A motorhome packs into a few metres a van chassis, a living area, a gas system, 12 and 230 volt electrics, water, a fridge, heating and an awning. Each part has its own way of failing and almost all of them hide behind a panel.
The defect behind most disputes is damp: it gets in through a badly sealed joint, rots the plywood from inside and stays invisible until the floor gives way or a wall bulges. By then the warranty may have run out and the seller blames poor maintenance. Measuring it, dating it and explaining it is the expert's job.
Cases I take
- Damp and water ingress in the living area: source, age and whether it was there at the time of sale.
- Hidden defects in second-hand caravans and motorhomes and lack of conformity in new ones.
- Faults in the gas system, the electrics, the fridge, the heating or the water system.
- Overloading and weight distribution: actual weight against the maximum authorised mass and its effect on handling.
- Unapproved or badly processed modifications: van conversions, solar panels, awnings, bike racks and tow bars.
- Valuation before and after an incident and disputes with the insurer.
What I need from you
- Technical data sheet, registration document and roadworthiness test history.
- Purchase contract or invoice and the sale listing, if you kept it.
- Service book and any damp checks carried out.
- Dated photos and videos of the defect from the moment you noticed it.
- Repair estimates or invoices and emails exchanged with the seller or the workshop.
- Access to the vehicle for inspection and damp readings.
What the law says
- Art. 1484 of the Civil Code: liability for hidden defects in sales between private parties. The claim must be brought within six months of delivery (art. 1490).
- Art. 120 of the Consumer Protection Act (Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007): a trade seller is liable for lack of conformity that becomes apparent within three years of delivery. For second-hand goods a shorter period may be agreed, never under one year.
- Art. 4 of the General Driver Regulations (Royal Decree 818/2009): a B licence covers a trailer up to 750 kg or a combination up to 4,250 kg; above that, B+E. A motorhome over 3,500 kg requires a C1 licence.
- Royal Decree 866/2010 on vehicle modifications and Royal Decree 750/2010 on type approval: which changes must be approved and inspected at the roadworthiness test.
- Insurance Contract Act 50/1980, art. 38: contradictory appraisal where there is no agreement with the insurer.
What you get
Report produced with the Perito Tacho Method (MPT®): ten phases common to every speciality, with the defensibility index and the stress test.
- The technical cause of the defect, explained without jargon, with photos and readings.
- The age of the damage: whether it existed before the sale or appeared later, with the reasons.
- A list of defects separating genuine faults from wear and tear or poor maintenance.
- Repair cost and, where relevant, the vehicle's loss of value.
- Every conclusion tied to its evidence, in a report compliant with UNE 197001.
- Ratification and defence of the report in the courtroom.
Qualification: Court Expert in Caravans and Motorhomes (300 h) awarded by ASPEJURE, passed with distinction in October 2026. The certificate will be shown here shortly. Plus a Spanish Higher Technician qualification in motor vehicle engineering (FP2).
Speciality listed on the rolls of court experts throughout Spain.
Frequently asked questions
How can you tell whether the damp was already there when I bought the motorhome?
From the state of the materials. Wood and insulation that have been wet for months do not deteriorate like those soaked last week: they change colour, lose strength and smell. With a damp meter, a thermal camera and those signs, the damage can be placed in time with a good margin of confidence. If the listing or the handover check said it was watertight, the contradiction is on record.
I bought the caravan from a private seller. Do I have a warranty?
Not the three-year one, which only binds trade sellers. But you do have the hidden-defects claim under the Civil Code, with a very short deadline: six months from delivery. If you have spotted the defect, do not wait.
Can I tow the caravan on a B licence?
It depends on the weight. On a B licence you can tow a trailer up to 750 kg or, if heavier, as long as car and caravan together do not exceed 4,250 kg. Above that you need B+E. The figures that count are the maximum authorised masses on the technical data sheet, not what it weighs on the day.
Tell me about your case
Free first consultation and a fixed written quote. I reply within 24-48 working hours.
Other specialities
← Back to the specialities