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On this
page we have attempted to answer all the most common
questions that we get asked about buying a holiday caravan.
Please note that these questions and answers relate to
holiday caravans on holiday parks, not residential caravans.
BUYING A
CARAVAN
How do I go
about buying a caravan?
The recommended first step is to choose your favourite
caravan park first. Then choose a caravan from what is
currently for sale on the park, or let us know if there is a
particular model you like and we will order it for you from
the manufacturer. Then select a position from the available pitches (not
applicable for second hand caravans). Then sign a contract and pay a deposit.
We site the caravan, connect it up and get the gas safety
check done.
You can then move in on payment of the balance.
What are the initial costs of buying a NEW static
caravan?
This is a key question and is something you should research
thoroughly to compare different companies. We think we offer
a good deal, because we sell new caravans at the
manufacturers recommended retail price, with minimal
additional costs. The following table is designed to give
you a rough idea of the costs involved. Please note that
some of these figures are approximate, and are subject to
change.
|
Item |
Cost |
Comments |
|
Caravan |
£30,000 |
Estimate. Depends on what model you buy. Ranges
between £20,000 and £60,000. |
|
Transport, Siting & Connection |
£2,700 |
Cost
for a 12 foot wide single unit static caravan. |
|
Rent
|
£2,500 |
Varies
per park, see holiday park pages for rent on each
park. |
|
Steps
|
£600 |
Three
tread steps with 6x4 foot platform. |
|
Gas
Heater Pack |
£591 |
Includes 4 x large gas bottles, regulator hoses and
gas safety check by qualified engineer. |
|
Insurance |
£350 |
Estimate. Depends on value of caravan and contents
insured. |
|
Total
|
£36,741 |
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What are the initial costs of buying a SECOND HAND
caravan?
You
just pay for the caravan. There is no transport, siting or
connection fee to pay as the caravan should already be on a
pitch. If the caravan has a veranda, that will be included.
Then you just pay the ongoing costs.
What are the
ongoing costs?
Every year you will have to pay:
Rent - which varies between £1,812 and £3,020 depending on
the park (see the page for each holiday park for current
rents).
Electricity - which is metered and billed annually (at the
rate we are charged by our supplier), so you just pay for
what you use.
Gas - which is provided in 19kg or 47kg bottle refills, so
you just pay for what you use.
Insurance - depends on value of caravan, approx £350 for a
static caravan.
What are the
optional extra costs?
There are quite a few caravan optional extras, such as
double glazing, gas central heating, galvanised chassis,
fixed seating, floating seating, fixed dining table, three
bedrooms etc. We usually order double glazing and gas
central heating and include it in the sale price for all new
caravans. You can discuss other available caravan optional
extras with the Park Manager.
Additional external items and services are:
Decking & Skirting - uPVC verandas, through our recommended suppliers.
Pavement Slabs - to create a path or patio.
Storage Shed - fire regulation approved, bicycle sized,
storeguard shed.
Frost Precautions - optional service to drain down and
disconnect your caravan for winter, and reconnect for the
next season.
Are the
costs different for lodges?
As lodges come in two sections which have to be assembled,
the Transport, Siting & Connection fee is higher. But
generally we assemble lodges on the park and fit a veranda,
and include all that in the sale price. Lodge rent is
generally 50% higher than the static caravan rent on each
park. Lodge insurance depends on the value insured, but is
approximately £500 per year.
Is Finance available?
Currently we are not offering any finance, and are advising
customers to arrange their own finance through a Finance
company or their bank.
What deposit is
required?
The deposit will vary depending on what you are buying. You
should expect to pay approximately £1,000 for a second hand
caravan, £3,000 for a new caravan and £10,000 for a new
lodge. If the caravan is not on site and we have to order it
from the manufacturer, and you have asked for 3 bedrooms or
other customised options, a larger deposit will be required.
When you decide to buy a caravan, we will set up a sales
agreement, showing the total cost to be paid, and agree how
much deposit will be paid, and when the final balance will
be paid.
What is the manufacturer’s warranty on the caravans?
All caravans are covered by at least a 1 year warranty. Some
manufacturers offer a 3 year warranty. The warranty starts
when you buy the caravan from us (as we are acting as an
agent for the manufacturer). The white goods in the caravans
are all covered by the warranties of their respective
manufacturers.
Can I buy a different caravan from those currently sited
on the park?
Yes, providing you buy it through us. You can choose any
static caravan or lodge made by any of the main
manufacturers. We will order it for you and transport it to
the park.
Can I choose my own
pitch?
If you are buying a new caravan, you should be able to
choose from all the available empty pitches on the park,
providing the caravan will fit on the pitch. Second hand
caravans are usually already sited on a pitch, and are sold
on that pitch.
Can I reserve a pitch?
We sometimes allow customers to reserve a particular pitch,
while they are deciding which caravan to buy. We will
initially ask you to pay the pitch rent from now until the
end of the season to reserve the pitch for you. At the end
of the season you will be given the option of paying the
next year's rent to keep reserving the pitch.
