.
Baileys were unaware of this, and obviously not had any reports of faulty fridge/freezers sent to them. They did say, that if the fault occurred in my van, to contact the dealer, who in turn, would arrange the repair with Dometic.
Spencer