Buying a static caravan on a holiday park

When you buy a static caravan on a holiday park, you’ll become part of a community of like-minded people you can socialise with while you’re away. If you have young children, you’ll appreciate on-site facilities to keep you all busy, such as swimming pools, evening entertainment, crazy golf, children’s play areas, soft play and family-friendly restaurants. Your kids will also be in their element, making new friends with whom they can play year after year. And, whether you’re travelling solo, as a couple or with a group, your getaways will be elevated by amenities such as an on-site club or bar to socialise in, a gym or tennis courts where you can exercise and the convenience of an on-site shop or takeaway.

Holiday parks are also safe environments with security teams, CCTV, barriers, and gates to restrict entry.

Choosing the right holiday park for your static caravan is vital to maximise your enjoyment while away. Deciding on a location is one of the most important factors. Think about how far your potential holiday park is from your house and how easy it is to get there – this will make all of the difference if you want to embrace the flexibility of last-minute mini-breaks. Think about what you enjoy doing on your holidays to help you decide whether you’d like your holiday park to be close to a beach, in the middle of the countryside or near a town with shops and restaurants -research attractions nearby, think about different times of year and weather.

Holiday parks come in all shapes and sizes with varying facilities, so also think about whether you’d prefer a large park with lots to do or a more intimate, quieter park. Make a list of amenities most important to you, such as evening entertainment, leisure facilities, and on-site food and drink choices. Who you tend to go away with will help you to determine the best type of park for your group.

More practical elements to compare from park to park include rules, which could include everything from how long you can keep your caravan on the park to whether you can let your caravan out – and whether you can let it privately or through the park. Annual pitch and site fees, plus park opening dates, are also essential to pay attention to.

It’s a good idea to visit any parks you are considering before you commit to get a feel for the environment and community there. Make a list of questions and things you want to look at, and talk to the people you meet there about how satisfied they are. Look too at any online reviews to research any potential niggles that are important to you. While at the holiday park, pay attention to how clean it is and where the pitches are located. It’s also worth visiting at peak and non-peak times if you can.

Once you’ve decided on buying a static caravan on a holiday park, it’s time to choose the right static caravan model for your needs. Consider who you’ll travel with and what size you need to keep everyone comfortable. What bedroom layout will you need? And what essentials will make your time away enjoyable?

Your budget will play a big part in the type of caravan you buy, and whether you go for a new model you can put your stamp on with furnishing and appliance choices or opt for a used caravan. When you buy secondhand, you may snap up a bargain and enjoy a higher specification for less, but you may also have to compromise in some areas as it will be done to someone else’s taste.

Most holiday parks require you to buy a caravan directly from them – or an owner already on the park. This is because many holiday parks have a particular look and feel, which they will want to maintain through certain caravan types. Always ask the park you would like to be located on what its rules are.

This will depend on the rules of the park where your caravan is. Some holiday parks will not let you rent your caravan out privately, while others might have rules about how you do this, such as using their own letting service. Before committing to a park, check its rules.

Check the terms and conditions of your holiday park when removing your caravan. There will probably be a disconnection fee/de-siting fee, and you’ll have to make sure all bills are paid. If your caravan is bought using a finance plan, check any terms and conditions in this agreement.

If you have a new holiday park in mind for your caravan, check that it will accept your exact caravan (size, model, and age) and that you don’t need to buy a caravan from the site directly.

In addition to the cost of your static caravan itself, you’ll need to budget for other regular expenses, which include pitch and site fees, utilities, water, insurance, safety checks, and any mandatory maintenance jobs. Ask your potential holiday park about how it reviews its pitch and site fees and whether these go up after a certain period of time so you’re not caught out if they increase.

An excellent way to earn money back from your investment is to rent out your static caravan while you’re not staying there. A hassle-free way to do this is to use a specialist site such as UKcaravans4hire. This will give you access to an established following of holidaymakers looking to rent a caravan and an online system that vets customers for you to help minimise fraud. With UKcaravans4hire, you don’t need to pay a subscription fee; we only charge a fee when a booking is made.