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Original poster

Caravan Ownership

76 replies

DuckWillow · 21/07/2019 14:38

Can anyone tell me about their experiences of caravan ownership.

We are thinking about a static caravan on an established site which we could use but also let out in summer to recoup some of the pitch costs.

We’d probably be looking at a second hand caravan rather than a brand new one.

So far the negatives I can see are...

It’s not a financial investment as the vans depreciate in value.
There is usually a limit of 10-15 yrs on pitches after which we may have to upgrade.
Pitch and other fees.

Positives are..

A bolt hole within 1-1.5hrs from home for rest and relaxation which for me might well outweigh the negatives.

Just interested in other people’s experiences.

OP posts:
AllGoodDogs · 21/07/2019 15:21

No experience with a static, but for me I'd rather spend the cash on a tourer and seasonal / permanent pitch at a site. Lower fees plus the option to move around if you want to. I loved our touring caravan Smile

taylorowmu · 21/07/2019 15:28

Don't do it!!

Just don't.

The idea is wonderful, but the reality can be hell.

We had a van we rented out and it was a constant battle to keep it up to scratch. People are hideous. They dirty, break and steal. They don't care, they take the piss. They leave you in an absolute mess.

We had to replace a WALL once.

The costs of replacement items and repairs far outweighed any income over the course of the year. And the fact that the key dates people wanted meant we couldn't t use our own van at the key times for us (school holidays/long weekends)

Just avoid this at all costs.

Kez200 · 21/07/2019 15:49

If you treat them as personal depreciating money pits but thats what you want for your own and trusted family holidays and short breaks, fine.

Involve holiday makers though and its a real hassle. Cleaning and replacement costs to start. Get bad occupants and you might wish you had never gone there.

My daughter cleaned holiday caravans one season, said never again, and the stories of how people left them were awful.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Cars & vehicles
Kez200 · 21/07/2019 15:52

How much is the one you are looking at? I know a site where the vans are generally much cheaper but you can only use it yourself. Its a small site with pools, but no shop or pub or anything like that. But the vans seem much cheaper than most places.

Original poster
DuckWillow · 21/07/2019 17:25

Thank you for your thoughts....yes there seem to be a lot of pitfalls and a touring van might be better,

OP posts:
MyDcAreMarvel · 21/07/2019 17:32

Be cheaper and more interesting to stay at different Hoseaons sites.

Kez200 · 21/07/2019 17:33

At some sites you can leave your tourer all season for a pitch fee. So you can still get the benefit of the one site, easy set up, that way. They are probably a bit cheaper to buy. However, you wont get so much room the statics are luke mini homes.

I love camping (not involving tents) so would be well up for it but I think I would want it to be just for me or for me and my close family, anyway.

whingeygingy · 21/07/2019 17:38

I used to clean caravans fights resulted in fire extinguishers and ketchup all over the walls foam from ext that is also thought loo chains pulled themselves🤔

sonjadog · 21/07/2019 17:40

Friends of mine have a caravan a couple of hours drive from home that they really love. They use it for rest and relaxation and are there a lot at weekends and in holidays. There is a good atmosphere on the campsite and they are quite social. But they never rent it out, which I think is the important point.

watchmefly · 21/07/2019 17:44

Some sites also require you to give them first refusal when you come to sell, at a knockdown price to the site.

Yellowweatherwarning · 21/07/2019 17:49

Mil used to have one. I had young dc.

Owners next door had loud late to bed teens..
It was hell.
Went twice!
Ime owning won't guarantee you peace & quiet....

WhatsInAName19 · 21/07/2019 17:53

My in laws have one and it’s a money pit tbh. For the same money they could probably have a really nice “big” holiday plus several weekends away each year in b&bs. I would rather book myself into a b&b last minute whenever I fancy a break than be tied to one campsite and paying through the nose whether I go or not.

Original poster
DuckWillow · 21/07/2019 18:05

Again thanks all.

I am having a rethink.

