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You want to be using a member of the Approved Workshop scheme, who carry out servicing to a set standard. The scheme's run by the National Caravan Council, the Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club.

If you haven't had a checksheet, either your man's not a member or he's not operating to standard - and if he's not able to get to the gas regulator or electric he's not able to check the gas or electric systems, and therefore he's putting you and your's in danger if you're under the impression that he was doing a full service.

He might have only been servicing the running gear. That's only half the job.

Read more here.

You do not always get a copy of the checklist even from member of the Approved Workshop scheme.

My new van has had two annual services and I have only had a check list once. However I as I was standing beside him on each occasion, I know that he did check everything and adjust parts that needed adjusted.

I do agree with Viggo though that you should have some sort of paperwork to say what has been inspected and that a service has been carried out.

It could be that your paperwork has simply not come through yet. I had a service done some 3 weeks ago and the paperwork for it just arrived today.

We've had to have our last two serviced by the dealers because of the warranty, they provide a comprehensive check list & do a good job. In fact, ours was serviced this Tuesday & I can't fault them at all.

Having said that, we've used a mobile service engineer for years & he is brilliant. He was the 3rd moblie we tried & I wouldn't go anywhere else if the warranty would be OK with him doing the job. He doesn't provide any check list but he almost dismantles the carvan & used to be here for between 3 & 4 hours. As soon as this one's clear of warranty, he'll be doing it again without a second thought.

BB

>>>  As soon as this one's clear of warranty, he'll be doing it again without a second thought.  <<<

And there in lies the answer.

If you are happy with the service then that is the one you use. Price and little bits of paper do have some infuence but really we have our vans serviced for our own "peace of mind"

Quote: Originally posted by LobeyDosser on 14/5/2010

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>>>  As soon as this one's clear of warranty, he'll be doing it again without a second thought.  <<<

And there in lies the answer.

If you are happy with the service then that is the one you use. Price and little bits of paper do have some infuence but really we have our vans serviced for our own "peace of mind"

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I can't speak highly enough of the man Lobey, it's good to know work paid for has been done & done properly. A stamp in the service book is no good if the job's not been done. Very convenient for me to have it done on the drive too.

BB

Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 14/5/2010

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How much have you paid him for the service? If only about £70 I guess it would have been a 'chassis service' ie only brakes/wheel bearings/coupling/lights. The other bit is a 'habitation service' probabley another £70, which will include gas & mains electric among other things.

He should have made all this clear to you tho.

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Quote: Originally posted by LobeyDosser on 14/5/2010

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You do not always get a copy of the checklist even from member of the Approved Workshop scheme.

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Quote: Originally posted by Max-and-Paddy on 15/5/2010

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I definitely won't be using him again. I've spoken to a couple I got from Yellow Pages who both told me everything they check and I was quite impressed with one of them so will be using him.

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Quote: Originally posted by Viggo on 15/5/2010

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I've just noticed the line that says "Fridge not serviced unless requested". I'm sure I read something recently about fridge warrantees being dependent on annual servicing.

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That would depend on what kind of fridge you had installed. Our fridge, a Waeco Compression Fridge (12v only) does not require any servicing.  

However having serviced my own 3-way fridges on a number of occasions in the past, by the time I took the fridge out and cleaned the flue, checked the gas burner and blew through the jet and then checked the electrics before re-installing the fridge, including making sure the metal baffle was properly sealing the top of the fridge and checking that all the gas pipes were properly sealed, this all took as long as the average time taken to service all of the rest of the van.

To service a 3-way fridge properly, it has to come out. None that I have serviced could be done in situ.  
Perhaps more modern ones are different.

Just checked mine from service last month, no reference to 'fridge not being included, in fact its got a section to itself and checks for Gas freeze up (reports temp as -17c), electric ignition, mains power check and temp and 12v power check.

All appliances are checked for safe operation, flues, ventilation etc. and declared safe to use.

Also signs that wheel nuts, gas and mains electric have been checked and signs a gas safety declaration.

Also checks motor mover, replaces wheel hub nuts and re-greases spare wheel carrier. I pay £140 + VAT 

In reality, any printed checklist is going to be made up "for an average caravan".

Atleast a third of the stuff on that sample list is not applicable to my van and I am sure that others also have things fitted, or not fitted, in their vans that are not on any standard checklist.

If a caravan manufacturer is going to hold you to an annual service to guarantee a warranty, then they will have to draw up their own annual service checklist as pertaining to the particular make and model of your van.