Motorhome Habitation Check: What It Is, What’s Checked & What It Costs

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A motorhome habitation check is a detailed inspection of the living area of your motorhome, covering the gas, electrical and water systems, heating and ventilation, fire safety and checks for damp or water ingress.

It’s separate from your motorhome’s mechanical service and MOT, which cover the base vehicle rather than the habitation area.

A habitation check isn’t a legal requirement in the UK, but having one annually can identify safety issues and developing problems before they become expensive to fix. If your motorhome is still under warranty, an annual habitation check may also be required to keep parts of that warranty valid.

In this guide, we explain exactly what happens during a motorhome habitation check, how much it costs, how long it takes and which checks you can sensibly carry out yourself.

Motorhome Habitation Check Key Facts

What it is: The Gap Decaders’ guide to motorhome habitation checks explains what a habitation check covers, how often you need one, how long it takes and which checks you can carry out yourself.
What’s checked: A habitation check covers the living area and systems of your motorhome, including gas, electrics, water, heating, ventilation, safety equipment and damp or water ingress.
How often: An annual habitation check is generally recommended and may be required to maintain your motorhome’s habitation or water-ingress warranty.
First-hand experience: The Gap Decaders have owned and lived in motorhomes and overland vehicles since 2018, carrying out regular habitation and maintenance checks throughout that time.

Motorhome Servicing

Motorhomes need two different types of regular servicing: a mechanical service for the base vehicle and a habitation check for the living area.

The mechanical service covers the engine and running gear, including items such as the brakes, steering, suspension, fluids and filters. The service schedule will depend on the base vehicle manufacturer, such as Fiat, Peugeot, Ford or Mercedes, as well as the age and mileage of your motorhome.

A habitation check covers the systems and equipment in the living area, including gas, electrics, water, heating, ventilation and safety equipment, as well as checking the motorhome for damp and water ingress.

Neither replaces your MOT. If your motorhome requires an MOT, that’s a separate legal roadworthiness inspection.

Keeping on top of all three helps ensure your motorhome remains safe on the road and when you’re living in it, and regular servicing may also be required under the terms of your vehicle or habitation warranty.

What Is a Motorhome Habitation Check?

A motorhome habitation check is a detailed inspection of the living area of your motorhome and the systems you use when you’re camping. It is sometimes called a habitation service, although it’s primarily an inspection and safety check rather than a service in the traditional sense.

During a professional habitation check, the technician will inspect the gas, electrical and water systems, heating and ventilation, fire and carbon monoxide safety equipment, and the body of the motorhome for signs of damp or water ingress.

This is separate from the mechanical servicing of the base vehicle. Your regular motorhome service covers things such as the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and other mechanical components, while the habitation check concentrates on everything behind the cab that makes your motorhome a living space.

If your motorhome is built on a Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, Ford Transit or similar base vehicle, the mechanical service schedule is determined by the base vehicle manufacturer. The habitation inspection is normally carried out separately by a motorhome dealer, service centre or mobile habitation engineer.

For many owners, that means there are three separate things to keep on top of: the MOT, mechanical servicing and the habitation check.

Do I Need a Motorhome Habitation Check?

A motorhome habitation check is not a legal requirement in the UK, but having one carried out regularly is a sensible part of looking after your motorhome.

For newer motorhomes, an annual habitation or damp inspection may be a condition of the manufacturer’s habitation or water-ingress warranty. The exact requirements vary between manufacturers, so check your warranty terms carefully, including who is authorised to carry out the inspection and the time window in which it must be completed.

Once your motorhome is outside its warranty period, there is no obligation to continue with an annual professional habitation check. However, regular checks can identify problems such as water ingress, gas leaks, electrical faults and deteriorating seals before they become more serious or expensive to repair.

A recent habitation report can also be useful when selling a motorhome, giving a potential buyer evidence that the habitation systems have been regularly inspected and highlighting the results of the most recent damp check.

If you’re buying a used motorhome, we’d also recommend arranging an independent habitation and damp check before you buy, particularly if there is little or no service history.

