I was starting to get quite giddy like I'd found the holy grail. I'll be running a mile from this now thanks to you. This video has helped a lot of people I'm sure! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!!
Appreciate the comment mate thanks. Yeah just make sure do your own research before buying one not all sites like ours but as you can see from the comments on this video a lot of people are being ripped off buy these site owners.
I looked at one a few years ago. It was going to cost nearly 50k. Plus 3k a year management fees. Only plastic decking allowed (that’s not a bad thing because wooden looks awful). Only homes less than ten years old were allowed on the site. Only one car allowed at each ‘home’. I took my money and put it into my full time home, bought a car, went on holiday to the Caribbean, bought a motorbike and still had change. Saved myself a load of money. Holiday homes are one of the biggest waste of money I have ever seen. Even buying a brand new car makes more sense than a holiday home!
You did the sums you did the thinking and it just didn’t add up..so take it from this guy before you hand over the cash even in today’s housing market put it into bricks and mortar m, at least you’ll own the ground it sits on..to recap do the thinking
I have a static caravan in Western highlands of Scotland next to my home, It's been rented out many times and some renters have been anti social, fights, Loud music and kids from hell. Had an older couple who always tried to book it as they fell in love with the surroundings and the ability to fish the sea loch from the Caravan. I have rented it out to them full time and it's cheaper per month than there house rent from the council. After 4 years never had an issue with them and there so happy.
Thanks a lot for the information you have provided here, it is very useful. Can I ask, you a question, if the permanent holiday park home can be rented out, meaning loged out ? As I know, holiday parks don't allow these park homes to be rented out to others, example if I would rent 1 room via Airbnb, as I know it would not be allowed? Please let me know, thanks in advance.
@@jackwatson4295 There is an older couple that have been in the caravan for 4 years now, don't think they will move. The caravan is a 2014, 3 bedroom with Loch access and salmon fishing and has large decking area as well as a BBQ pit. I charge £255 per month When you wake up to the birds singing surrounded by trees with a loch view i think i am undercharging them. But it is good to have them close incase i need them or they need me as living remote can have it's problems.
My parents had a brand new van in wales they had a few years out of it but the owner of the site was offered a massive price for the land my parents got a phone call saying there van was on fire so beware people a caravan parks aren’t always owned by reputable people
A big thank you for the video Rob. I had considered buying a caravan as a stop gap but will definitely give it a miss now. Sounds like a complete rip off and I'd also hate the control aspect.
I've owned a static caravan for years and absolutely love love love it. Yes its expensive. You're buying into a lifestyle. Do your homework and if you can't afford to pay the annual fees and if you're not prepared to start losing money on the value of the caravan from the moment you put the key in the door then this is not the right choice of leisure pursuit for you. For me having a coastal bolthole to escape to from the City is absolutely worth every penny.
Thanks Rob a really interesting video, pretty well echoed my thoughts on holiday homes. Also, a story that matches my mates in Brean, although the heating and water is fine. One of the main problems as you highlight is, control, which really only manifests after purchasing a home. Thx Alan
hey Alan. Thanks for the comment mate. Yes did my best to try show people how bad buying one of these log cabins is and absolutely they change their rules as they please once you are on their site.
@@robpark93 If the deepstate globalist net-zero green mafia plans go ahead for Wales it will be the end of holidays in Wales as the Welsh landmass is to be one giant wind and solar farm. A map of the planned decimation/destruction of most of the land mass of Wales. www.brecon-and-radnor-cprw.wales/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WG-NDF-PAs-v1.0-20190820.pdf
This is the first bit of research I've put into potentially owning a static home as permanent dwelling...thank you so much for your honest and educated opinion
Love some of the statics on Holiday parks but the ground rent and other annual bills quickly top up to £4-5k plus per year for a depreciating asset. Never even thought of some of the points you raise, but they just cement my feeling that despite loving these vans id prefer the flexibility of spending that money renting them and being able to visit several parks over owning one at one site. Good luck with your future young man :)
Hey Richard appreciate the comment mate! I actually had a lot going on at the time I made this video so forced myself to put it out as wanted to warn people and if I had known this many people would of watched it I would of gone in depth about even more of the troubles we had. Thankfully I think I’ve managed to give just about enough information people can use to make a better decision when going to buy one of these.
@@robpark93 really enjoyed listening to your comments Rob nearly fell for the sales patter in yarmouth myself. A mate who I saw who had bought 2 and had had his pants pulled down by the site talked me out of it. I was lucky that day good luck anyway mate.
Thankyou for this...I was looking into buying one as a business to rent out,but the estate agent said there’s none left now as people are buying them blind due to the lock down and not being able to view them...I can’t believe it,are folks that mad to spend thousands on something they can’t even view . Complete madness...I won’t touch them now,bricks and mortar only. 😊🇬🇧👍
Absolutely. That's what I did. We're all adults. If the situation was as bad as Rob painted it static caravan parks wouldn't exist and no one would ever buy one.
Just had a vlog popped up by Dean Dunham, a consumer lawyer who's campaigning for the legal rights of van owners, worth looking at and subscribing to so as to get his figures up. Been a long time coming
You’re welcome mate my aim was to help at least one person stop from making same mistake as us but I think this video has helped a lot of people save money so couldn’t be happier about the outcome of it.
We had a van for about five years at Coghurst a few years ago. We paid £25,000 and only got £2,000 when we sold it, which was a bit of a shock. The ground rent went up every year which apparently included ground maintenance which never happened so everybody looked after their own patch which worked really well. You'll have to pay £50,000+ for a doubled glazed centrally heated van, which you would need in the winter. We got to know a lot of people on site most of whom stayed at the park all year apart from when the site shut for two weeks, when they would bugger off abroad or stay with relatives. They loved being there as we did, there was a lovely feel to the place and everyone seemed very laid back, but you had no rights at all. A female solicitor who had a van tried to start up a residents association and the site owners made life very difficult for her, so she sold up. To sum up, if you realise that you'll lose a lot of money when you come to sell the van but want a very peaceful way to live for a few years, perhaps in your retirement, they can be really good
Hi Clive. Thanks for the comment yes I agree if you don’t mind losing thousands and want to live cheaply and quietly they can be great but overall I would not recommend it to most people.
Hi we bought a van last year. Apart from COVID the site we are at is in Ayrshire it is well run and plenty of amenities. Our site fees are 3500 a year our van is central heated and gas water & electric supply is on a meter which is better than gas bottles and much cheaper. We have been down to our van and sorted it for this coming weekend. We love our van and are looking forward to using it at every opportunity. Rental can pay for site fees as we can get £100 a night and it sleeps 8. Although we won’t be renting yet as it’s brand new.
Great video, thanks. I have been thinking about buying one of these to live in but the controlling issue is a deal-breaker, I will be having a lot of friends around
Thanks for the comment. You can have friends over but take into account neighbours are tucked in close to you so you would have to keep noise down as walls are very thin in these cabins. The control aspect is more external features you may want on your cabin which they say will be fine when you acquire the place and then change their minds after you purchase.
I always said to anyone who wanted either a static or tourer van that if you were only using it for holidays then for 45 grand you could have some decent holidays for many many years and even if you got second hand £20,000 and £4,000 a year is a lot of money to be stuck in one place, I owned a static for a few years and the rent just kept going up by 50% every year so I just told the site owners to sell it and keep the money for the ground rent for the year, plus you couldn’t sell it yourself you had to let them sell it even though you owned the van outright, saying that my wife and I still rent out a static every couple of years for a weeks holiday as we still love staying in one but by renting then it’s the owner who has all the headaches
I have one in island of sheppey I regret buying one coz I bought it around covid in March last year and we haven’t used it much and we still pay ground rent
I was thinking of buying one, but it's the fear of lock down happening again, imagine all of those who had to pay three years ground rent and parks were closed frightening thought.
Yes Sean it happened to me and I feel the parks are all the same they honestly can’t lose, my Boss bought a brand new van but to cover ground rent he let the park rent it out in peak times and they take 30% of the revenue, and they get the other 70% in ground rent they are laughing. 38g for new caravan and then revenue from hiring it out as well, that’s about 2 years ago and they offered him 9.5 g to buy back this year !!! So he is having to keep it on and rent out as it is on finance so he can’t even afford to pay it off with what they offered him back. Rob has done well to hilite what’s is going on at these Caravan Parks. And just to put the finishing touch to my disaster with the caravan I bought we decided to get a conservatory built with the poultry bit of cash they paid us back, the knock on the door from the window guy, my little Italian greyhound jumped from my knee landed funny and broke her leg. I lost her a few days later she died on the operating table, not the parks fault I know but I just wish I had never set eyes on that park , my little girl would still be here and we would be a lot richer.
