# damp found on motorhome today



## dmet

Hi all

We took our motorhome to dave newell today to have a reversing camera fitted, when we went to pick it up later he said while he was fitting it water had come out of the hole he drilled to fit the camera.
he checked the back panel and found that the top half had 40% damp, and the bottom had 100% damp. the very bottom inside the motorhome where he drilled to put the cable through the wood was rotten.( he said which must have been getting wet for a very long time for the wood to go rotten)
before we bought the van in a private sale last October we asked for a habitation check to be done before we paid any money, the people we bought the motorhome of had the check done, everything on there list had a tic including visual damp check,( just to be clear the damp check wasn't done with dave newell when we bought the van)
dave also pointed out the back panel on the motorhome inside had a few bows in it which is not looking very good.
where do we go from here?,i thought the whole point of having the habitation check was to see amongst other things if there was any damp.
at this time what started out as a good day for us has turned into a nightmare.
does anyone know if we have any comeback on the garage that done the hab check


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## Zebedee

Tick-a-box check lists always fan the flames of the cynic in me.

How often are they done in the staff rest room with a cup of coffee in the other hand???

I don't know if you have a realistic chance of any comeback, but I would certainly give it a go. If damp of that magnitude was missed the tester must have been either a certifiable idiot or he just filled in the tick-boxes as suggested above.

Dave


P.S. Dave Newell has an excellent reputation for honesty - why not ask if he would be willing to provide a statement of the condition he found, with photos if possible.


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## david-david

Being very new to motorhoming I cant really comment on third party damp inspections. Although judging by some other topics I've read I wouldn't be surprised if it's akin to an MOT - it was satisfactory on the day it was carried out.

I was mortified when I read a topic about warranty work when Swift (I think) said dealers were under no obligation to carry out warranty work. If I bought a car anywhere in Europe all dealers have a legal duty to honour a warranty.

I bought private and took my chances. It seems even if you spend several tens of thousands of pounds you have as much redress as buying privately. 

Its a shocking state of affairs.


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## barryd

This is indeed bad news for you and I feel for you.

Dont know about any come back. I would have thought though if it was as bad as that it would have been going on for years. 

I am no expert but was under the impression a hab check each year would catch something before it got that bad.

The only thing I will say is when you get it done if your paying for it shop around a bit. We had some work done on our kitchen area. The whole lot had to come out and new bits of floor and all the sides plus one side on the dinette was done. I had quotes from £1000 to £4000.

I found a cracking chap who works on his own and it took him two weeks to sort it. Cost me £1400 in the end which when I saw what was involved I thought was a bargain. 

Being an old van I get it checked every year now.


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## dmet

The think is,like Dave Newell said to me today,it has been rotten in his opinion for a lot longer than the time I have had the van for the wood to rot,so how did it pass the damp test?


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## Steve_UK

dmet said:


> Hi all
> 
> . . . . . . including *visual* damp check. . . . . . . .


Perhaps the clue is with the "visual" bit! I have to say that I would not have thought a visual check was worth a jot - especially as anybody performing a habitation check would have a damp meter. Sounds a bit like somebody was trying to dupe you.


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## talogon

Hi dmet, sorry to hear of your plight, I agree with steve_UK. You say the tick list said visual damp check do you know if they used a damp meter or not? I have mine done every year and I get given a sheet with all the damp readings for the whole vehicle. If the test was not useing a damp meter then you may have more chance of some sort of claim.
I hope it all works out for you.
Brian


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## dmet

no idea if they used a damp meter or not,but it was a motorhome dealer that done the hab test, they were closed by the time I got home today so going to call them in the morning


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## barryd

If its had a proper damp test there will be little prongy holes all over where they stick the probes in. Again I am no expert but Im pretty sure you cannot do a damp test by looking at it.


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## erneboy

> Hi all
> We took our motorhome to dave newell today ......
> ........ we asked for a habitation check ..... including visual damp check,


If it was only a visual damp check they may not have seen anything. But a visual damp check would be completely inadequate, Alan.


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## coppo

Surely you can't have a visual damp check.

Its a bit like looking up the chimney to see if it needs sweeping, ridiculous.

No dealer would put their name to a visual damp check, surely not.

Paul.


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## alecturn1

when i had a damp check done i got a sheet with picture of plan of motorhome and the actual percentage readngs written on it in all places checked all round the van


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## Stanner

A visual damp test is about as much use as a visual blood test. :roll:


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## palaceboy

Why not take it back to the original damp tester without letting them know about the new prognosis and see what happens . You could be in a better position if they find the damp this time why not last time. if they dont find it then they are not doing the tests correctly and it helps your case.


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## Jamsieboy

There is no such thing as a visual damp check.
Damp checks need a reading to determine the level of moisture in the wood or other construction material. This then determines whether or not damp is present.

