Habitation check Change of Autosleeper policy

I have just tried to book my habitation service with an NCC approved scheme member and have received the following reply.


'We have recently been advised by the NCC Approved Workshop Scheme manager that Autosleeper have changed their policy and now require warranty servicing to be carried out by Autosleeper authorised workshops; NCC AWS workshops can only be used under exceptional circumstances, and with Autosleepers’ prior approval. They will recognise previous servicing carried out by NCC AWS engineers as adhering to their warranty terms but will now require you to have servicing by Auto-Sleeper approved workshops only.'


I purchased my heap in October 2015. I have not been contacted by AS to say they have changed the terms and conditions of my warranty, therefore until I am presented with a new terms and conditions, in writing then the old warranty applies. (Contract law).
 If it is an AS warranty then that is only for one year anyway on most of the parts, so how does that work?.
My warranty is with Marquis not AS so therefore no problem that I can see.
Anybody got any idea what is going on?

I have always used AS at Willersey for hab checks, as we are only an hour away. I like the service we get from Mark and his team.

Pete

Spockydog wrote:
My warranty is with Marquis not AS so therefore no problem that I can see.

I think you're mixing up warranty and your rights under consumer law.

Your contract of sale (and thus your rights under consumer laws) is with the dealer. These rights are statutory ones which the dealer cannot vary or overrule.

The warranty is offered by the manufacturer and not the dealer that sold the vehicle to you. As I understand it, a warranty is not a statutory right and the manufacturer can vary it as they wish for new customers. However, it would seem reasonable that they cannot retrospectively change the terms of a warranty after you have bought the vehicle!

But... as the warranty has expired anyway, I guess it's a moot point unless there is an element of warranty (e.g. against damp ingress?) that lasts longer than a year.

Been in touch with my NCC approved company and they have spoken to Peter Tombs at Autosleeper. This change in policy affects everyone who has bought a new AS and is still within the 6 year warranty. (water ingress) The company haven't told their customers yet of this change in policy. Don't know if they will. Need legal advice as to how a warranty can be changed for existing customers without notification in writing. Perhaps someone in asoc could actually clarify this.

I have no problem with all warranty work being undertaken by the supplying dealership, it's what I've understood was accepted practice. Before buying our MH, I discussed this very issue with Marquis Durham (our closest branch and what they think is within reasonable travelling distance from us, about 170 miles each way) we considered purchasing from them but we're worried about the distance if remedial work was needed.

If they are referring to habitation checks being done by AS approved centres then that is a completely different issue. Our dealers (just the 60 miles each way) wanted to keep our van for three days to do the Hab check and charge us significantly more than an NCC accredited firm. If AS want to regulate Hab checks during the warranty period to their approved dealers, I would not purchase a van with that precondition.

What do you mean by bought a new AS? This year, last year? Ours is over three years old now and as far as I know we only had a two year warranty. Is AS now finally following the lead of other manufacturers and offering a substantial water ingress warranty?

Pete

That same Autosleeper conversion warranty is on Marquis website, word for word. If you then go to your handbook or download the PDF for the terms and conditions, you will actually see that after year one there are quite a lot of exclusions of items covered by the warranty, after year two even more. Always read the small print. Water ingress is 6 years.
This change of policy is about habitation service that can now only be done by approved Autosleeper dealers. My local one wants £230. My NCC approved cost £120. That is what this is about... money. Not customer care, not quality control, money plain and simple. However the new policy is one of the best kept secrets as AS don't seem to have passed it on to their customers, only the NCC. I am in contact with Citizens advice as to whether a change like this can be done retrospectively, or whether I can ignore it and book my NCC approved company for my Hab check..

Spockydog wrote:However the new policy is one of the best kept secrets as AS don't seem to have passed it on to their customers, only the NCC.

If I have to guess, I would suggest that the NCC have misunderstood what A/S has told them, and that A/S intend this to apply to new customers only.

I had my year 2 service done by an NCC approved mobile engineer in March this year. I normally go to the AS service centre for hab service but couldn't on this occasion due to illness.
 I have just collected my van from Mark at Autosleepers Service centre after major water ingress on the nearside. All done no quibble under warranty.

As an aside they fitted new fridge vents, and all external fittings now have gaskets fitted, bbq point, mains point lockers etc as well as gaskets fitted to all points on the offside. Seems these are not new problems. All new vans now have gaskets fitted and don't rely on sealant.

Very pleased with the service and work done. I think AS learn from there mistakes ? or are that learning short cuts don't pay.