Simply put, you need to keep up-to-date with your habitation checks. At Orange Campers, it’s something we’re passionate about because if you’ve invested in a ‘van, you need to keep it in top shape. That means regular habitation checks to make sure everything is running smoothly. It’s also a great time to make any modifications too, in preparation for a summer filled with travel.
Of course, wear and tear happens when travelling in a ‘van but many issues can be avoided by keeping on top of your regular habitation checks. Many checks also need to be completed to send off to your insurance company so it’s an expense that’s worth it in the long run when it comes to campervan maintenance.
In this blog post, we’ll look at every possible question you could have about habitation checks: what one actually is, why they’re so important, what happens during one and what it includes.
What is a ‘van habitation check?
It’s basically a full service for your ‘van. Depending on where you have your habitation check, some places just check the interiors to make sure everything’s in working condition. Others, like ours, check both the interiors and the exteriors of your ‘van as well as providing all the necessary certificates for your insurance company, with each check being done by a fully-qualified engineer.
Why you need a habitation check on your ‘van
Whilst a habitation check isn’t a legal requirement, it can save your peace of mind. Many of our customers book a check in for every year, especially for older or modified vehicles. However, there are a few benefits for booking a habitation check for your ‘van.
It will increase the longevity of your ‘van. If you keep on top of maintenance, it will keep it running for longer! When you’ve invested your money in a ‘van, you should be able to use it for a long time.
It will increase the value of your ‘van should you sell it down the road. Even as your camper gets older, the habitation checks help to keep it a higher value.
It will save you money in the long run. A habitation check will bring up any current issues but also advise you on any potential problems to arise in the near future. That means you can get them fixed as and when rather than waiting for an emergency breakdown when you’re on your travels!
As stated above, habitation checks are vital to keeping you and your family safe on the road. Of course, incidents and accidents happen but for the most part, your ‘van will be in tip-top shape for every trip.
What’s included in the Orange Camper habitation check?
If our checks are anything, they’re definitely thorough! You yourself might have noticed a couple of interior or exterior issues with your ‘van but we go beyond the surface checks and check every little detail within and outside of your van.
Whilst we also take care of any issues currently, we can also pre-empt any problems in advance and take care of them or at least advise you that something might need changing or updating. Included in our Orange Campers habitation check are:
Gas leak detection
Gas appliances safety and operation check
240v electrical safety and operation check
12v electrical safety and operation check
Fire and safety device checks
Conversion inspection and operation check
Damp and water ingress check
Elevating roof inspection and maintenance
Step inspection and maintenance
All relevant certificates for your insurance company
We also offer a valet service on top of our habitation check so if you fancy paying a little extra to get your ‘van fully cleaned both internally and externally, let us know when you book! All of our habitation checks are done at our new and larger premises in Rotherham.
Top tips on your habitation check
Don’t leave it until right when you need it, winter into spring is the perfect time to get any habitation checks done. You want to be able to jump in and go for your first trip of the year, not spend the week doing maintenance on your ‘van. You don’t want a little issue spoiling your trip!
Book in your habitation check with us and you can also add any extras to your campervan if you want to at the same time. Think about last year’s trips and reflect on any changes that you wished you’d have made then. Now is a great time to get them fitted or adapted for this summer’s travels. We can fit any modifications at the same time as a habitation check plus you know they’ve been checked thoroughly and don’t have to worry about them for another year.
It might sound silly but try to have your 'van as empty as possible before arriving for your habitation check. Fitted furniture obviously can’t go anywhere (and we can check that too) but try to have your cupboards, fridge and bed area emptied. The more cluttered your space is, the harder it can be for us to move around inside. Plus if you want it valeting, it saves time too!
Prevention is so much better than cure, a few hours on your check can save you thousands of pounds down the line.
A habitation check does not replace your MOT! Whilst we do check underneath the 'van, we don’t check all the mechanical aspects that an MOT does.
Even new campers need a habitation check, the more you use them, the more wear and tear they get. Equally, if your ‘van has been underused lately, it can be prone to breakdowns too!
Our habitation checks start from £349 including VAT and including our full-service check. When you’ve invested so much money in your ‘van initially, getting it regularly maintained and checked means you’re looking after it properly.
Contact us today to get your ‘van booked in for its latest habitation check and rest easy knowing that we are incredibly thorough with every appointment! We’re experts in what we do and that’s why our customers trust us to carry out habitation checks fully.
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