What is a caravan habitation check and do I need one?

A habitation check is a thorough inspection of the living area of your caravan, think like an MOT for your home on wheels. Habitation checks for caravans are carried out to make sure everything is safe and to identify problems early on.

A habitation check on a caravan is carried out by a professional engineer who will look at multiple factors to decide if your caravan is safe and compliant.

After the habitation checks are completed, the engineer will compile a report with all of the observations and problems they have identified, pointing out the recommended actions to take. You will also receive a caravan habitation certificate.

Regular caravan habitation checks are important as they will help to keep everyone who uses the caravan safe, allow you to discover & fix any issues before they develop into large and costly repairs, help to keep your warranty valid and retain the value of your caravan - a recorded history of habitation checks will also make it easier to sell your vehicle later on.

So why do you need annual habitation checks? Within your caravan there are components and parts that should be regularly inspected for faults. By not getting them looked at, you could be putting yourself and your loved ones in unnecessary danger. You also may miss any issues leading to them becoming bigger and costly issues.

We recommend getting your caravan checked once a year, most manufacturers recommend once a year too which by following the manufacturer’s guidelines, you will also be keeping your caravan under warranty.

What's Included in a caravan habitation check?

So now we know what a habitation check is, why you need a habitation check and how often you should have a caravan habitation check, but what does a habitation check involve?

The engineer will begin by checking the underbody of your caravan looking at the pipes and under slung tanks as well as corner steadies and folding steps ensuring there is no damage and everything is in place.

They will then continue with a full electrical inspection looking at all the batteries, sockets, lighting, appliances, wiring and so on.

Moving on to the gas and water systems next to check everything is safely working with no damage, blockages or issues.

The engineer will also check your caravan ventilation as well as fire safety, which is important to keep condensation, damp and pollutants out of your living area and of course to ensure the correct fire safety devices are in place in the event of a fire.

Once the technical elements have been inspected the engineer will move onto your caravans body work beginning with the exterior paintwork checking for scratches or dents. At Habsafe we also perform a paint depth test checking for respray - a big give away to any accident damage which can lower the value of your caravan and a decal check. The doors, windows and seals will all be inspected for use and damage as well as all interior appliances and upholstery. The floor is tested for delamination and wheels/tyres for condition.

Lastly at Habsafe we take things one step further with tests such as water ingress, vehicle dash warning light check, exterior light checks, under the bonnet checks and also timing belt history checks, service history, hpi and vehicle checks ensuring your caravan is in perfect condition for your next journey.