Static holiday caravan

murphy65

any advise?

I bought a static caravan few years ago which is sited on a holiday park in Camber Sands, Kent. Annually I pay full pitch fee, now though I want to sell it, however, the park says the new owner must pay the full fee, equally, they will not refund me the pitch fee of £3,250 which I paid, it is based annually or until end of the year. Plus that, even though I sell it privately, the new owner must pay 15% commission plus VAT and other costs such as water rates, even they are all paid...

They made it difficult to sell it privately so they can buy it back with less than 80% of the market value, I am stuck now with this shark practises, and at the time of selling, they have never explained this or even informed me about these conditions.

hartcjhart

unfortunately a lot of the site owners are like this,including the big ones,
but nothing seems to be done to stop the practice

1jim

could you seek advice from a lawyer (a lot do the first half hour free of charge) and see if this is legal or worth being challenged as an unfair term?
Whilst not going to immediatly help you now you could report to office of fair trading

citykid5

that sounds so wrong and i would think unlawfull

greenface

did you buy new or off the site ?? Paying twice for a yearly fee seems wrong but the change over names fee is common at 15% (is VAT a valid option on commision ??)how have they made it difficult to sell privately ?? take legal advice or there used to be a static home owners forum (could be haven home owners) they could offer some sound advice . Keep us posted

murphy65

Thank you all...holiday static caravan may be not topical, but it is, as I experienced a very shark and rip off money maker by shady holiday park companies. It beggars belief that this scam never been investigated or regulated to protect consumers. Here the list of hidden practises which at the time of selling never spoken or written about it to caravan buyers.

1. if you sell your caravan, holiday park companies refuses to refund the annual pitch fee, average £3750. They may refund only around up to 30% and that is before the month of May only. So they charge the new owner a new invoice for the rest of the period, even though it had been paid by the former.

2. If you sell your caravan privately, the sales manager of the park will charge the new owner 15% commission plus VAT, this is done just to make it difficult to sell it privately, so therefore, they pressurise seller to sell it back to the park at 80% less than the marker value.

3. You are liable to pay full year insurance, and water rate, even though you have sold your caravan.

4. They are not regulated and they make policies as they go along...

5. So imagine if you sell privately a 10 year old static caravan valued at £5,000, then the park will make another £5,000 by charging a new owner, pitch fees etc.... However, if you sell it back to the park they will only value it at £1,500. Then they will advertise it for £9,995.

A terrible and misleading practises, which consumers doesn't have any protection.

cprior

We have just been through exactly the same scam... My parents owned a caravan, also in Kent, and my father sadly passed away very suddenly whilst at their caravan. This was in September. My mother could no longer afford the site fees so decided to try to sell the van. The site owners put it on their list but obviously November is not the best time to sell. In Jan/Feb the site asked for the site fees (around £3000) which we were naturally reluctant to pay - knowing that we would not get a refund if we sold the van. Ultimately the site owners said they would 'take the van off our hands' for £2000 so we could avoid the fees. IMO the decking around the caravan was worth this alone! Understandably, given the sad circumstances around the caravan, my mother didn't want to get into any lengthy arguments and took them up on their offer - totally ripped off as I see it! My sympathy is with you.

murphy65

Thanks, I completely agree and share your concern, but how on earth this is been allowed to continue? It is a scam and a trap, and money involved is not merely hundreds but thousands! They employ salesmen who has no idea but selling unworthy products, which often creates debts beyond imagination.

techspec

Sites used to refuse to let people sell privately - until they were told they had to. But then they just brought in these unfair practices.

I was lucky then. I bought one in march last year. The fees had just been paid by the seller - so i was told by the site i had nothing to pay.

Deals_2

change. be glad to see companies taken to court on stuff like this.this particular person was very lucky.
[QUOTE=techspec;44454748ites used to refuse to let people sell privately - until they were told they had to. But then they just brought in these unfair practices.

I was lucky then. I bought one in march last year. The fees had just been paid by the seller - so i was told by the site i had nothing to pay.[/QUOTE]

adviceforall

This has been standard practice at Haven parks for years, there has always been a 15% charge upon selling, with the new buyer having to pay pro rota for site fees, insurance, gas and electric availability charges. Also if you sell it cheaply there is normally a clause that you have to offer it to the park at that price and they have first pick, so to speak.
It amazes me when I see ads on ebay for people selling their caravans saying that site fees/rates etc have been paid for the rest of the year when new buyers have to pay even when the sellers have already paid.