Denise says she was treated 'like trash' after paying $75k for a caravan because the ACCC said the industry needed to improve
Denise Tiyse used her inheritance to buy a new caravan in October last year to enjoy some much-needed rest with her husband.
Key points:
- Caravan customers report major problems with vans and poor treatment by suppliers
- The ACCC says it has received 1,300 complaints over the past five years and that the industry is on notice
- Supervisors call for stronger laws and tougher penalties for non-compliant suppliers and manufacturers
But instead of a beachside vacation and new memories, Tiyse says the caravan was plagued with problems from the start – from the vehicle itself to an dismissive supplier who didn’t want to fix the problem.
According to the Australian Caravan Industry Association, one in 13 Australian households owns a caravan, but the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says the industry has mistreated many buyers.
Tiyse says he was called a liar, refused help, lost large sums of money and his family’s life was in danger – all because of a purchase he now fully regrets.
“We bought the caravan in October last year with my inheritance – $75,000 which we paid, straight up front, for the van,” he said.
He claims in the first few days, suppliers scratched their cars while connecting caravans and then denied them before promising “to do the right thing” if he didn’t cancel the sale.
After traveling in their new van, Tiyse and her husband deal with many broken accessories, including the oven, which is a non-negotiable feature due to her husband’s strict diet, who has salivary gland cancer.
He said after initially dragging their feet to repair or replace the oven altogether, the supplier then failed to hire a gas repairman to oversee the repair, resulting in two nine-kilogram cylinders leaking gas into their caravan.
“A gas guy came out later and said, ‘This has a big leak’ … we’ve tried to turn it on and keep the gas on,” Tiyse said.
He said he also lost a significant amount of money in wages and three spoiled vacations due to ongoing problems.
“It’s not just the holidays but the money – we’re on the farm, we have to hire someone to do our jobs while we’re away,” Tiyse said.
“So we have paid wages to someone on three separate occasions and each time we have had to turn around and go home.”
Mrs Tiyse said she made a formal complaint to SafeWork NSW, which issued a warning to suppliers.
The ABC has contacted SafeWork NSW and the supplier did not respond to a request for comment.
‘Now I have no place to live’
Meanwhile, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Glasshouse Mountain resident Patricia Jackson said she and her husband Ian sold their home and bought a caravan earlier this year.
They plan to stay in the van while they build their new home.
He said he spent weeks dealing with a Melbourne producer who promised the caravan would arrive in March.
Four months passed and the caravan still hadn’t arrived.
She said after constant phone calls and delays her husband offered to go to Melbourne to get a van but was confident it would be on its way in a few days.
“I called in the afternoon to confirm once again that our caravan was on its way, and he said no, it won’t load until Sunday or Monday because the driver needs to sleep,” he said.
“This is a final challenge for my husband, and he plans to go to Melbourne to find out what happened.
“He was so sad that night that he had a heart attack and had to be flown to a Sunshine Coast hospital where he died on April 4, 2022.
“The pressure is too much for him – we have just sold the house and are moving into a caravan.
“Now I have no place to live.
“I still live with my son, which is unfair to them.”
Ms Jackson said she was still dealing with a phone call from her caravan manufacturer on the day of her husband’s funeral.
He claims the company kept lying about its arrival date, current location, reason for delay, before finally admitting the caravan wasn’t even built yet.
“It was just a lie – if they told the truth from the start,” Jackson said.
“My daughter doesn’t even want to see the caravan right now, because she said it would only remind her of her father’s death.”
The manufacturer was contacted for comment but did not respond.
‘Danger could be significant’: ACCC
The consumer watchdog has issued a stern warning to the caravan industry for “mistreatment of consumers” and said it had received more than 1,300 complaints in the past five years.
In a survey led by the Australian Consumer and Consumer Commission (ACCC) involving thousands of respondents, 80 per cent reported having problems with the new caravan.
According to the ACCC, the most common complaints are related to “failures of consumer warranties, misrepresentations by caravan suppliers, and unexpected delays in delivery and repair of caravans”.
“It is the ACCC’s view that it is reasonable to expect the new caravans to not cause major errors in the first few years of use,” said ACCC vice chair Delia Rickard.
“Consumers should be confident that, when they make a financially significant purchase such as a caravan, they will be able to get a refund, replacement or repair in the event of a failure.
“Some people save for years in anticipation of buying and traveling in a caravan, if something goes wrong the losses can be significant.”
Ms Rickard says owners of caravans with expired warranties are still entitled to refunds, replacements and repairs.
Australian consumer law states that a supplier must repair, replace or refund a caravan if it fails to meet one or more consumer warranties, including it does not match the description or is of acceptable quality.
According to an ACCC survey, about 40 percent of caravan suppliers also report problems with manufacturers refusing to refund their money if they fix customer problems.
The ACCC said it would investigate and take action against suppliers and manufacturers believed to have misled consumers.
The watchdog said it would like to see consumer laws strengthened to allow for tougher penalties and enforcement action for those who do not comply with the rules.
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