Look for any visible damage. This can include scratches, scrapes, dents, damaged plastic trim, broken or cracked windows, smashed lights etc. Don't worry about remembering as we have a easy to follow guide and diagram to mark any damage.

So, if you are looking at a 5 year old caravan, it could be needing resealing very soon. Done professionally this could cost upto £250 so keep this in mind.

Of course, depending on weather variants and how the caravan has previously been stored, the sealant may dry out and could become rotten and crumble away. Ensure you give this a good visual check.

More on this matter below.

Starting the checks.....
Before starting, go around the whole caravan and check the sealant. This is everywhere around the caravan joints as well as around the windows, toilet door, water pump, any vents and anywhere where there are metal runners. Look for gaps or dry and brittle sealant. If you find any dry sealant, its just not the part that you have found that may need to be replaced.

It probably means that all of the sealant should be replaced. Why ? well it is a false economy to only replace one section of sealant as sooner or later the rest will have to be done and may end up costing more money or allow dampness to ingress as you have to keep constantly checking for other dry areas of sealant.Remember any caravan that's over 5 years old could have a faulty sealant problem, If the seller cant say for sure when it was sealed, or there is no documentation in the service history and you do buy, get a reseal done soon as possible

Now to start to inspect the outside. - If we are looking at the front, start at the left hand side first. When I inspect caravans I make sure I check everywhere. It should take up to 15 minutes for the outside. Don't be put off by sellers saying such things as 'those dents are age related  or, 'Its a old caravan, what do you expect?'

Take into consideration the age of the van and although a small amount of wear and tear is usually acceptable, damage is damage, whichever way you look at it and could be a sign of further, more serious issues.

1)Hitch and electrics and brakes- Make sure the hitch is not moving or you are able to spin it around (you should only be able to turn it approx. 3 to 4 cm either way. - Any further, could indicate that the hitch bolts are broken and this will affect the stability of the van when towing).
Check to see if the plugs are ok and not broken or cracked. There should be one grey (12v for fridge lights etc) and one black (for lights on rear.) Look out for handbrakes that are pointing into the air. They should have about 8 clicks to be fully on. Any more and the cable will need readjusting or possibly a new cable and brakes.
Make sure the hitch fits your car as there are different types. You may even have to buy a expander piece for your tow bar.
2)Front Storage- Look inside for the jack, wheel brace and gas bottles. Look up above and feel for any signs of damp or any signs of repair.
Make sure the spare tyre is ok.

3)Handles- Give these a tug to see if there is any movement or loose handles. Look out for cracks around the handles as this will let in water and cause damp within a short period of time.
4)Front windows- Check all windows for cracks, chips and breaks. Take your time as these can be easily missed. Look from different angles to get best view. If they are C.R.I.S registered make sure they all have the same numbers and no tampering has been done.

5) Side windows- As before, check for chips, cracks and smashed windows. Again, check to see if C.R.I.S numbers match.
6)Wheel- Check tyre and tread to see if road legal. Also check the walls of the tyres as these take quite a beating if the driver clips kerbs which is quite a common occurrence.
7)Door - Check the locks work with key and that the door closes and opens ok. Look for forced entry. Also look around bottom area for aluminium rot.
Usually, if there is any rot, then you are generally guaranteed dampness in the same place inside.
8) Aerial  roof - most modern caravans have a status aerial. If you can see above, check to ensure that the seals are not broken. If you cant see from above, check inside on the ceiling to look for damp patches.

9) Back window- look for cracks, chips and smashed windows. Once more, check to see C.R.I.S number is the same as the rest.
10) Lights- Check lights for cracks. If in doubt, ask to see working. Look for cracks around lights also, as this will let in water and cause dampness.
11) Handles- look for damage and give a light tug to make sure they are safe, look for damage around the back area, cracks etc.
12) Corners- Almost every caravan gets caught on the corners when reversing, so check BOTH back corners for damage or any cracks or smashed areas. Look for stickers covering damage.
13) Cassette toilet- Open up and have a look. Remove the bottom waste part (if unsure ask owner to do it for you) look for leaks and damage.

14) Wheels- As before, Check tyre and tread to see if road legal.Also check the walls of the tyres.
15) Leisure battery- Check that the battery is working. A good tip is to look for bulging sides. This is a indication that the battery is broken as most people either neglect or forget to charge their battery over the winter months. A new battery can cost between £35 to £80, so remember that if you don't see it working, then assume it may be faulty.
16) Windows- Check for damage once more.
17) Carver heater and water pump- Look for any black smoke around the flue. If it has been re-painted white or a new one fitted, then this could be an indication of carbon monoxide and means that the control unit is malfunctioning or is faulty. This is quite costly to fix (around £90 to £120 for the part) and probably up to the same amount to fit it. Ask to see boiler working. Check that the water is hot and check outside for black smoke. Open the water flap and look for damage or cracks. Look at the filter for algae etc. This is a indication of poor maintenance. A full water housing can cost around the £50 mark. (buying just the casing is cheaper) and will cost about £45 to fit.

This is the most unchecked area when anyone buys a caravan, but one of the most important.
It may look fantastic from the outside but underneath can be a totally different story. Time to get that torch ready.There are common places for doors to rot, and these areas are marked below. As you can imagine, anywhere where there is water contact is a prospective area for damp and rot. The usual places to check are under the bathroom, kitchen area, toilet, boiler area and anywhere that water drains away when its raining.

The floor should feel firm. Look out for wet or damp areas that push in a fair amount and leave a deep imprint. Remember, the floor will get wet due to rain etc so a damp meter will give false warnings.
Repeat on left side of the van paying special attention to where the kitchen, toilet and boiler area are, as these are the most common places for leaks.The areas marked in a red circle are most common areas for damp and rot setting in so pay particular attention to these.

The Age
There are a few ways to tell the age. Firstly, there should be a plate somewhere on the nearside of the caravan ( the side with the door).
There are 4 places where this can be located. (pictured right) Firstly, besides the lower part of the door, secondly on the chassis under the door. If its still not there, follow the chassis towards the front of the caravan. If not there, look in the front storage section.
Lastly, look around the inside of the door inside the caravan. If you cant find it then it has been removed sometime in its life. Possibly to hide the true age. Next, look around the windows for coded etchings. The last 2 numbers will signify the year of manufacture. (if not C.R.I.S registered )Don't  always go by the service books or manuals, as these can be picked up on auction sites for a few pounds.
Why would someone go to that amount of effort ? Simple. Buy the books for a few pounds and make the caravan seem younger and gain hundreds.

The only safe way to identify the age is to have a C.R.I.S registered caravan.This is what the V.I.N. (pictured left)  plate will look like. (The chassis numbers have been blurred for security reasons) If the vin plate does not give a make, then the vin plate should have 2 or 3 letters and 2 numbers. The first letters stand for the manufacturer (i.e. EL elddis , AB abi etc ) and the last 2 are the year, so in this instance, the caravan is a abbey 1987 model. (some other handy information is here too, like the kerb weight and V.I.N). For more information on C.r.i.s and C.r.i.s numbers and logbooks read our C.r.i.s section here