Static Caravans

[iluvmybike]

A friend got totally ripped off by the site owners when she needed to sell her van - she wasn't allowed to sell it on herself and had to offer the van back to the site owners - at a vastly reduced price as you can imagine even though she had spent money on improvements and decking & landscaping around the van. She had paid about £30k for it and came away with only about £18k. Turns out the catch clauses were in the contract but in the tiniest print imaginable so she was stuffed

 

[fossyant]

A friend got totally ripped off by the site owners when she needed to sell her van - she wasn't allowed to sell it on herself and had to offer the van back to the site owners - at a vastly reduced price as you can imagine even though she had spent money on improvements and decking & landscaping around the van. She had paid about £30k for it and came away with only about £18k. Turns out the catch clauses were in the contract but in the tiniest print imaginable so she was stuffed

It's pretty standard practice at caravan parks, hence you've got to think about it carefully. We 'inherited' our van when MIL and FIL stopped going much due to ill health - it's then we started to use it more when we got landed with the bills. He'd looked at selling it and they offered £6k on a £30k van.

We've looked at a second home, but a run down bungalow near our caravan is nearly £200k and considering I've no mortgage, I'm really not keen to get another !

If you have one, you do need to use it, otherwise it's expensive. It's less maintenance than another house, but this year we ended up with quite a few jobs in the short time it was open.

 

[fossyant]

Our van

View attachment 552573

Our van in now deemed too old and were being kicked off our site. Just turned 20 this year, but previously no-one has been kicked off. About 40 plus owners have been told to get lost.

Looks like we will struggle to move it, so this will get scrapped.

Money grabbing site owner. Still got to pay the barsteward £500 as a deposit for next year whilst we try and get rid/move on or just move out.

Bye bye North Wales, I won't be bothering to spend my money in your economy anymore. I'll spend it back in England

 

[classic33]

Our van in now deemed too old and were being kicked off our site. Just turned 20 this year, but previously no-one has been kicked off. About 40 plus owners have been told to get lost.

Looks like we will struggle to move it, so this will get scrapped.

Money grabbing site owner. Still got to pay the barsteward £500 as a deposit for next year whilst we try and get rid/move on or just move out.

Bye bye North Wales, I won't be bothering to spend my money in your economy anymore. I'll spend it back in England

Doesn't look that bad for twenty years old. I'd not be paying any deposit for next year if I wasn't going to be there.

 

[fossyant]

Going to find out tomorrow. We've literally got a week to decide. We may have next year, but we will have to go. If we decide to move the van, we are likely to have to incur the full year ground rent.

Upgrade is an option, but what we have seen isn't an upgrade, the vans are more basic as this was a top end model. Wife doesn't want to get rid as it belonged to her late parents (We've paid for it last 10 years).

Other option is move it slightly nearer to Welsh Boarders near Wrexham ish but that will cost.

 

[classic33]

Sounds as though the site owners feel they can get more from a new pitch than what they're getting from you.

 

[fossyant]

Sounds as though the site owners feel they can get more from a new pitch than what they're getting from you.

They will get commission on a new van(s). Thing is they would have to replace the concrete base ours is on as its subsiding badly. We've pointed this out for 10 years. Its a wreck under the van. You couldn't put a new van on the plot.

 

[classic33]

That'd be a costly job, to do correctly, and an empty pitch whilst the new concrete cures. They lose out twice, just repairing it. On top of nothing from yourself.

 

[fossyant]

Just looking at a local caravan dealers and similar vans, less nice than ours are £20k. The site would charge us to get rid of ours, then it would end up here for sale. These vans are the same age so couldn't go on our site now.

We are looking at moving sites.

 

[jowwy]

Just looking at a local caravan dealers and similar vans, less nice than ours are £20k. The site would charge us to get rid of ours, then it would end up here for sale. These vans are the same age so couldn't go on our site now.

We are looking at moving sites.

Sorry to hear you wont be coming to over the boarder very soon...its ridiculous what these caravan sites expect from people

 

[fossyant]

Sorry to hear you wont be coming to over the boarder very soon...its ridiculous what these caravan sites expect from people

We're looking at options - found a few sites much cheaper and further in land. We had a look at used van's yesterday - for a van less well specced and only 2-3 years newer, £18k-£25k. New basic vans are £50k. Thing is, the site have been challenged by a few people saying 'you can't actually get any vans as there is a shortage' - the head of sales (who is having to deal with this mess) agreed.

