14mts owned 2nd hand caravan damp - dealer offering to fix if i pay 'some'

[Gagakev]

Bought a four year old caravan 14 months ago with 6 months warranty,

 

however recently discovered damp and on speaking with the dealer they have agreed that due to the extent of it "it hasnt been there 5 minutes"(their words)

 

they also serviced the van before collection.

 

They have agreed to fund the major cost with me contributing towards it,

 

Now here lies my problem

 

they wont even give me a budget figure to work with.

 

Would the term" not fit for purpose" come into play or am I just clutching at straws.

 

Advice most welcome

Edited May 9, 2012 by Gagakev

[dx100uk]

its an interesting scenario

 

but i think the 'unfit for purpose' after all this time is pushing it.

 

though for the dealer to even offer to fix is very good

 

and mit hint that things could be taken further

 

they are accepting responsibility.

 

 

dx

[Gagakev]

Thanks for that dx, realise now the unfit for purpose is now going a bit far

Are you saying as they have offered to fix it they could be admitting they could be liable for all the cost of the repair?

[dx100uk]

and poss more

 

it could be viewed that they are in real terms admitting a total missale?

 

it was obv not fit for sale in the first place.

 

IMHO i think you have a good deal here already without a fight.

 

dx

[Gagakev]

Thanks again dx looks like I should run with there offer, also have to consider the time it would take to go down the legal route as the problem damp would only get worst

Thanks again

[scaniaman]

Can you tell us what make it is please. I find it very strange that such a young van has damp. Is there any way that you can trace the vans history or perhaps contact the previous owner/s? Is the damp at front or rear?

[Gagakev]

Can you tell us what make it is please. I find it very strange that such a young van has damp. Is there any way that you can trace the vans history or perhaps contact the previous owner/s? Is the damp at front or rear?

 

The van is a Fleetwood and the company no longer exist, it is generally known that these vans rarely have problems.

The van had one previous owner and was sold new by the dealer to them, I am lead to believe they kept it on there site in storage and for use there on.

 

The damp is in the floor behind the offside wheel, the ingress of water is coming in by the lip of the wheel arch and lower skirt/awning rail.

[scaniaman]

Hi gagakev. I find your last post most ironic as i have just completed a repair to a Sprite Musketeer which had very similar problems. In this case (sprite) i rather suspect that minor accidental damage at one time caused the wheel arch to become detached from the caravan wall thus allowing the ingress of water. Great pity you can't have a chat with original owner about the problem.

Probably best to go with dealer but try and get him to quote some figures first so that you know what sort of contribution to expect. Would it be possible for you to get quote from another caravan repairer just to compare?

[Gagakev]

Thanks for your reply scaniaman, have it booked in with mobile engineer on 18th of this month and was hoping he could give me an idea but there in lies another problem the dealer wants to service it as part of the deal!!!! Have requested some kind of figure twice from the dealer but he wont budge. I do think the deal is fair but I dont like the idea of giving him an open cheque book to play with.