Swift damp from roof

[Georgezx9]

Hi all been a member for a while, but my son has just started, and just bought a second hand swift challenger 460/2 from the biggest caravan dealer in somerset.
The van is in great condition, except that now he has it home and over the wet weekend, we have noticed some moisture inside the shower cubicle, for my sins I checked for damp in all the walls but did not check the ceiling DOH!
It looks like moisture is coming in via the lights in the shower, on the basis that leaks dont travel uphill, i checked to find there is a joint running width of the van right over the shower cubicle, it not looking great, with black mould on the right hand side and a possible hole in the mastic, we have rechecked for damp, and ceiling is dry except for about 6 inches from the rear end area of the end bathroom (about 1 sq ft in area), outside that moisture level is very low.

The seal is as per the sketch attached i.e. a 'd' plastic strip on mastic, my plan is to replace it, I have successfully changed the awning rail on my older eldiss of a few years ago.

My question, is the d strip just bedded in the mastic, there are no screws, therefore if i prize it off & remove mastic and then refit with new d strip and roll of mastic (not a mastic gun), is that all i need to do.

Is this how it is attached?

We appear to have minor damp on the floor in the same corner of about 4" square, but not bad, I also intend painting with bitumastic.

Thoughts

PS we are in dispute with caravan shop who said there was no damp. but fear we may lose hence my question

 

[Damian]

If you are sure the strip is just a D shape and not a P shape then it is just bedded on mastic.

If it will come off with careful removal and is thoroughly cleaned as also the caravan roof where it will be refitted, then use Soudall Fixall gunned mastic to reseal.

I do not advise strip or roll mastic as it almost impossible to ensure it sticks everywhere, whereas gunned mastic does.
The mastic that would be squashed out can be very easily tooled to give a smooth seal, even easier if you put a strip of masking tape along the roof a couple of cm's away from the strip either side.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Time is of the essence.

It is always best to try and sort this out amicably with the dealer, but if they are not being reasonable then you may have a case to invoke the Consumer Rights Act. I strongly advise you read up about your statutory rights under the act.

The reason I say time is of the essence, is becasue you tell us in your post your son has just bought the caravan, and your right under the act have a strict time schedule that begins when you take possession of the goods.

The Consumer association who publish Which? magazine have some very valuable free information:-

Consumer Rights Act 2015 - Which? Consumer Rights

The Consumer Rights Act gives you rights when you buy goods and services or digital products. Understand your rights with our informative guide.

www.which.co.uk

.

Basically if the goods are found to unsatisfactory (not fit for purpose or do not conform the sellers description) withing 30 Days of the point of sale you can reject the goods and the seller must provide a full refund

If you have missed that date, then within six months from the point of sale, a fault of type you have described is assumed to have been present at the PoS, and the seller must either offer to repair the goods or offer a full refund. The seller has one chance to effect a repair, if teh repair is unsatisfactory they must offer a full refund, though there may be some reduction if the goods have been able to used to some extent.

If its more than 6 months since the PoS, the CRA requires the customer to provide enough substantive evidence such that on the balance of probability the fault was present at the PoS. or the underlying cause was present.

The dealers statement that the caravan was dry when they sold it is crucial, becasue if your son has owned it for less than 6 months then the dealer would have difficulty withstanding a CRA claim.

This is brief summary of the CRA - read up about it and you may be surprised how powerful it is.

It will also help if you son used a credit card or finance deal to purchase it, as the finance house is jointly responsible with teh dealer for the condition of the goods. Look up Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 .

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act - Which?

If you buy goods or services on your credit card, Section 75 can give you extra protection if things go wrong.

www.which.co.uk

Be honest with your claims, becasue if dishonesty is detected during such claims it will seriously affect your credit ratings.

 

[otherclive]

Hi all been a member for a while, but my son has just started, and just bought a second hand swift challenger 460/2 from the biggest caravan dealer in somerset.
The van is in great condition, except that now he has it home and over the wet weekend, we have noticed some moisture inside the shower cubicle, for my sins I checked for damp in all the walls but did not check the ceiling DOH!
It looks like moisture is coming in via the lights in the shower, on the basis that leaks dont travel uphill, i checked to find there is a joint running width of the van right over the shower cubicle, it not looking great, with black mould on the right hand side and a possible hole in the mastic, we have rechecked for damp, and ceiling is dry except for about 6 inches from the rear end area of the end bathroom (about 1 sq ft in area), outside that moisture level is very low.

The seal is as per the sketch attached i.e. a 'd' plastic strip on mastic, my plan is to replace it, I have successfully changed the awning rail on my older eldiss of a few years ago.

My question, is the d strip just bedded in the mastic, there are no screws, therefore if i prize it off & remove mastic and then refit with new d strip and roll of mastic (not a mastic gun), is that all i need to do.

Is this how it is attached?

We appear to have minor damp on the floor in the same corner of about 4" square, but not bad, I also intend painting with bitumastic.

