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Topic: New here please help??

ragdoll1924

28/9/2014 at 3:38pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: None Entered

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Joined: 28/9/2014

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I am hoping someone could kindly give me some advise.

Being a single mum with 3 children I am finding it very expensive to take the children on holiday each year.

I have savings of £10K and I am thinking of buying a static caravan so we can use as and when. But I am completely bamboozled by all the pros and cons of sites and varying site fees???

I live in a town between Swindon and Oxford and want to find a site within around an 1hr/1hr 30min drive away.

Can anyone recommend a site that has reasonable yearly fees (so far everything I have looked at is around £3000- £5000 a year) and I also need a site where there is no limit to the age of the caravan and where you are not limited to renting it out. I dont care if the site doenst have flashing swimming pools, club houses etc. Just as long as its near facilities maybe a beach etc

Also how realistic am I being thinking I would be able to rent it out for enough time during the year to pay its pitch fees. I do know there is no money to be made out of static caravans I just would like to be able to own one, rent it out enough times in the year just to cover its costs and use it for me and the children for the rest of the year.

How realistic am I being or is this something you would definately say no to.

Any advise would be greatly received.

navver

28/9/2014 at 3:55pm
Location: West country
Outfit: Mondeo

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Never having had a static caravan I cannot advise from experience. Be careful to read any contract with a site very carefully particularly to clauses relating to when you want to end the contract. Have you got to sell the van only to the site and will the pitch be transferable to any new owner.

There are alternatives to a static such as a touring caravan stored on a site for which you will pay for storage and site fee while you occupy it. Alternatively you can have a seasonal pitch where the van is permanently on a pitch and you can use it as much as you like.

You can have a touring caravan to tow yourself or a folding camper or trailer tent or tent.

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LobeyDosser

28/9/2014 at 4:07pm
Location: Argyll Scotland
Outfit: 1997 Bailey Ranger 470 4

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Also be careful as to the site's rules on Sub Letting.

All the static sites around here do not allow that.

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Lobey.

Hacksaw Bob

28/9/2014 at 4:30pm
Location: West Midlands
Outfit: Various tents

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Don't know if you've seen the Code of Practice?

Agree with the others - be very, very careful.

ferretlady

28/9/2014 at 8:11pm
Location: Mid Wales
Outfit: Coachman Vip 520

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Just be careful, a lot of sites say the caravan has to be fairly new. When get to a certain age, have to upgrade or leave site!

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Enjoy life while you can, none of us know what's round the corner!

Carl59

28/9/2014 at 8:26pm
Location: Sheffield
Outfit: Elddis firestorm

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My inlaws bought a static a few years ago and had it for a 18 months or so paying £1500 a year (or there abouts) we're told by the owner that because the van was over 10 years old they could no longer keep it there and there would be a removal fee for the van but they could buy a newer one off him at a inflated price and he would give them £500 for old one which they paid £3000 for. Probably worse case scenario but be carful the sites usually charge for change of ownership and such like

artel

28/9/2014 at 8:29pm
Location: Lanarkshire
Outfit: Unicorn Cartagena & Discovery Sport

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Many years ago we owned a static for a couple of years, not something I could recommend to be honest.
Read the site terms and conditions very carefully, as others have said some sites have conditions regarding the age of the caravan. Some also have conditions about who you can or cannot sell on to should you decide to get rid of it at a future date. Basically what they want is for them to buy it back at a cut price rate.
Letting out can be a bit of a nightmare, a lot of people who will rent your caravan won't bother to look after it, a case of we've paid for it we' ll use it how we like. You need to make arrangements for the unit to be cleaned and checked over for breakages after every hire. If you can't manage that yourself some sites will provide that service but at a cost . Talking of costs find out about electricity charges, gas , water rates and any local rates if applicable. Remember too that if you are letting it out to pay its way then people will want it at the most popular holiday periods which will mean you and your family won't have the use of it.
It's not something I would go into again unless I could afford not to let it out.
Plus remember what might be a nice quiet well run site this year might change to a rowdy one if management/ ownership changed.
Think it over carefully, read all the small print, good luck with whatever you decide.

LobeyDosser

28/9/2014 at 8:45pm
Location: Argyll Scotland
Outfit: 1997 Bailey Ranger 470 4

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The laws regarding who comes onto the site and who does not have changed and the site owner no longer has any input into who buys a van.

The site will however charge a 10% (or more)fee when a van changes ownership.
If it is a Park Home then the seller pays the fee. If it is a Static Van then the buyer pays the fee.

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Lobey.

John4703

28/9/2014 at 9:21pm
Location: Glasgow
Outfit: Elddis Avante 454

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It might be worth looking at a touring caravan kept on a site all year. There are sites that will tow it onto a pitch fopr you and then tow it back afterwards so you do not need to have a car with a tow bar. Getting it to the site would mean either hiring a car (probably a 4 x 4) with a tow bar or getting a friend to tow it there for you. A touring caravan on a site might be a cheaper option. A friend of mine has his stored on a site in Devon for £220 per year and pays the extra site fees while he uses it. The owner tows it to the pitch and sets it up free of charge. You many need to spend time hunting for a privately run site that suits your needs.

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We camped for years. In 2019 we bought an Elddis Avante 454. We like it as it is short (6.9m) and fits in our driveway and has a fixed bed.
We had 127 nights away in the caravan in 2023.

fredted

28/9/2014 at 10:24pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Coachman Pastiche 420 2

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I have to agree with some of the above, a touring van on a static pitch would be a great idea, lots of sites are now open all year. And for the money your saying, you could get a decent 4 berth caravan and with a full awning there would be plenty of room for you and 3 kids.
I really think it's worth looking into.

millermicm

28/9/2014 at 10:27pm
Location: west country
Outfit: None Entered

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Owning a static is in my view (never having owned one) a very expensive means of holidaying. Much cheaper to hire someone else's.

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Steve

mwooly10

29/9/2014 at 3:13am
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Nothing at the moment

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I looked into buying a static for somewhere to get away too.. I didnt look very long though.. for a half decent site, the site fees are too much for what you use it for, and as someone said you have to get the cleaners in or a management company to run it all for you..

Im after a cheap caravan at the moment, that i can reseal, make nice and go away at weekends once a month, and probably still never spend close to the site fees i spend if i had a static or have all the hassle of having stuff fixed.. if you break it, its not too bad, but if someone else does.. well it isnt worth the stress..

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Milky coffee with 2 sugars please..

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