Thank you for your advice, we did think of buying one of them however when we looked into it we could see it was a big rip- off The monthly ground rent was £375 water £48 ( Gas £70 per week in the winter we were told with central heating). electric £38. No washing lines we’re allowed so we had to use the on site tumble dryers which were £2 for 15 minutes, we were not allowed to use the site as our postal address and our grandchildren would not be allowed to stay with us longer than 3 days at a time with one month between stays.
Rob THANK YOU so much for your honest review , you are saving many heartaches and stress , very generous to let us all know , appreciate your tome and energy putting this together
Thank you for the video, I was thinking of buying one as a bolt hole away from the house. After watching your video it has answered some of my questions. In my own research, I looked at the monthly ground rent that you didn't cover, most sites are expensive but some sites are a horrendous price. I worked it out that you combine the layout, even for a cheap static you could rent a flat and go there anytime. If you take a 6-month lease and don't rate the area you just move on to somewhere better. I have now concluded that buying a static is a rip-off and not for me. Thank you again.
I own and live in a static in west Yorkshire, as a middle aged guy its the best move i ever made, its a beautiful property far better than most houses, great location and live around decent english people. The site i live on is more friendly and relaxed from what im seeing in your video and the static i own does appear to be of higher spec. Oh and our water is free! Its so cheap to live in a static, i literally bang hundreds away in the bank every week as i have no bills!
Straight away I can see what type of person you are ... Please FFS stay there because with that comment you don't deserve to be treated in a hospital or any help when your old and infirm . Well done for letting people know what sort of idiot you are .... Don't bother replying to me Keep it to yourself you know exactly what you are .
Three years ago I nearly purchased a lodge but once I fully understood the onerous terms of the license I directed my cash elsewhere. I strongly advise those that are seduced by the sales platter to read every line of the agreement or pay a small fee for a legal person to explain.
Unfortunately (or not!) you can't live in them all the time. Most sites will have a season of app 9 months or so. Some will be 12 months but the cost would be huge and you would still have to vacate the site for ?so many weeks during the year. Biggest problem is that you would still need to have a regular address, so would have to have a relative or friend to help with that. Also usually you can't have post delivered, or register with a local doctor. There are lots and lots of problems associated with living on a holiday park. Some are insurmountable. Good luck!
Some parks have a residents area where you can live all year round, the accommodation is larger than a holiday van. I have friends who lived there very happily, Not all parks are the same some are very nice and accommodating.Do some research and talk to people who live in your chosen area.
@@lizmorris8793 They would be Residential Mobile Home Parks. Different rules and regulations entirely. Sometimes the two types will run adjacent to each other, but the whole thing is completely different. Mobile home parks give some legal security etc. which you don't get with a holiday park. Quite a difference in the structure of the two types of home as well. The whole area of "Parks" is a minefield nightmare and a lot, LOT, of research needs to be done before making any decisions or commitments.
Wow! So glad I found your video, I was seriously thinking of buying one , now I'm having serious second thoughts, a real eye opener. In particular the decreasing of value, drop jaw shock 😲
Hey Julie. Thanks for watching and yes I think the biggest take away from this experience and everyone else we know who has bought one is the loss in value straight after you buy 😳
Glad you put this up. Apart from the initial cost, there is no control over site fee rises, the site owner can and will put prices up as and when they please. Not only do you have high site fees, gas ad electric costs more, and you will use more to keep the place warm. On top of all that you have non domestic rates which you pay VAT on, yes a tax on a tax. Water and sewage costs to local council which you pay VAT on. Depreciation of the van. Not allowed to get your own contractors must use theirs at exorbitant rates, if you sell your caravan you must pay them a percentage of the sale price. On most sites once your caravan reaches 10vyears old you have to take it off site, for which there is a disconnection charge which can be around £400 minimum sometimes more. So my advice is don't do it. It is a massive noose around your neck.
For those wanting cheap, full time living, weekly fees of £100+ for ground rent and utilities is a rip off. I would suggest looking into paying the same price for a narrow boat and do it up to your own liking. You can get permanent moorings or move about as you wish. Even if it is at walking pace. For those wanting a holiday home they can use at any time I would encourage to look into campervans and motorhomes. No major setting up/packing away routines. You get to sleep in your own bed with your own things around you. You can change the scenery. Site fees only apply when you stay on a site. You do need permanent parking at home. Both of these options retain their value to a reasonable extent, especially if kept in good condition. No brainer in my opinion.
Thanks for sharing your experience saw something similar elsewhere and thought at the time it was just a one off Obviously not won’t be buying one now thanks again for your video
Great video yo are 100% right me and my wife spent £28.000 over 4 years and cos of covid decided to sell back to them they told us they would get a dealer in to take it off site they said dealer only offered £2400 so decided to give in and let them have it so couple weeks later got phone call to say my money was at office to pick it up from them when I arrived at office to get my money I got £1000 back told them they are a joke they sad that's wat it is only a week later found out they resold van for £9500 and told me they could not buy back cause of covid so yes I agree with every thing you say the owner control you 100% lost a lot of money but best thing I ever did was to get rid never again will stay with my touring caravan a least you can put it on a site for season and take it off when you like static caravan are the biggest rip off thanks for shearing
We were on a haven site for four years each year the site fees went up by about 500 -700 a year and 4ft gas bottle would cost £285 plus vat and you had two and if they were half full at the end of the season they still got taken and replaced and you got charged and if you wanted a balcony THEY HAD to fit for a reasonable price of £18000 sold it back to them after arguing about everything and got £600 for a 37 grand caravan learnt a lesson
Hey it’s life lessons my ex was lovely before she became my ex , best was when they asked if they could rent it out for us “you could earn money when your not there using it “ us being new to it all agreed to find out they get to pick the days you can’t use your own caravan so August was outta the question for us that only last one year , the staff at the parks can’t help you enough there so nice but when management see money to be made they don’t care even if it was there nan was a good experience to have my kids and everyone that used it loved it I mean we got our money outta it for the 4 years we had it, little trick aswell on off season you would allowed on site to do maintenance work and were only allowed to stay for one night two days but you could go the next day and do it again you just had to stay away for a day and night got a few fishing trips in threw winter that way lol
You forgot to mention the ground rent which is thousands a year. Yearly checks on the gas boiler etc, which cost me just short of £4000 in the Park where I had a static caravan at Knaresborough North Yorkshire.
Yes, people don't realise the true cost, with nothing at the end. People spend on average, I reckon, about a total of £120-£150 per WEEK, every week, over a 10 year period. That's for a middle aged van, on an average Park, with season of 9 months, including boiler/fire servicing, insurance etc. Then no resale because of age, and you have to pay them to disconnect and scrap it.
From someone who bought one of these in 2010 ! Once the smarmy salesman sells it to you and leaves out how they have the monopoly on everything you need to run it . … then DONT EVEN CONCIDER BUYING IT ? You can live in a hotel for less per month! Or go to Spain and rent one Please please please don’t buy one on a site in the ok ?
The parents usually book a week in a caravan in NW Wales, so I've often come along for 'free'. Years back they went through 'Mann's Holidays' and a couple we stayed at were older static caravans in someone's garden. One was in a field at the back of a house, so would have the owners and their friends socialising on their patio when we returned in the car. A bit awkward. It had a few faults. A smashed socket under the bed, broken rusted smoke alarm, wonky external aerial wire and kettle cable badly fixed with tape. I found a receipt for £2.5k from somewhere like Haven. Another was in a front garden beside the driveway and behind a hedge. Not as nice but I prefered how that kept you out of the owner's way. Not sure if two others were rented from there too but they were in a larger field, with a pond and a horse fenced off in a corner. More modern too with central heating. One owner showed us in and asked us to remove our shoes. So point being, if you have a bit of land and plumb in your old static caravan you could rent it out. Ideally bypassing the middleman.
The main con I would have thought you should have mentioned is that you can't legally live on a holiday park! The sales reps will tell you anything to get your money but once your face no longer fits and they want your plot to sit a nice shiney new van on that will earn them tons of commission, you will be kicked off without a leg to stand on. The council sets the law and anyone buying on a holiday park should and will be asked to prove they pay council tax for a home that they live in. Also although the holiday park may say its open 12 months, that doesn't mean you can stay in your van for 12 months. There is usually a clause to say the longest you can stay in your van without a 48hr break is usually anything from 14 to 28 days and then you need to go for at least 48hrs before you can come back. If you really want to live in a caravan, buy on a nice residential site that have better regulations and protection. Holiday parks are currently unregulated and can and will do as they please, making and changing T&C up as they go along
Glad this video popped up in my UA-cam feed. I am thinking of buying a Hayling Island or Parkdean static caravan after watching the glossy promotional videos. I will certainly ask more questions, when I view, now that I have seen this video. Thank you for uploading.
