Caravan Servicing?

[AnnM1]

Can anyone advise me if I am correct in thinking that you can have a caravan serviced anywhere in the country, but if it requires warranty work it has to be returned to the dealership where it was purchased?

We are seriously considering returning to the North East and taking a seasonal pitch. They do their own servicing if required and have indoor/outdoor storage at very reasonable costs over the winter months. We have used their servicing on site when we had a Hobby and they were excellent.

TOH thinks I am talking through the back of my neck, he believes that it has to be returned to the dealership where it was purchased. Even for servicing.

This all seems a bit silly as it would mean bringing the van back to Sheffield and within a couple of days returning to Northumberland!!!

Any views on this would be appreciated.

Ann

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Ann,

From your question, I believe you understand the difference between a 'service' and warranty work. However you may not appreciate that there is also a difference between Warranty and Manufacture Guarantee work, and that is where the choice of going to your supplier or not actually lies.

When you purchased you new caravan, you were should have been given all the relevant warranty and guarantee documentation. Automatically you have certain legal rights under the Sale of Goods acts (SoGA) that mean if it can be demonstrated that a product was faulty at the time of sale, then the remedial actions are the sole liability of the seller - not the manufacturer.

It is likely that you also received information about the Manufacturers Guarantee. This is not a legal requirement, and thus it is a gift from the manufacture. As a gift, the manufacture can decide who to give it to, and they can specify special conditions that must be followed if the Guarantee is to remain valid. One such condition is usually to keep to the scheduled service intervals.

It used to be they also required the service work to be done by the supplier, however recently they have widened the choice to include other dealers for the same make. This is still seen by some people as an anti-competitive position that restricts consumer choice. In many cases now, the manufacture will accept service work done by bona fide caravan workshops.

In your case I suggest that you find a local workshop, check to see if they are approved by Jones Venning who administer an approved caravan workshop scheme. Then check with your caravan manufacture that they will accept the service stamp of the workshop. Hopefully they will.

Warranty (not guarantee work) work should always be referred to your seller. They may allow the work to be subcontracted - but it is their job to administer and pay the sub-contractor.

Guarantee work must be carried out as per the manufactures instructions.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Ann

I don't know what make of caravan you have but I think you will find Bailey have introduced a scheme where you can have servicing etc carried out at any official Bailey dealer countrywide. Not sure about other manufacturers.

Maybe Kelly from Bailey and Kath from Swift could explain their thoughts here.

Cheers

Alan

 

[AnnM1]

Hi Alan

Our caravan is a Compass Rallye so I guess I will have to make investigations in the North East about servicing.

Ann

 

[DanPaula]

Hi - have a look in your service book - it should give you all the recommended dealers that can carry out the work.

 

[Cockovan]

Hi, we have a Compass, bought in the NE. We did have the first years service done at that dealership but have since had the work done, including warranty work, by another dealer nearer home. I think I am right in saying that if the workshop is NCC accredited then you maintain your warranty. Manufacturers are more concerned about the time scale, a few weeks either side of the purchase anniversary, than the actual dealer who services it. I can reccommend either of the dealers we have used for our current Compass.

Alan

 

[AnnM1]

Thanks for all your replies.

Alan, can you give me some idea of who you used in the North East for servicing/warranty work? We are heading for a site in Belford, just off the A1.

Ann

 

[Martin_374351794]

We moved from the midlands to the south of England with a new caravan. We could have it serviced by any registered dealer of that make, but when the found severe damp, we were able to have it repaired by this dealer BUT had to pay an excess because of "the higher cost of labour".

 

[Cockovan]

Hi Ann,

We bought the van and had first service done by Tyneside Caravans Birtley but now have the work done by Catterick Caravan who have serviced our vans for many years now.

Alan.