Can I move my existing caravan on to one of your parks?
Maybe. Empty pitches are usually reserved for new caravan
sales, but if we have enough empty pitches on a particular
park, we may allow you to move your caravan on to that park
if it is in good condition. We will require your name,
address and contact details. Let us know know which parks
you are interested in, your caravan make/model/year/size,
where it is currently located and if you would like us to
arrange the transport. We also need to see some current
exterior pictures of the caravan. If you have a
veranda or shed, let us know the dimensions and material. We
will then write to you, to let you know if you can transfer,
and tell you know how much it will cost. Please note that the
standard rent includes a concessionary discount for
customers who have bought their caravan from us, so the
annual rent will be slightly higher for customers who bring
their existing caravan on to the park. You can now request a
transfer using our
Transfer Request Form.
Can I buy a cheap caravan elsewhere and move it to one of your
parks?
No. As second hand caravans bought in this way are usually
old and in poor condition, we do not allow them on our
parks.
Can I buy a second hand caravan direct from the existing
owner on one of your parks?
You can only do this if the existing owner has written
permission from us to sell their caravan on our park. As we
generally prefer to buy back caravans and sell them
ourselves, you should be cautious if a caravan owner
promises that you can buy their caravan direct from them and
keep it on our park. There have been cases where caravan owners have incorrectly
claimed to have been given permission, so you should always contact
our head office and ask for written confirmation, prior to
giving any money to the seller. Site licences are not
transferable. You can buy the caravan, but you cannot buy
the right to site it on our park. If you buy a
caravan from the caravan owner, and no permission has been
given, you will not be allowed to keep the caravan on our
park.
Furthermore, if permission has been granted, the seller will
be expected to pay a commission to the park when the caravan
is sold. The buyer will not be able to start using the
caravan until this commission has been paid, so we would
advise the buyer against giving the full sale price to the
seller. We recommend that the buyer liaises with us
throughout the transaction process, finds out what
commission is payable, deducts the commission from the
agreed sale price, and pays it to us directly.
Is a caravan a
good investment?
Holiday caravans should be bought to use and enjoy over a
long period of time. As they are a depreciating asset, like a
car, we do not advise anyone to buy a new caravan and then
sell it one or two years later. But if you buy a caravan in
a nice location, that is convenient to reach, and use it
regularly, and you have family and friends who all come to
stay and have many happy holidays, then it is a good investment over a 10 to 20 year
period, compared to the high cost of travelling abroad and
paying for flights and hotels for you and your family.
USING A
CARAVAN
How much can I use the caravan during a year?
The period of use is set by the local council, so it varies
for each park. Our shortest park season is March to October
and winter weekends. The longest park season is 50 weeks.
Some parks have an optional winter licence, which can extend
the use up to 50 weeks of the year (but winter licences are
only available if your caravan has double glazing and gas
central heating). Please look at the pages for each holiday
park to view the period of use for that park.
How
long can the caravan stay on the park?
For all our parks, we offer an annual licence which we
expect to renew every year, for the life of the caravan.
Generally a static caravan should last for 20 years, a lodge
should last for 25 years.
Can I live on the park?
No. Our holiday parks are for holiday use only. You will
need to have a main residential address, which can be in the
UK or Europe. You will need to provide us with your main
address. In addition, you cannot receive post at the park,
or use the park address to apply for any council services.
We are currently concerned with the number of people
enquiring if they can live on our holiday parks. If you buy
a holiday caravan and then sell your home and try to live on
the park, you will be in breach of the site licence and
contravening the planning permission for the park. When we
find out, we can choose not to offer you a licence for the
next year, or we would even be within our rights to cancel
your site licence immediately. You will then have to move
your caravan off our park. You may not find another park who
will take it. If you have sold your house, you will then
have nowhere to live.
Do I have to pay
council tax?
No.
As you are already paying council tax on your main home, you
do not need to pay council tax on your holiday caravan.
Can I rent out my
caravan?
Renting is permitted, but is not encouraged, as we like our
parks to be mainly owner occupied, which keeps them quiet
and friendly. We do not provide any letting service. You
will have to arrange your own letting. We are entitled to
25% commission on the rental rate. Your tenants must be well
behaved and obey the park rules. If we receive complaints,
you may be asked to stop renting it out.
SELLING
A CARAVAN
What happens when I want to sell my caravan?
You should inform us in writing that you want to sell, and
tell us how much you want for the caravan. We will inspect
the caravan and use the Glass guide to assess the correct
value. If the price you want is reasonable, we will buy it
from you. If we cannot agree a price, you can sell the
caravan privately off-site. You cannot sell the caravan on
the park, or transfer your site license to another person,
without our permission.
What are
the costs to leave the park?
You will need to settle your outstanding electricity bill.