I've camped, motor homed and touring caravan, i now have a static, I'd advise anyone thinking about a static to invest in a good touring van, and have it on a seasonal pitch, that way you get the advantages of a static without all the disadvantages, there are firms that will tow it if you can't, and you can move it to different sites, as and when you want.
Love these mobile homes, hate how site owners have you by the short n curlys. You are at their mercy, they can change rules and fees at their whim, and they do!
@@savewaterdrinkwine3802 funny thing is you wouldn't believe the amount of people that don't get it, they think I'm a lefty 🤣. I put that design on a tee shirt, was so good someone nicked it 😳
They would value the place for 4000£ and pay you same as if you sold it peacefully. You just risking getting caught and get nothing but prison sentence for arson
@@khaliladnan9351 that’s why u get high content insurance for personal Items covers money anything , even the 10k u had in the wardrobe from the sale of the car the day before it burnt to the ground 😆 swings and roundabouts to everything u just got to no how to play it fella
Been looking at this idea and with the cost of £53k. Then £5.5k site fees per year and decided it's a no no, thanks for your experience with your holiday home
As a caravan owner for 3 years this is an Interesting video, assuming this was new when purchased, A little biased, the lack of Heating is a choice made on purchase,the fire and the oven not working is through wear and tear this is a 10 year old caravan and the resale value you wouldn’t expect to buy a £28000 car keep it for ten years then sell it for £25000 it would only be worth £1500 - £2000 if that ,as for rules of the park I can see the logic behind it this keeps the park looking well kept and uniform with the other caravans this makes it a pleasant place to enjoy your caravan ,yes it does cost to own a static caravan but do your homework on what it costs if you not happy with the park find one that suites you needs and costs
Yes of course we knew the heating was basic from the day we purchased so I was clearly stating to anyone possibly purchasing a log cabin that most will only have one source of heating. I also agree about what you said wear and tear is going to happen but also hard to deny how poorly some of the essential stuff in them have been built. Now you lose me when you say you wouldn’t purchase a 28000 car and only make £2000 Max in 10 years. Firstly not sure what car would devalue that much in that amount of time if it’s been maintained also a log cabin is not comparable to a vehicle ? Surely they come under the property category? Even so we got offers of 2000 etc after owning for only like 7-8 years and the final offer we got was only because they wanted us off. We saw this exact cabin being listed on their website the other day for nearly the exact money we paid for it 😂 they probably spent about £2000 fixing it after we owned it and then sold for the same they sold it to us 10 years ago. They’re scammers and people need to be warned about how bad owning one can be...
I think your getting a little confused between a log cabin and a static caravan , log cabin will hold its value because it is a solid structure (building category) you have a mobile static caravan which is classed a vehicle with wheels fitted ,example of the car I bought a £30000 vauxhall insignia elite top of the range kept it for three years traded it in and got £10000 ,you have had 10 years of use out of the caravan did you expect that for free 🤔like I say do your homework look at the costs ask question about resale ,I think people jump into the static caravan lifestyle not realising the costs
@@steveblair1943 I also think your getting confused on what the meaning of the video is about. The whole basis of the video is to let people know how badly you will be treated and how bad of an investment they are. These sites advertise you something great but in reality it’s completely rubbish. They force you to upgrade the caravan and if you don’t upgrade you have to take it off their site. We got told to take our decking off. Sheds and so much more. I respect your input on some of what you said but taking what I’m saying to literal. It’s purely a video to put people off spending all their savings onto something that will lose them a hell of a lot of money in the long run.
@@robpark93 After 17 yrs they told us to upgrade the windows or else, the windows worked fine not broken or anything just metal and they wanted vinyl. So basically on a whim they had the authority to tell us we had to spend money on 13 windows for a 1400 sqft home, and 6 of those windows were floor to ceiling! So we spent that money on moving the house, and then sold it in a park that would let us sell. I think they were trying to force us out not thinking we had the means to move it. We were able to get 32,000 out of it as a down for an actual house. I will never put my property on someone else's again the land owner has all the rights.
Oh my days, Im desperate to buy a caravan, preferably a sea view. But after watching/listening to ur video, Im gutted, my wee dream is no longer x Thank you x
Hi thanks for your comment! The dream doesn’t have to be over! Just make sure you do a lot of research before buying and see if it’s the best option for you 🙂
This is not a true reflection in some of the views , vans and lodges have come on a long way from what he’s advertising you , we have beautiful sea views in north wales beautiful park also yes they do lose value but so does the car I drive, there are some dodgy parks just do your research , it has more luxury than a home , that van he’s advertising there I would say is a 1990s maybe , look at the 2020 ABI beaumont different again
@@Artimus128 I will def take a look, was a bit hastey in my view, just bn my dream to own a static caravan, so I can see the sea every day, bliss. Thank you @Artie Shaw x
@@elizabethn7024 , just take your time , it’s a minefield , my van is 42x14 , absolute luxury , double glazed , full patio doors , CH , 2 toilets one with shower one with bath , dishwasher , washing machine , mine is residential spec , means basically you can live in it 24/7
Thanks for informative video...so Site fees complicated contract annual increases restrictions?...my friend pays 3000£ year no facilities on site only water,electric, shower block...some sites with pool shop can pay up to 5000£. No thanks...
The idea of a static caravan and the reality are poles apart. The depreciation The site fees and water a sewage rates which is payed on top of the site fees to the local council and you pay VAT on that, yes you pay tax on tax. If you want to sell your van the owner has to OK it and you must pay them a percentage of the sale price if you sell it to someone other than them, if you want to take your van offsite then they demand a disconnection fee which is hundreds of pounds. Then there is the problem of any repairs must go through their preferred contractors who give the owners a cut, gas and electric costs are extremely high also, and everything on site is designed to make as much money as possible from you. Makes it a very expensive holiday home
First, you grossly overpaid for the home !!! If services don't work then you complain and don't pay the landowners !! You don't mention the ongoing maintenance charge - is there one? Static homes have always been a big con, as you have found out to your cost. Thanks for the video which will help people who are not aware.
Oh we did complain a lot but nothing happened unfortunately. What I described in the video was only like half of what really went. I don’t think we got charged maintenance but would have to check that as my parents owned the place so they would know. Appreciate the comment and yes I hope it has
Thanks for the video we have thought about it but like you say be careful and weigh it all up after watching you we have decided it's a no no thanks for that very useful
We were away Blackpool few weeks ago, caravan for a weeks holiday, anyway just out of interest looked at new caravans on their sales pitch all set out, they started about 42 grand up to lodges about 87 grand. Just made out I was interested, curiousity really, apart from what you had to pay monthly to buy the thing in the first place, you had to pay 10% deposit upfront, so 4 grand down, 6 grand a year site fees, there was drain down about 150, and some inspection needs doing each year say 120, another 300 for insurance, some of the sites you need to replace to new caravan after 20 years. My opinion unless you have money to burn, it is complete waste of money. Buy bricks and mortar instead!
You don’t buy one of these vans to make money it’s a place to go at weekends or whenever you like don’t have to worry about booking you just turn up ,great for making friends and just chilling,I love mine it’s warm with the central heating,your going to get rules wherever you stay I don’t think it’s control just good manners
But also I’m sure people don’t buy these to lose this much money either. They absolutely do control you. Most people do live in them and not just have them for a get away weekend etc. If you do so much as one minor thing they don’t agree with they will threaten to kick you off immediately
I agree your never gonna make money on a static caravan it’s not the same as a house it’s like a car they have a shelf life and even narrow boats keep their value better because they cost more in the first place and are seen and treated as a permanent home
Great informative video. I've had some lovely holidays in static caravans and often thought it would make a nice retirement home. I'd like to try and buy a small plot of land if possible so you're not dictated to and held over a barrel. Thanks for taking the trouble to report your findings. Hopefully if more people do this then it gives a bit of power back to the man on the street 👍
This is a “no brainier” as they say. I have considered buying one of these, not in the UK but abroad. However, all the problems & pitfalls you describe apply equally to something abroad. Ground rent alone swallows up a huge amount &, of course, it is likely to keep going up year after year. Your advice is much appreciated, thanks.
Paid 45k cash (my NHS pension) for a 3 year old van but had a financial blip as the first lockdown hit. Park owner refused to help me and instead gave me no choice other than to sell back. Offered me 18k! After much begging and pleading ended up accepting 25k but minus 1k for packing up and transporting my stuff to me. That was over a 10 month period! 🤬🤬🤬🤬
That’s right but they know people do live there and when we went to buy the caravan we said we would be staying here full time and they said was absolutely fine but then issues manifest after you are on there.
My sister helps manage a holiday/residential park in North Somerset and its brilliant. That mobile home looks very dated and newer models are much better now. I think if anyone is looking to move to a caravan park then I'd advise them to ask a few residents what they think of the area. Always best to shop around I think.
