Quote: Originally posted by sarah106red on 24/6/2010
Apparently ours was the only customer caravan involved in the fire. All other caravans/motorhomes were stock. We've only had our brand new caravan 3 weeks and took it back to Cranhams for some warranty work (faults). Only used it 3 weekends and were so devastated at the news. We didn't hear until Tuesday. We were allowed to go there at 4pm that day to retrieve our personal belongings from the caravan (we were meant to collect it Friday and go on holiday so it had a lot in it). The staff at Cranhams were very helpful, especially Jackie, who did so much for us and found other members of staff to assist in moving all our stuff to our car (we weren't allowed to drive in there). The damage to our Swift Conqueror 645 is a hole right through the side. This was caused by gas cylinders exploding and it was a piece of the valve that went through our van and landed our bed. Thankfully it didn't all go up in smoke but it's a very sad sight. We now await the insurance claim outcome and very much hope they don't expect us to accept a repaired caravan that's only 3 weeks old and cost £20,659. The accessory shop was also involved (not the workshop). There is nothing left of the accessory shop & all caravans around it were damaged. Some motorhomes were damaged too.Cranhams are updating the situation on their website. They are closed for a few days at least.
OMG Sarah! My heart really goes out to you. I mean what are the odds of only YOURS being the ONLY already owned tin tent affected amongst soooooo many eh? The storage site alone must have nigh on 200 in it I reckon.
I have to admit that I'd got my knickers in a right old twist when I heard that it was s'posed to have been the workshop involved coz our Ellie is parked not very far away from the wall between that and her but sighed a HUGE sigh of relief when my hubby visited the site yesterday and saw that it was the accessory shop instead. That WAS a fantastic accessory shop though, it'll be sadly missed till it's replaced and I'm guessing they will replace it coz it does a roaring trade, (from us alone
).
Like you, I'm also wondering what the insurance company will do about yours what with it only being THREE WEEKS old, (sacrilage that and as I really feel for you), but knowing what they tend to be like trying to scrimp and save wherever they can I wouldn't be at all surprised if they don't simply want to repair it and just replace the entire side that was affected but........ when you consider that it also MUST have smoke damage, (everything will defo pong to high heaven I'd have thought, but you'd know more than me having been inside your poor tin tent to collect what you could), then that could make all the difference and they may be forced to simply give you another new one, (I'm hoping as I daresay you are). Either way, I do hope you get it sorted to your satisfaction albeit maybe not quite in time for your hols. Total bummer and I can't say how sad I feel for you having had to miss our own hols, (only ever had two weeks away anyhoo but we're hoping that will soon change), last year thanks to hubby having a blessed heart attack the day before we were meant to be taking Ellie to Cornwall.
Like you, we've always found everybody at Cranham Caravans to be really helpful and always seem prepared to go that extra mile to help if they can. We've been dealing with them eversince my hubby went to the accessory shop for.....a window catch....for the first secondhand tin tent of our own that we'd bought the year before via a private sale and came home with.....A NEW bl**dy caravanSince that day, I have not once let him loose in that place alone! I hasten to add that he hadn't physically signed the deal or anything without me, but it was pretty much a done deal by the time he took me and the kids along to see this new one. MEN eh?
I'll keep everything crossed for ya that it's all sorted asap and that you can still manage to get away for your hols this year even if it's a bit later than you'd have liked. Please do keep us informed coz we're a nosy bunch ya know.
All the best.
Oh and ta muchly for the kind peeps who've reminded me where we can still get any odds and ends we might need prior to Cornwall this year. Of course, as you may have gathered from this post, I shan't be letting my hubby pop along on his own!Maybe safer sticking to shopping online eh?
Topic: Cranham caravans
- and very relieved. The past week has been a nightmare. Thanks again to you all for your really kind and helpful comments.
