Frequently asked questions

A luxury lodge is generally a temporary structure that has been built in much the same way as a single unit static caravan but is double width. The lodge is usually manufactured and transported as two single units which are then joined together once they are at their final location. Luxury lodges are usually sized at 40ft x 20ft or larger and will consist of a high standard of fixtures and furnishings. Many luxury lodges have larger beds, residential size baths, en-suite showers and sometimes added extras like utility rooms. The majority of luxury lodges will consist of an open plan living area and separate bedrooms, although there are many designs and configurations to choose from. Although luxury lodges are built in such a way as to make year round living possible, you are only able to do so on designated residential parks and where you are given a Written Statement. Holiday parks issue holiday licences which means you can take holidays in your luxury lodge throughought the year, but it must not be your primary residence.

The worth of a holiday lodge can only really be determined by you. If you can afford to buy a holiday lodge and meet the annual payments and are confident that you will firstly get enjoyment out of using your holiday lodges and secondly will use it regularly, then it is likely to be a very worthwhile venture. Regular users of their holiday lodges save money on holidays by enjoying self-catering holidays that are already booked and paid for. Holidays in your lodge are not subject to fluctuating price changes and lots of additional travel costs. You are also more likely to enjoy taking more holidays than you usually would as the more you use your holiday lodge, the more worth buying it becomes! It is possible to recoup some of your purchase price and annual costs through holiday letting and particularly with Guaranteed Rental Income agreements and you will find some limited purchases across the UK that have capital appreciation potential, but we advise that you examine the potential returns carefully with a financial advisor to ensure that you are well informed before purchasing. Take a look at UK holiday parks offering Guarnateed Rental Income here:

Some manufacturers advise that their lodges are built to last as long as 80 years but it will depend on the quality of materials used, the age of the lodge when you buy it and how well it is looked after. Regular maintenance can elongate the lifespan of your lodge but you should also check the details of your licence, as some parks will place a restriction on how many years you can have your holiday lodge on their park, so even if it has life left in it, you could be required to move it or sell it back to the park. There are some lodges on the market which are not of the traditional build, such as timber lodges and these may have a longer lifepsan than most holiday lodges.

A holiday lodge is a large holiday home, also referred to as a twin unit. It is double the size of a standard caravan at 20ft x 40ft or more. Although lodges can be residential a holiday lodge will be a property that is sold by a holiday park with a holiday licence and therefore can not be lived in permanently or be your primary residence.

Holiday lodges are sold with a holiday licence and as such are not possible for you to live in full time. When purchasing you should be required to provide evidence of your primary residence, which you will need to produce annually. The terms of use will be laid out in your holiday licence which you should read carefully before you make your purchase. Some parks will also place restrictions on use either to ensure that owners aren't living in their holiday lodge or due to restrictions levied on them from their local councils. If you are buying a lodge from a park which has a residential licence and you buy with a written statement you are able to live in your lodge and they can make wonderful homes. Built to residential specifications they are warm and comfortable, cheap to run and maintain and offer simple living all on one level. Lodge living is often favoured by retirees as the lower cost of the properties can release funds from house sales which makes retirement more financially comfortable. Search our residential parks here: http://manhattan.monkey-nutz.co.uk/LocSearchRes

Similar to buying a caravan, the investment value of buying a holiday lodge will depend on a number of factors including your motivation for buying. The purchase price for a holiday lodge is higher than for a static caravan, so if you are hoping to make money back through holiday letting you will need to earn more. However, lodges also command a higher tariff and can be popular with holidaymakers who are looking to make their holiday special with premium accommodation, so increased earnings are highly likely. As lodges are larger units the annual site fees can be more expensive and also your utility bills are likely to be more than you would pay with a static caravan. However, the added comfort that a lodge can offer can payback in ways that can't necessarily be measured financially. It might make your holiday home easier to enjoy with family as you have more space to be comfortable and a higher standard of fixtures and fittings to make life easier. Like caravans, holiday lodges are generally depreciating assets, best purchased for your own use and sublet to help with your annual costs. However, there are a limited number of holiday lodges on the market which, due to their structure, do also offer capital appreciation potential. These lodges can sometimes be financed by a mortgage and will have a different buying process than the majority of holiday lodges. Take a look at our collection of holiday parks offering Guaranteed Rental Income.