Thoughts

PS we are in dispute with caravan shop who said there was no damp. but fear we may lose hence my question

When did your son buy the caravan from the dealer. They do have a responsibility under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. A recent series of posts under the title Soggy Bottom is worth a look. The OP got a full refund as his van was damp throughout the floor. I’d read the thread and the links to Citizens Advice etc and if relevant to your sons purchase I would pursue your legal right by going back to the dealer and trying to get a resolution. I also would just tape up the area involved don’t start repairs that could make matters worse as far as your sons consumer rights are concerned. If your son does have to use the CRA 2015 Act a claim up to £10000 can be pursued via the Small Claim Court on line process cheaply and quickly. But firstly try and get a amicable repair from the dealer. Do read “ Soggy Bottom” thread. Invaluable.

 

[Georgezx9]

If you are sure the strip is just a D shape and not a P shape then it is just bedded on mastic.

If it will come off with careful removal and is thoroughly cleaned as also the caravan roof where it will be refitted, then use Soudall Fixall gunned mastic to reseal.

I do not advise strip or roll mastic as it almost impossible to ensure it sticks everywhere, whereas gunned mastic does.
The mastic that would be squashed out can be very easily tooled to give a smooth seal, even easier if you put a strip of masking tape along the roof a couple of cm's away from the strip either side.

Thanks, is a P shape obvious from above, and how is this attached differently.

 

[Georgezx9]

Time is of the essence.

It is always best to try and sort this out amicably with the dealer, but if they are not being reasonable then you may have a case to invoke the Consumer Rights Act. I strongly advise you read up about your statutory rights under the act.

The reason I say time is of the essence, is becasue you tell us in your post your son has just bought the caravan, and your right under the act have a strict time schedule that begins when you take possession of the goods.

The Consumer association who publish Which? magazine have some very valuable free information:-

Consumer Rights Act 2015 - Which? Consumer Rights

The Consumer Rights Act gives you rights when you buy goods and services or digital products. Understand your rights with our informative guide.

www.which.co.uk

.

Basically if the goods are found to unsatisfactory (not fit for purpose or do not conform the sellers description) withing 30 Days of the point of sale you can reject the goods and the seller must provide a full refund

If you have missed that date, then within six months from the point of sale, a fault of type you have described is assumed to have been present at the PoS, and the seller must either offer to repair the goods or offer a full refund. The seller has one chance to effect a repair, if teh repair is unsatisfactory they must offer a full refund, though there may be some reduction if the goods have been able to used to some extent.

If its more than 6 months since the PoS, the CRA requires the customer to provide enough substantive evidence such that on the balance of probability the fault was present at the PoS. or the underlying cause was present.

The dealers statement that the caravan was dry when they sold it is crucial, becasue if your son has owned it for less than 6 months then the dealer would have difficulty withstanding a CRA claim.

This is brief summary of the CRA - read up about it and you may be surprised how powerful it is.

It will also help if you son used a credit card or finance deal to purchase it, as the finance house is jointly responsible with teh dealer for the condition of the goods. Look up Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 .

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act - Which?

If you buy goods or services on your credit card, Section 75 can give you extra protection if things go wrong.

www.which.co.uk

Be honest with your claims, becasue if dishonesty is detected during such claims it will seriously affect your credit ratings.

I was there when he agreed to buy, he was clearly told some staining but no damp, the invoice states damp staining present.

 

[Parksy]

The crucial point if you want the dealership to resolve the damp problem is how long ago your son bought the caravan.
If the caravan was purchased within the past 6 months there is the possibility of a successful claim under the CRA.
If you intend to claim, don't try to reseal the the caravan.
If your son bought the caravan more than 6 months ago the potential for a successful claim against the dealer is greatly diminished and you'll be looking for information from forum members on how to effectively seal the caravan to cure the water ingress.

 

[otherclive]

What year is the caravan? If it had an insurance backed warranty does that cover damp ingress. Some though exclude damp ingress resulting from cracked plastic body panels. Some Swifts did develop cracks in the rear panel and whilst the side to side roof tape may look manky have you checked for fine cracks in the panel.

 

[Raywood]

The dealer should fix the problem as if your description of the dealer is who I think they are then they have a good reputation. Your son needs to contact them and hopeful they will put it right.
If the purchase was less than 30 days ago he can reject it as faulty under the CRA, but if that is the caravan he wants he may just go for the repair. He can give them the chance to repair under the act and still reject it in the next 30 days if the repair is not satisfactory.
If it is on HP, or was bought partly on a credit card, then he can also claim there if there is a problem with the dealer..

 

[Buckman]

If bought within the past 30 days then they cna reject the caravan and ask for all their money back under CRA 2015. If between 30 days and 6 months from day of purchase they need to give the dealer ONE opportunity to do a repair before rejecting and requesting a refund under CRA 2015 as mentioned above. Under no circumstances should they attempt the repair themselves if the caravan is under 6 months old as the damp could be even worse than expected!

 

[Marsh Harrier]

I think I know the company you're talking about....

If it is, it's worth phoning them to see what they say.

Normally if they're know a caravan, has a defect they will point these out at the point of sell, and generally you're find that caravans that do or might, it be reflected in the price being asked, and any defect will be explained at the point of purchase.

And noted known defects on the receipt.

Must admit, I've always found them to be very good, up front