Caravan Purchase

[mhbw3043]

I have just purchased a second hand caravan, I had the van inspected by a MCEA approved technician at the dealers and no serious faults were found.

But very shortly after purchase somebody pointed out a non standard wall in the bathroom, taking his advice I decide to have a new inspection done by a different technician, and its not good, serious damp in the bathroom and front walls conservative estimate about twelve months use before it starts to fall apart unless lots of money spent.

The walls had been expertly covered by a faced board in order to hide the damp,the normal metre with two prongs would not have found the damp but the chap who did the second inspection had a bit of expensive kit that can look through walls and find problems behind any false wall which is how he found the damp.

 

I took delivery of the van on the 18th of August and as its under thirty days I rang the dealer today to ask for my money back or the cost of the repairs paid, both refused, he said it was nothing to do with him as I had had the van inspected before I took delivery and no serious faults were found and he had not put in the walls or tried to hide any damp.

Going to speak to trading stands tomorrow but not sure if they are going to be much help.

Any ideas please!.

[Andyorch]

Hi mhbw

 

Take a read of the following forum.The Consumer Rights Act states otherwise to your dealer.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?440-The-Consumer-Rights-Act-2015

 

Regards

 

Andy

[mhbw3043]

Many thanks Andy.

[labrat]

make sure that if a repair is done you also have the repair independently inspected

 

father in law got stung in a way by this, he accepted the dealers damp report

 

few years later its leaked at the front, fortunatly we're both fairly hands on and took it apart ourselves. We found that it had leaked in the past but rather than open it up and sort the issue someone had simply re-sealed the top rail so more damp couldn't get in- hence all the wood had gradually disintegrated

 

i dread to think what a dealer would have charged for it all but in the end we rebuilt all the woodwork front and back for around £180 worth of wood and another £30 of sealant or so

was about a week and a half solid work however

 

don't just accept their word its been sorted - have it checked properly

[mhbw3043]

Hi Labrat,

Many thanks for your advice, just about to send out a registered letter asking for the damp to be repaired and paid for by them!.

If its done by a large dealership the cost will exceed the value of the van and I don't trust the seller with the work unless I sit watching how they do it!. so I will look for cash and do the work myself, as you found out cost of labour high cost of materials fairly low so it should not be that costly but at least three or four weeks work for me, and I am in retirement so I have the time.

[labrat]

Be warned however I have access to a near entire woodwork shop.

 

Alot of the window woodwork on the front is shaped and very tricky to recreate.

 

I'm on the phone at the moment so can't add pictures but will try later

[mhbw3043]

Update on my first post, I have sent two letters to the caravan dealer stating the van was not fit for purpose and asking for my money back or repairs paid for, the first letter was ignored the second got a reply:

He states that he offers no warranty on any sales of caravans over 10 years old and they are sold for spares or repair and are trade sales it was in very small letters at the bottom of my sales invoice not very easy to see.

There was no mention of this when we went to view the caravan, nothing on the advertisment on his web site

I have been told by CAB not to touch the van. now waiting for trading standards to contact me but I cannot wait much longer water is getting in and if I wait the caravan will only be good for scrap.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[labrat]

I would suggest getting quotes and going small claims

 

That sold as spare or repairs only would hold water if it was sold well below average value

 

As for trade sales if your not a business he has no hope of that holding either

 

Only issue is if he's that shifty he might do a fly by night - does he have a website?

[Ford]

Update on my first post, I have sent two letters to the caravan dealer stating the van was not fit for purpose and asking for my money back or repairs paid for, the first letter was ignored the second got a reply:

He states that he offers no warranty on any sales of caravans over 10 years old and they are sold for spares or repair and are trade sales it was in very small letters at the bottom of my sales invoice not very easy to see.

There was no mention of this when we went to view the caravan, nothing on the advertisment on his web site

I have been told by CAB not to touch the van. now waiting for trading standards to contact me but I cannot wait much longer water is getting in and if I wait the caravan will only be good for scrap.

Any advice would be appreciated.

do you by chance still have the ad.

there cant be a 'trade' sale to a consumer as such, as consumers have different rights to traders. if its being sold as parts/repair/scrap etc to a consumer, then it shld have to be clearly made aware so to the consumer prior to sale?

[mhbw3043]

do you by chance still have the ad.

there cant be a 'trade' sale to a consumer as such, as consumers have different rights to traders. if its being sold as parts/repair/scrap etc to a consumer, then it shld have to be clearly made aware so to the consumer prior to sale?

