Advice about buying a static caravan please

whitehorsewoman

Hello all
My first posting, please be gentle

I am a young-ish disabled woman who works in London, and am wanting a place to get away to. I have chosen Beauport, near Hastings as my location for a holiday home. This is part of UKPark holidays, but is an owners only site. Anyone know this site and have any opinions?

Buying the static van itself seems like a needle in a haystack. I am happy to take an empty 'shell' and get it adapted for my needs, but this is proving to be trickier than I thought. New accessible statics are out of my budget, so I want pre-owned. The park are very helpful so far, and it's a lovely big woodland site, just what I want. However, they have no real experience of access issues, includiing the easiest and most cost effective way to ramp access to the doors!

Has anyone got experiences of all this to pass on? Companies who'll put in heating? Best way to go for finance? In house or independently?

All responses greatfully received.

whitehorse gal x

phatbear

My other halfs mum has a static caravan in norfolk and from the little she has told me its not as straight forward as you think.

On average a static caravan lasts 10 years, after which the site can, and often do, remove the caravan and you will need to buy another one.

You need to work out the site fees, price of the caravan, which in the above case was in excess of £10k, and then try and work out how often you would use it. You also need to take into account that often the sites are only open for 8 or 9 months a year too.

In her instance it would be cheaper for her to stay at a local hotel on a regular basis than have a static caravan.

just my tuppence worth.

Tired_Mom

Hi

Not sure if this is of any help to you. We are also buying a caravan to keep on a site however are steering well away from statics. I have heard alot of negative aspects with statics such as the age limitation, only selling back to site, huge site increases, awful neighbours moving in etc etc. I now for all the negative there will also be positive.

Have you considered what we are doing. We are going to purchase a large tourer and will leave it on a particular site on a seasonal pitch. During the closed season we will store it also on site. I am not sure if this is possible with your disability as I have not looked into the access issues but it is something you could possible consider.

Hope it helps

Teahfc

Before you even condsider a site stop there a couple of times,Ask the locals ( not the ones with the post £30k Statics but the others at the back of the park aswell that over the years have been shuffled like second class citizens to the back of the park away from the shop and club that most good sites have.

My parents bought for £23k 5 years ago and have been moved 3 times, had a new balcony almost destroyed each time it was moved, seen Council tax increase from £150 per year to almost £500 ( local council said the rate should be no more than £300 at moment).

It has cost close on £3000 per year in bills and fees.
It is now valued at £3,000 so in the last 5 years its has cost them close on £35,000 and all they have now to show for it is a Static worth £3000 :eek: .


They are retired and have spent on average 7 weeks a year at the site so that works out about £1000 per week !

So please before you buy check out the site and suggest you have a a trial couple of breaks there

greenface

I own a static without any problems mentioned look into the costs and if you can afford it go for it good luck. We had a ramp fitted by a local company to us just google caravan decking or verandah see whats in your area.If its not your permenant residence dont think you pay council tax (mabe wrong but we certainly dont ) although there is chalets on our site with long leases that do. Our site has a ten year contract from new then renewed yearly and as long as its kept in a resonable condition no problems. Which is fair because if you are the one with a decent van you dont want the area around you to resemble beruit. Our site fees are around £2200 this year we use it often (if not us some other family or friend will) The attraction in the static is the person with a disability can go somewhere know what they have and where they are without worry if its right use it like a home from home. Do your sums and reserch ask questions to others on site and office/staff (if the have a cluhouse always a good point of gossip) sorry info !!!. We are in north wales