Quote: Originally posted by lynnea on 29/5/2017
Thanks guys - what about static caravans? Can you live in those all year round?
People do, but very unofficially. Technically a static caravan is a holiday home, and is not meant to be occupied for more than a certain period of time, often around 10 or 11 months of the year maximum. Many sites have their own rules and allow only much shorter periods. Usually, a holiday home such as a static caravan will not be recognised as a permanent address by the authorities, and sites don't allow it as it would be in breach of their licence. Very different rules apply to proper residential Park Home sites.
We live on a park home site and the difference in build quality of park homes to static caravans is great. Also worth noting that if you live on a site that is not licenced for all year living then you will need an address where you are registered for paying Council Tax at and also for banks etc.
Yes, unfortunately it is very complicated these days. We used to live in a Park Home back in the 1970s and things have moved on enormously since then. If only the laws back then had been the same as they are today, we would probably still live in a Park Home instead of renting a house.
As Janet & John rightly say, the difference today between a static caravan and a Park Home is enormous. The standard of insulation in a Park Home is far superior to a static caravan for a start.
Static caravans are not built to live in all year round, in particular, in very cold weather ie below freezing, the water pipes which will be under the van are likely to freeze and will probably blow a joint when they thaw out. Even if the site has a 12 month licence they will still require you to have a permanent address where you pay council tax (as per previous post by colin21). Also they are dificult to keep warm in very cold weather even with double glazing and central heating, it is quite easy to use a 47kgs gas bottle per week in cold weather and these are about £65+.
My wife and I purchased our 'Holiday Home' which is a 'Residential Park' home a few years ago.
The EPG Rating of the Static Caravan is 'A'.
I bought 2 * 47kg refills of Propane Calor Gas for £89 last month.
I paid about £13 equivalent for 13kg refills in the Philippines.
We did have a 'Holiday Home' caravan in a 46 week Holiday Site, but obviously could not declare it a 'Permanent Address'.
There is a UK Campsite member who was living on a 'holiday' site full time, but someone squealed, and he and a few others are now looking for another place to live.
So be careful.
Regards James
------------- In the beginning there was darkness.
Then I bought a tent.
I'm not destitute, I'm just poor.