Having your caravan serviced:
why choose an Approved Workshop?

The Need For Annual Servicing

All responsible caravanners know how important it is to have their tourer serviced annually.

Touring caravans are road vehicles with moving parts, wheels chassis and brakes, all of which need to be checked at least one a year.

In addition, internal habitation area equipment such as gas cookers, heaters and fridges all need regular safety checks.  Electrical installations - mains and battery - require regular servicing and inspection too.

Most manufacturers' warranties only remain valid if you have an annual service and you will want to protect your valuable investment.

A Source Of Reliable Workshops

When it comes to having work done, you will want to know that your property has been serviced by trained and experienced professionals on well equipped premises.

The Approved Workshop scheme is managed by The Camping and Caravanning Club, The Caravan Club and the National Caravan Council Limited.

To be accepted on the scheme, all workshops must pass an annual inspection by a team of independent assessors and must comply with the scheme's rigorous standards for facilities and workmanship.

How Can I Find One?

You can find your nearest member of the Approved Workshop scheme by contacting the National Caravan Council Limited or The Caravan Club. Full website access and telephone contact details for all three organizations are listed on the back cover.

Alternatively, full lists of member workshops are available on the website of the scheme's facilitators, Jones Vening, at www.jones-vening.co.uk

What Will The Workshop Offer

All Approved Workshops have agreed to comply with a Code of Practice.  This means that all of them will:

• offer to collect and deliver your caravan if required, for which there will be a charge
• provide on request a written estimate, if servicing or repair work is likely to exceed £150, setting out all foreseeable costs, including parts, labour, sundries and VAT
• make details of the Approved Workshop scheme's Annual Service Schedule available on request
• clearly display in the workshop reception area a detailed menu of prices and labour rates.
• provide a realistic estimate of the time required for service or repair
• not have terms or conditions that seek to restrict your statutory rights
• comply with all relevant consumer and other legislation
• clearly display the Approved Workshop certificate and staff training qualifications
• have adequate insurance to cover your property while at the premises
• make it clear before starting work what means of payment are acceptable
• notify any unforeseen delays as soon as possible and give a new estimated completion time.

Ensuring Satisfaction

All Approved Workshops use a set of guidelines to ensure that you are satisfied with their work:

• all work will be carried out using skill, care and professional judgement
• no work will start without your express authority
• if they discover the need for additional work during servicing or repair, they will contact you for authority to continue
• any faults discovered while work is being carried out and not rectified immediately, will be brought to your attention in writing, together with an honest assessment of how urgent the repairs may be.

A Detailed Invoice

To ensure that you have a complete record of the service or repair, every Approved Workshop invoice will carry the following information:

• the date of the service or repair
• the workshop's name, address and phone number
• your caravan make, model, year and identification number
• an itemised list of parts, labour, specialist costs and VAT
• part numbers for all parts used
• the number of hours charged, broken down further on request.

Parts And Components

Parts and components that have been replaced or removed during the course of servicing or repair will be available for you to inspect when you collect your caravan.

If they are part of an exchange scheme, you will have a chance to inspect them before they are returned.

Your Guarantee

Approved Workshops are responsible for the quality and standard of their work, of any subcontracted work and of any parts supplied.

They will guarantee all repairs for a minimum of six months and take all reasonable steps to protect the validity of the unexpired warranties.

What If There's A Problem

Every workshop in the scheme has demonstrated a positive approach to customer complaints and has in place a clear and simple customer complaints procedure.

There will always be a member of staff on hand with authority to deal with routine concerns.  More serious complaints will always be investigated thoroughly and dealt with promptly.

If you have a serious dispute with the workshop, the scheme management operates a conciliation procedure to help resolve disputes.