It's caused alot of upset as they have previously said it's OK for older vans so long as they are maintained - some are 30 plus years old.

Our options are basically move the van, or god forbid, and we are thinking about it, is buy a holiday home in Wales - I'm dead against i though, but it's looking more viable despite the increased council tax.

Site deposit paid, so we have until March - already got the emails flying to various sites on the edge of the Clwydian Range

 

[jowwy]

We're looking at options - found a few sites much cheaper and further in land. We had a look at used van's yesterday - for a van less well specced and only 2-3 years newer, £18k-£25k. New basic vans are £50k. Thing is, the site have been challenged by a few people saying 'you can't actually get any vans as there is a shortage' - the head of sales (who is having to deal with this mess) agreed.

It's caused alot of upset as they have previously said it's OK for older vans so long as they are maintained - some are 30 plus years old.

Our options are basically move the van, or god forbid, and we are thinking about it, is buy a holiday home in Wales - I'm dead against i though, but it's looking more viable despite the increased council tax.

Site deposit paid, so we have until March - already got the emails flying to various sites on the edge of the Clwydian Range

does seem odd as you have been told previously that its all ok for older maintained Vans

 

[fossyant]

does seem odd as you have been told previously that its all ok for older maintained Vans

It's a money grab. The site is full and there is a waiting list, so the boss has decided to tell folk to upgrade or sling your hook. So you sell them your van for peanuts (literally) they then sell it on to a dealer for lots more and it hit's the forecourt for £20k (judging by what I saw yesterday). You then are stung into buying an overpriced used van that depreciates like a lead balloon. Neighbour bought his van for £45k five years ago. They are struggling a bit with doing the upkeep, and are a bit sick of the management's response to issues, so are selling at a massive loss.

Our other neighbour has a much older van than ours and they took it over from a relative and have spent the last two years bringing it up to a good standard, replacement windows, re-decorated, refurbished soft furnishing and built a new veranda. They were told verbally yesterday from a member of staff that it's unlikely the notice will be enforced - all depends upon who you speak to !

The vans we saw yesterday were fairly well 'used' for their age. The dealer had done little to keep the vans tidy, dead flies everywhere, one had food still in the freezer (turned off) and another had a 'dirty' toilet.

I had a right rant at the weekend so my wife is picking it up today - she'll be a bit calmer.

 

[Jameshow]

We're looking at options - found a few sites much cheaper and further in land. We had a look at used van's yesterday - for a van less well specced and only 2-3 years newer, £18k-£25k. New basic vans are £50k. Thing is, the site have been challenged by a few people saying 'you can't actually get any vans as there is a shortage' - the head of sales (who is having to deal with this mess) agreed.

It's caused alot of upset as they have previously said it's OK for older vans so long as they are maintained - some are 30 plus years old.

Our options are basically move the van, or god forbid, and we are thinking about it, is buy a holiday home in Wales - I'm dead against i though, but it's looking more viable despite the increased council tax.

Site deposit paid, so we have until March - already got the emails flying to various sites on the edge of the Clwydian Range

Could you find a lodge which is freehold?

All the benefits of a holiday home without the second home stealing local homes stigma?

 

[fossyant]

Could you find a lodge which is freehold?

All the benefits of a holiday home without the second home stealing local homes stigma?

Lodges are not an investment. A lodge will set you back the same as a house, then depreciate, where as a house doesn't. Crazy isn't it.

The park owner is just thinking of profits, not the fact he's forcing people to scrap perfectly good caravans and potentially wrecking the housing market for locals. I've seen the effect of holiday homes in Anglesey - go round some of the more popular 'resorts' mid week, and you'll see the place is empty - houses not lived in - same most weekends TBH. Same with the marinas - you quickly spot all the expensive boats that haven't moved off the moorings for a long time.

We've found some lovely sites (basically a field tucked away) that don't worry about a van's age, the stipulation is it's well maintained and tidy. This was our site's policy until last week !