How do I find a mobile habitation check near me?

Use the Approved Workshop Scheme finder with the "Mobile workshops only" filter and your postcode, or the MCEA regional directory of independent mobile engineers. Habcheck is the one provider we verified as national and mobile, with engineers listed by region and a motorhome check at £249 for members or £269 for non-members on 15 September 2026.

How much does a mobile habitation check cost?

Providers' own prices on 15 September 2026: Habcheck £249 to £269 (VAT status not stated), Happy Camper Group from £179.95 plus VAT (North West and North Wales), Mobile Leisure Vehicle Services £250 (North West). Workshops we read ranged from £240 plus VAT (van conversion) to £350 (non-member coachbuilt). The full dated table is on our habitation check cost page.

Is a habitation check a legal requirement?

No. The Approved Workshop Scheme and the Caravan and Motorhome Club both state it is not legally required; roadworthiness is covered by the MOT. Most manufacturers require an annual habitation service or inspection to keep the water-ingress warranty valid, and some insurers ask for one.

What does a habitation check include?

Per the Approved Workshop Scheme: gas system and appliances, electrical system, water system, heating and ventilation, damp checks and seals, and smoke and CO alarms, usually taking two to four hours on a motorhome. Expect a written report with damp readings. It does not cover the base vehicle's engine, brakes or MOT items.

Does a mobile engineer's check keep my warranty valid?

Usually if the engineer is an Approved Workshop Scheme member, since the scheme is backed by the major UK manufacturers and warranties generally accept an AWS service. Check your own wording: Bailey names authorised Bailey centres or AWS members, Hymer wants an authorised Hymer dealer for its leak inspection, Auto-Trail and Swift set time windows around the anniversary.

How long does a habitation check take?

The Approved Workshop Scheme says a standard motorhome habitation check usually takes two to four hours, and its FAQ says a full habitation service around three hours. A mobile engineer will want the van accessible, with gas and water available.

Can a habitation check replace a history check?

No. A habitation check inspects the living body. It cannot see outstanding finance, a write-off category, a stolen marker, a mileage discrepancy or plate changes; those come from a £4.99 history check on the registration. On a used purchase you want both.

Habitation Check Near Me: Motorhome and Caravan Engineers

Where to look, in order

Approved Workshop Scheme finder

approvedworkshops.co.uk/find-approved-workshop searches by postcode within 10, 15, 20 or 30 miles, and lets you tick "Mobile workshops only" and "Gas Safe". The scheme is run jointly by the NCC, the Caravan and Motorhome Club and the Camping and Caravanning Club, with "over 550 fixed and mobile Approved Workshops across the UK" (its FAQ counts 270 mobile), each passing an annual independent inspection. Manufacturer warranties generally accept an AWS member's service.

Habcheck (national mobile)

habcheck.co.uk describes itself as "a national mobile service" and lists regional engineers (on 15 September 2026: Lancashire and Merseyside, Nottinghamshire, West and North Yorkshire, South and East Yorkshire, Manchester and Cheshire, Lowland Scotland and Cumbria, East Midlands and Lincolnshire, Bristol and Avon, Birmingham and West Midlands, Wiltshire, Essex, Cheshire and Staffordshire, Rochdale, Kent). It says all its engineers are AWS approved. Motorhome habitation check £249 for members, £269 for non-members; pre-purchase inspection £299; VAT status not stated on the page.

MCEA engineer directory

mobilecaravanengineers.co.uk is the Mobile Caravan Engineers Association's directory of independent engineers, "established since 2005", listed under seven UK regions with filters for AWS membership and Gas Safe. There is no postcode box; you pick a region and browse. Prices are on each engineer's own site.

Regional mobile engineers

Most mobile engineers cover a county or two. Examples we opened: Happy Camper Group (North West and North Wales, from £179.95 plus VAT), Mobile Leisure Vehicle Services (Lancashire, Greater Manchester and the Lakes, £250, AWS), AIVA Habitation (Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, AWS mobile member 1910). Search the AWS or MCEA finder for your own area rather than a brand name.

Mobile or workshop: what changes

	Mobile engineer	Fixed workshop
Where	Your drive, storage compound or campsite pitch	You deliver and collect
Price examples (own pages, 15 September 2026)	Habcheck £249 to £269; Happy Camper from £179.95 plus VAT; Mobile Leisure Vehicle Services £250	Southern Motorhomes (Bracknell) from £240 van conversion, £288 coachbuilt, £336 A-class or tag axle, all plus VAT; Brownhills (Newark) from £315 members, £350 non-members
Time	AWS: a motorhome habitation check "usually takes 2 to 4 hours"	Usually booked in for the day
Warranty acceptance	AWS mobile members count as AWS workshops; check your manufacturer's wording for approved-centre requirements (some, like Bailey, name their own service centres or AWS members)	Same, plus any manufacturer-specific approved status
Repairs found on the day	Small fixes possible on site; major damp repair needs a workshop	Can quote and book the repair

The national price picture, with each provider's own figure and date, is on motorhome habitation check cost; we do not repeat the whole table here.

What a habitation check covers

The Approved Workshop Scheme describes it as "a professional inspection of the living area of your motorhome or caravan" covering the gas system and appliances (assessed for safety and leaks), the electrical system (wiring, sockets, fuses, battery performance), the water system (taps, pumps, tanks, waste outlets), heating and ventilation, damp checks and seals ("Seals, joints and internal areas are examined for signs of water ingress"), and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Habcheck's motorhome check lists damp, underbody, electrical, gas, water, ventilation, fire and safety and bodywork, with a written report of observations. The AWS gas page says a caravan or motorhome gas safety check typically costs £60 to £100 on its own and a certificate is normally valid 12 months.

Is it a legal requirement?

No. The Approved Workshop Scheme: "In the UK, caravan and motorhome habitation checks aren't a legal requirement. However ... Many manufacturers and insurers require an annual habitation check to keep your warranty or cover valid." The Caravan and Motorhome Club: "It's not a legal requirement to have your caravan or motorhome serviced but it is a legal requirement that it's roadworthy." Roadworthiness is the MOT's job, and a motor caravan is class 4 at a maximum £54.85: see do motorhomes need an MOT. Warranties are where the habitation check bites: Auto-Trail wants one within 30 days of each anniversary, Swift within 90 days before or 60 after, Bailey names a moisture survey, Hymer wants an annual leak inspection. The converter brand guides quote each maker's terms.

Questions to ask before you book

Are you an Approved Workshop Scheme member (fixed or mobile) and can I have your membership number?
Is a gas soundness test and a damp survey with recorded readings included in the price, and is the price plus or including VAT?
Will the written report satisfy my manufacturer's warranty wording (some name approved centres or AWS members specifically)?
How long will you need the van and does it need mains hook-up and a full water tank?
If you find damp, do you quote for the repair or refer me on?

Buying a used motorhome: the check that goes with this one

A habitation check tells you about the living body; it does not see finance, write-off, theft or mileage records. Before paying for either, run the £4.99 motorhome history check on the registration, and see motorhome damp: what to look for for what to inspect yourself. The motorhome FAQ covers the rest.

Check a motorhome before you buy

Enter the registration for a free summary. Full history check £4.99.

Sources, checked 15 September 2026

Habitation check near me: mobile motorhome and caravan engineers