Queensland family slam Malibu Caravans over warranty issues

A caravan that a family claims was riddled with faults and uninsurable has been destroyed by floodwater before the manufacturer made any fixes.

Gabby Fletcher, with husband Scott, son Angus and dog, Max, outside their Malibu caravan.

A family-of-four fears they could soon be homeless after their caravan, which they claim was unable to be insured due to faults, was destroyed in floodwater.

Gabby and Scott Fletcher bought a $79k Malibu caravan in 2023 to live in with their two children on property near Gympie, due to the housing crisis.

The caravan was purchased through the Nambour dealership, Best Coast Caravans, which has since stopped trading to Ms Fletcher’s knowledge, and they had a two-year warranty with the manufacturer, Malibu Caravans.

Within three months of owning the van the couple noticed rain leaking through the skylights, cracks in the shower that had been siliconed over and water gathering on the bunk beds.

On one occasion, Ms Fletcher said the caravan’s awning also partially ripped off while the van was being towed and the family was getting “electric shocks” when they touched the outside of the van.

“It was a brand new vehicle, you just don’t expect these things to happen,” Ms Fletcher said.

Gabby Fletcher's caravan, which was home to her family-of-four, was written off during the flooding in Nambour.

Within three months of owning the caravan the family noticed leaks from the skylights, electrical issues and safety concerns with the awning.

Ms Fletcher said after 18 months of speaking with Malibu Caravans about the issues under warranty, the family’s van was taken to Nambour where it was set to be delivered to Victoria for repairs.

However, the caravan was not picked up within the timeframe provided to the family.

Instead, it was left at the Nambour site where it was inundated with floodwater earlier this month.

According to Ms Fletcher, Malibu Caravans told the family to contact their insurance and have ignored all calls and emails since.

“It is completely written off, it went 12-foot underwater and it is completely damaged and their response to us was that it wasn’t their problem and that we should put a claim in through our insurance,” Ms Fletcher said.

“But what they are failing to remember is that we actually weren't able to get insurance on the van because of all the warranty issues.”

The caravan, bought for nearly $80,ooo, was unable to be insured due to manufacturing faults.

Gabby Fletcher's caravan was completely inundated by floodwater in Nambour.

As the caravan was financed the couple are still paying off their “home” which is now uninhabitable, and they are living in a shed on the property with no hot water but Ms Fletcher worries they could soon become homeless due to the financial strain of the saga.

“My husband said the other day it feels like they have stolen something from us, we are financed up to ours ears on something we no longer have,” Ms Fletcher said.

“There is a big homeless problem going on in Gympie and I said to my husband that it feels like we are so close to being alongside these people.”

The Victorian-based company behind Malibu Caravans, Aus Link Transport Services Pty Ltd, also operates two other businesses, Auslink Caravans and Hurricane RV, according to the Australian Business Register.

Malibu Caravans and a representative of Best Coast Caravans have been contacted for comment by this publication.

Originally published as Queensland family slam Malibu Caravans over warranty issues