Motorhome Habitation Checks- READ THIS earlier than you get one

Motorhome or campervan proprietor? Nervous whether or not a motorhome habitation examine is a authorized requirement, should you want a certificates and the way a lot it prices? Right here’s all the things it’s worthwhile to know!

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What’s a Motorhome Habitation Test?

A habitation examine is an in-depth inspection of the dwelling space of your motorhome, campervan or caravan. It’s a sequence of checks which assessments all of the techniques in your van and makes certain they’re working properly and secure for use. 

It consists of issues like:

• checking the fuel home equipment, system, pipes and related home equipment
• checking the water techniques and tanks
• damp examine
• full examine of {the electrical} system and motorhome leisure batteries (though not photo voltaic)
• security gear checks
• bodywork of your motorhome
• many different issues!

The place do you get a habitation examine for vans executed?

You may both do a habitation examine your self (if you understand what you’re doing) or get an authorized particular person to do it for you. 

For a motorhome habitation examine to be recognised (for instance, should you’re promoting your motorhome), it must be carried out by certified personnel, similar to a home survey. Extra information on the place to search out an authorized centre later on this put up. 

Does a habitation examine substitute an MOT?

NO! A habitation examine is NOT the identical as an MOT. It doesn’t examine the engine or normal roadworthiness of the automobile, JUST the dwelling (habitation) areas. You continue to have to get an MOT even when you have a hab examine. 

Is a habitation examine a authorized requirement?

No, a motorhome habitation examine shouldn’t be legally required until requested by your motorhome insurance coverage firm OR you rent it out to different folks utilizing an organization like GoBoony. 

You do NOT have to have an annual habitation examine earlier than you possibly can drive or use your automobile (not like an MOT, which you want earlier than you possibly can drive it.) It’s completely okay to drive and use a motorhome that hasn’t had a hab examine for years, so long as you could have in-date insurance coverage, MOT and tax.

We at all times advocate getting a habitation examine executed whenever you purchase a second-hand motorhome and, in fact, in case your motorhome insurance coverage firm requires one otherwise you want one to take care of a guaranty, then you will have to get one executed. However, technically, you don’t legally have to do a hab examine in any respect, particularly not an annual examine.

HOWEVER…

Would possibly I counsel that you just do. 

Why motorhome habitation checks are essential

You’ve spent some huge cash in your motorhome and campervan. It’s a major funding. Positive, it’s an asset which may (and possibly will) depreciate, however it doesn’t must depreciate rather a lot.

With correct care and upkeep, you possibly can preserve the resale worth of your motorhome excessive and enhance saleability of your motorhome (until you’re like us and spend most of your time touring round Europe and including on excessive mileage!)

Much more essential, common habitation checks preserve you and your loved ones secure and are nice for peace of thoughts. If there’s a potential or current drawback along with your fuel or electrical system, a habitation examine can unearth it (pun supposed!) 

Watch the video about Motorhome Habitation Checks right here:

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How usually ought to you could have a motorhome or camper habitation examine?

Some motorhome homeowners advise getting a habitation examine executed yearly and there’s nothing incorrect with this. Personally, we get the fuel system checked by an authorized engineer, however solely get a full habitation examine executed each few years, until we spot a possible drawback space, like a moist spot or water ingress. 

In case you have an older motorhome or one with a wood body then you definately would possibly want to get a examine executed extra incessantly (maybe twice a 12 months), simply in case there’s any damp found; rot might be deadly to a wood body, so the faster you uncover it, the faster you possibly can repair it.

Should you’re new to motorhomes, you would possibly discover these posts helpful:

Alternatively, these guides would possibly reply all of your questions (and extra!)

Learn how to e-book a motorhome habitation examine

You may request a habitation examine from an acceptable storage at any time. Most individuals select to do them at first of the 12 months or after a interval of disuse, like after winter storage. 

Should you’d love to do the identical, e-book in as far prematurely as possible- they’ll get booked up months prematurely. 

Once more, you’re free to make use of your automobile with no habitation examine so long as you’re insured, so don’t fear should you can’t get it booked in earlier than your first journey. 

You may both take your automobile to a service centre, or you possibly can e-book a cell engineer to go to you. Keep in mind, should you retailer your motorhome at a yard, you won’t be capable to use a cell engineer as they’ll want entry to 230v and water. 

