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Living in a caravan

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Bankruptcy is looming and when landlord sold our house we moved into our caravan to minimise expenditure. 
We are registered to vote at sons house but couldn't live with him as no room.
Does anyone have experience of filing for bankruptcy whilst living in a caravan?
Building a new life after bankruptcy
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Comments

  • Galloglass
    Galloglass Posts: 1,288 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 17 February 2020 at 7:02PM
    Removed ...
    • All land is owned. If you are not on yours, you are on someone else's
    • When on someone else's be it a road, a pavement, a right of way or a property there are rules. Don't assume there are none.
    • "Free parking" doesn't mean free of rules. Check the rules and if you don't like them, go elsewhere
    • All land is owned. If you are not on yours, you are on someone else's and their rules apply.
    Just visiting - back in 2025
  • MEM62
    MEM62 Posts: 5,293 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I'm not so sure it matters where you live as long as you have an arrangement for receiving mail.  However, assuming that the caravan is intended as a temporary situation, you might want to consider moving before you declare BR as obtaining a tenancy immediately after being made BR is likely to be problematic.  
  • MTDancer
    MTDancer Posts: 244 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    Cant get another tenancy as no money for deposit. More worried about the receiver taking our caravan as it is our only accommodation 
    Building a new life after bankruptcy
  • I know of a situation where a bankrupt lived on a houseboat. I believe it was classed as a home rather than an asset in bankruptcy but I will try and find out what happened with it and let you know. 
  • Would it be classed as a family home?
    Is there an outstanding loan on it?
  • No loan and, yes, our home
    Building a new life after bankruptcy
  • I would think it will be treated as your family home, and as such they have 3 years to deal with it.
    This is just my thought I have no experience sorry
  • MalMonroe
    MalMonroe Posts: 5,783 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Why not contact a debt help agency? I used StepChange 0800 138 1111. They know all there is to know about debts and bankruptcy. It costs nothing and they may be able to help you.
    Please note - taken from the Forum Rules and amended for my own personal use (with thanks) : It is up to you to investigate, check, double-check and check yet again before you make any decisions or take any action based on any information you glean from any of my posts. Although I do carry out careful research before posting and never intend to mislead or supply out-of-date or incorrect information, please do not rely 100% on what you are reading. Verify everything in order to protect yourself as you are responsible for any action you consequently take.
  • Minkym00
    Minkym00 Posts: 791 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper

    Sorry, I meant to look into this for you. So far as a caravan is concerned, this would depend on the extent to which it was fixed to the ground and connected to mains services.

    A ‘touring’ caravan wouldn't fall under the definition of ‘dwelling house’ for the purposes of the Act as it is mobile. A caravan could be a dwelling house if the wheels are removed and/or it is fixed to a permanent base or stabilising struts and if it is connected to mains services (e.g. electric/water) and cannot easily be detached. This would generally be called a ‘static’ caravan.

    A mobile home could be a dwelling house if it occupies an area which is owned or let for the specific purpose of providing permanent occupation and has a significant degree of immobility. Generally, mobile homes are transported on lorries, rather than towed as a caravan.

  • Galloglass
    Galloglass Posts: 1,288 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Minkym00 said:

    Sorry, I meant to look into this for you. So far as a caravan is concerned, this would depend on the extent to which it was fixed to the ground and connected to mains services.

    A ‘touring’ caravan wouldn't fall under the definition of ‘dwelling house’ for the purposes of the Act as it is mobile. A caravan could be a dwelling house if the wheels are removed and/or it is fixed to a permanent base or stabilising struts and if it is connected to mains services (e.g. electric/water) and cannot easily be detached. This would generally be called a ‘static’ caravan.

    A mobile home could be a dwelling house if it occupies an area which is owned or let for the specific purpose of providing permanent occupation and has a significant degree of immobility. Generally, mobile homes are transported on lorries, rather than towed as a caravan.

    I'm going to disagree with this one. For licencing purposes, the site will be either be defined as residential or as holiday by the local authority. The fact the OP cannot receive mail is a strong indication that it is a holiday park with some form of break i.e. not twelve months. So it is not a "home" as defined by the LA. So far, so good.

    However the IS have a different take. They consider if it is used as a home then it is in effect  a home for their legislative purposes. The fact that the OP may be in breach of using it as a home on a non-residential site is of no concern to them (though may be of concern to the licencing authority)

    Would suggest to the OP he has a conversation with his/her advisers or with the IS on this point.
    • All land is owned. If you are not on yours, you are on someone else's
    • When on someone else's be it a road, a pavement, a right of way or a property there are rules. Don't assume there are none.
    • "Free parking" doesn't mean free of rules. Check the rules and if you don't like them, go elsewhere
    • All land is owned. If you are not on yours, you are on someone else's and their rules apply.
    Just visiting - back in 2025
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