Don’t get me wrong some are great! Parks can be beautiful at a glance or have a look around but don’t take away the control aspect or loss in value unfortunately.
@@robpark93 Exactly Rob they are laughing all the way to he bank and back again, you have saved a lot of people from being conned out of their hard earned cash.
Thanks Rob, ....for the info,..there certainly are loop hole's in buying a static home, caravan,..I've considered buying one..but not now...that element of trust has now gone for me.... u av2 be happy with your purchase ..not worrying about a plant pot, shower, water, etc....thks
We bought a brand new static on Butlins, Skegness about 15 years ago. Cost was £31,000 sited. Site fees were around £3000 per annum. We owned it for 3 years and then sold it. We could only sell it back to Butlins, or if we sold it privately, we had to give them a cut. We got £7000 for it, as we just wanted rid of it. If you really need to lose money badly, there is no finer way than buying a static caravan.
You really are quite naive@@robpark93 ... Holiday parks are a business. They need to make money just like any other business. "I struggle to see why they think they deserve a cut in the first place!" Every park in the UK takes a percentage of a sale when the van is sold on. This is not new. The biggest problem is fools who think they can buy one, sell it and make money. It is not like that. It is meant to be a vocation. An experience in your life whereby you can escape your miserable life and relax in your van out in the country or wherever. When you buy one the agreement is quite clear that you have to pay the park 15% of the agreed sale price. You do not have to sell it to the park, just that they can make an offer on it first. Much better off selling it privately. The park owns the land, you lease that little bit of land. The park has to upkeep the surrounding areas, pay staff wages, rates and any other associated costs. I think you need to do your homework before posting naive videos.
@@andrewwalker6603 okay so if I sold you a car and then 4 years later asked for 15% cut you’d be okay with that yeah? The whole situation is a scam. Out of the hundreds of comments on this video 90% of people either agree it’s a scam or have stories of how the site is an utter disaster. They change the rules and the contract as they please. They threatened to throw me out and make me homeless when I had one person over during Covid 19. They make selling private a living nightmere. They want to sell vans for a hugely inflated price then when you over stay your welcome they make your life miserable and offer you an embarrassing offer. Example they offered us 2 grand for the 30 grand van we bought of them. We finally sold it for like 8 grand and then they spent 2 grand doing it up and sold it back on to the market for 30 grand again. It’s a joke. I imagine you either work in the industry or know someone who does this is why this video touched a nerve with you. Says a lot about you to defend this shambles of a business…
It's not all doom and gloom we bought our caravan in 2012 started renting it out to help with the ground rates.as of 2020 we now own 5 caravans on 2 different caravan parks in North wales
mmm interesting video ,first impression your decking breaches health and saftey look at it falling apart im amazed you havant been told to remove it most parks dont even do wood anymore you bought a single glazed not centrall heated caravan very basic model tbh if you paid 28k for that your were ripped off how old was it when you bought it i wonder(southern parks charge more than northern it depends also on facilities) all reputible parks and companies allow people to sell there homes privatley if you cant agree a sell back to park price (very important to check this before you buy haven ,park leisure.park dene resorts etc all allow private sales 15 percent commission is standard amd approved by ncc,(check on the resale time scale before you buy obviously they wont let you sell a 20 year old caravan and whod want to buy one anyway . site fees should not increase by more than inflation unless theres been a new facility added to the park . you can remove your home any time you like if not happy do not buy a caravan for a short term thing ever most happy owners stay 10/14 years on there site .like a new car you will lose a lot if you try to sell it within a year vat lost straight away . holiday parks do not sell caravans to live in residential parks do sales people will say you can use it as long and often as you like and were open x amount of weeks but you do not have residential rights on a holiday park ever . buying a caravan mobile home static is never a financial investment its an investment in your family and leisure time get away from the town and city etc .
Hi thanks for the comment. You had to be off the site 2 weeks a year for council reasons I believe. most people live in them all year round and not just for holiday use. Hope that helps 😎
Great advice Rob Park if you have a shed load of cash you want to through into the wind ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, not for me now after your review ................ very helpful the truth
This is why I wouldn't buy one of these. You have have to buy it off them (£40+). you can only have it for 10 years, and only sell it back to THEM???? Probably get about £2 or 3.000 back ,and then you have to buy a new one (£40+) for the next 10 years. And over and over it goes. And not forgetting your yearly fees on top of all the rest of the paying out.
![What It Costs [Caravan Life UK]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tTpEq7qw25I/mqdefault.jpg)
![What It Costs [Caravan Life UK]](/img/tr.png)
I was starting to get quite giddy like I'd found the holy grail. I'll be running a mile from this now thanks to you. This video has helped a lot of people I'm sure! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!!
Appreciate the comment mate thanks. Yeah just make sure do your own research before buying one not all sites like ours but as you can see from the comments on this video a lot of people are being ripped off buy these site owners.
I looked at one a few years ago. It was going to cost nearly 50k. Plus 3k a year management fees. Only plastic decking allowed (that’s not a bad thing because wooden looks awful).
Only homes less than ten years old were allowed on the site. Only one car allowed at each ‘home’.
I took my money and put it into my full time home, bought a car, went on holiday to the Caribbean, bought a motorbike and still had change. Saved myself a load of money.
Holiday homes are one of the biggest waste of money I have ever seen. Even buying a brand new car makes more sense than a holiday home!
You did the sums you did the thinking and it just didn’t add up..so take it from this guy before you hand over the cash even in today’s housing market put it into bricks and mortar m, at least you’ll own the ground it sits on..to recap do the thinking
I always wanted one of these. After your advice..no chance. Thanks
Unless you can afford to loose lots of money and have future problems with the park owners putting fees up then dont do it.
Buy a good tourer and have it on a seasonal pitch, you can move it when you want and won't loose so much money.
I have a static caravan in Western highlands of Scotland next to my home, It's been rented out many times and some renters have been anti social, fights, Loud music and kids from hell. Had an older couple who always tried to book it as they fell in love with the surroundings and the ability to fish the sea loch from the Caravan. I have rented it out to them full time and it's cheaper per month than there house rent from the council. After 4 years never had an issue with them and there so happy.
Good to hear!
Thanks a lot for the information you have provided here, it is very useful. Can I ask, you a question, if the permanent holiday park home can be rented out, meaning loged out ? As I know, holiday parks don't allow these park homes to be rented out to others, example if I would rent 1 room via Airbnb, as I know it would not be allowed? Please let me know, thanks in advance.
May I ask what year your caravan is, how many rooms/people it sleeps and how much a month you are charging?
@@jackwatson4295 There is an older couple that have been in the caravan for 4 years now, don't think they will move. The caravan is a 2014, 3 bedroom with Loch access and salmon fishing and has large decking area as well as a BBQ pit. I charge £255 per month When you wake up to the birds singing surrounded by trees with a loch view i think i am undercharging them. But it is good to have them close incase i need them or they need me as living remote can have it's problems.
What sort of site fees do people pay?
Thank god I came over your video.We have been thinking of buying but now I’m sticking to just renting thanks for your video.👍🏻
Glad I could help !
“If you are happy to put some money in a suitcase and set it on fire...” Brilliant mate!
Haha best way for me to describe it 😅🤣
@@robpark93 and absolutely describes the situation on ALL sites - they gotcha by the balls 😢
My parents had a brand new van in wales they had a few years out of it but the owner of the site was offered a massive price for the land my parents got a phone call saying there van was on fire so beware people a caravan parks aren’t always owned by reputable people
A big thank you for the video Rob. I had considered buying a caravan as a stop gap but will definitely give it a miss now. Sounds like a complete rip off and I'd also hate the control aspect.
And the government are doing nothing about it .
@@airzulu2733no surprise.
I've owned a static caravan for years and absolutely love love love it. Yes its expensive. You're buying into a lifestyle. Do your homework and if you can't afford to pay the annual fees and if you're not prepared to start losing money on the value of the caravan from the moment you put the key in the door then this is not the right choice of leisure pursuit for you. For me having a coastal bolthole to escape to from the City is absolutely worth every penny.
Glad to hear you having a positive experience it’s refreshing to hear 😅
Thanks Rob a really interesting video, pretty well echoed my thoughts on holiday homes. Also, a story that matches my mates in Brean, although the heating and water is fine. One of the main problems as you highlight is, control, which really only manifests after purchasing a home. Thx Alan
hey Alan. Thanks for the comment mate. Yes did my best to try show people how bad buying one of these log cabins is and absolutely they change their rules as they please once you are on their site.
@@robpark93 If the deepstate globalist net-zero green mafia plans go ahead for Wales it will be the end of holidays in Wales as the Welsh landmass is to be one giant wind and solar farm.