What Happens During a Motorhome Habitation Check?

A professional motorhome habitation check usually takes around three hours and involves working systematically through the living area and its systems to check that everything is operating safely and correctly.

The engineer will typically inspect:

A habitation check is primarily an inspection rather than an appliance service. For example, the engineer will check that your fridge, boiler and heating system operate correctly and safely, but this doesn’t necessarily include dismantling or servicing individual appliances.

Once the inspection is complete, you should receive a report detailing the checks carried out, any faults found and work that may need attention.

If you’re using an Approved Workshop Scheme member, the inspection follows the scheme’s standard habitation servicing procedures and should provide documented evidence of the work carried out.

Before taking your motorhome for a habitation check, you’ll usually need to remove pretty much everything from the living area, cupboards, lockers and storage spaces.

The engineer needs access to pipework, electrical equipment, gas connections, wall and floor areas, lockers and other spaces that are normally hidden by your belongings. That means taking out clothes, bedding, food, kitchen equipment and all the other stuff that tends to accumulate in a motorhome.

We’ve learned that this is not a job to leave until the morning of the appointment! If you travel full-time or carry a lot of kit, allow plenty of time to empty the motorhome beforehand.

Check with your workshop when you book, as they may have specific instructions about what needs to be removed and whether they want water, gas or electrical systems left connected and ready for testing.

How Much Does a Motorhome Habitation Check Cost?

A motorhome habitation check typically costs around £180 to £300 in the UK, although prices vary depending on the workshop, your location and what’s included.

Current prices from Approved Workshop Scheme members range from around £160 at the lower end to £320 at some dealerships, while Habcheck charges £249 for members and £269 for non-members for its mobile habitation check service.

Before booking, check exactly what the price includes. A standard habitation check should cover the main gas, electrical and water systems, appliances, safety equipment and a damp inspection, but repairs, replacement parts and servicing of individual appliances will normally cost extra.

Mobile engineers may also charge a call-out or mileage fee, although some include travel within their normal service area.

If your motorhome is still under warranty, don’t choose on price alone. Check that the workshop or engineer meets your manufacturer’s servicing requirements so that your habitation or water-ingress warranty remains valid.

How Often Should You Have a Motorhome Habitation Check?

Most motorhome habitation checks are carried out annually, although how important that annual schedule is depends on the age of your motorhome and whether it is still under warranty.

If your motorhome is within its manufacturer’s habitation or water-ingress warranty, check the terms carefully. Many manufacturers require an annual habitation or damp inspection, sometimes within a specific time window, and missing it could affect your warranty.

For older motorhomes outside warranty, an annual professional check isn’t compulsory, but it’s still a useful way of picking up developing problems. Damp and water ingress are particularly important because a small leak around a rooflight, window or body joint can cause significant damage if it goes unnoticed.

If you carry out your own regular checks, we’d suggest doing them at least once a year and also giving the motorhome a thorough inspection after a long period in storage or before setting off on an extended trip.

You should also investigate immediately if you notice signs of damp, smell gas, experience unexplained electrical problems or find that an appliance isn’t operating normally rather than waiting for the next scheduled habitation check.

DIY Motorhome Habitation Checks

There are plenty of habitation checks you can carry out yourself between professional inspections, and regularly checking your motorhome is one of the best ways to spot developing problems before they become expensive ones.

We’ve always done routine checks on our own motorhomes, particularly before a long trip and after the vehicle has been standing for a while. You quickly get to know what’s normal for your motorhome, which makes changes such as a new damp patch, unusual smell, loose fitting or appliance behaving differently much easier to spot.

However, a DIY habitation check isn’t necessarily a substitute for a professional one. If your motorhome is under warranty, you may need an inspection carried out by an approved workshop or suitably qualified engineer to maintain that warranty.

There are also limits to what you should tackle yourself. Visual inspections and basic functional checks are straightforward for most owners, but work on LPG systems and 230V mains electrics should be left to someone with the appropriate competence and equipment.

