Minimum servicing for warranty

[Buckman]

If you have a caravan over 3 years old with a 10 year damp ingress warranty that was bought new by yourself, what is the minimum serving required for the damp ingress warranty to be retained. I appreciate that running gear should be serviced every year to meet T&Cs of most insurers.
Should an annual damp check suffice to keep the damp ingress warranty intact as even servicing should have no impact on whether a caravan has damp or not? Dealer wants £300 for a service, but the only thing that they actually service is the running gear. After that it is a damp check, gas pressure check and checking that water and electric systems work okay plus all cupboards and lockers open and close okay. I agree with the damp and gas pressure check, but why pay someone to check something that you already know is working alright.
Ours is due to its annual service next month, but since the last service in Oct 2020 it has only done 1340 miles. We will be using an AWS technician this year as dealer keeps increasing their prices. Is it cost effective just to have running gear and damp check done to keep warranty intact on a 4 year old caravan?

 

[otherclive]

If you have a caravan over 3 years old with a 10 year damp ingress warranty that was bought new by yourself, what is the minimum serving required for the damp ingress warranty to be retained. I appreciate that running gear should be serviced every year to meet T&Cs of most insurers.
Should an annual damp check suffice to keep the damp ingress warranty intact as even servicing should have no impact on whether a caravan has damp or not? Dealer wants £300 for a service, but the only thing that they actually service is the running gear. After that it is a damp check, gas pressure check and checking that water and electric systems work okay plus all cupboards and lockers open and close okay. I agree with the damp and gas pressure check, but why pay someone to check something that you already know is working alright.
Ours is due to its annual service next month, but since the last service in Oct 2020 it has only done 1340 miles. We will be using an AWS technician this year as dealer keeps increasing their prices. Is it cost effective just to have running gear and damp check done to keep warranty intact on a 4 year old caravan?

I thought that your owners documents would tell you the requirements to maintain the damp ingress warranty valid. Mine did. I agree with your sentiments though.

 

[Dustydog]

A very valid point. Reading Swift’s t&cs it looks like a full annual service inclusive of everything is required. Why not ask in writing your caravans manufacturer for their interpretation?

 

[Buckman]

I thought that your owners documents would tell you the requirements to maintain the damp ingress warranty valid. Mine did. I agree with your sentiments though.

No mention of minimum standard for servicing however I would think that CRA 2015 would over ride anything in the first 6 years anyway.
On our previous Lunar we had 2nd year etc servicing done by AWS technician and had no issue with a big damp ingress claim in second year.
As you say they may all be different and guess I will need to ask manufacturer for clarification.

 

[Raywood]

I think all manufacturers require a full service to maintain the guarantee but to be sure you should read the conditions. Many caravans do less mileage than yours but a full service is advisable to be sure everything you rely on works correctly. If it is not used it can deteriorate so having it checked is still worthwhile.

 

[ProfJohnL]

No mention of minimum standard for servicing however I would think that CRA 2015 would over ride anything in the first 6 years anyway.
On our previous Lunar we had 2nd year etc servicing done by AWS technician and had no issue with a big damp ingress claim in second year.
As you say they may all be different and guess I will need to ask manufacturer for clarification.

The CRA does not set out or support any specific requirements for servicing. However if a product has components that are deemed to be consumables, and need to be serviced or replaced to maintain the reliable function of the main product, then failure to maintain such components might count against a CRA claim being successful.

The CRA doesn't override everything, it is in addition to, but cannot be itself be overidden.

Your manufacturers warranty and or water ingress is a totally independent of the CRA as they rest with the manufacturer not the retailer, and the terms for their continuation are contained in their T&C's.

 

[DaveA1]

You don't have to have your van serviced by your dealer, a Mobil engineer will do it for you, even sending the results to your caravan manufacturer. Mine did, and no where near dealer prices.

 

[Buckman]

The CRA does not set out or support any specific requirements for servicing. However if a product has components that are deemed to be consumables, and need to be serviced or replaced to maintain the reliable function of the main product, then failure to maintain such components might count against a CRA claim being successful.

The CRA doesn't override everything, it is in addition to, but cannot be itself be overidden.