A map of the planned decimation/destruction of most of the land mass of Wales.
www.brecon-and-radnor-cprw.wales/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WG-NDF-PAs-v1.0-20190820.pdf
This is the first bit of research I've put into potentially owning a static home as permanent dwelling...thank you so much for your honest and educated opinion
Appreciate the comment mate and you’re welcome 👍
Should be a law where a independant company comes in and tell you and the site what it is worth
Wheres the government on this . They don't seem to be doing anything on dealing with this ripp off .
Love some of the statics on Holiday parks but the ground rent and other annual bills quickly top up to £4-5k plus per year for a depreciating asset. Never even thought of some of the points you raise, but they just cement my feeling that despite loving these vans id prefer the flexibility of spending that money renting them and being able to visit several parks over owning one at one site. Good luck with your future young man :)
Hey Richard appreciate the comment mate! I actually had a lot going on at the time I made this video so forced myself to put it out as wanted to warn people and if I had known this many people would of watched it I would of gone in depth about even more of the troubles we had. Thankfully I think I’ve managed to give just about enough information people can use to make a better decision when going to buy one of these.
@@robpark93 really enjoyed listening to your comments Rob nearly fell for the sales patter in yarmouth myself. A mate who I saw who had bought 2 and had had his pants pulled down by the site talked me out of it. I was lucky that day good luck anyway mate.
Thankyou for this...I was looking into buying one as a business to rent out,but the estate agent said there’s none left now as people are buying them blind due to the lock down and not being able to view them...I can’t believe it,are folks that mad to spend thousands on something they can’t even view . Complete madness...I won’t touch them now,bricks and mortar only. 😊🇬🇧👍
You’ve made a wise decision I feel! 🙏
BEFORE you buy in any park forget the sales patter.
Talk to the ppl who live on that site, and get the true story.
Absolutely. That's what I did. We're all adults. If the situation was as bad as Rob painted it static caravan parks wouldn't exist and no one would ever buy one.
The problem is exactly as described at this video clip. Caravan sites are unregulated and can do pretty much what they want. Be careful
my sister and myself bought 3 years ago and everything you said is true, it's just a massive massive con, don't do it!
🙌
Depends on who you deal with and put it out there so you wouldn’t fucked over
Even if you would put it on your own owned piece of land?
Just had a vlog popped up by Dean Dunham, a consumer lawyer who's campaigning for the legal rights of van owners, worth looking at and subscribing to so as to get his figures up. Been a long time coming
Very helpful video. Saved me from going that route and nipped those romantic but dangerous thoughts in early stage. Thanks buddy.
Happy to help !
Cheers mate, I was thinking of buying one. You have made up my mind and saved me a lot of money.
You’re welcome mate my aim was to help at least one person stop from making same mistake as us but I think this video has helped a lot of people save money so couldn’t be happier about the outcome of it.
We had a van for about five years at Coghurst a few years ago. We paid £25,000 and only got £2,000 when we sold it, which was a bit of a shock. The ground rent went up every year which apparently included ground maintenance which never happened so everybody looked after their own patch which worked really well. You'll have to pay £50,000+ for a doubled glazed centrally heated van, which you would need in the winter. We got to know a lot of people on site most of whom stayed at the park all year apart from when the site shut for two weeks, when they would bugger off abroad or stay with relatives. They loved being there as we did, there was a lovely feel to the place and everyone seemed very laid back, but you had no rights at all. A female solicitor who had a van tried to start up a residents association and the site owners made life very difficult for her, so she sold up. To sum up, if you realise that you'll lose a lot of money when you come to sell the van but want a very peaceful way to live for a few years, perhaps in your retirement, they can be really good
Hi Clive. Thanks for the comment yes I agree if you don’t mind losing thousands and want to live cheaply and quietly they can be great but overall I would not recommend it to most people.
thank you for this info its been a real eye opener, was thinking of buying one but I now think its a no no thanks rob
I was too,, not now✌️
Hi we bought a van last year. Apart from COVID the site we are at is in Ayrshire it is well run and plenty of amenities. Our site fees are 3500 a year our van is central heated and gas water & electric supply is on a meter which is better than gas bottles and much cheaper. We have been down to our van and sorted it for this coming weekend. We love our van and are looking forward to using it at every opportunity. Rental can pay for site fees as we can get £100 a night and it sleeps 8. Although we won’t be renting yet as it’s brand new.
Widebeam live aboard boating is the way to go
Plus it's only a holiday home , so you can't use it 52 weeks of the year, some parks are less than 8 months usage !
Great video, thanks. I have been thinking about buying one of these to live in but the controlling issue is a deal-breaker, I will be having a lot of friends around
Thanks for the comment. You can have friends over but take into account neighbours are tucked in close to you so you would have to keep noise down as walls are very thin in these cabins. The control aspect is more external features you may want on your cabin which they say will be fine when you acquire the place and then change their minds after you purchase.
Also no one can stay with you longer than 2 weeks-I'm glad this happened now I have a house that family can come stay as long as I want.
@@robpark93 can't you get them to put it in writing?
@@hycoperosity5843 sometimes that's a good excuse l0l
@@soniadowney7427 they hold all the power nothing you can do ..
I always said to anyone who wanted either a static or tourer van that if you were only using it for holidays then for 45 grand you could have some decent holidays for many many years and even if you got second hand £20,000 and £4,000 a year is a lot of money to be stuck in one place, I owned a static for a few years and the rent just kept going up by 50% every year so I just told the site owners to sell it and keep the money for the ground rent for the year, plus you couldn’t sell it yourself you had to let them sell it even though you owned the van outright, saying that my wife and I still rent out a static every couple of years for a weeks holiday as we still love staying in one but by renting then it’s the owner who has all the headaches
I have one in island of sheppey I regret buying one coz I bought it around covid in March last year and we haven’t used it much and we still pay ground rent
I was thinking of buying one, but it's the fear of lock down happening again, imagine all of those who had to pay three years ground rent and parks were closed frightening thought.
Not unless you like being taken for a complete mug. Worse thing I ever did.
Exactly how we felt mate 😤 hoping I’ve managed to save some people making same mistake as us with this video
Exactly how we felt too! I'm sure your vid will help many. Good job!
I agree complete money pits
Are they worth an investment ???
Thanks Rob very informative. We know this doesn't apply to all holiday homes but equally we know it can and does happen to some. Thanks again.
Thank you for the comment! Yes Of course I imagine some sites are absolutely great but majority do behave like I describe in the video.
Yes Sean it happened to me and I feel the parks are all the same they honestly can’t lose, my Boss bought a brand new van but to cover ground rent he let the park rent it out in peak times and they take 30% of the revenue, and they get the other 70% in ground rent they are laughing.
38g for new caravan and then revenue from hiring it out as well, that’s about 2 years ago and they offered him 9.5 g to buy back this year !!! So he is having to keep it on and rent out as it is on finance so he can’t even afford to pay it off with what they offered him back. Rob has done well to hilite what’s is going on at these Caravan Parks. And just to put the finishing touch to my disaster with the caravan I bought we decided to get a conservatory built with the poultry bit of cash they paid us back, the knock on the door from the window guy, my little Italian greyhound jumped from my knee landed funny and broke her leg. I lost her a few days later she died on the operating table, not the parks fault I know but I just wish I had never set eyes on that park , my little girl would still be here and we would be a lot richer.
@@robpark93 course they make money on plot annual fees its theyre pure profit for a bit of land they only put a cement base into.
Thank you for your advice, we did think of buying one of them however when we looked into it we could see it was a big rip- off
The monthly ground rent was £375 water £48 ( Gas £70 per week in the winter we were told with central heating). electric £38. No washing lines
we’re allowed so we had to use the on site tumble dryers which were £2 for 15 minutes, we were not allowed to use the site as our postal address
and our grandchildren would not be allowed to stay with us longer than 3 days at a time with one month between stays.
Yeah the address was a problem for me as well. You made smart move not buying one I’m sure 👍
Rob THANK YOU so much for your honest review , you are saving many heartaches and stress , very generous to let us all know , appreciate your tome and energy putting this together
Appreciate the comment and thanks I do hope it’s managed to save some people money and stress
Lovely. I've lived in travellers hostel, when I was younger and when working away from home, so basically the same, in regards to the bathroom
Thank you for the video, I was thinking of buying one as a bolt hole away from the house. After watching your video it has answered some of my questions. In my own research, I looked at the monthly ground rent that you didn't cover, most sites are expensive but some sites are a horrendous price. I worked it out that you combine the layout, even for a cheap static you could rent a flat and go there anytime. If you take a 6-month lease and don't rate the area you just move on to somewhere better. I have now concluded that buying a static is a rip-off and not for me. Thank you again.
