To think that we can live in a lodge

[Pizfufffff]

We have been looking at family homes for a while now. I stumbled across these lodges on rightmove. https://www.goodlifelodge.com/

I've looked at the website and I mentions things such as "part exchange your home" or "sell your home" to get funding for them. So I presume you can live full time in these things.

I love the design and layout of them. I love the idea of waking up to rolling countryside views.

My partner says I'm being ridiculous and that we are not living in a wooden lodge in the middle of nowhere with our baby.

I can't see why it's so bad?

So they're effectively paying what many people would pay for a mortgage, plus the cost of replacement and the holiday, terrible value for money

There are various petitions about the fact that in most parts of Europe you can buy land and stick a caravan on it and live, but that in the UK you can’t. Forcing poor people into renting rather than owning land. If you can’t move abroad, maybe sign a petition and get the law changed.

I’d personally agree it’s like gambling they will both be dead/ or in care homes by the time replacement rolls around ( in their late 60s/ early 70s with a decade to go) as they won’t have the money. They are enjoying lots of nice holidays funded by the equity they had in previous home.

Flats for the elderly are the one type of accommodation that’s constantly available in my council area, as residents die/ end up in care homes regularly. So unlikely to be homeless.

Ground rent, where I live, is £1,600. That's a one off payment, per year. No service charges. One off payment for the lodge, itself. Plumbed in washing machines, lovely big outside areas, both communal and private gardens. To boot, it's in a rural area, where all you can hear each day, are the birds singing.

Quite a bit of snobbery on here, as well as hiked up prices.

@Pccleaner We have planning laws and policies to restrict plonking mobile homes down! Rightly so. I could have a village on my land but rightly there are restrictions. I’m interested in how Labour will build 1.5 m homes. Where and how?

Not quite so ‘astounding’ @Frasers but the hyperbole was amusing.

Look on the Facebook group Holiday Park Action Group .. there are some horror stories on there!

£1600 is very low. I've not seen anywhere that low.

It's on a 10 month of the year stay in a holiday park. The lodges are housed separately to the static caravans. People buy the lodges outright. I can't say the area.

If you were over 50, a proper park home, not a static, would be ideal. Park homes are usually at least double the size of a static caravan.

I've seen some crazy prices. Up to 7K a year and that's a holiday park not a residential park home. That's more than my mortgage! Most seem to be around 4 to 5K.

This! Lodge is the new word for mobile home with a verandah. They have a whole heap of problems and not really to do with the actual lodges but more with how they're run and who by.

You could have a holiday in one and live your dream for a fortnight each year.

We were paying that ten years ago to a caravan site to keep our previous tourer on for a ten months Seasonal pitch and two months Winter storage contract. It was a big caravan, we used it as a static.
It was £1.000 a year inclusive when we first put the caravan on the site, it increased every year. We cut our losses after five years and them sending us a notice of the new seasons fee, They charged double for the Winter storage separately taking the total to over 2k. We took the ‘van off and sold it.

I'd run a mile from owning one anywhere even though they can look very tempting. There are always clauses in to he contract regarding permanent residency, site fees and quite often extremely dodgy site owners. I'd say never in million years but you pay your money and make your choice. You have been warned & not just by me.

Again this is factually incorrect.

I can see why you like it... be it's basically a posh haven static caravan; with all the issues that come with that eg wear and tear; pitch fees etc. And probably the price of a brick house. I'd look at what you love about it and try and make that a reality with a proper house personally 👍

Do you realise some people can't afford to buy a 'proper' house? So many people exaggerating when grey haven't got a clue.

If people can’t afford to buy ‘proper’ house they won’t be able to afford one of these lodges unless they have the cash to buy one. Or they sign up to the sites credit plan.
They wouldn’t get a mortgage, life span of a lodge is 20 years.
Some sites do close for two months a year, some don’t.

Most people do have the cash to buy one. Most are retired people, who want to make their lives easier and cheaper. Good for them.

In America 7% of the population live on trailer parks. I can see it becoming far more popular here in the UK.

I do wonder if you get what you pay for. There are a few of these places close to me. Small one who only do lodges start at £192k unfurnished but reasonable service charge of £2k a year, 99 year tenure, you can live there all year round and have as council tax address. Looking at the photos lodges seem to be built from kits with timber frames, insulation and cladding rather than statics with cladding. Honestly they seem lovely, I quite like the idea of downsizing into one when kids get old. Expensive though

Other parks are larger , mix of statics/ lodges, cheaper to buy but higher service charge (paying for onsite swimming pool etc) and more onerous conditions such as residence limitations.

I wouldn't change my initial advice to be wary and have a solicitor take a proper look at a contract. There may be lovely spots out there but I'd expect to pay quite a lot more upfront.

My mum used to live in one part of the year and the other downside is the owners would only allow the WiFi to work for set times ⏲️ it was ridiculous!

I know that as I live in a council estate as that's what our current financial situation allows. Don't presume you know everyone's situation or knowledge base.

I know that it is cheaper to buy a brick house here with your own generous land (for a terrace) than it is to buy a static 'lodge' 2 miles down the road on land you will never own in a building that has a much shorter shelf life 🤷🤷🤷. I am advising based on this knowledge on what gives you more for your money and what is a solid investment 👍. I may be wrong on this...but looking at the pics I doubt it 👍

By converting green belt land to brown belt therefore legitimising the right to build on it.