If you were offered a "visual damp test" by the seller they duped you.
If you took the van to a dealer and asked for a damp test the dealer has failed to properly carry out the damp test if the level of damp is as stated by Dave Newell (no reason at all to doubt his professionalism). To have 100% damp indicates a very high level of moisture and would have been damp for some considerable time. If the dealer provided you with a diagram showing levels of moisture content you should be able to question that. If no diagram and no % readings they have not carried out a damp check.


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## dmet

hi jamsie, I dint ask for a damp test, I asked for a hab check,but I thought that was what I needed to have done and that it would have picked any damp problems up at the time.
maybe it was a damp check that I should have asked for then?


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## rosalan

While I feel overwhelming sympathy for your situation, this will not sort out your problem.
Barry has indicated the problems he had with his leaky Kon-Tiki, a reputation they earned for a short period of time. 
It may be productive to investigate the history of other vans like yours, and whether CI vans had a reputation for damp ingress. You may be able to contact someone else who has had the same problem and how they resolved it. 
Did Dave give you any indication of the total area involved or offer any ideas as to where and who may be most suitable to give quotations or make repairs?

Never despair! For the bottom line is that everything can be fixed and as Barry said; shop around.

Good luck!

Alan


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## erneboy

dmet said:


> hi jamsie, I dint ask for a damp test, I asked for a hab check,but I thought that was what I needed to have done and that it would have picked any damp problems up at the time.
> maybe it was a damp check that I should have asked for then?


A full hab check should include a proper damp check, Alan.


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## dmet

hi rosalan
dave newell to me to try these http://motorhomerepairs.co.uk/


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## cabby

If Dave said try them then that is what you should do.He is one of those who does know what he is talking about.

cabby


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## Jamsieboy

dmet said:


> hi jamsie, I dint ask for a damp test, I asked for a hab check,but I thought that was what I needed to have done and that it would have picked any damp problems up at the time.
> maybe it was a damp check that I should have asked for then?


Cheers
A hab check should include a damp test with a written report showing % readings across the van.


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## Westkirby01

Thank you for that information Jamsieboy. I wasn't aware that a habitation check should include a detailed report of % damp in the Motorhome. 

Is this a new thing or something that has to be done by all firms that complete habitation tests?

Regards.


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## ob1

barryd said:


> If its had a proper damp test there will be little prongy holes all over where they stick the probes in. Again I am no expert but Im pretty sure you cannot do a damp test by looking at it.


Not necessarily so. The modern high cost damp meters no longer have prongs to avoid the unsightly holes you mention.

Ron


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## dmet

Hi Barryd , have got some info you could give me on the man that did your work for you,think I'm going to need it

Ty Dave


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## Jamsieboy

Westkirby01 said:


> Thank you for that information Jamsieboy. I wasn't aware that a habitation check should include a detailed report of % damp in the Motorhome.
> 
> Is this a new thing or something that has to be done by all firms that complete habitation tests?
> 
> Regards.


Not new at all.
Every hab check I have had done includes written damp check with diagram showing readings at various points around van. Standard procedure.
Cheers


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## suedew

Have to agree with previous poster, all our habitation checks include a diagram and readings.


sue


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## chazy

Hi there i have a 656 on 2006 model,i to had damp on rear panel and the water comes in through the 2 top marker lights and rear high brake light, some one had sealed round light mount with sealant which acted like a funnel as they put no gasket between mount and light unit,i only noticed on first shake down after purchase non dealer,this had been leaking from new,
as they tried to seal from inside with mastic,trouble is once water is in its hard to get out it just sweats,polerstyrene holds on to water,i have repaired it now,so if you need any tips and what was involved im here to help
anthony
sorry about the spelling


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## dmet

Just wanted to give an update on my motorhome.
today I was in contact with Devon motorhomes, I told them what Dave Newell had found when he was fitting a camera to my motorhome last Friday, all they wanted to keep on about was all the bad weather that we had been getting and it could have got in and rotted the wood from when I got the van last October, I did try to say that it wouldn't have rotted the wood in that short time and why didn't they pick it up when they did the hab check for me.

and the reason they didn't was because they only do a visual check for damp and it was ok at the time that the check was done, and that they only do a damp check with a meter if someone asks for it.

so I just want to let anyone thinking of having a habitation check done with Devon motorhomes to think again. I should find out this coming weekend how much its going to cost for the repairs and in my eyes I blame them

Dave


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## aldra

let's start again

You bought a motor home

Did it have a damp test??

If not, why not

And what are they saying

Was it a private sale

Or a company

If it was a dealer

Kick up a big fuss they should know better

Aldra


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## dmet

Hi Aldra,it's was a private sale,but the people I got the van from took it to devon motorhomes for a habitation check,but devon motorhomes say they only use a meter to do a damp test if asked,or there hab test just includes a visual check


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## coppo

Incredible.

Question. What is a habitation check meant to be done for?

