Frequently asked questions

There are a number of UK based static caravan manufacturers, with a long history of producing static caravans for holiday parks and holiday home owners. Each manufacturer produces a range of units and if your chosen holiday park has new or empty plots available it is often possible to ask the holiday park to source a static caravan from your chosen manufacturer and commission bespoke builds, interiors or choose between layout options and include additions. For those, with their own land you can work with the manufacturers directly to get the right static caravan for you. Find out more about our UK static caravan manufacturers here: http://manhattan.monkey-nutz.co.uk/Manufacturers

There are a number of specialist static caravan insurers who will provide cover against weather damage, damage through holiday letting, public liability cover and contents insurance. Many holiday parks will insist that you adequately cover your static caravan and will require annual evidence of your policy. You can find out more about caravan insurance here: http://manhattan.monkey-nutz.co.uk/page/6332/insuring-holiday-home

The best place to buy your static caravan will depend on the reason that you want to buy, your budget and also on where you live. If you are buying a static caravan mainly for your own enjoyment you will want to buy in an area that you are keen to spend more time in, whether it is close to the coast or ensconced in woodland. Make sure that the caravan you choose gives you access to the things that you like to do in your leisure time, this could be fishing, pub lunches or cycling. Many owners find that buying a holiday home relatively close to them ensures that they get the most use out of it by keeping the commute simple. If you are buying with holiday letting in mind you will want to consider locations that will get you the best returns, or those with year round appeal to extend your letting season. Bear in mind that the most popular locations or those with the most stunning views will make the static caravans more expensive to buy and so consider your budget when deciding on where to buy your static caravan.

The life of a static caravan will depend on a few factors including where it is sited, the build quality and how well it is maintained. You can expect a new static caravan to last up to 30 years or more, if well maintained. You will also need to check your licence agreement which states how long you are able to keep your static caravan sited at a holiday park. In order to keep parks looking attractive a licence can often be set between 10 and 20 years but there are some longer licences available out there. Keeping on top of caravan maintenance is an important part of increasing the lifespan of your static caravan and will ensure that your insurance is valid. Many parks offer maintenance services such as gutter cleaning, deck cleaning and wintering which can keep your caravan in top condition.

Static caravans often have a lot of windows allowing you to make the most of beautiful views but this can make them hot in the summer months, just like a conservatory or any other room which allows plenty of light. Modern static caravans are insulated well which can help regulate temperatures and an abundance of windows makes it easy to have air flowing through your holiday home when the sun is shining. Many caravans come with patio doors or French doors, so having these open will let a constant breeze flow through. Blinds can also help to prevent sunlight and are a cooler option than thick curtains. Using appliances can also quickly heat up a living space so in the summer months why not fire up the BBQ, turn off the TV and sit out on your deck for a chat instead?

Modern caravans are often built to residential housing standards with excellent insulation, double glazing, central heating and often a fireplace in the living room. However, be being built to this specification doesn't mean that you are able to live in them all year round. That is still dependent on the park offering a residential written statement and not a holiday licence. With modern caravans there is no reason that you should be cold and your holiday home will be economical to heat, so you can take holidays comfortably all year round, if your chosen holiday park allows. If you are looking at a preloved or ex-hire fleet caravan, be aware that these can often be older models and so you will need to check for features such as double glazing and central heating.

The worth of your static caravan will come down to the reason why you are looking to buy a static caravan. If you are buying as a lifestyle enhancement and have experienced and enjoyed caravan holidays, a static caravan could be a very worthwhile purchase. Choosing an area that you know that you love or gives you a base close to family and ensuring that your static caravan is close enough to where you live will help you to get the most back from your static caravan, as you will be more likely to use it often. The extra leisure time, the opportunity to spend more time with family and a bit of time and space away from the every day gives your static caravan incalculable worth. Make sure that you do all of your homework and buy fully informed of the conditions of your licence and there is no reason why buying a static caravan shouldn't be a fantastic, life-affirming experience. If you are buying with financial returns in mind, the worth of your purchase is dependent on many more factors and will need very careful consideration. Many holiday parks offer a sublet service to help owners cover some of their annual costs, rather than promise a profit, but if holiday let earnings are your top priority check out our collection of holiday parks that offer Guaranteed Rental Income for real peace of mind: http://manhattan.monkey-nutz.co.uk/Featured/7796/Holiday-Home-Investment---Earn-Income-With-Holiday-Letting

