News & Advice

What The Approved Workshop Scheme Is

The Approved Workshop Scheme is a joint enterprise between the National Caravan Council, The Camping and Caravanning Club and The Caravan and Motorhome Club. The Scheme, which was originated in 1978, was set up with the express purpose of raising the standard of engineering work carried out on motorhomes and caravans to a higher standard. In order to be accepted on to the Scheme, all workshops must pass an annual inspection by a team of independent assessors and must comply with the Scheme's rigorous standards.

Maintain Your Manufacturer Warranty

Manufacturers of motorhomes and caravans require owners to have regular habitation checks in order to maintain the validity of their manufacturer warranty. Manufacturer warranties can last for seven or even ten years in some cases. Therefore, in theory, when buying a used motorhome or caravan up to a certain age it is quite possible that you are covered by the manufacturer's warranty. This of course is a huge benefit should something go wrong.

What is less well known, is that most manufacturers are very particular about how and when the habitation checks take place. Get it wrong and you invalidate your warranty. Firstly, they require that the habitation check be carried out by an Approved Workshop. Secondly, there is a strict timetable for when the habitation checks have to be carried out by - miss the date for a habitation check and you wave your warranty goodbye.

So, the rules on maintaining your manufacturer warranty are simple - use an Approved Workshop and get it done on time!

Peace of Mind

Of course, not everyone gets a habitation check done just to maintain their warranty. In fact all motorhome and caravan owners should get a periodic habitation check carried out to ensure that they are safe to use. Hazards such as fire and carbon monoxide poisoning are a very real threat. Caravan servicing and habitation checks are also essential to identify problems early while they are still quick fixes and before they become expensive repairs. Of course damp is the biggest culprit here. Whatever your reason for having a habitation check carried out, using an Approved Workshop engineer gives you peace of mind.

Approved Mobile Workshops

The Approved Workshop scheme is an assessment of the engineers carrying out the work and the equipment they use, not the location that the habitation checks are carried out in. Therefore, Approved Mobile Workshops make up a large part of the scheme's membership. As Approved Mobile Workshops under the scheme, Habcheck provides a mobile service that both gives you peace of mind and makes your life easier.

You can book your habitation check with one of our Approved Workshop engineers by clicking Book Now.