Caravan Servicing

Geof

Generally if not always, an annual service is required to maintain the warranty of a new caravan. Most commonly this is every year for at least three years. Usually you are able to have the caravan serviced between one month prior to the anniversary of purchase and one month beyond. However, for the third year service this MUST be done before the anniversary of purchase just in case anything needs to be done under warranty. Whilst I don't think it is a requirement of the warranty conditions it is always very advisable to have a damp test done at the same time. Many caravans including quite new ones can have water ingress which is far better stopped earlier rather than later, when usually it becomes a very expensive job to put right.

The service can be done by any approved NCC service engineer including mobile but sometimes, I have been told, if there is a warranty claim this has to be done through the supplying dealer. We use a mobile guy, Allan Wood of 'Six One Four' he is based in Nottingham and is excellent and a fair price.

If the service book isn't up to date I would expect the value to be reduced, perhaps considerably.

I suggest you get your 'van serviced at the earliest opportunity.

We have a swift, bought new, and yes to keep the warranty valid, especially the 10 year water ingress, then it has to be serviced every year by an approved (NCC or club) service centre. Also there's a safety aspect to your service where they check for gas leaks, brakes, and hitch gear and other thing. You could ring swift and see if a service now will still keep the warranty in place?

  The insurance company we use for the van also require the van to be serviced regularly.

I suspect that regular sevicing is a condition of most if not all touring caravan insurances

With Swift they guarantee the work done by their dealers and though they allow other NCC workshops to do this servicing they will not guarantee the work. This may be worth remembering when booking a service.

That is the same with Bailey and why any warranty work,is best done at one of their dealerships

I think your warranty is now invalid as someone we know missed their service by a few months and were told they had no long got any manufactures warranty, I would strongly suggested you have it serviced regularly for your and other peoples safety

Has your caravan been serviced,by any one? if not then i would expect your warranty to be invalid,

Certainly the case with our Bailey. It clearly states the warranties both manufacturing and body shell integrity are dependant on an annual service being carried out, in line with the service plan for the van.

Just as an aside while checking this I noticed if you have bought a newish van, one that is still within the warranty period. You have to get Bailey to agree to the warranty transfer and pay them £35 admin. 

Geof can I suggest you contacy swift and tell them that being new to caravanning you were unaware of the situation and if true tell them you were not made aware of it at the time of purchase and then see if they will make an allowance It may also help if you can give them a usage guide to date