Static caravans are able to be moved but it isn't a simple process and can be costly. If you are looking to move a static caravan to another site you will need to check that your chosen holiday park has plots available and is happy to accept your relocated holiday home. You are likely to be charged a disconnection fee at your existing holiday park and may lose a proportion of your site fees. There are also transport and reconnection costs to consider and the positioning of your static caravan on its new plot may require a crane. It may be simpler to look at whether part exchange is an option, many holiday parks will part exchange your existing holiday home enabling you to move to a new pitch on your existing site, or change sites entirely. Take a look at our collection of parks that offer part exchange:

Static caravans vary widely in price. Used static caravans can sometimes be picked up for around £20,000 but it is worth checking the year of manufacturer and the licence agreements on these caravans to ensure you know how many years use you are likely to get out of it. A new mid range caravan is likely to cost between £40,000 - £80,000 whereas a top range static caravan in a desired location could cost up to £150,000. You will generally pay more for larger static caravans, plush interiors and extras such as decking or hot tubs.

Static caravans are generally put together with a steel chassis and a timber frame. The exterior walls are clad and can come in a variety of finishes, these are often dictated by the holiday park to ensure a uniform appearance to the park, but may be able to be customised. Options include wood, aluminium or CanExel, an easy to care for engineered wood. The interior walls are likely to be plasterboard or similar. Insulation is used in the walls, floors and roofs and details of the type of insulation used should be available from the seller. The roof is generally constructed from large sheets of metal or fibreglass and are often styled to look tiled. Windows and doors are most likely to be made of uPVC double glazing. The interior of your caravan will have varying finishes with some sporting real wood finishes, freestanding furniture and branded appliances, and others with more traditional fixed furniture and wood effect finishes. It is also possible to find caravans with bespoke interiors, if you like a more personal touch.

When it comes to buying a static caravan there is a huge range of prices available. You can pick up a compact, single unit caravan which is ex hire or preloved for under £30,000. But as you start looking at newer models the price does increase. Holiday parks spend money on developing secure and attractive plots for the caravans, with landscaping and useful amenities on hand. They have to pay for the static caravans to be transported and sited and will often add features such as decking, skirting and hot tubs, all of which will be factored into the final price that you pay for your holiday home. Location is another important factor when it comes to how expensive a static caravan will be, with the demand around popular locations or plots with stunning views commanding a premium price.

The answer to this really depends on a number of factors including your motivation for buying a static caravan, the price you pay for it, its condition and licence terms. On the whole a static caravan will depreciate in value, but if you buy a static caravan with a long licence you will get many years of enjoyment out of it and may save money on holidays over the years. There are also ongoing costs to consider such as site fees and utility bills and many owners look to offset these through joining a sublet scheme which allows them to make income from holiday letting. If you are buying a caravan purely for financial gain through holiday letting, make sure you do the sums very carefully, ask for average returns of existing owners, find out how many years you would be likely to be able to sublet your caravan for based on its age and licence agreement, make sure you account for the additional costs and ask about the buy back or selling options. Some holiday parks now offer Guaranteed Rental Agreements which will set out exactly what you will earn over a period of years. This can make it very easy to budget, but make sure you are aware of how things will change once the agreement comes to an end. Take a look at our collection of parks offering Guaranteed Rental Income.

Single unit caravans range in size with lengths generally from 28ft for a standard static caravan and up to 40ft for a luxury model. The width of a single unit static caravan is generally sized from 10ft - 14ft with the larger models offering a lot more space or the option for up to four bedrooms. Twin unit caravans, which are generally referred to as holiday lodges, are more often than not sized at least 20ft by 40ft but some of the premium models are even larger than this.

Static caravans have a lightweight construction but are generally built to withstand winds of up to 100mph. Whilst it is possible for a static caravan to blow over, the risk is small as they are anchored to the ground. If the foundations of your plot and the anchoring system employed is robust you reduce much of the risk of storm damage from high winds. If your static caravan is in a particularly windy position wind breaks around the plots, such as hedging or fencing can help reduce the force of oncoming winds, but make sure your chosen holiday park keeps on top of cutting back tree branches which could cause potential damage during a storm. Regular maintenance can also spot any vulnerabilities that would be exposed during high winds and you can further reduce risk by shutting any skylights and windows and securing loose items on your decking when high winds are forecast. Despite all precautions extreme weather events could cause some damage to your treasured static caravan and so it is important to make sure that you are adequately insured: http://manhattan.monkey-nutz.co.uk/page/6332/insuring-holiday-home

Static caravans are classed as holiday homes rather than second homes unless you are purchasing on a residential park that has a residential licence and you have a "Written Statement" giving you the right to use your residential caravan as your main home. This means that if you are buying a static caravan in a holiday park with a holiday licence you are unable to live in your static caravan permanently. To ensure that this is adhered to, holiday parks may require proof of your main residence on an annual basis and may have restrictions on how long you can stay in your caravan, check these conditions during the buying process.