The National Caravan Council (NCC), in partnership with the Camping and Caravanning Club and the Caravan and Motorhome Club, has launched a new inspection service under its Approved Workshop Scheme for those planning to buy a secondhand motorhome.

So far, 82 workshops that have already attained AWS approval have signed up to offer the service called AWS Pre-Owned Pre-Purchase Inspections.

The aim of the service is to provide buyers with a detailed report on the visual and/or operational condition of the habitation area of the motorhome they are looking to purchase before they commit to buy. It does not cover the base vehicle.

Whilst the inspections will predominately cover safety critical elements of a motorhome, they will also cover other important areas such as damp testing. Pre-owned Pre-purchase Inspections are aimed at both trade and private sales of secondhand motorhomes.

“The inspections from AWS can help identify any hidden problems you may not be aware of before you buy which could, if undetected, lead to costly repairs,” explained Sarah Wigmore, Approved Workshop Scheme Manager. “The Approved workshop Scheme (AWS) is a joint enterprise between the NCC, the Caravan and Motorhome Club and the Camping and Caravanning Club and seen as the benchmark for motorhome habitation servicing in the UK. Supported by all of the UK’s major manufacturers, AWS approved workshops are able to carry out habitation servicing during the manufacturers’ warranty periods without invalidating them.”

All AWS workshops are annually assessed by a team of independent assessors to ensure they are qualified to the correct standards, have the relevant insurances, calibrated tools and equipment and offer professional customer practices.

It is expected that the inspections will cost in the region of £100 plus VAT and should take up to one-and-a-half-hours to complete. However prices may alter depending on the workshop and if/how far the technician needs to travel to carry out the inspection. It is advisable to agree the cost in advance.

While it is understood there are no exclusions to the motorhomes that can be inspected – so American RVs, campervans, liners and A-class models and even models imported but not sold in the UK – an AWS spokesman advised that, as the technicians are trained and approved to UK specifications, regulations and standards, it will be at the individual workshop’s discretion as to whether they inspect a model are not.

Should a problem be found with a motorhome, it is expected that the inspecting workshop will also provide a quote for the repair but there is no obligation to proceed with this.

Currently the majority of the workshops offering this service are mobile meaning they will be willing travel to inspect a model. “A reasonable distance will be included in the price of the inspection but if it exceeds a certain distance, the workshop will make it clear what the mileage rate is thereafter and agree this prior to booking,” said a spokesman.