Another HiLo that been poorly fitted

[Keaney]

VTA sent me a picture on Thursday of my van with a great big hole where the roof used to be. I'm hoping when I go and fetch it they've put in one of the few remaining Hilo's to plug the gap

Some advice, get some spare rubber washers and maybe get a spare handle cog thing. Maybe some spare rubber bung things for when it rains too

 

[Bav]

VTA sent me a picture on Thursday of my van with a great big hole where the roof used to be. I'm hoping when I go and fetch it they've put in one of the few remaining Hilo's to plug the gap

I wouldn't worry too much - I contacted VTA on hearing HiLo had gone bust and it seems they have access to HiLo's parts suppliers (see their response in post #45).

 

[Buildrightmatt]

I have also been looking at getting a quote for a hilo. Spoke to one company who said they (hilo) are starting up again with a couple tweaks and they are only going to be supplying a handful of fitters. (about 5 in the uk from memory). just going to be polished hinge, 1 colour of fabric. Pretty sure it was also mentioned that Hilo were letting the fitters brand it as their own so there could be some truth to VTA's comment.

 

[Bav]

I have also been looking at getting a quote for a hilo. Spoke to one company who said they (hilo) are starting up again with a couple tweaks and they are only going to be supplying a handful of fitters. (about 5 in the uk from memory). just going to be polished hinge, 1 colour of fabric. Pretty sure it was also mentioned that Hilo were letting the fitters brand it as their own so there could be some truth to VTA's comment.

Interesting. I guess the fitters self-branding would remove the HiLo name from public view... which would be handy for them!

 

[seewhy]

Interesting. I guess the fitters self-branding would remove the HiLo name from public view... which would be handy for them!

Interesting indeed. Well, I guess that would be a question of ethics and/or conscience for those fitters (and their customers) - that's a judgement for them to make, but I'm pretty clear what mine is.

Anyone fitting or taking delivery of a roof that is being produced or licensed by a company run or associated with Wayne or Mark Pendlebury (All Things Custom Ltd, HiLo Roof Company Ltd, IP Precision Fabrication Ltd, to name but a few) needs to be aware that they have benefited from debts of approximately £950,000 probably being 'written off' (that's what HiLo owe their creditors, currently going through a liquidation process which effectively limits their liability to settle those debts). A chunk of it looks to be cross-funding of these companies or the directors, but still nearly £200k in unpaid tax plus numerous debts to small converters and individuals, not to mention a (probably) long list of outstanding warranty claims no longer being honoured by HiLo. The financial side is a matter of public record on Companies House website if you are inclined to look, please feel free to fact check (Mark PENDLEBURY personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK).

Maybe if every new roof they produced had a levy of say £1000 to be put into a debt recovery fund, that might eventually go some way to rectify matters. Aye right!

I'm not going to apologise for raising an awkward issue here (I've got a very awkward roof that no longer raises!). Their roof might look good but it smells pretty bad. There is probably nothing technically illegal in what they have done but I think it's only fair that people (including converters) make informed choices, because other pop top roofs are available.

 

[Bav]

Interesting indeed. Well, I guess that would be a question of ethics and/or conscience for those fitters (and their customers) - that's a judgement for them to make, but I'm pretty clear what mine is.

Anyone fitting or taking delivery of a roof that is being produced or licensed by a company run or associated with Wayne or Mark Pendlebury (All Things Custom Ltd, HiLo Roof Company Ltd, IP Precision Fabrication Ltd, to name but a few) needs to be aware that they have benefited from debts of approximately £950,000 probably being 'written off' (that's what HiLo owe their creditors, currently going through a liquidation process which effectively limits their liability to settle those debts). A chunk of it looks to be cross-funding of these companies or the directors, but still nearly £200k in unpaid tax plus numerous debts to small converters and individuals, not to mention a (probably) long list of outstanding warranty claims no longer being honoured by HiLo. The financial side is a matter of public record on Companies House website if you are inclined to look, please feel free to fact check (Mark PENDLEBURY personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK).

Maybe if every new roof they produced had a levy of say £1000 to be put into a debt recovery fund, that might eventually go some way to rectify matters. Aye right!

