Have you decided you want to buy a static caravan on a UK holiday park? It’s an exciting time!
In among all the excitement of investing in a new holiday home, such as a static caravan, or a lodge, it is important to consider what additional costs you may have to pay on the holiday park it is sited on.
Here at Caravan Sleeps we thought to put your mind at rest, we would put together some general information that lists details of various caravan site fees.
It’s important that you consider all costs before making an investment, nobody likes hidden surprises!
Static Caravan & Holiday Lodge Site Fees
In the UK, you would be expected to pay all running costs for your static caravan. Also, it will be necessary to pay other fees for the general upkeep of the specific holiday park itself.
Potential Additional Costs:-
- Annual Site Fees
- Licences
- Local Business Rates
- Gas & Electricity
- Insurance
- Other Fees
Annual Site Fees
Annual fees differ from park to park, £4,125 is the lowest annual fee payable.
Fees vary, depending upon where the holiday park is situated – fees might be higher in popular tourist areas like national parks and prime coastal locations.
The size of your holiday home will also affect the fee payable for siting your home.
Fees generally include:- maintenance, security, entrance to holiday park venues plus onsite facilities like; swimming pools and entertainment.
To be prepared for this additional cost always ask what the Annual Site Fee is before purchasing your holiday home.
Licences
- Caravan licences vary depending upon age and condition
- Pre-owned caravans have licences that differ typically from a minimum of 8 years, up to 14 years
- Any 12ft wide caravans costing under £60,000 have a 15 year licence
- Any 12ft wide caravans costing over £60,000 have a licence for 20 Years
- Holiday Lodges can come with a 30 year licence, dependent on the size and specification
- Check for the length of licence you will receive before purchasing your holiday home
Local Business Rates
- Business rates should always be agreed with the holiday park before signing a contract
- Rates are generally calculated according to the number of caravans and other dwellings on the specific land
- Business rates can sometimes rise year on year due to the type of business, check for any notes in contract
- Council Tax is not liable for payment at a holiday park, because it is not residential
Remember you cannot use your holiday caravan as your sole place of residency
Gas, Electricity and Water
- You are responsible for paying the holiday park for gas & electricity
- Some holiday parks these days have meters installed
- It is possible to connect up gas bottles on some sites for convenience
- Don’t forget water rates will be chargeable too for your pitch
- Energy costs always differ dependant on personal usage
Insurance
- Some holiday parks may supply an insurance option as part of their site fees
- If organising your own, make sure you compare different options
- Type of insurance you require will depend on your usage
- If you are renting out your caravan you may need income protection insurance with public liability protection on your policy
Other Fees
- Don’t forget you need to pay for your TV licence
- Check if any fees are due on energy meters supplied to your caravan
- Remember any additional incidental holiday park services are usually subject to a VAT charge.
Most importantly, always check with your holiday park operator ALL fees that you can expect to pay for your holiday home before signing any contracts and parting with any money.
Would you like to discuss your options for buying a static caravan? Feel free to get in touch and we’ll do our best to help you according to your needs.