Static Caravans

[kingrollo]

With my current job hanging by a thread - and taking my pension early looking better than expected. I've been wondering about the practicalities of a static Caravan - in the North Wales area - I really like Towyn.

Mom and dad used to have one - although great fun - they always seemed to get stitched up by the site owners -

Im thinking of the following costs

Purchase price £15- 20k

Site rent £3k PA

But don't really have any ideas re fuel, insurance, repairs ...etc...

Any info or recommendations welcome

 

[irw]

I'm pretty sure there was a thread recently along these lines...not sure what it was called though, maybe someone else will be along in a minute who will remember!

 

[DCLane]

I'm pretty sure there was a thread recently along these lines...not sure what it was called though, maybe someone else will be along in a minute who will remember!

There was a massive thread deviation to living in a static caravan on here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/l...just-ended-feels-like-my-life-has-too.267340/

Also, @fossyant has a static on the North Wales coast.

A friend of mine rents a house, rather than buying one, just outside Bangor in a little village. Apparently it's incredibly cheap by comparison to where she lived near me.

 

[fossyant]

Hola.

Towyn is a bit 'rough' - it's also crowded so not sure what you are looking for, also rents are quite high there. We are on a family owned site in Gronant, just the other side of Prestatyn, and near the Presthaven site. Ground rent is £3,500, then factor in insurance (about £400 on ours new for old), Gas £120pa, electric £150pa. We've hammered ours in the 3 months it was open this year. We closed it a few weeks ago due to the travel restrictions.

You may want to hold off buying just yet, and wait until March. Vans have been selling like hot cakes due to the virus.

You'll get a good van for upto £20k. Look for one with central heating (most have) as this makes colder months very comfortable.

There are quite a number of small sites around the area. Prestatyn is lovely, and there is some really good walking and cycling locally.

Site owners do still stitch you up though.

 

[Archie_tect]

My mum had one near Berwick. She was ripped off by the site owner when she bought it on the site- she did it without us knowing and the caravan was already several years old and had an unseen roof leak which went undetected and delaminated one of the wall panels- it was then 'virtually worthless' according to the site owner.... he was a charlatan!

She 'had' to sell it back to the owner at a reduced price as there were clauses in the contract restricting selling it on and required a commission to be paid to the site. She would've been forced to sell/ replace it anyway as another clause required the caravan to be replaced every 10 years or thereabouts... a complete rip-off so be be very wary. If she'd refused to sell it back to the owner she'd've had to get it removed from the site on a low loader at her cost but by that time she had lost interest and lost a fortune. I've no doubt the owner would've repaired it as cheaply as possible and sold it again.

The site fees, insurance, gas, electric and service charges were separately charged at higher than normal prices.

Be very careful- if buying on the site check the contract carefully and get a survey.!

 

[fossyant]

Our van

 

[fossyant]

Our site has a 20 year policy, but it's not enforced. Our van is 20 years old now, and so long as you look after it, it's hardly going to fall to bits or look shabby. I wash ours down at the start of the season, mid season and end of season. Jet washer, soft garden brush and a bucket of soapy water.

The rent etc does add up, but if you are going to use it, it's worthwhile. It's been good for us whilst it was open to get away from all the day to day crap. We had a bit of a crap start this year as we had quite a few issues that needed fixing in the van - it was 'something' every weekend (fence, electrics, loo leak), but fortunately, nothing in August and September.

 

[kingrollo]

Hola.

Towyn is a bit 'rough' - it's also crowded so not sure what you are looking for, also rents are quite high there. We are on a family owned site in Gronant, just the other side of Prestatyn, and near the Presthaven site. Ground rent is £3,500, then factor in insurance (about £400 on ours new for old), Gas £120pa, electric £150pa. We've hammered ours in the 3 months it was open this year. We closed it a few weeks ago due to the travel restrictions.

You may want to hold off buying just yet, and wait until March. Vans have been selling like hot cakes due to the virus.

You'll get a good van for upto £20k. Look for one with central heating (most have) as this makes colder months very comfortable.

There are quite a number of small sites around the area. Prestatyn is lovely, and there is some really good walking and cycling locally.

Site owners do still stitch you up though.

Theres more than one towyn - the one I like is called tywyn - but recently changed its name to towyn

https://visit-tywyn.co.uk/webcam/

a glorious part of the world . I would like to retire there.

just an idea in my head at the moment - the ground is 3 weeks in lanza ! lots to consider.

