Is a habitation check a legal requirement?

A motorhome or campervan habitation check is NOT legally required, while some insurance companies may require that you carry out frequent habitation checks, then you must do so, otherwise, you run the risk of voiding your insurance. Some warranties also require you to have annual habitation checks to keep your warranty valid. Another scenario where a habitation check is required would be if you were renting your motorhome or caravan out for some extra income, you would want to ensure everything is safe for your temporary holiday goers.

But aside from that, if you’ve just purchased a motorhome, you don’t need to carry out a habitation check before driving or using it unlike with a car MOT.

It’s also OK to drive around and use a motorhome for years without putting it through a habitation check. As long as you are fully insured, the vehicle is taxed and has had an MOT recently.

Another good reason to get a habitation check is for when you are planning on buying another motorhome or caravan. When it comes to upgrade it can be a big financial decision so having a habitation check carried out prior to taking her home forever can help aid you in your decision.

So while a habitation check is not a legal requirement we do recommend keeping up to date with your annual habitation checks to not only keep your van safe and working, avoid costly repairs but it will help when you come to sell on your motorhome adding value.