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quoteAn annual motorhome habitation service is important to make sure your leisure vehicle is safe for your adventures and kept in a good state of repair. You can have a motorhome habitation check carried out by your dealership or by a mobile engineer at home at your convenience.
We visited Habcheck, an approved mobile service which specialises in habitation services for caravans and motorhomes and asked them a series of questions about a motorhome habitation service as well as seeing what’s involved.
What is a motorhome habitation service?
It’s a full and detailed inspection of the interior of your motorhome’s living area. The engineer will check all of the safety elements, so the gas, water and electrical system, as well as a check of the bodywork externally and internally.
It will also include a damp check and make sure that windows and doors shut correctly so there’s no water ingress.
Is a habitation check a service?
A habitation check isn’t an engine service. When you have a vehicle serviced under the warranty that will include an engine service, change the oil, check the brakes and the chassis etc. A habitation service is a check of the motorhome’s “back end”.
What’s checked in a habitation service?
At the start of every habitation service, an engineer from Habcheck will do a walk-around video. They’ll check the motorhome’s bodywork and will advise if there are any scratches, dents, or anything else which might cause any further issues, such as water ingress. This will include checking that the seals are correct around the lights, doors and windows externally.
They’ll check the water systems – draining the water out and then refilling the tank so that they can check that the water’s being supplied and pumped through correctly.
The motorhome’s gas systems will be checked and any damaged pipes will be replaced.
The motorhome’s leisure battery will be checked to make sure it’s connected correctly and that the correct current is being fed to the appliances. All of the sockets will also be tested to make sure everything is working correctly.
A thorough interior damp check of all areas within the motorhome will be carried out to look for any signs of water ingress.
What are the benefits?
The most important benefit is peace of mind: “A motorhome has got three major elements. It has gas, electricity, and water and all of these move around as you’re travelling,” said Marie from Habcheck. “It’s imperative that they’re checked regularly.”
An annual service will also help optimise your motorhome’s resale value as well as making sure you maintain any motorhome manufacturer warranties. Also, your motorhome insurer will stipulate that you have to keep your motorhome in a good state of repair.
How much does a habitation service cost and how long does it take?
The costs vary nationwide, generally starting from about £200 upwards. A good habitation check should take a minimum of three hours.
Things to do before a motorhome service
- Be mindful that the engineer needs full access in and around the motorhome, so will need all keys to internal and external lockers and doors.
- The engineer will need access to electricity and water.
- Think about how much gear is stored in your lockers. You don’t need to empty them but be mindful that the engineer does need to get inside lockers so might have to remove any items stored away.
Motorhome insurance considerations
As stipulated in your motorhome insurance policy you do need to keep your motorhome in a good mechanical and roadworthy condition.
We’d recommend making sure any habitation checks or motorhome service is carried out by a specialist, so look for an engineer or workshop that is a member of the National Caravan Council’s Approved Workshop Scheme (AWS).
Really surprises me that the fridge is not checked beyond working. I can tell if its working or not, but not if its producing carbon monoxide easily. The flue often needs cleaning in some cases especially if you use it on gas regularly.
Over priced and last hab check from Brownhills left us with more faults than they put right. So much for warranty
All you are doing is buying a piece of paper/rubber stamp. Another example of the established retailers frightening you into paying for something that any one with a modicum of sense could achieve.
The trouble with a habitation check is the expense considering that the only two things that Joe / Josephene Bloggs might not be able to do themselves are the gas check and damp check. A damp check can be done with a simple tool from a DIY store. Even a gas check is very simply to check for no leaks which can be done with a Tee piece and a manometer, again which can be bought from a DIY store. I am a retired gas engineer so I know how to do that, it is not rocket science. My point is that your £200 is in my opinion very expensive for something which anyone can do if they look on a few youtube videos. Joe / Josephene Public is allowed to work on their own motorhome gas appliances, but not to work on someone else’s. In my personal opinion the value of a habitation check lies in the piece of paper you get when you have paid out for it. Similar to a car service I paid for at a franchised main dealer who didn’t change the spark plugs because they told me that my car had a diesel engine. I paid for a rubber stamp in the service book and had to change the plugs myself at home.
Take great care. On our habitation check someone put water into our diesel tank instead of the water tank. How that mistake was made I have no idea but could have ruined our engine. Luckily we got a really good mechanic in Leeds to sort this out for us.
Sorry to hear about that Mary but pleased you managed to get it sorted out.
Excellent article. Thank you very much.
I didn’t realise until I bought my first campervan and returned to my dealer for a habitation check. However I was rather disappointed that it didn’t include a full service of the water system. They did check that it all worked correctly but did not sanitise it which is equally important to be done annually.
I totally agree in having Habitation checks, butfrom £200 is very expensive, I have a qualified engineer who seviced my motorhome for £125.00
Wast of time.200 quid for a noncreditable inspection. When was the last time you had your house checked.
As Marie says in the video, a house isn’t driven like a motorhome and as she says, things can come loose. Also, some people do pay to have gas appliances serviced in their homes.
As always, it is better to be proactive and prepared and plan any servicing and, or maintenance. Then you can use recommended and local companies that you know, trust and have probably used before. Alternatively, if something should go wrong whilst you are away on holiday, you will not have the time to review ad find the best engineers, etc. and will have to make do with whoever is willing to attend and attend quickly, so as not to interfere too much with your holiday.
Great timing as we’re having out first habitation check in a couple of days. As our dealer is a few hours drive away we’re staying in a nearby campsite and I was worried that I’d have to empty the lockers of all our belongings – so found this video a great help!
It is a well constructed informative video although I would recommend that the video also includes the importance of getting the underside floor checked for sponginess and damp. From my experience It seems that not all Approved Workshops do this.
Excellent overview of the habitation check explaining why it’s important and how it sits alongside the mechanical check. Another great resource from caravaguard. Thank you. These introductory videos really do help beginners and serve as a useful reminder to experienced motorists.
Thanks for your very kind comments Michael.
Excellent worth watching & I’ll probably watch it again..
A very useful article. Just had a habitation service by Peak Leisure in Buxton (£128) who provided a written report similar to a service health check.
I did not realise that gas connection pipes had a lifespan of 5 years and that there is a date on the pipe to remind you when they should be replaced.
Learn something new every day!
Helpful check
Just had it done at IH Yorkshire
My IH N Class 630 RL ready for 2019
Excellent