The 5 Pitfalls That Can Occur When Buying A Static Caravan And How To Avoid Them.

Introduction

There is no doubt that recent months have directed many people into appreciating the UK staycation a bit more than usual!

With foreign travel still under many restrictions, there has been a shift in holiday locations. We are heading back to loving the great British staycation on a more permanent basis!

We have seen a massive increase in the ownership of holiday homes by purchasing a static caravan. This is such an exciting time for those who love to get away from their own 4 walls and fall into some static caravan home comforts.

Static caravans are such lovely things to own. They can, of course, vary in design, style, and price, but there is generally a static caravan to fit every need! However, there a 5 common pitfalls when buying your static caravan that we want to highlight here to ensure you do not fall into some of the common misconceptions that some people do when buying a static caravan!

So below are the 5 most common Buying a static caravan pitfalls (or common misconceptions, this sounds a bit better!) that you can encounter when purchasing your static caravan.

Not Choosing The Correct Size For Current And Future Needs

As we have mentioned briefly, static caravans can come in many different shapes, sizes, and berths (The number of people the caravan can accommodate comfortably.

When you are looking at buying a static caravan, it is essential to choose the right size!

This may seem like an elementary thing to state; however, the static caravan will be with you for a long time as long as they are looked after and properly maintained, so choosing the right size for not just your current requirements but for your future needs too is super important to consider.

Not Considering Additional Costs

The common misconception when buying a static caravan is that once you have bought it, that’s it!

Of course, there are many more elements of owning a static caravan when it comes to additional costs over and above the unit price.

To be responsible caravan owners means factoring in all of the additional financial costs of static caravan ownership, such as:

• Annual site fees
• Regular certification and maintenance
• Moving and transportation fees
• Cleaning
• Connection, disconnection, and reconnection of utilities if you move your van.
• Insurances

These financial elements of owning a static caravan will need to be considered over and above the actual van price, often called additional financial commitments.

Static Caravan Insurance

As with everything that can cause severe financial hardship if it is lost, stolen, or damaged, we need to make sure we have all of the correct insurances to protect your static caravan asset.

While having the correct insurances and level of cover does not immediately protect your caravan from damage and loss physically, it will protect your bank account from having a considerable dent in it if something untoward happens.

Holiday homes are often not in our sight all the time, so it is vital to make sure that there is sufficient cover in place to protect you from the distressing consequences of having to shell out for any damage or loss to your static caravan.

Insurance is sufficiently cheaper than the costs of replacement or extensive repair, so it’s best practice to have it as soon as you take ownership of your caravan.

Not Checking Specific Park Rules

One of the most significant pitfalls of buying a static caravan is not checking individual park rules.

While many parks in the same chain may have similar rules and regulations, some other chains and individual parks may have altogether different specifications for static caravan owners.

This is important to know in the grand scheme of owning holiday homes . It can be a defining factor of where to initially place your static caravan and a consideration further down the line if you choose to move it to another site.

The assumption that every holiday park has the same rules and regulations can lead to some very awkward conversations and potentially some financial penalties, so it’s always best to make sure you read everything carefully before committing.

Not Taking Into Consideration The Cost Of Moving

Another forgotten Buying a static caravan pitfalls is not taking into consideration moving the static caravan.

While you are free to site your static caravan anywhere that is appropriate for you, sometime in the future, you may wish to move your holiday home to another site, and this is where it can be expensive.

Moving a static caravan has to be professionally executed. 

This requires specialised teams of people, specialised pieces of equipment, and often, many miles of travelling.

Just from this description alone, you can see that this may cost you quite a bit of money, and you’d be right in thinking that!

Moving a static caravan is not an easy task and can take a lot of money as well as time, so when you choose a park to site your static caravan, be mindful that as the park changes or becomes less popular, and you make a move to go to another location with your holiday home, you may find yourself with a large moving bill and waiting a while to have it moved.

Conclusion

Owning a static caravan as a holiday home can be one of the most beautiful things you will ever achieve in life as it is somewhere you can call your own; a home away from home!

However, the financial implications of owning one are often misinterpreted initially, and extra consideration elements are not factored into the decision to buy one. 

These are the pitfalls we have mentioned here.

It is going to be really simple if you have an agent taking care of everything for you. Still, the onus is not losing any money by not recognizing the other financial elements of ownership.

Make sure that you have factored everything into your purchase decision, such as insurances and site fees, to make sure you build a comprehensive picture of your financial commitments, not just at the time of purchase but years along the line too.

Your static caravan purchase needs to be the perfect decision for you. Making that decision perfect means that you don’t fall into any of the pitfalls of owning a static caravan!