Couple’s caravan was a washout

Nov 6 2011 Sunday Sun

A COUPLE bought a new caravan expecting to enjoy many days out in the country.

What they got instead was a vehicle that was away for repair for three months at the height of the touring season.

Lorraine and John Gray had bought the Swift caravan hoping for an idyllic summer.

But for much of the time it was in workshops undergoing repairs.

Lorraine, of Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, said: “It was brand new but the rain was soaking through the windows. It went away for repairs, came back, and there was still a problem with damp.

“It went away for more repairs but, again, nothing was done that sorted out the damp once and for all.

“It went away for the third time in September and by this time we were completely fed up.

“I can’t understand how a new caravan would need so many repairs for the same fault. I worked it out that we had 22 days use of it and it was in for repair for 90 days.”

The vehicle, a Swift Challenger, had been bought from Catterick Caravans at Richmond, North Yorkshire, but I decided to go straight to Swift for a comment.

Marketing manager Janette Henwood said it was an ongoing problem Swift were determined to sort out.

She said: “It is extremely unusual for our customers to experience such high level of issues with a Swift Group caravan.

“Our main priority is always to establish the fault and rectify the problem as quickly as possible while limiting the amount of disruption to the customer.

“We apologise for the distress this has caused and wish Mr and Mrs Gray many more happy times in the caravan.”

What happened to finally sort it out?

Lorraine told me the caravan, which had previously been repaired at Catterick Caravans, was recalled to Swift’s head office near Hull.

She said: “We picked it up on Monday and it has been given a whole new front panel and a new roof.

“We hope the repairs will be enough this time.

The couple have been given two years of free servicing, which amounts to £500, and the warranty will start from this month instead of June when the caravan was bought.

Catterick Caravans spokesman John Davies said: “It’s unfortunate that some caravans need to be repaired but it happens sometimes.”