We’ve also created a free printable Motorhome Habitation Check Checklist, so you can work systematically around your motorhome and record what you’ve checked, including your damp meter readings. If you’re already a subscriber, you’ll find it in our resource library. If not, you can sign up for free access to the library and all our downloadable motorhome checklists.

What to Check During a DIY Habitation Check

If you use your motorhome regularly, you’re already checking some of its habitation systems without really thinking about it. You know if the toilet flush works, the water pump sounds different, the boiler isn’t heating properly or a cupboard hinge has started working loose.

It’s the less obvious areas that need a more deliberate inspection. Small leaks, deteriorating sealant, damaged seals and early water ingress can go unnoticed for months or even years, by which time the resulting damage can be much more difficult and expensive to repair.

Work methodically around the motorhome, checking inside cupboards, lockers and under beds and seating as well as the areas you see every day. Look for staining, softness, mould, condensation, corrosion, cracked sealant and anything that has changed since your previous inspection.

It’s also a good opportunity to deal with minor maintenance as you go. Lubricate hinges and locks, condition rubber seals, tighten loose fittings and investigate small problems before they become bigger ones.

If you don’t use your motorhome year-round, the start of the touring season is a good time to carry out a thorough check. We also tend to do these jobs when we’re giving the motorhome a proper clean, as we’re already opening lockers, moving things and getting into the less accessible areas.

How Do I Perform a DIY Motorhome Damp Check?

Damp and water ingress are among the most important things to look for during a DIY habitation check. A small leak around a window, rooflight, locker door or body joint can remain hidden for a long time, potentially causing damage inside the walls, floor or roof before you see obvious signs inside the motorhome.

Start with a thorough visual and physical inspection. Pay particular attention around windows, rooflights, doors, external lockers, vents and anywhere something has been fitted through the body or roof. Look inside cupboards, under beds and seating, and in corners where problems can remain hidden.

Look and feel for staining, discolouration, mould, musty smells, bubbling or peeling wall coverings, soft wallboard or flooring and areas that feel unusually cold or damp.

You can also use a moisture meter to help identify areas that warrant further investigation. However, we’d avoid repeatedly pushing the probes of a pin-type meter through visible wall and ceiling coverings. Professional testing methods have changed as motorhome construction has evolved, and the Approved Workshop Scheme notes that probe-style water-ingress testing is no longer routinely used across all motorhomes. The correct testing method can also depend on the manufacturer’s construction and requirements.

If you do take moisture readings, don’t treat a single number as a diagnosis. Readings can be affected by the material being tested and atmospheric conditions, so it’s useful to compare different areas of the motorhome and keep a record of your readings over time.

As a general guide, the Approved Workshop Scheme currently uses these moisture levels in its motorhome damp reports:

• 0–15%: No cause for concern.
• 15–20%: May require further investigation and should be monitored.
• 20–30%: Further investigation is required for possible water ingress.
• 30% and above: May indicate that structural damage or deterioration is occurring and needs prompt investigation.

If you find an unexpectedly high reading, visible signs of water ingress or an area that is becoming wetter over time, get a professional damp inspection rather than simply waiting until your next annual habitation check.

Our printable Motorhome Habitation Check Checklist includes space to record your damp readings, making it easier to compare the same areas each time you carry out a check.

Other DIY Motorhome Habitation Check Jobs

Alongside checking for damp and testing the main habitation systems, there are a few routine maintenance jobs worth including when you give your motorhome a thorough once-over.

AL-KO Chassis Maintenance

If your motorhome has an AL-KO chassis, check whether the rear axle has grease nipples and requires periodic greasing.

AL-KO recommends greasing applicable torsion bar rear axles at least once a year or approximately every 20,000km, whichever comes first. The motorhome should be jacked so there is no load on the axle while the grease is applied.

Not every AL-KO axle requires greasing. Some are maintenance-free, so check the instructions for your particular chassis before doing anything.

