RV FEATURE
PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS
The unfortunate reality is that many
secondhand caravans on the market today
will have wooden frames damaged by water
ingress. Just a small amount of wood rot in
the frame can cost thousands of dollar to fix.
But identifying this problem in a secondhand
van can be almost impossible to detect, but
there are a few things you can do to check if
the frame is sound.
SMELL
If you walk inside a secondhand van and it
smells like a mouldy pair of wet sneakers,
there’s a good chance that smell is the frame
rotting behind the walls. Walk away from any
van that has this mouldy smell about it.
LOOK
When checking the inside of a caravan,
look for signs of water damage. These
will be stains on the lower walls near the
floor, around the window frames, inside the
cupboards and around any fixtures in the roof.
If enough water has gotten through to stain
the walls or ceiling, there's every chance the
frame has been damaged by water and that
rot has set in.
TOUCH
Gently press the outside skin of the van as well
as the inside walls. They should be reasonably
rigid and firm. If it feels spongy or soft, there's
a possibility the wood and frame behind that
section of the wall has rotted through.
If you’re considering privately buying a
secondhand RV, or you are wanting to sell
your existing one, it is extremely important
to ensure you legally protect yourself against
any unforeseen dishonesty on behalf of the
other party.
The seller may not actually own the vehicle in
question, and there may be outstanding loans
or traffic offences linked to the vehicle.
On the other hand, the buyer may not transfer
the registration immediately. They can rack up
traffic fines that you, as the previous owner,
may end up being responsible for unless you
have documentation proving the sale of the
vehicle occurred. You also don't want the
buyer trying to make you responsible for any
issues that may arise with the vehicle after
you've sold it.
A bill of sale document is a legally-binding
agreement between the two parties that
clearly establishes the responsibilities of the
seller and the buyer.
If you're a buyer or a seller, have a bill of sale
document ready. If the other party refuses to
sign it, walk away from the deal.
FILE-DOWNLOAD BILL OF SALE DOWNLOAD
Feel free to download this bill of sale template
and modify as you see fit.
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