You’re welcome graham !
Well done for exposing these greedy thoughtless people
I own and live in a static in west Yorkshire, as a middle aged guy its the best move i ever made, its a beautiful property far better than most houses, great location and live around decent english people. The site i live on is more friendly and relaxed from what im seeing in your video and the static i own does appear to be of higher spec. Oh and our water is free! Its so cheap to live in a static, i literally bang hundreds away in the bank every week as i have no bills!
Well it’s refreshing to hear someone has a good experience with one! Good on ya 😁
Could you tell me where your static is? I’m looking in Yorkshire
Straight away with your opening sentence
Straight away I can see what type of person you are ...
Please FFS stay there because with that comment you don't deserve to be treated in a hospital or any help when your old and infirm .
Well done for letting people know what sort of idiot you are ....
Don't bother replying to me
Keep it to yourself you know exactly what you are .
You live around decent English people.? Yes, speaks volumes about the sort of person you are.
Thanks, for making this video.
THANKYOU for this we have been looking at a caravan but that has sorted it I will not be know so pleased I watched this
You’re most welcome!
Three years ago I nearly purchased a lodge but once I fully understood the onerous terms of the license I directed my cash elsewhere. I strongly advise those that are seduced by the sales platter to read every line of the agreement or pay a small fee for a legal person to explain.
👏
Two minutes after signing the agreement changes
Thank you for making this. I was thinking of buying one to live in after my divorce but I will definitely think again !
You’re welcome
Unfortunately (or not!) you can't live in them all the time. Most sites will have a season of app 9 months or so. Some will be 12 months but the cost would be huge and you would still have to vacate the site for ?so many weeks during the year. Biggest problem is that you would still need to have a regular address, so would have to have a relative or friend to help with that. Also usually you can't have post delivered, or register with a local doctor.
There are lots and lots of problems associated with living on a holiday park.
Some are insurmountable.
Good luck!
Some parks have a residents area where you can live all year round, the accommodation is larger than a holiday van. I have friends who lived there very happily, Not all parks are the same some are very nice and accommodating.Do some research and talk to people who live in your chosen area.
@@lizmorris8793 They would be Residential Mobile Home Parks. Different rules and regulations entirely. Sometimes the two types will run adjacent to each other, but the whole thing is completely different. Mobile home parks give some legal security etc. which you don't get with a holiday park. Quite a difference in the structure of the two types of home as well.
The whole area of "Parks" is a minefield nightmare and a lot, LOT, of research needs to be done before making any decisions or commitments.
Wow! So glad I found your video, I was seriously thinking of buying one , now I'm having serious second thoughts, a real eye opener. In particular the decreasing of value, drop jaw shock 😲
Hey Julie. Thanks for watching and yes I think the biggest take away from this experience and everyone else we know who has bought one is the loss in value straight after you buy 😳
Glad you put this up. Apart from the initial cost, there is no control over site fee rises, the site owner can and will put prices up as and when they please. Not only do you have high site fees, gas ad electric costs more, and you will use more to keep the place warm. On top of all that you have non domestic rates which you pay VAT on, yes a tax on a tax. Water and sewage costs to local council which you pay VAT on. Depreciation of the van. Not allowed to get your own contractors must use theirs at exorbitant rates, if you sell your caravan you must pay them a percentage of the sale price. On most sites once your caravan reaches 10vyears old you have to take it off site, for which there is a disconnection charge which can be around £400 minimum sometimes more. So my advice is don't do it. It is a massive noose around your neck.
For those wanting cheap, full time living, weekly fees of £100+ for ground rent and utilities is a rip off. I would suggest looking into paying the same price for a narrow boat and do it up to your own liking. You can get permanent moorings or move about as you wish. Even if it is at walking pace.
For those wanting a holiday home they can use at any time I would encourage to look into campervans and motorhomes. No major setting up/packing away routines. You get to sleep in your own bed with your own things around you. You can change the scenery. Site fees only apply when you stay on a site. You do need permanent parking at home.
Both of these options retain their value to a reasonable extent, especially if kept in good condition. No brainer in my opinion.
I agree narrow boat much more fun and cost effective 😎
Thanks for sharing your experience saw something similar elsewhere and thought at the time it was just a one off
Obviously not won’t be buying one now thanks again for your video
Thanks for watching and glad you found some value in the video
Great video yo are 100% right me and my wife spent £28.000 over 4 years and cos of covid decided to sell back to them they told us they would get a dealer in to take it off site they said dealer only offered £2400 so decided to give in and let them have it so couple weeks later got phone call to say my money was at office to pick it up from them when I arrived at office to get my money I got £1000 back told them they are a joke they sad that's wat it is only a week later found out they resold van for £9500 and told me they could not buy back cause of covid so yes I agree with every thing you say the owner control you 100% lost a lot of money but best thing I ever did was to get rid never again will stay with my touring caravan a least you can put it on a site for season and take it off when you like static caravan are the biggest rip off thanks for shearing
Rob....I just watched your video here...thank you for taking the time out to show me the biggest mistake ...that I was about to make !! - :)
You’re welcome 👊
We were on a haven site for four years each year the site fees went up by about 500 -700 a year and 4ft gas bottle would cost £285 plus vat and you had two and if they were half full at the end of the season they still got taken and replaced and you got charged and if you wanted a balcony THEY HAD to fit for a reasonable price of £18000 sold it back to them after arguing about everything and got £600 for a 37 grand caravan learnt a lesson
Sorry to hear that! It really is unfair this keeps happening to people...
Hey it’s life lessons my ex was lovely before she became my ex , best was when they asked if they could rent it out for us “you could earn money when your not there using it “ us being new to it all agreed to find out they get to pick the days you can’t use your own caravan so August was outta the question for us that only last one year , the staff at the parks can’t help you enough there so nice but when management see money to be made they don’t care even if it was there nan was a good experience to have my kids and everyone that used it loved it I mean we got our money outta it for the 4 years we had it, little trick aswell on off season you would allowed on site to do maintenance work and were only allowed to stay for one night two days but you could go the next day and do it again you just had to stay away for a day and night got a few fishing trips in threw winter that way lol
Cheers for this. I was contemplating buying a lodge but, I doubt I’ll be proceeding 👍
Quite an eye-opener. Thanks a lot for sharing 👍🙏🙂
You forgot to mention the ground rent which is thousands a year. Yearly checks on the gas boiler etc, which cost me just short of £4000 in the Park where I had a static caravan at Knaresborough North Yorkshire.
Yes, people don't realise the true cost, with nothing at the end. People spend on average, I reckon, about a total of £120-£150 per WEEK, every week, over a 10 year period. That's for a middle aged van, on an average Park, with season of 9 months, including boiler/fire servicing, insurance etc.
Then no resale because of age, and you have to pay them to disconnect and scrap it.
Eye-opening. Thanks man. You've saved a lot of people a lot of money.
Appreciate the comment mate! And yeah If I’ve managed to help just one person save some money then this video was a success for me 😎
Thank you. This has been a real eye opener💫
You’re welcome happy I could help 👊
That's an awful experience!
Thank you so much for sharing it to us, there are not many people to do this. Respect!
Thanks for the comment! Yes I think it goes to show just how many people being scammed by these in the comments alone ! 😳
You have highlighted such a true picture & help lots to think about. Thank you very much
Thanks buddy yeah I’m glad this video has helped people at least give it more research before buying one ☝️
@@robpark93 Wish you the best life can offer . Always be blessed 👍
Caravan value depreciates faster than a lead balloon !
The whole industry needs regulating by law. The sales reps say what they like to sell them
🙏
Thanks for taking the time and effort to make this video, much appreciated as it's very informative.
You’re welcome sue!! Thanks for watching 🙂
@@robpark93 ☺️👍
Very interesting thank you for taking the time to tell us these important points
You’re welcome Karen ! Thank you for watching :)
Was looking at buying one at Pardean in Torquay. After watching your video I've told them to forget about it. Good video.
Thanks man glad I could help!
From someone who bought one of these in 2010 !
Once the smarmy salesman sells it to you and leaves out how they have the monopoly on everything you need to run it . … then DONT EVEN CONCIDER BUYING IT ?
You can live in a hotel for less per month! Or go to Spain and rent one Please please please don’t buy one on a site in the ok ?
The parents usually book a week in a caravan in NW Wales, so I've often come along for 'free'. Years back they went through 'Mann's Holidays' and a couple we stayed at were older static caravans in someone's garden.
One was in a field at the back of a house, so would have the owners and their friends socialising on their patio when we returned in the car. A bit awkward.
It had a few faults. A smashed socket under the bed, broken rusted smoke alarm, wonky external aerial wire and kettle cable badly fixed with tape. I found a receipt for £2.5k from somewhere like Haven.