The place to discover a motorhome habitation examine close to you

You will get a camper hab examine executed in lots of locations. Many motorhome sellers provide the service (for a payment), as do some larger garages. It really works a bit like an MOT- you drop the van off with them and so they’ll do a radical inspection, highlighting any points to you. That is normally executed the identical day as you drop it off- ours took round 4 hours. 

There are locations that are ‘Accredited Workshops’, a gaggle of independently assessed workshops, regulated by the NCC (Nationwide Caravan Council), The Caravan and Motorhome Membership and The Tenting and Caravanning Membership.

There are at the moment over 500 mounted and cell Accredited Workshops throughout the UK. With a view to be accepted on to the Scheme, workshops should go an annual inspection by a workforce of unbiased assessors and should adjust to the Scheme’s requirements. You could find out extra here

A cell habitation examine service generally is a nice thought, however bear in mind they may want energy to have the ability to do a correct job. 

How a lot does a motorhome habitation examine value?

The value of a hab examine for motorhomes can differ drastically. Our final one value us round £290, which included a fuel security examine. That is fairly costly, however it was on the south coast of England and was executed by a seller. Earlier ones have been round £200.

A member of the authorized workshop scheme would possibly cost extra however you understand it’s going to be a radical inspection of the dwelling space of your campervan or motorhome.

What does a motorhome habitation examine contain?

What to anticipate from a hab examine:

• With a view to do a radical inspection of the habitation space of your motorhome, the engineer will want entry to all the things within the van, so have keys for all lockers and the storage and so on.
• Filter as a lot private gear frrom the within of the motorhome as doable. They should get all over the place to examine for damp or areas of ingress, particularly in garages or lockers, and never having to maneuver issues round will make it simpler to identify drawback areas.
• They’ll normally drain your water system and water heater, so don’t hassle filling it earlier than the examine
• They’ll want fuel within the bottles to do a fuel examine (some centres can present their very own bottles should you don’t have one- do examine prematurely)
• If they’re coming to you at residence or at a storage facility, they’ll want a mains electrical connection going into the van to allow them to examine the sockets and different electrical techniques with a view to do a full report. They’ll additionally have to see and examine your leisure battery.

On the finish of the habitation examine, you’ll obtain an in depth report, which can embrace:

• damp report from the damp testing
• something requiring fast consideration or a hearth threat
• probably a fuel system examine certificates, which must be saved along with your paperwork. You would possibly have to ahead a duplicate to your motorhome insurer. 

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Motorhome habitation examine record

Right here’s a listing of issues which can be checked throughout your motorhome or campervan habitation examine:

• Underbody- together with underslung tanks and pipes
• Electrical checks- together with plugs, highway lights, leisure batteries, fridge, lights, air-con when you have it, wiring, RCD, boiler and 230v fitted home equipment (NOT photo voltaic panels)
• Fuel system- together with regulator, hoses, examine for fuel leaks , tanks, flame failure, vents and all home equipment which use fuel
• Water system- together with pump, change, heating system, faucets, valves, pipes, filters, tanks, seals and the bathroom.
• Security equipment- They’ll examine these gadgets are in good working order, together with smoke alarm and CO detector, fireplace extinguisher and fireplace blanket (if fitted)
• Bodywork- doorways, home windows, roof vents, seats in cab, ground, partitions, damp check, blinds/ fly display screen, air flow

Can I do my very own motorhome habitation examine?

Completely. If you understand sufficient in regards to the techniques in your motorhome, campervan or caravan, you possibly can actually do the vast majority of the habitation inspection yourself- we do. The one one we’re cautious about is fuel, as a result of it may be really easy to overlook potential issues which may have extreme penalties. 

If nothing else, you are able to do an everyday visible inspection of the techniques to see should you can spot something which could want taking a look at. 

Motorhome habitation examine record/ sheet

If you’re assured sufficient to do your individual habitation check, begin working by means of the habitation examine list- you possibly can see an example here. Should you see something suspicious or worrisome, you possibly can at all times take it to a service centre for them to take care of. You will want to buy a moist meter so you possibly can examine the partitions and surfaces- though please bear in mind that client items are hardly ever as correct as skilled ones. 

After all, if you’re preserving a guaranty or needing a motorhome habitation examine for insurance coverage points, you’ll have to get knowledgeable one executed so you could have the certificates, however in any other case there’s nothing to cease you doing it yourself- you’ll get to know your van so a lot better too. 

Additionally, don’t neglect you’ll nonetheless have to do motorhome servicing at an authorized location so you will get a stamp within the service historical past e-book. 

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