Selling a caravan with damp

What damp readings actually mean

A habitation check uses a moisture meter at set points around the caravan and records a percentage reading at each. Engineers generally treat low readings as normal, mid-range readings as something to monitor, and higher readings as active damp needing investigation. Thresholds vary between engineers and manufacturers, so the pattern across the caravan — and whether readings are rising year on year — tells you more than any single number.

We deliberately don't publish fixed percentage thresholds, because engineers and manufacturers apply different ones and a number out of context tells you very little. Send us the readings from your habitation report and we'll talk you through what they mean for your caravan specifically.

Where damp usually starts

• Front and rear panel joints, where flexing over years opens up sealant.
• Around windows, roof lights and vents.
• Awning rails and any hole drilled for accessories.
• Along the floor edges and under the washroom.
• Around the door frame and locker doors.

Signs you can check yourself

• A persistent musty smell, particularly after the caravan has been closed up.
• Staining, dark tide marks or bubbling on wall panels.
• Wallboard that feels soft, spongy or slightly cool to the touch.
• Delamination — panels that look wavy or bulge outward.
• Soft or springy areas of floor, especially near the door and washroom.
• Lifting edges on furniture, or screws that no longer bite.

Should you repair it before selling?

Usually not, if the repair is significant. Proper damp repair means removing panels and furniture to find and fix the ingress, and the cost frequently exceeds the difference it makes to what the caravan is worth. Cosmetic patching over damp is worse than doing nothing: it will be found at inspection and it damages trust.

What is worth doing is straightforward maintenance — clearing and drying the caravan, and having recent readings to hand if you already have them.

Why declaring damp helps you

A valuation given without knowing about damp is not a valuation you can rely on. It gets revised at inspection, which wastes your time and feels like a bait and switch even when it isn't. Tell us the readings, the history and what you've noticed, and the figure we discuss is one that can hold.

What to tell us

• The date of the last habitation check and who carried it out.
• The readings, if you have the report — a photo of it is ideal.
• Any repairs already done, when, and by whom.
• Where you've noticed smell, staining or soft areas.
• How the caravan has been stored, and whether it's been used recently.

You can upload photographs of the report and the affected areas as part of the valuation request.

Damp and the wider valuation

Damp sits alongside age, layout, condition and history rather than overriding them. Our valuation guide explains how the factors interact.