I'm not going to apologise for raising an awkward issue here (I've got a very awkward roof that no longer raises!). Their roof might look good but it smells pretty bad. There is probably nothing technically illegal in what they have done but I think it's only fair that people (including converters) make informed choices, because other pop top roofs are available.

Well, I've already paid a substantial deposit for a VTA conversion, part of which they've used to purchase my HiLo Sport roof - it's sat waiting for my factory order. Whilst I sympathise with your predicament, I'm not going to feel guilty about progressing with my purchase.

 

[seewhy]

I'm not going to feel guilty about progressing with my purchase

Certainly not - you made the purchase in good faith, presumably before the liquidation was made public. If you pulled out now you'd be likely to suffer financial loss, which I wouldn't wish on anyone. And if VTA do re-brand the roof at least you'll have direct recourse in the unlikely event that anything went wrong (I hear that Sport-type Roofs are pretty good, so that is a genuine comment not a snide one).

 

[Bav]

Certainly not - you made the purchase in good faith, presumably before the liquidation was made public. If you pulled out now you'd be likely to suffer financial loss, which I wouldn't wish on anyone. And if VTA do re-brand the roof at least you'll have direct recourse in the unlikely event that anything went wrong (I hear that Sport-type Roofs are pretty good, so that is a genuine comment not a snide one).

Yeah, long before they went bust - I've now been waiting over 15 months for my van to be built.

There are lots of problems reported on here regarding the Sport roof too, though they appear to be install-related and piss-poor customer service-related issues, whereas the Surf roof has those and product-related ones too.

 

[seewhy]

I've now been waiting over 15 months for my van to be built.

That sucks! I assume you've still had access to the van, but that is a long time to wait for a camper conversion. What is it they say about good things and waiting - sorry, no time to look it up!

We were lucky to have an overlap with our T5 so we could Carry On Camping (without Barbara Windsor I should add).

Your summary of HiLo pretty much sums it up. Not too many people will mourn their demise I suspect.

Happy adventures when you finally begin them...

 

[Bav]

That sucks! I assume you've still had access to the van, but that is a long time to wait for a camper conversion. What is it they say about good things and waiting - sorry, no time to look it up!

We were lucky to have an overlap with our T5 so we could Carry On Camping (without Barbara Windsor I should add).

Your summary of HiLo pretty much sums it up. Not too many people will mourn their demise I suspect.

Happy adventures when you finally begin them...

The wait is for VW to build it rather than VTA to convert it - first van, so nothing to fall back on (unless you count a tent!).

Hope you get resolution, or at least closure with your issues.

 

[seewhy]

The wait is for VW to build it rather than VTA to convert it - first van, so nothing to fall back on (unless you count a tent!).

Hope you get resolution, or at least closure with your issues.

Wow, either that's extreme 'supply chain issues' or they're building it by hand (one special van!)

Opening and closure would be nice... Not holding my breath

 

[Bav]

Opening and closure would be nice...

I see what you did there

 

[Martin Stockwell]

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[Dellmassive]

I have a conversion slot booked with VisionTech Automotive and plan to have a HiLo roof fitted by them, so the news that HiLo have gone into liquidation was alarming news for me (especially as I have already paid VTA for the roof).

I have just received this reply from VTA, following my urgent request for an update...

"We haven’t heard of anything being confirmed as of yet [re Hilo going bust]. However for a while now we have been buying Hilo parts direct from the supplier and building our own kits on site. So if this does turn out to be the case we will just rebrand the roof as our own roof. Your roof has been here a while waiting for the arrival of your van."

I have since sent them the gov.uk link provided by @dennismo, above.

I'm not sure if there would be any patent-type issues with what VTA are proposing (I'm presuming they will have checked all that sort stuff out), but it struck me that at least there would still be somewhere around with expertise and experience of the HiLo roof, should anyone have any problems with theirs (albeit, VTA will charge for such a service).

you still waiting for your van to be delivered. . . . ?

cant wait to see the new roof fitted and see the finished job.

 

[Bav]

you still waiting for your van to be delivered. . . . ?

cant wait to see the new roof fitted and see the finished job.

Yeah, still waiting. I currently have a provisional build date of week 50.

My HiLo roof is already bought and sat with VTA waiting for my van to materialise, so I won't be getting one of their new roofs fitted - not unless I can sweet-talk them into 'upgrading' me