Then if you sell the caravan to us, there is no additional
charge. If you sell the caravan off-site, a disconnection
and desite fee will be payable. If the caravan reaches the
end of it's life and cannot be moved because the chassis has
deteriorated, then a break and dispose fee will be payable.
VEHICLES
& PARKING
How
many vehicles can I bring on the park?
Generally, if there is sufficient space, static caravan and
lodge owners can bring two cars on to the park. One car can
be parked beside your caravan (providing the grass is dry)
and one car can be parked in front of the caravan. If
required, paving slabs can be laid down in the garden to
create all weather parking.
Please note that some parks, eg Rushey Hill and Ashley
Heath, have narrow roads, or terraces, and so parking is
only allowed in the official parking bays. Please discuss
the parking arrangements with the Park Manager when you
visit the park.
Do you allow commercial vehicles on the park?
Vans and commercial vehicles are not allowed to be parked by
your caravan, and must be parked in the main car park.
However, if you have a workman/engineer coming to work on
your caravan, they may be permitted to park near the caravan
while they do the work. All workmen/engineers should report
to the Park Manager on arrival, and will then be told where
they can drive and where they can park.
VERANDAS
Can I add a
veranda or skirting?
You can order verandas and skirting through us. We work with
several suppliers, who build good quality uPVC verandas,
which satisfy the current fire regulations. A caravan
veranda costs between £3,000 and £8,000, depending on the
size, which is restricted by the local Council. As a general
rule, the maximum deck size allowed is 6ft on the side and
8ft on the front end. Skirting costs approximately £1,500. You
cannot add your own veranda or skirting without written
permission from head office. Please note that static
caravans with a veranda pay a slightly higher rent of approximately
£156 per year.
GARDENS
Do I get a garden?
The space between your caravan and the next caravan, on the
door side, is your garden. We are happy for caravan owners
to plant flowers in their gardens, providing they are kept
neat and tidy. We will mow the grass, providing you leave
enough room for us to get the mower in.
Can I put up a fence?
No. We do not allow any brick or wood fences around caravans
on our parks. However, you may plant a hedge. But if we are
then unable to mow your grass, you will need to mow it.
Can I put up a
washing line?
In order to keep the park looking nice for everyone, we do
not allow residents to string washing lines between
caravans. But you can use a rotary washing line providing it
is taken down when not in use (except at Honeybridge and
Willows, as they have dedicated drying areas). Laundry facilities are
available at Holdens, Honeybridge and Willows.
Can I get a garden
shed?
Yes, but it must satisfy fire regulations, and in order to
keep the park looking attractive for all residents it cannot
be too big. You can buy a
Trimetals Bike Storage
shed from us. This is a sturdy metal shed which can store up
to three bicycles. The external dimensions are H 1.33m x W
1.96m x D 0.89m. We do not recommend buying cheap plastic
sheds as they fall apart quickly. We do not allow any wooden
sheds. All sheds must be requested in writing to head
office.
Can I get garden
furniture?
Yes, providing it can be folded away when not in use and
stored in a Storeguard shed.
PETS
Do you allow pets?
Pets are allowed providing they are well behaved. Dogs must
be kept on a lead at all times and exercised off the park.
If we receive repeated complaints about your pet, you will
not be able to bring it to the park. Pets are not allowed in
our hire caravans & chalets.
INSURANCE
Can I
insure the caravan through you?
Yes. We provide insurance through our insurance agent,
Towergate. The rate varies depending on the amount insured.
Static caravan insurance is approximately £350 per year, and
lodge insurance is approximately £500 per year. The
insurance covers fire, storm, flood, theft and accidental
damage. It excludes normal wear and tear. Please request a
copy of the policy for more info. Your caravan must be
insured. If you do not get insurance through us, you must
provide us with a copy of the insurance certificate, and pay
a small admin fee for us to inspect it.
SERVICES
Can I put up a
satellite dish?
Yes, providing it is small and unobtrusive.
Do I
have to pay for a television licence?
You do not need to buy a television licence, providing you
have a television licence at home, and there is no one in
your home watching television at the same time when you are
watching television in your caravan.
Is wi-fi broadband
provided?
We do not currently provide wi-fi on our parks, but we are
investigating this service. In the meantime you could get a
roaming USB dongle. The reception for different providers
varies on each park. Ask the Park Manager about the mobile
reception.
Can I have post
delivered?
No. As this is not a residential address you cannot have
post delivered to the park. We understand this may be
inconvenient if your main home is abroad, but you can set up
a post box at the local post office.
DISCLAIMER
This page has been created to help people understand the
process of buying and owning a holiday caravan. It does not
constitute a legal agreement. Figures have been provided to
give you a rough idea of the costs involved, but are subject
to change at any time. Rules and conditions may vary on some
parks. When you buy a caravan you will be given a Site
Licence, Terms & Conditions, and Park Rules, which contain
all the current rules and regulations governing your stay on
that park. Please report any mistakes on this page to us.
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