This is also a good opportunity to look underneath the motorhome for obvious corrosion, damage, loose components or anything that has changed since your last inspection. If you’re not confident working underneath a heavy vehicle or don’t have suitable lifting equipment, leave this job to a workshop.

Condition Window, Door & Rooflight Seals

Check the rubber seals around windows, doors, locker doors and rooflights for cracking, hardening or deterioration.

Clean away dirt and debris and use a suitable rubber seal conditioner where recommended by the manufacturer. Keeping the seals clean and supple helps them maintain a good seal and can prevent them sticking in hot weather.

This is different from the sealant used around windows, rooflights and other fittings. If you spot cracked, lifting or deteriorating body sealant, investigate it promptly as it could allow water into the structure of the motorhome.

Lubricate Hinges & Locks

Check habitation doors, locker doors, cupboards, catches, hinges and locks as you work around the motorhome.

Clean them where necessary and lubricate moving parts with a product suitable for the particular mechanism. Silicone lubricant can be useful for many motorhome fittings, but avoid spraying a general lubricant indiscriminately onto plastics, rubber seals or components where the manufacturer specifies something different.

Check Your Wet Central Heating System

If your motorhome has a wet central heating system, such as an Alde system, check the fluid level in the expansion tank and look around the system for any signs of leaks.

The fluid should normally sit between the minimum and maximum marks when the system is cold. If it needs topping up, use the correct fluid for your particular heating system rather than assuming all motorhome antifreeze is the same.

Heating fluid also needs replacing periodically, but the interval depends on the type of glycol used and the manufacturer’s recommendations. Check your heating system manual for the correct specification and replacement schedule.

While you’re there, run the heating and hot water and make sure they’re operating normally.

Check the Motorhome Water System

Run each tap, the shower and toilet flush and listen to the water pump as it operates. Check underneath sinks, around the water heater and pump, and inside nearby cupboards and lockers for drips or signs of previous leaks.

Inspect accessible pipes, connections and drain valves, and check that your fresh and waste water tanks and their fittings aren’t leaking.

If the pump starts intermittently when no tap is open, investigate why. It can indicate a small leak somewhere in the system or a problem with the pump or pressure system.

It’s also worth cleaning and sanitising your fresh water system periodically, particularly after the motorhome has been stored for a long period.

Check Fire & Carbon Monoxide Safety Equipment

Test your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm using their test buttons and replace batteries where required. Check the manufacturer’s replacement date for each alarm too, as the sensors themselves have a limited lifespan.

Check your fire extinguisher for damage, corrosion or loss of pressure and make sure it’s still within the manufacturer’s recommended service or replacement period.

If you carry a fire blanket, check that it’s undamaged, accessible and securely mounted. Don’t bury any of your emergency equipment at the back of a cupboard or locker.

Finally, make sure everyone who travels in the motorhome knows where the fire extinguisher and fire blanket are kept and how to get out quickly in an emergency.

Check the 12V Electrical System

Switch off the mains hook-up and check that your 12V systems operate correctly from the leisure battery.

Test the interior lights, water pump, toilet flush, control panel, USB outlets and other 12V equipment fitted to your motorhome. Check the leisure battery voltage and condition where accessible, and look for loose connections, corrosion or damaged cables.

If you have solar, check your controller or monitoring system to make sure the panels are charging the leisure batteries as expected.

Don’t remove covers or work on electrical components unless you know what you’re doing. If you find damaged wiring, overheating, burning smells or unexplained battery problems, get the system checked professionally.

Check the 230V Electrical System

Connect the motorhome to a suitable mains supply and check that the 230V sockets and appliances are working correctly.

Test the RCD using its test button and visually inspect your hook-up cable, plugs and sockets for cuts, damage, corrosion or signs of overheating.

A DIY check should stop at basic operation and visual inspection. Proper testing of the motorhome’s 230V installation requires specialist equipment and should be carried out by a suitably competent person.

Check the Gas System

Start with a visual inspection of any accessible gas hoses, regulators and connections, looking for obvious deterioration or damage. Check that ventilation openings and gas drop-out vents haven’t been blocked by stored belongings.

