Static owners past and current, your words of wisdom please...

[Artura]

We're thinking of splashing out on a static caravan, probably in Anglesey. We had a great weekend in one (belonging to friends) last year and think it would be something we'd really enjoy, especially whilst our DDs are small (currently 3 and 1). Should we go for it, or stay well clear?

We've had a static since DD was born (nearly 9), and my parents have had them since I was a kid.

We love ours. The site we are on is very friendly and safe. The area where we are has a lot of facilities - pubs, clubs, fair, beach etc. I think we would be bored without them.

It can be very cold, but you can do lots to counter that - double carpets, film on the windows, oil filled radiators.

We have a 2 bed now, wish we still had a 3 solely for the storage space, but you get used to packing lighter - still better than a tourer!

Be sure you like the place over and above the caravan. You can't just up sticks if you get bored.

Thanks, Dallas. Wondered about the cold/rain - do you still use it early in the season? When is your park open? March to October seems to be common. How did you chose your site?

Ours opens next weekend and will close again the first weekend in Nov. We will go down to open up and it will be freezing . I have fleece pyjamas and DD has a onsie. We leave the radiators on all the time and have the gas fire burning. Gas is about £35 for a large a bottle and that would last probably 4 days if you left the fire on full time. That's why we have the radiators - one each in the bedrooms and a halogen heater in the living room for an instant fix.

We went for the cheapest site TBH. We knew the area very well and knew that we didn't need all singing all dancing facilities on site (although would have liked a laundry room). Check if your site has a timeframe for caravans. Some say a caravan can only be 10 years old then has to be removed. Ours can stay as long as it looks good. When you think that too of the range vans can be in the £60k mark, 10 years is ridiculous.

Our current caravan was 8 years old when we bought it and is now 14. It still looks great. We wash and treat it twice yearly on the outside and it is always well cleaned inside. We paid 9k for the caravan and site fees are just under 3k a year. The biggest site where we are (with lots of facilities) is 5k a year and they have the 10 year rule too.

That great, thanks for the tips. I think we need to plan a visit and start looking round different sites. Like you say, choosing the place first over the caravan. Have you come across any good websites for info? Something like rightmove for caravans? Might not be something you've looked at since you've had yours a while.

I'm not sure there is anything like that. We visited the place that we knew we wanted to be, and then went to each of the site owners in turn - it would be very unusual for a site to be 100% occupied and prices have dropped over the last couple of years.

You are unlikely to be able to buy a caravan and then site it. Owners want you to buy theirs and private sellers are usually setting their 'pitch' as well as their van.

I'd look ahead a bit to when the kids are older - what they want now is unlikely what they will want in the future. We have a swimming pool, fair and arcades etc in walking distance and pubs/restaurants that have children's entertainment and live bands. Where we are is also a gateway to lots of other places - farm parks, fairs, tourist spots etc. When DD was small she was happy with the beach, the park and a carousel - now she wants more.