OP posts:
StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff · 21/07/2019 19:33

We've got one shared between the family which means our 'investment' has been pretty reasonable. We love it. We've got young kids and it's fab to just go for the weekend when we want or longer, if we want.
There are a lot of Ts and Cs but for what we wanted it for, none of them have caused an issue.
However, due to it already being shared,we don't rent it out and we are unlikely ever too. The other thing to note is that on our own we wouldn't be able to afford it, pitch fees for the year are over £4k

Goforitgirl · 21/07/2019 19:36

100% get a tourer

Coopermanyorkshire · 21/07/2019 19:46

kez200

Interested in knowing the site you mentioned that’s cheaper with less facilities

Thanks

Kez200 · 21/07/2019 20:10

I dont know if its cheaper as youve not given prices but i will send you a pm and you can request information from them about static prices, ages and pitch fees

Nat6999 · 21/07/2019 20:20

We had a touring caravan when I was married, kept it on a seasonal pitch an hour from home which meant we could leave the awning up from March to October. We were lucky & never lost much money on the old one when we upgraded. We ended up with a 6 berth with fixed bunks, big end bathroom with a round shower cubicle & walk in wardrobe. We used it most weekends all year round, a week at Easter, spring bank, usually stayed most of the 6 weeks holiday, we stayed for nearly 3 months when I was on maternity leave. Ours was a home from home, we had a satellite dish & sky television, mobile broadband so we could take laptops, tablets etc. The awning doubled the living space, we ate out there during the summer & it was a place for ds to play if the weather was bad.

Evilmorty · 21/07/2019 20:22

My mum had one. I was sceptical. After a year I was totally spoiled by all the weekends away and when she sold it I was bereft. Sad

Kez200 · 21/07/2019 20:27

Pm sent

Blackcountrychik83 · 21/07/2019 20:29

My parents have a static on a site in mid Wales and they love it. Less than £2.5k a year site fees but you can't rent the caravan out only to close family and friends.

The next door neighbour had a caravan previously on a haven type site where they hired it out thru the company who owned the site. They could only have 2 weeks a year to use themselves, in low season dates. And the rest of the time the site hired it out. The first people who hired it completely trashed it. And the site only took a £50 deposit and expected them to pay for the repairs themselves.

They only had it for one season and sold it back to the site for pence compared to what it cost them and bought a caravan on this private site.

Just do your research on the site. Some are brilliant, but many are expensive and just hell. Some sites are well equipped but others are rubbish.

SkiingIsHeaven · 21/07/2019 20:41

We have one 1 hour 15 minutes away.

It is not cheap when you add everything up but it is my happy place. In our opinion it is worth every penny.

The owner is a cheapskate and you have to buy everything through him which is a con, so you have to factor that in.

We go nearly every weekend and I tend to go a day earlier than the family. It is my mental health day.

We are right on the coast and have taken up kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, walking and many other things. It is great.

The problem is that you feel like you are on holiday so we probably eat and drink a bit too much. Have been gaining weight because we go so often.

Just love it.

Ghostonthedancefloor · 21/07/2019 20:43

Static caravans have always been in the family, I grew up spending weekends/weeks down my grandparents caravan in south west England. Very fond memories.

My mum hounded my dad for years about getting their own. He swore blind he would never, liked his holidays abroad too much.

However three years ago, after a decent payout from voluntary redundancy, they took the plunge and got one.

It is the single best thing that has ever happened to them. They are there every weekend without fail, have made a fabulous group of friends (in fact, my father is best man to one of the friends they have made in a few months), have upgraded once, and have not been on a holiday abroad since.

They were invited to three wedding this year, and all I’ve heard is them moaning about how many weekends they are missing down there.

They absolutely love it.

StrongTea · 21/07/2019 20:48

We have one, use it a lot, we have dogs so take them. Our site is fairly quiet. On top of purchase price you will need insurance, some sites have block insurance but this may be more expensive. Site fees, electricity and calor gas is expensive, also rates. We also have to get gas safety check yearly. Cost of equipping can add up but if I buy something new for our home the used item generally goes to the caravan.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 21/07/2019 20:56

Fil had one on a quiet, private site in Cumbria. Didn’t let it out but let family use it. It was absolutely lovely; sea view from the deck, walks across the beach and it was a really light, tasteful space too.

I think he had it for about 10 years and actually did okay when he sold it.

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