Habitation Check
Also known as: habitation service, damp check, hab check
Annual inspection of a motorhome or campervan's living quarters — damp, gas, 12V/230V electrics, water, ventilation and fire safety — distinct from the vehicle's roadworthiness test.
A habitation check inspects the 'house' part of a van or motorhome, not the chassis and engine: damp (checked with a damp meter), the gas system (leak test, regulator, hose condition and locker ventilation), 12V and 230V electrics (RCD, leisure battery, sockets, breakers), the water system (pump, taps, tanks, toilet), ventilation, fire safety (smoke and CO alarms, fire blanket, extinguisher) and the bodywork/floor (delamination, cracked panels, seals). The vehicle itself — brakes, tyres, emissions — is covered separately by the manufacturer's dealer network and by the national roadworthiness test (MOT in the UK, TÜV in Germany, ITV in Spain, contrôle technique in France).
Most manufacturers recommend a habitation check every year, and it is worth more than routine peace of mind: a number of manufacturers tie a long water-ingress warranty (commonly 10 years) to a documented annual habitation check, so a missed year can void that cover. In the UK, workshops accredited under the Approved Workshop Scheme carry out checks to a shared code of practice; other markets rely on manufacturer dealer networks or independent specialists instead.
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