 

Many thanks for your reply,

I thought that about trade sales but needed confirmation, person I spoke with at CAB said same, but said wait until you speak with Trading Standards.

It was a very nice caravan with all the defects very cleverly hidden, not a metion of trade sale or spares or repair in two meetings.

This is the wording (in very small letters) on the bottom of the sales invoice which you don't see until after you have paid:

 

All items are sold as trade sale / sor and with no warranty given or implied as with all of our items over 10 years old.

Items are sold as spares or repairs, no returns accepted.

Just found this on one of his ebay sales, this caravan was a 2010, so it applies to everthing not just over 10 years.

 

TERMS - 'TRADE SALE' AS WITH ALL OUR ITEMS - NO WARRANTY GIVEN OR IMPLIED. NO RETURNS ACCEPTED. PLEASE PLEASE COME AND VIEW IF IN ANYWAY IN DOUBT. AS EXPECTED THERE ARE SOME USUAL MARKS ALL TO BE EXPECTED WITH A FAMILY CARAVAN.WE ARE GENUINE AND HONEST FAMILY BUSINESS AND WILL POINT OUT ANY BAD BITS WE ARE AWARE OF, WE ALSO ALLOW YOU TO VIEW THE CARAVANS ON YOUR OWN AT YOUR LEISURE WITH A NO HASSLE APPROACH. DEPOSITS NON RETURNABLE NO MATTER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES

[mhbw3043]

I would suggest getting quotes and going small claims

 

That sold as spare or repairs only would hold water if it was sold well below average value

 

As for trade sales if your not a business he has no hope of that holding either

 

Only issue is if he's that shifty he might do a fly by night - does he have a website?

 

Many thanks for your reply,

Sold at market value, to a couple of pensioners so not a business, he is shifty all right, and I can think of a few other things I would like to say but not on here.

I have been doing my homework on this bloke, I have found someone who was in business with him a few years ago, and what he had to say was not good news for us.

Not sure if I would be likely to get a full refund so going for some compensation, and even if we get nothing back getting him shut down is the name of the game!.

If we end up trying to repair this ourselves I might come back to you to pick your brains about the front end repair on you father in laws van

[mhbw3043]

Hello Ford,

Unfortunately I do not have the original add.

[Ford]

Many thanks for your reply,

I thought that about trade sales but needed confirmation, person I spoke with at CAB said same, but said wait until you speak with Trading Standards.

........

[mhbw3043]

Was told by CAB last week to wait until trading standards had been in touch.

As its now over a week and still waiting I rang CAB again this morning and was told trading standards would not contact me its now up to me to use the courts for redress.

This trader has been selling like this for many years under the noises of trading standards and nothing is done to stop him, he tells you it was a trade sale and no guarantee is given and no deposits returned under any circumstances.

He also claims membership of a trade association, but he is not a member, the association tell me they are taking legal action to stop him.

There should be enough evidence in his advertising and statements of conditions of supply to make it a simple matter for trading standards to stop him trading.

I was told by someone who knows him not to bother with the courts as even if you win it will be hard to get any money back all his stock will be owned by someone else.

When I purchased the caravan I registered it with CRIS the caravan register, but it took a long time, as he would not repond to any letter they sent about him being the previous owner, now I know why.

I will carry on the fight if I can get a CCJ against him it might make it difficult for him to get credit.

Would be caravan purchasers beware!, this could happen to you!.

[ericsbrother]

look on the bright side. As the amount likely to be awarded will be more than £600 you can go straight to the high court to get the bailiffs to collect on your behalf if the cheque is a day late.

Anyway trade sales - rubbish He decided to sell it to you so not a trade sale otherwise would have asked for your VAT number and business details. Just a lie to avoid his responsibilities.

[labrat]

sorry promised pictures of the repair - which has actually failed due to a mm gap on one of the seals - since resealed

 

this is the front of the caravan with the front off - to take the front off you have to unscrew the awning rails, de-rivet the front trim, remove the hatch, remove all the windows - only then will you see the size of the work

 

[Surfer01]

There is something not right here as the Consumer Rights Act 2015 clearly states within 30 days a full refund so not sure why Trading Standards are not taking it up if the dealer is refusing the refund? It would also help if the OP posted the year, brand and model of the caravan and how much they paid.