Some of the posts suggest there is more to this case than we have been given. Consequently any specific advice is likely to be ill judged.
And in this case, it seems we may not have all the relevant facts, and some of the history may be very pertinent to the way the works must be carried out up to this point. My short advice to contact Bailey caravans and deal with their after sales department. My reasons for this advice are summarised below.
What I have picked up on the inaccurate way in which the phrase "Bailey Warranty" has been used. It may be an innocent mistake, but the implications are potentially significant.
When you make any retail purchase in the UK your statutory rights as enshrined in the Sale of Goods Act (SoGA) automatically kick in, which in a nut shell require the goods to be of satisfactory quality and without defect at the point of sale. SoGA only sets obligations between the customer and the seller.
Unless you purchased direct from the manufacturer, the manufacturer has no control or obligation under SoGA as they are not a party to the contract of sale. However if you used a finance package to purchase the goods (where the goods are collateral) then the finance house has joint responsibility for the condition of the goods. This is a very powerful piece of consumer legislation, which is all too often overlooked.
Sadly if the seller goes out of business, then you have no leverage with the seller, but you might still have leverage with the finance company who has joint responsibilities with the seller. No other sealer will under take SoGA work for you as they were not part of the contract of sale.
The Baily's or any other manufacturers warranty/guarantee is an entirely different and separate business to your SoGA rights. Manufacturers are not obliged to provide any aftersales cover for endusers. So the fact that most manufacturer's do provide a guarantee/warranty is a bonus, but it comes with strings. The Terms and Conditions (T&C's) set out what the manufacture will do given a specific set of circumstances, and it also sets out what the caravan owner must do to retain their rights to call on the guarantee. The T&C's can be as tight as the manufacturer wishes, and it often sets out a strict timetable for certain inspections and maintenance tasks that must be adhered to. Even though the guarantee is gift from the manufacturer you have to register and accept the T&C's which makes it a contract.
As with any contract if either party fails to adhere to the agreed T&C's the contract will have been breeched. The way such situations are managed should be set out in the T&C's. This is why it's important to read the small print so you know the in's and out's of the contract.
Even though the Manufacturer's Guarantee may appear to offer similar benefits to SoGA, it can never supplant your statutory rights, you will often see a phrase like "Your statutory rights are not affected" as part of the manufactures T&C's.
So what are the main differences?
SoGA can only be invoked between the customer and the seller, for the 'life time' of the product up to a maximum of 6 years (Yes Six years) in the England and Wales or 5 years in Scotland. However there is a burden of proof that the fault must have been present or inherently present at the point of purchase. Manufacturers can set their own time usage criteria limits in their guarantees, and some items may be explicitly excluded, or have an obligation attached such as servicing to a strict timetable, or other 'must do's' as set out by the manufacturer.
With a SoGA repair the dealer cannot use the opinion of the manufacture to determine the outcome of a SoGA remedy. The test is what would a reasonable person expect. With the manufacturers guarantee the Manufactures decision is final.
With a SoGA remedy the seller is obliged to inconvenience the customer as little as possible, so for example the seller is must arrange the collection and redelivery of faulty items from and too the customer. They cannot charge you for this unless no fault is found or the items has been abused. Most manufactures guarantee make it the customers responsibility to get the goods and from the repair depot.
When dealing with either a SoGA or a manufacturers guarantee claim its important to know who the main contractor is. The main contractors are :=
SoGA = The seller
Manufactures Guarantee = The Manufacturer (this is usually sub contracted out to the dealer)
Any issues to do with the progress of the claim should be sent in writing to the main contractor or to their nominated representative.
With SoGA Only the seller can undertake the remedy, so it helps to be geographically close to them. The prime benefit of the Manufacturers Guarantee is that you can have works carried out under the guarantee by any participating dealer, you are not tied to your seller.
If the work is being covered under the Manufacturers guarantee, then the manufacturer is the main contractor, and the dealer is a sub contractor. If the sub contractor ceases to trade, then the manufacture, as the main contractor, is liable to find an alternative subcontractor to complete the work at their expense, unless such conditions are covered differently in the guarantees T&C's.
Unfortunately under SoGA if a seller ceases to trade then the customer has no redress to any other source for SoGA issues.