 

[fossyant]

Theres more than one towyn - the one I like is called tywyn - but recently changed its name to towyn

https://visit-tywyn.co.uk/webcam/

a glorious part of the world . I would like to retire there.

Looks fabulous !

 

[stephec]

I've no experience of them, but having spoken to people who have the only advice I could give would be to steer well clear of Haven.

 

[Dave Davenport]

We keep a decent size touring caravan stored on a small site (just six pitches) near our daughter's in Pembrokeshire. £270 a year storage, then £17 a night when staying (including electric). Not as spacious as a static but a lot cheaper (caravan cost £5k) and works for us.

 

[vickster]

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/caravan-yes-no.267029/

 

[Pale Rider]

With my current job hanging by a thread - and taking my pension early looking better than expected. I've been wondering about the practicalities of a static Caravan - in the North Wales area - I really like Towyn.

Mom and dad used to have one - although great fun - they always seemed to get stitched up by the site owners -

Im thinking of the following costs

Purchase price £15- 20k

Site rent £3k PA

But don't really have any ideas re fuel, insurance, repairs ...etc...

Any info or recommendations welcome

The finances are what they are, so provided you embark on static ownership fully aware, all should be well.

Worth remembering statics do not appreciate like a house, they depreciate like a car.

You won't get a great deal back on your £20k purchase price after, say, 10 years.

Mention has been made of higher charges for energy.

That has been illegal for some years, so you should be paying about the same per unit as you do in the house.

However, insulation on statics is nowhere near as good as bricks and mortar, so you will be using a fair quantity of energy to keep warm in the colder months.

Fossy's answered your other costs query.

Maintenance on mine has been relatively cheap, limited to a couple of minor plumbing/central heating problems.

I have got an ouch moment coming up, because the plastic decking is looking tired and in need of replacement, which will cost about £2k.

Not bad, it's lasted 14 years and could do a year or two more if it has to.

My main tip to a new static owner would be don't buy one too far from where you live.

We all have a different tolerance to car journeys, but I reckon much more than an hour away and you will find yourself not bothering to visit very much.

My static is about 90 minutes away, but is still just about in range for a day visit, which adds to its usefulness.

You will be in a slightly more flexible position if retired, but I think you need to be able to finish a day's graft on a Friday and be on your deck cracking a cold bottle by not long after 6pm.

Another point is you cannot always be 'on holiday' when you visit, particularly after you've done a couple of seasons.

I like the change of environment - having a different pot to pee in for a few days - just as much as the amenity of the local area, which I have now largely 'done'.

 

[oldfatfool]

We have one in the Dales, rent and rates about £2100 a year, leccy 150, gas 140 depending on how much use you give it, our gas bill increases if we go over winter with ch on. Insurance new for old is a little under 1% of vans new cost.

Beware for your 20k you could end up buying a van worth 5k and paying 15k in mark up for the plot and sales commission on some site's. I have seen vans for sale on our site for 7k that are advertised on some more commercial sites at 25k + for the same year and model.

Also be aware of the length of license, dont get sucked into buying a van with only a couple of years to run on the promise it will be reviewed each year after. I know fossy as said it isn't enforced but if you go on fb and join the groups it would appear that more and more people are being forced to remove vans at the age limit, and being charged disconnect fees. As mentioned this is most likely due to high demand, why let an older van stay on paying the rent when they can sell a new van with a massive mark up and get the rent. If there is no demand for pitches then old vans are left alone, there is demand it is sianara. You have very few rights as an owner and are at the mercy of the landowner. To show you how much a plot being sold for try looking at the new price of any model of van ex factory gates and then see how much some sites charge for the same van sited and connected 50% nark up is not uncommon on commercial sites so if there is a demand for new vans you can see why older vans are being evicted.

Great lifestyle if you can afford it, but don't expect to make money from renting out. Do expect to lose the cost of the van. If you buy then make use of it or it is a massive white elephant, make sure you factor in travel costs on a weekly basis, extra food costs, doubling up on stuff like tvs kettles bedding, toaster, bikes, excluding van depreciation, we budget between 3.5 - 4 k a year.

 

[Dave 123]

I used to work with someone who knew someone who he said had a ‘stagnant caravan’. I managed to keep a straight face. Just.