Holiday Home Purchase

scott9678

I was wondering if I could get some advice about the problems I've had with the static caravan I bought last year.

We bought the caravan which was sited at a park owned by a well known holiday company last February for £13000, which included a years site fees of around £3000, so essentially the caravan was bought for £10,000. At the time, we were asked if we wanted to use the letting out scheme, which would allow holidaymakers to use it when we weren't there, and we would receive income from that to help with the costs. We declined this, as we didn't want to restrict the time we coud use it.

Then in November, we received the 2016 bill for the site fees and they have been massively increased to almost £4,000 a year, far too much for us to afford. Add on top of that water rates, gas, electric and insurance and you're looking at approximately £5,000 a year. We contacted the park management questioning the figure and asking them if we could now rent the caravan out to offset some of these costs, only to be told that this wasn't an option as the caravan was too old, something they didn't say when they wanted us to buy it. To top it off, they also refused to even give us an offer to buy it back and when I contacted a local trader, he said I would be lucky to get £1,000 for it.

Now I know we've been pretty stupid and jumped into this, but can it be right or fair that a caravan bought for £10,000 can be virtually worthless less than a year later? We've tried everything, even looking at moving parks but that would still cost thousands, or see us getting into even more debt so it looks like we've no option but to sell to a trader, losing around £9,000 in the process.

I've been told to contact trading standards but does anyone have any advice they can give me, apart from don't be so stupid with money again?!

burlington6

Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Have a ring round and try and get a better offer.

Just because you paid £13,000, doesn't mean it was worth that then, or now.

scott9678

burlington6 wrote: »

Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Have a ring round and try and get a better offer.

Just because you paid £13,000, doesn't mean it was worth that then, or now.

I'm not expecting to gey my money back, but equally I can't see it's right that it loses 90% of its value in less than a year.

wealdroam

scott9678 wrote: »

I'm not expecting to gey my money back, but equally I can't see it's right that it loses 90% of its value in less than a year.

I think the point being made was that it may well not have been worth the £13,000 when you bought it.

You were willing to pay £13,000 at that time, but would anyone else have paid that then... of course no-one knows.

Leo2020

scott9678 wrote: »

I was wondering if I could get some advice about the problems I've had with the static caravan I bought last year.

We bought the caravan which was sited at a park owned by a well known holiday company last February for £13000, which included a years site fees of around £3000, so essentially the caravan was bought for £10,000. At the time, we were asked if we wanted to use the letting out scheme, which would allow holidaymakers to use it when we weren't there, and we would receive income from that to help with the costs. We declined this, as we didn't want to restrict the time we coud use it.

Then in November, we received the 2016 bill for the site fees and they have been massively increased to almost £4,000 a year, far too much for us to afford. Add on top of that water rates, gas, electric and insurance and you're looking at approximately £5,000 a year. We contacted the park management questioning the figure and asking them if we could now rent the caravan out to offset some of these costs, only to be told that this wasn't an option as the caravan was too old, something they didn't say when they wanted us to buy it. To top it off, they also refused to even give us an offer to buy it back and when I contacted a local trader, he said I would be lucky to get £1,000 for it.

Now I know we've been pretty stupid and jumped into this, but can it be right or fair that a caravan bought for £10,000 can be virtually worthless less than a year later? We've tried everything, even looking at moving parks but that would still cost thousands, or see us getting into even more debt so it looks like we've no option but to sell to a trader, losing around £9,000 in the process.

I've been told to contact trading standards but does anyone have any advice they can give me, apart from don't be so stupid with money again?!

What you have experienced isn't uncommon, my in laws bought a caravan and because the site fees kept increasing so much every year they had to start renting it out to the point where they were barely in it. They would never own a static caravan again.

In regards to the age issue and renting - this again is quite common. Most parks will have a limit on the age at which they will rent it out for you. Sadly you bought a caravan near this age and are now stuck not being able to rent it out through the park. However, can you rent in privately? One of the problems with this is having to clean the caravan out after the holiday makers have left - my in laws would go the the park to clean their caravan out ready for the next renters.

My in laws eventually moved parks but even that turned into a legal battle, which they won but still shouldn't have to have gone that far. Can't remember exact details but it was something to do with the logistics of moving the caravan off the park and the park not allowing them to do it.

13Kent

Try the Haven Owner's Forum and Gostatic.co.uk for help and advice, there are lots of similar posts on these forums.

hollydays

It's a common scenario, unpleasant.
Did you do any research on the site beforehand?
Have you done so since?


https://www.gov.uk/park-mobile-homes/your-rights-and-obligations