Another was in a front garden beside the driveway and behind a hedge. Not as nice but I prefered how that kept you out of the owner's way.
Not sure if two others were rented from there too but they were in a larger field, with a pond and a horse fenced off in a corner. More modern too with central heating. One owner showed us in and asked us to remove our shoes.
So point being, if you have a bit of land and plumb in your old static caravan you could rent it out. Ideally bypassing the middleman.
Thanks for sharing your experience!!!
You’re welcome
The main con I would have thought you should have mentioned is that you can't legally live on a holiday park! The sales reps will tell you anything to get your money but once your face no longer fits and they want your plot to sit a nice shiney new van on that will earn them tons of commission, you will be kicked off without a leg to stand on. The council sets the law and anyone buying on a holiday park should and will be asked to prove they pay council tax for a home that they live in. Also although the holiday park may say its open 12 months, that doesn't mean you can stay in your van for 12 months. There is usually a clause to say the longest you can stay in your van without a 48hr break is usually anything from 14 to 28 days and then you need to go for at least 48hrs before you can come back. If you really want to live in a caravan, buy on a nice residential site that have better regulations and protection. Holiday parks are currently unregulated and can and will do as they please, making and changing T&C up as they go along
Glad this video popped up in my UA-cam feed. I am thinking of buying a Hayling Island or Parkdean static caravan after watching the glossy promotional videos. I will certainly ask more questions, when I view, now that I have seen this video. Thank you for uploading.
You’re welcome jd! Yes always do in depth research before a purchase 🙏
I've camped, motor homed and touring caravan, i now have a static, I'd advise anyone thinking about a static to invest in a good touring van, and have it on a seasonal pitch, that way you get the advantages of a static without all the disadvantages, there are firms that will tow it if you can't, and you can move it to different sites, as and when you want.
Love these mobile homes, hate how site owners have you by the short n curlys.
You are at their mercy, they can change rules and fees at their whim, and they do!
Yep you have no control over what you can do unfortunately!
Tom F... love the Union Jack with hammer and sickle, very appropriate for our NWO surveillance state 🤡🌍
@@savewaterdrinkwine3802 funny thing is you wouldn't believe the amount of people that don't get it, they think I'm a lefty 🤣.
I put that design on a tee shirt, was so good someone nicked it 😳
I’d accidentally leave the cooker on and claim on the insurance 🤣
Good one !!
They would value the place for 4000£ and pay you same as if you sold it peacefully. You just risking getting caught and get nothing but prison sentence for arson
@@khaliladnan9351 that’s why u get high content insurance for personal Items covers money anything , even the 10k u had in the wardrobe from the sale of the car the day before it burnt to the ground 😆 swings and roundabouts to everything u just got to no how to play it fella
@@Rivaboyz1987 hahaha 😆
Been looking at this idea and with the cost of £53k. Then £5.5k site fees per year and decided it's a no no, thanks for your experience with your holiday home
You’re welcome
As a caravan owner for 3 years this is an Interesting video, assuming this was new when purchased, A little biased, the lack of Heating is a choice made on purchase,the fire and the oven not working is through wear and tear this is a 10 year old caravan and the resale value you wouldn’t expect to buy a £28000 car keep it for ten years then sell it for £25000 it would only be worth £1500 - £2000 if that ,as for rules of the park I can see the logic behind it this keeps the park looking well kept and uniform with the other caravans this makes it a pleasant place to enjoy your caravan ,yes it does cost to own a static caravan but do your homework on what it costs if you not happy with the park find one that suites you needs and costs
Yes of course we knew the heating was basic from the day we purchased so I was clearly stating to anyone possibly purchasing a log cabin that most will only have one source of heating. I also agree about what you said wear and tear is going to happen but also hard to deny how poorly some of the essential stuff in them have been built. Now you lose me when you say you wouldn’t purchase a 28000 car and only make £2000 Max in 10 years. Firstly not sure what car would devalue that much in that amount of time if it’s been maintained also a log cabin is not comparable to a vehicle ? Surely they come under the property category? Even so we got offers of 2000 etc after owning for only like 7-8 years and the final offer we got was only because they wanted us off. We saw this exact cabin being listed on their website the other day for nearly the exact money we paid for it 😂 they probably spent about £2000 fixing it after we owned it and then sold for the same they sold it to us 10 years ago. They’re scammers and people need to be warned about how bad owning one can be...
I think your getting a little confused between a log cabin and a static caravan , log cabin will hold its value because it is a solid structure (building category) you have a mobile static caravan which is classed a vehicle with wheels fitted ,example of the car I bought a £30000 vauxhall insignia elite top of the range kept it for three years traded it in and got £10000 ,you have had 10 years of use out of the caravan did you expect that for free 🤔like I say do your homework look at the costs ask question about resale ,I think people jump into the static caravan lifestyle not realising the costs
@@steveblair1943 I also think your getting confused on what the meaning of the video is about. The whole basis of the video is to let people know how badly you will be treated and how bad of an investment they are. These sites advertise you something great but in reality it’s completely rubbish. They force you to upgrade the caravan and if you don’t upgrade you have to take it off their site. We got told to take our decking off. Sheds and so much more. I respect your input on some of what you said but taking what I’m saying to literal. It’s purely a video to put people off spending all their savings onto something that will lose them a hell of a lot of money in the long run.
@@robpark93 After 17 yrs they told us to upgrade the windows or else, the windows worked fine not broken or anything just metal and they wanted vinyl. So basically on a whim they had the authority to tell us we had to spend money on 13 windows for a 1400 sqft home, and 6 of those windows were floor to ceiling! So we spent that money on moving the house, and then sold it in a park that would let us sell. I think they were trying to force us out not thinking we had the means to move it. We were able to get 32,000 out of it as a down for an actual house. I will never put my property on someone else's again the land owner has all the rights.
These caravans will be as cheap as chips to buy after a couple of years old.
But very expensive to run..
Oh my days, Im desperate to buy a caravan, preferably a sea view. But after watching/listening to ur video, Im gutted, my wee dream is no longer x Thank you x
You do have to watch out for caravan park owners they are ruthless many of them are gypsys.
Hi thanks for your comment! The dream doesn’t have to be over! Just make sure you do a lot of research before buying and see if it’s the best option for you 🙂
This is not a true reflection in some of the views , vans and lodges have come on a long way from what he’s advertising you , we have beautiful sea views in north wales beautiful park also yes they do lose value but so does the car I drive, there are some dodgy parks just do your research , it has more luxury than a home , that van he’s advertising there I would say is a 1990s maybe , look at the 2020 ABI beaumont different again
@@Artimus128 I will def take a look, was a bit hastey in my view, just bn my dream to own a static caravan, so I can see the sea every day, bliss.
Thank you @Artie Shaw x
@@elizabethn7024 , just take your time , it’s a minefield , my van is 42x14 , absolute luxury , double glazed , full patio doors , CH , 2 toilets one with shower one with bath , dishwasher , washing machine , mine is residential spec , means basically you can live in it 24/7
I am74 and had this in mind will look at some thing else thanks
Good video and opens your eyes to what its like to own one of these caravans.
Thanks for watching and yes a lot of people being taking for a ride with these 😐
I agree with you and that is why I have never owned one👍
Thanks for informative video...so Site fees complicated contract annual increases restrictions?...my friend pays 3000£ year no facilities on site only water,electric, shower block...some sites with pool shop can pay up to 5000£. No thanks...
The idea of a static caravan and the reality are poles apart. The depreciation The site fees and water a sewage rates which is payed on top of the site fees to the local council and you pay VAT on that, yes you pay tax on tax. If you want to sell your van the owner has to OK it and you must pay them a percentage of the sale price if you sell it to someone other than them, if you want to take your van offsite then they demand a disconnection fee which is hundreds of pounds. Then there is the problem of any repairs must go through their preferred contractors who give the owners a cut, gas and electric costs are extremely high also, and everything on site is designed to make as much money as possible from you. Makes it a very expensive holiday home
Thanks Rob, I'd always thought a caravan was a money pit and the you confirmed it for me
You’re welcome mate glad I’ve managed to help you think twice about it !
@@robpark93
Cheers mate
First, you grossly overpaid for the home !!! If services don't work then you complain and don't pay the landowners !! You don't mention the ongoing maintenance charge - is there one? Static homes have always been a big con, as you have found out to your cost. Thanks for the video which will help people who are not aware.
Oh we did complain a lot but nothing happened unfortunately. What I described in the video was only like half of what really went. I don’t think we got charged maintenance but would have to check that as my parents owned the place so they would know. Appreciate the comment and yes I hope it has
Thanks for the video we have thought about it but like you say be careful and weigh it all up after watching you we have decided it's a no no thanks for that very useful
Appreciate the comment and glad you found it helpful 🙂
Very useful information. Thank you.
