Static Caravan Rip Off

G8311374

Hiya, I just wanted to have a gripe and share with you all and also pick your brains.

I am a veteran and in autumn 2011 got some compensation from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. I decided to buy a static caravan for myself at a local site to provide respite breaks for myself and my family and sank all my money into this. The manager knowing I was a veteran and my situation promised to rent out my caravan for a sporting event being held near the site which had previously yielded owner in the region of £4000 for a week. He also registered me onto the site renting scheme to let my van out so it would pay for itself, this was a conditon of the sale, had he not promised me the sporting rental which was worth just over two years site fees I would not have purchased. The rental for the sporting event never materialised and the site rental scheme found minimal lettings.

In new year this year, I had a letter from the site, it had been taken over by new owners and they had upped the site fees by £1000. Site fees to be paid in full by end of the month or arrangements for instalment plan ASAP. So with nowhere near enough to cover the now higher site fees I am relying on the site to rent my van out to pay my fees.

They have now just offered my £6000 to buy my caravan off me as one of their sister sites needs vans and I would be relieved of my situation. However that would mean a loss of £14000 that's a hell of depreciation. Especially as they will sell it on for £14k.

I'm sick of this but don't know what to do. I tried to pursue down the legal path but my insurance doesn't cover. Any advice, sympathy or told you so gratefully received.

sutty1966

No advice but lots of sympathy , is it worth considering moving your caravan to a new site? I don't have any experience of this, hopefully someone else can advise.

greenface

Cannot help as you may have a contract stating site increases .If you havent they can charge what they like and increase whenever they like . You can walk away when you like . If you choose to move your static onto another site thats a option but expect high charges for them to disconnect and move for you . You said a sporting event yeilding £4k thats happened before. If your talking golf thats often figures for the best of the best in the prime areas around the course itself by corporate not normally statics . If your talking Royal Liverpool Golf your on a site run by the Hill Brothers and should have asked the other "prisoners" (homeowners) before you bought. Many caravan site owners though are ruthless . Just my thought

good_advice

Hello
A sad tale and lesson learnt! Well done on coming on here and asking everyone for advice.

The money is now spent so no point in looking back!
You have to look at your choice of best move forward.

Being a veteran, I should think you do not have school age children so choice 1. move in the caravan for summer and rent out your house.
2. put a large notice in the caravan window = holiday home for rent phone ....mobile.
3. Get advertising. Shop windows, the lady magazine
4. Look for a site with cheaper rent.
5. Start talking, tell every one you know you have a holiday caravan for hire.
6. Last resort and will loose the most money = sell.

Good luck

greenface

I seen it the other way as was discharged from armed services 2 years ago . OP is still young . If your not happy and want out try to sell yourself but the owners could make the viewings etc difficult and possibly want 15% selling fee & site fees often paid for twice (if you pay this years fees they could ask new people this years fees too.yes its happened )

Charityworker

I own a static caravan and I let it out myself. I advertise it on Facebook. It's free and you can add photos and information to it. I've managed to book up solidly from mid may to the end of August and have earnt back the site fees. I've reserved a few weekends for myself to go there in that time too. It takes a bit of organising and keeping track, paperwork and answering questions about your caravan but its worth it. The only thing to keep in mind is that if you are on any benefit at all this will be affected by what you get from the lettings and you have to pay tax on it too.

G8311374

greenface wrote: »

I seen it the other way as was discharged from armed services 2 years ago . OP is still young . If your not happy and want out try to sell yourself but the owners could make the viewings etc difficult and possibly want 15% selling fee & site fees often paid for twice (if you pay this years fees they could ask new people this years fees too.yes its happened )

Yes this is what I am finding, if I sell my van privately they want a percentage of the sale and the new owners have to pay site fees for the year on top of what I've paid plus a charge for not buying direct from the site. I feel like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.