Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When can I drop my caravan off for my service appointment?

A: For service bookings we need the caravan here between 8:00am and 8:30am on the day. If it is a mid-week booking you are also welcome to drop the caravan off the night before between 3pm and 5pm (by prior arrangement only) so we have it ready for the morning. If your caravan is booked in for a Monday - although no collections or drop offs on Sundays are permitted - providing we have availability you are able to deliver the caravan on the Saturday morning prior between 8:30am and 11:30am if the Monday morning is not possible, again this is by prior arrangement only. Please note we do not have a "walk-in" service and all appointments must be pre-arranged and scheduled in beforehand. 

Q: When can I collect my caravan from my service appointment?

A: We aim to have normal services done on the day of the appointment, usually by mid afternoon. This will of course vary depending on any extra works required. Due to limited storage space we ask caravans are then collected soon after they are finished, either that day or the following morning, unless prior arrangements have been made. If you foresee any issues with this or have any particular requests for timeframe/urgency please make sure you inform us in advance so we can try our best to facilitate this. 

Q: Does my caravan need to be completely empty when I bring it in for servicing or repairs?

A: When bringing your caravan in for a service or any other form of repair please ensure you have removed all personal effects from walkways and floor level lockers (including under bed/bunk storage). This allows us to access all areas and appliances for servicing, and most importantly undertake a thorough damp report. We also respectfully request any towing covers are removed, unless they have access points for grab handles and front lockers. Drawers, cupboards and overhead lockers may remain loaded as normal, providing they are secured for transit. Finally, we recommend leaving your water pump in the kitchen sink and the mains electrical cable by the main entrance door, as we test these on the service to make sure they are fully operational and safe to use.

Q: How regularly should I get my caravan serviced?

A: Getting your caravan serviced annually helps keep you safe on your travels and minimises the chance of experiencing issues whilst on holiday. It is also vital for maintaining manufacturer warranties. In most cases a late or missed service will cause your manufacturer warranty to elapse. 

Q: How far in advance should I contact you to book my service?

A: We recommend booking your service at least 3 months in advance in order to give the best chance of securing your preferred date. At our busiest time of year (March-July) we can sometimes book in excess of 5 months in advance so if you would like your caravan serviced on a particular date in this time frame please contact us as early as you can to avoid disappointment.

Q: How does servicing affect my warranty?

A: Servicing is vital for maintaining your warranty. As well as being part of the terms and conditions of most manufacturers' warranties, it gives us the opportunity to detect any potential issues before they worsen and cause unnecessary damage/problems. It is also important to remember that warranty expiry dates do not have the same flexibility as service dates. For this reason we recommend your caravan is serviced annually shortly before the anniversary of purchase/ respective warranty expiry date. 

Q: How regularly do I need to change my tyres?

A: It's recommended tyres are replaced after 5-7 years, depending on condition. On a service, as well as tread depth we check for all signs of deterioration to the tyres' condition. These checks include (but are not limited to) looking for signs of splits, cracks, cuts, bulges and also uneven or excessive wear.  In our experience these checks are important as a majority of caravan tyres will be 5-7 years old long before they wear through the useable tread. This means we see many tyres with plenty of tread remaining that are in a condition we consider to be hazardous and unsafe to use on the road. See the "Tyres" section of our website for more information.

Q: How regularly do I need to change the antifreeze in my Alde wet heating system?

A: There are 2 main types of antifreeze found in Alde heating systems. Blue, commonly used when a caravan is built, and pink, which should be used when the fluid is changed (although Bailey and Coachman gradually phased in pink antifreeze from the factory from the 2020 season onwards). Blue generally has an optimum lifespan of 2 years, and pink 5 years. After this amount of time the corrosion inhibiting, antimicrobial, coolant and antifreeze properties will be less effective. Although problems with Alde systems are very rare, we recommend having the system drained, flushed and refilled with fresh antifreeze once the existing fluid has reached its expiry date. This is in order to significantly reduce the likelihood of your wet heating system requiring expensive remedial work further down the road. We have a set charge of £225.00 inc. VAT for this process.  We exclusively use only the correct Alde pumping equipment and always fill the system with either Fuchs Maintain Fricofin V 50:50 or Alde Premium G13 Antifreeze. These are the same products used by all major UK caravan manufacturers, meaning you can have peace of mind that your system is looked after correctly.

Q: Should I leave window blinds closed or open in storage?

A: Always leave your window blinds fully retracted in storage and when you are not using the caravan (i.e. leave them so you can see through the window). This is the case for both pleated and roller type blinds. Blinds are designed for overnight/blackout use only. If left extended for long periods they will crumple/bunch up in use, either due to lost spring tension (roller blinds) or weakened folds where the pleats lose their "memory" (pleated blinds). It can also lead to excessive build-up of heat between the blind and the window, especially when the blind has a reflective backing, potentially causing the window to warp over time. Exposure to sun may also cause the material of the blind to weaken noticeably, go brittle or discolour. We instead recommend using your curtains if you wish to obstruct the view into the caravan, whether it be for privacy or to prevent sun bleaching, as the curtains in your caravan will have a backing specifically designed to cope with this. Also if they deteriorate, curtains are considerably easier and cheaper to replace than blinds, which are often over £250-£300 each!

Q: How do repairs affect warranty?

A: Generally, providing your caravan is repaired inside the relevant dealership network your warranty will be unaffected. This means we can repair your Bailey, Coachman or Adria with no adverse affect on the state of the warranty. If however you have a repair undertaken by another party that is outside of the dealer network for your manufacturer, then that manufacturer will have the right to decline future warranty work. For this reason it is important when getting a caravan repaired (even through an insurance company) you ensure it is taken to a dealership within the network of your caravan's manufacturer otherwise the warranty may be compromised.  

If you have any other questions, please send an e-mail to [email protected] and it will either be dealt with by a member of our highly experienced Service and Aftersales team, or passed on to another department where appropriate.