We were away Blackpool few weeks ago, caravan for a weeks holiday, anyway just out of interest looked at new caravans on their sales pitch all set out, they started about 42 grand up to lodges about 87 grand. Just made out I was interested, curiousity really, apart from what you had to pay monthly to buy the thing in the first place, you had to pay 10% deposit upfront, so 4 grand down, 6 grand a year site fees, there was drain down about 150, and some inspection needs doing each year say 120, another 300 for insurance, some of the sites you need to replace to new caravan after 20 years. My opinion unless you have money to burn, it is complete waste of money. Buy bricks and mortar instead!
Many thanks Rob for a dose of reality.
Thanks for the comment and I’m glad you found value in the video !
You don’t buy one of these vans to make money it’s a place to go at weekends or whenever you like don’t have to worry about booking you just turn up ,great for making friends and just chilling,I love mine it’s warm with the central heating,your going to get rules wherever you stay I don’t think it’s control just good manners
But also I’m sure people don’t buy these to lose this much money either. They absolutely do control you. Most people do live in them and not just have them for a get away weekend etc. If you do so much as one minor thing they don’t agree with they will threaten to kick you off immediately
I agree your never gonna make money on a static caravan it’s not the same as a house it’s like a car they have a shelf life and even narrow boats keep their value better because they cost more in the first place and are seen and treated as a permanent home
Great informative video. I've had some lovely holidays in static caravans and often thought it would make a nice retirement home. I'd like to try and buy a small plot of land if possible so you're not dictated to and held over a barrel. Thanks for taking the trouble to report your findings. Hopefully if more people do this then it gives a bit of power back to the man on the street 👍
Great advice
rip off merchants by the sound of it thanks for the info.
Nice vid good info
Thanks 🙏
This is a “no brainier” as they say. I have considered buying one of these, not in the UK but abroad. However, all the problems & pitfalls you describe apply equally to something abroad. Ground rent alone swallows up a huge amount &, of course, it is likely to keep going up year after year. Your advice is much appreciated, thanks.
Absolutely and you’re welcome Thanks for watching
Paid 45k cash (my NHS pension) for a 3 year old van but had a financial blip as the first lockdown hit. Park owner refused to help me and instead gave me no choice other than to sell back. Offered me 18k! After much begging and pleading ended up accepting 25k but minus 1k for packing up and transporting my stuff to me. That was over a 10 month period! 🤬🤬🤬🤬
Disgusting behaviour but unfortunately so common with them 😓
So sorry to hear this it's heartbreaking
The problem is you can’t live in a caravan on a holiday park. I’ve known lots of people been been asked to leave as it goes against the park licence.
That’s right but they know people do live there and when we went to buy the caravan we said we would be staying here full time and they said was absolutely fine but then issues manifest after you are on there.
Mine was not a holiday home, and they did the same things to me after living there 17 yrs.
Thankyou! You've made my mind up!
You’re welcome! And great you tube name! 😁
@@robpark93 ☺️☺️
My sister helps manage a holiday/residential park in North Somerset and its brilliant.
That mobile home looks very dated and newer models are much better now.
I think if anyone is looking to move to a caravan park then I'd advise them to ask a few residents what they think of the area.
Always best to shop around I think.
Don’t get me wrong some are great! Parks can be beautiful at a glance or have a look around but don’t take away the control aspect or loss in value unfortunately.
@@robpark93 Exactly Rob they are laughing all the way to he bank and back again, you have saved a lot of people from being conned out of their hard earned cash.
@@joshie1956 thanks mate! I hope so 🙌
Brilliant vid....
Appreciate the support fella!
Very good to hear the reality of holiday park homes. Have you posted a copy of the lease online anywhere? (with your details blanked out)
I haven’t mate will just let the video speak for it self
Thanks Rob, ....for the info,..there certainly are loop hole's in buying a static home, caravan,..I've considered buying one..but not now...that element of trust has now gone for me.... u av2 be happy with your purchase ..not worrying about a plant pot, shower, water, etc....thks
You’re welcome Anne
it really makes me wonder how some people manage to get themselves up and dressed in the morning
Honestly with how cold it used to get in there I would wonder that myself when I woke up ! 😆
@@robpark93 lol
We bought a brand new static on Butlins, Skegness about 15 years ago. Cost was £31,000 sited. Site fees were around £3000 per annum. We owned it for 3 years and then sold it. We could only sell it back to Butlins, or if we sold it privately, we had to give them a cut. We got £7000 for it, as we just wanted rid of it. If you really need to lose money badly, there is no finer way than buying a static caravan.
Unbelievable! I still struggle to see why they think they deserve a cut in the first place! 😡 sorry to hear you had a similar experience to us mate.
You really are quite naive@@robpark93 ... Holiday parks are a business. They need to make money just like any other business. "I struggle to see why they think they deserve a cut in the first place!" Every park in the UK takes a percentage of a sale when the van is sold on. This is not new. The biggest problem is fools who think they can buy one, sell it and make money. It is not like that. It is meant to be a vocation. An experience in your life whereby you can escape your miserable life and relax in your van out in the country or wherever. When you buy one the agreement is quite clear that you have to pay the park 15% of the agreed sale price. You do not have to sell it to the park, just that they can make an offer on it first. Much better off selling it privately. The park owns the land, you lease that little bit of land. The park has to upkeep the surrounding areas, pay staff wages, rates and any other associated costs. I think you need to do your homework before posting naive videos.
@@andrewwalker6603 okay so if I sold you a car and then 4 years later asked for 15% cut you’d be okay with that yeah? The whole situation is a scam. Out of the hundreds of comments on this video 90% of people either agree it’s a scam or have stories of how the site is an utter disaster. They change the rules and the contract as they please. They threatened to throw me out and make me homeless when I had one person over during Covid 19. They make selling private a living nightmere. They want to sell vans for a hugely inflated price then when you over stay your welcome they make your life miserable and offer you an embarrassing offer. Example they offered us 2 grand for the 30 grand van we bought of them. We finally sold it for like 8 grand and then they spent 2 grand doing it up and sold it back on to the market for 30 grand again. It’s a joke. I imagine you either work in the industry or know someone who does this is why this video touched a nerve with you. Says a lot about you to defend this shambles of a business…
It's not all doom and gloom we bought our caravan in 2012 started renting it out to help with the ground rates.as of 2020 we now own 5 caravans on 2 different caravan parks in North wales
Refreshing to hear someone not having a bad experience with these !
thank you so much, I was thinking to buy a caravan but I don't know all your information, thanks
You’re welcome and I don’t think you will regret that decision 😅
mmm interesting video ,first impression your decking breaches health and saftey look at it falling apart im amazed you havant been told to remove it most parks dont even do wood anymore
you bought a single glazed not centrall heated caravan very basic model tbh if you paid 28k for that your were ripped off how old was it when you bought it i wonder(southern parks charge more than northern it depends also on facilities)
all reputible parks and companies allow people to sell there homes privatley if you cant agree a sell back to park price (very important to check this before you buy haven ,park leisure.park dene resorts etc all allow private sales 15 percent commission is standard amd approved by ncc,(check on the resale time scale before you buy obviously they wont let you sell a 20 year old caravan and whod want to buy one anyway .
site fees should not increase by more than inflation unless theres been a new facility added to the park .
you can remove your home any time you like if not happy
do not buy a caravan for a short term thing ever most happy owners stay 10/14 years on there site .like a new car you will lose a lot if you try to sell it within a year vat lost straight away .
holiday parks do not sell caravans to live in residential parks do sales people will say you can use it as long and often as you like and were open x amount of weeks but you do not have residential rights on a holiday park ever .
buying a caravan mobile home static is never a financial investment its an investment in your family and leisure time get away from the town and city etc .
On private parks wood decking allowed only if you rent them out you cannot have wood
Thank you for the informative vid. Were you allowed to live in it all year round? I thought that was not allowed for holiday homes?
Hi thanks for the comment. You had to be off the site 2 weeks a year for council reasons I believe. most people live in them all year round and not just for holiday use. Hope that helps 😎
Thanks my friend was going buy one but he’s changing he’s mind now
Happy to help!
Great advice Rob Park if you have a shed load of cash you want to through into the wind ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, not for me now after your review ................ very helpful the truth
Thanks for the comment and yes I don’t think you will regret that decision staying well clear 🙌
This is why I wouldn't buy one of these.
You have have to buy it off them (£40+).
you can only have it for 10 years, and only sell it back to THEM????
Probably get about £2 or 3.000 back ,and then you have to buy a new one (£40+) for the next 10 years.
And over and over it goes.
And not forgetting your yearly fees on top of all the rest of the paying out.
Exactly mate and I think they take a cut if you sell it private. They hold all the cards 😤