Your manufacturers warranty and or water ingress is a totally independent of the CRA as they rest with the manufacturer not the retailer, and the terms for their continuation are contained in their T&C's.

Surely a manufacturer's T&C would only apply to the supplier and not to the consumer?

 

[ProfJohnL]

Surely a manufacturer's T&C would only apply to the supplier and not to the consumer?

The manufacturer's warranty is usually a contract that you are offered when you purchase a new product. In the case of a car or caravan it requires you to register your product with the manufacture, and that is usually one of the several signatures you provide when you complete the purchase with your dealer. You can of course refuse to join the scheme in which case you do not have to follow the manufacturers schedule of services or inspections, but neither will you be able to take advantage of the cover those particular schemes provide.

When the dealer sells a new caravan, they are often taking on several different roles. They don't always make it clear:-

• The first is as the seller or retailer of the goods, and thus liable under the CRA,
• The second is to act as an agent for the manufacturer and offering the option to join the manufacturer's warranty scheme.
• There may be other roles such as acting as an agent for any financial scheme that's been invoked. or for external warranty or insurance schemes on second hand sales.

The CRA only applies to the sale of retail goods and will only affect your direct relationship with the seller - not the manufacturer.

The manufacturer's warranty or inspection is an entirely separate scheme and it is dependant on the new retail sale, it is not part of it.

If you agree to accept the manufacturers warranty or inspection scheme, then that is a separate contract with the manufacturer and is governed by the manufacturers T&C's. If you want to retain the cover those schemes provide your must abide by the T&C's. if you fail to have a service in accordance with the agreed schedule, you are in breach of contract and the manufacture may void or withdraw some or all the benefits of that scheme.

 

[Buckman]

The manufacturer's warranty is usually a contract that you are offered when you purchase a new product. In the case of a car or caravan it requires you to register your product with the manufacture, and that is usually one of the several signatures you provide when you complete the purchase with your dealer. You can of course refuse to join the scheme in which case you do not have to follow the manufacturers schedule of services or inspections, but neither will you be able to take advantage of the cover those particular schemes provide.

When the dealer sells a new caravan, they are often taking on several different roles. They don't always make it clear:-

• The first is as the seller or retailer of the goods, and thus liable under the CRA,
• The second is to act as an agent for the manufacturer and offering the option to join the manufacturer's warranty scheme.
• There may be other roles such as acting as an agent for any financial scheme that's been invoked. or for external warranty or insurance schemes on second hand sales.

The CRA only applies to the sale of retail goods and will only affect your direct relationship with the seller - not the manufacturer.

The manufacturer's warranty or inspection is an entirely separate scheme and it is dependant on the new retail sale, it is not part of it.

If you agree to accept the manufacturers warranty or inspection scheme, then that is a separate contract with the manufacturer and is governed by the manufacturers T&C's. If you want to retain the cover those schemes provide your must abide by the T&C's. if you fail to have a service in accordance with the agreed schedule, you are in breach of contract and the manufacture may void or withdraw some or all the benefits of that scheme.

Thanks helpful post. I am wondering about your options after the first 6 years have passed and there is a manufacturers warranty for damp ingress for 10 years.
If damp is detected between year 6 and year 10 whose responsibility is it to resolve the issue if you are able to demonstrate a full service history? If manufacturer has gone belly up then I guess it is tough luck i.e. Lunar.

 

[ProfJohnL]

If a manufacturer has ceased trading, unless they have sold the company and the new owner has taken on all its liabilities, then any sort of manufacturers warranty ceases to have any effect.

If you still have some body warranty running after 6 years, and the company is still operating and you want to use the warranty you must still fulfill all the obligations set out in its T&C's. - you cant pick and choose which parts of a contract to adhere to and those to ignore. If you don't fulfil the the requirement's to the letter you are in breach of contract and the warranty may be voided or cancelled by the company.

Read the warranties T&C's. which will set out what servicing/inspections are required and when.

 

[Buckman]

The T & Cs state it must have an annual habitation service to maintain damp ingress warranty. Not sure how checking that the lights work is going to prevent damp ingress? LOL!