Answer, to keep your motorhome in tip top condition and spot any problems.

I,m lost for words, someone could actually pay that company for a habitation check, looks like they have just walked around the van and said everything looks ok, make the bill out lads.

You live and learn.

Paul.


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## tony50

Sorry to hear about your damp problem, on seeing posts on here about various damp problems , I bought a cheap Damp meter with prongs I test all round regularly and try to test where spike holes cannot be seen easily, Ok, the Tester may not be dead accurate but it gives a guide , ( I test it also on the wood I use for my wood burner and my tester agrees with my sons ).
I also get a area check sheet from my dealer , or did , he left a wheel loose !!!
PS. I think Maplins sell them also. As for Devon Motor homes hopefully they read this site , and have learnt . but I doubt it .

Tony A


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## Westkirby01

Jamsieboy

Devon motors appear to do what I thought happens of a habitation check. Visual for gas and water. But did they not even produce a written document of the work. 

Documentation is the way to go. This is the information I will be passing on to others.

Many thanks

Regards


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## aldra

I cannot believe a Hab check did not include a damp check

And it would not all be documented

Did they get a bill for the work done???

If so what was the price

Aldra


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## rosalan

It leaves me with a rather bitter taste, to think they could sell a van which they may have been aware of the damp in.
As a rule of thumb, there is some odour when the damp involves the interior of the van but in this case the damp seems to be restricted to the outer skin.
I am glad there have been some practical offers to follow up. Lets hope they lead to a good outcome.

Alan


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## gaspode

I think that a lot here depends on how exactly a "Habitation Check" is defined by the party carrying it out. If I were paying the substantial fee requested by UK dealers to carry out such a check I would expect a written schedule of what was to be done, also a written report on what was found - including a detailed damp report with saturation percentages quoted for all areas tested.
If on the other hand it was solely to fulfill the warranty terms (at an appropriately reduced fee) I would only expect a pass/fail report.

As the current owner was not the person who commissioned and paid for the habitation check I would expect he has no comeback against whoever carried it out. I would however expect him to have a claim against the person who sold him the van (who in turn would have a case against whoever carried out the check). My advice would be to approach the seller and ask for compensation, if refused there is always the possibility of a small claims court action.

As for a "visual damp check", I believe that to be a complete waste of time and money. Any reputable dealer offering such a check should be ashamed of themselves, it's taking money under false pretences as far as I'm concerned.


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## bertieburstner

As gaspode has said your argument should be with the seller. I think it is unfair of you to blame Devon Motorhomes when you were not the one who instigated this "test".

You were the one who should have checked that all was well with the motorhome and instigated someone to check it for you, not the seller who may have specifically asked Devon not to look too closely as they were trying to sell it.


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## blondel

dmet said:


> Hi Aldra,it's was a private sale,but the people I got the van from took it to devon motorhomes for a habitation check,but devon motorhomes say they only use a meter to do a damp test if asked,or there hab test just includes a visual check


When we did a part exchange (CI cipro 75 for a Devon Monaco) Devon, at Ferryhill would not take the CI without the written record of the recent damp test - with all the little pictures and they still did their own damp test (with the pronged thing) when we took it in!


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## aldra

I can't believe any Hab check just includes a visual test

Surely any visual test can be done anyone 

It doesn't look damp, smell damp so it isn't damp

I'm struggling to believe that the sellers knew nothing about it

But hoping its just between the skin and can be rectified

Without very costly intervention

Aldra


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## Suenliam

I suppose a habitation test done by a non approved company could include everything or just about nothing. As I understand it there is an organisation which approves service "engineers". Can't remember the correct title - it's something like the Caravan Council. Papers in the MH so can't check. I know a regulating body does not prove the service has been done professionally and include all the things you expect, but it does go some way to help.

I know I was a bit alarmed to find out that a habitation check did not include a gas service - just a visual check. However, the habitation check is just that - not a service :roll: 

Hope you get the damp situation sorted to your satisfaction.

Sue


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## drcotts

david-david said:


> Being very new to motorhoming I cant really comment on third party damp inspections. Although judging by some other topics I've read I wouldn't be surprised if it's akin to an MOT - it was satisfactory on the day it was carried out.
> 
> .


That used to be a get out but not any more David. if it can be proven that the fault must have existed on the day of the test then the tester can still be liable.

The OP would nedd someone willing to give detailed expert evidence of how rthe damp started how long it must have been there and how it got in and should ideally state that the damp would have been there at the time of the last Hab check. Not an easy thing to do but it all depends.


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## drcotts

If they are a dealer chances are they like to say they are part of the caravan club or Camping and caravan clubs list of approved testers
Have a look at their docs or posters or logos on the premises. If they follow the caravan club workshop guidlines for Hab checks then this must be followed
The aws (approved woprkshop system) checklist states

Damp test - carry out and note readings on separate report.


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