You can also operate your gas appliances normally to make sure they ignite and run as expected, paying attention to anything unusual such as difficulty lighting, an abnormal flame or an appliance repeatedly shutting down.

Don’t dismantle gas appliances, loosen connections or attempt to repair the LPG system as part of a DIY habitation check. A professional habitation inspection includes gas-safety testing using equipment that most motorhome owners won’t have.

If you smell gas, turn off the supply if it is safe to do so, ventilate the motorhome, avoid operating electrical switches or anything that could create a spark, and have the system checked before using it again.

Check Your Motorhome Appliances

Run your fridge, heating, hot water and other fitted appliances using the operating modes you normally use.

For a three-way fridge, that may mean checking operation on 12V, 230V and gas. You can clean accessible vents and remove dust and debris, but we’d leave work on the gas burner, flue and gas components to someone competent to work on LPG appliances.

Check appliance vents and external covers for damage or obstruction and look for signs of overheating, corrosion or deterioration.

If an appliance isn’t behaving normally, investigate the cause rather than assuming that because it still works, it’s safe.

Check the Motorhome Exterior & Roof

Walk slowly around the outside of your motorhome and look for damage, cracks, loose trim or anything that has changed since your last inspection.

Pay particular attention to the sealant around windows, rooflights, vents, awning rails, aerials, solar panel cable entries and anything else that passes through or is attached to the body. Look for sealant that is cracked, lifting, shrinking or pulling away from the surface.

If you can safely access the roof, check its condition and inspect around rooflights, vents and other fittings for damage or deteriorating sealant. Don’t climb onto the roof unless your motorhome manufacturer says it is designed to take your weight.

Check external locker doors, the habitation door and windows for damage and make sure they close and seal properly. Inspect vents and grilles and remove leaves, dirt or debris that could restrict airflow.

Check Underneath Your Motorhome

Have a look underneath the motorhome for obvious signs of leaks, corrosion, damage or anything hanging loose.

Check accessible waste pipes and drain outlets, and look for staining or wet areas that could indicate a leak from the fresh or waste water systems.

If your leisure battery, water tanks, LPG tank or other habitation equipment is mounted underneath the vehicle, visually inspect the mountings and protective covers where you can do so safely.

Never work underneath a motorhome that is supported only by a jack. If something needs closer inspection or you need to get underneath the vehicle to carry out maintenance, use suitable rated supports or have the work carried out professionally.

When to Get a Professional Motorhome Habitation Check

Even if you carry out regular DIY checks, there are times when it’s worth having your motorhome inspected professionally.

If your motorhome is still under warranty, follow the manufacturer’s requirements for habitation and water-ingress inspections. You may need to use an approved workshop or authorised service centre and have the inspection completed within a specific time period to maintain your warranty.

We’d also consider a professional habitation check if:

For routine servicing, the Approved Workshop Scheme is a useful place to find independently assessed fixed and mobile workshops around the UK. Many motorhome dealers also have their own service centres, and some manufacturers require warranty inspections to be carried out through their authorised network.

Before booking, ask exactly what’s included in the habitation check, whether you’ll receive a written damp report and whether the workshop meets any requirements attached to your motorhome’s warranty.

And remember to ask what they need you to remove before the appointment. If they need access to cupboards, lockers, under-seat spaces and other areas, emptying the motorhome the night before can save a very frantic morning!

Looking After Your Motorhome

A motorhome habitation check isn’t just another annual job to tick off the list. Regular checks help you spot water ingress, deteriorating seals, leaks and problems with your habitation systems while they’re still relatively straightforward to deal with.

Even if you have a professional habitation check every year, it’s worth keeping an eye on your motorhome between inspections. Living and travelling in a motorhome means things get shaken around, exposed to changing temperatures and weather, and used far more intensively than they would at home.

Our free Motorhome Habitation Check Checklist gives you a simple way to work through the main checks and record your findings. Subscribers can download it from the resource library, or you can sign up for free access to all our motorhome checklists and resources.

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