The H.O.F Guide
To
Buying and Owning
A
Static Caravan
Holiday Home
© Keith Stott 2014
Page 1 of 49
Last Update 22 March 2016
Table of Contents
1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 6
2
Is Buying Right for You? .................................................................................................................. 7
2.1
Investment or Lifestyle?.......................................................................................................... 7
2.2
Financing Your Caravan........................................................................................................... 7
2.3
What is Included in the Sales Price? ....................................................................................... 8
2.4
Help to Buy Schemes .............................................................................................................. 8
2.4.1
3
4
Payment Protection Insurance........................................................................................ 8
2.5
Is Buying Privately a Good Idea? ............................................................................................. 9
2.6
When Is the Best Time to Buy? ............................................................................................... 9
2.7
GET IT IN WRITING ................................................................................................................ 10
2.8
Warranty ............................................................................................................................... 11
Choosing a Park ............................................................................................................................. 14
3.1
Near or Far? .......................................................................................................................... 14
3.2
Location................................................................................................................................. 14
3.3
Park Layout ........................................................................................................................... 14
3.4
Park Rules .............................................................................................................................. 15
3.5
When can I use my caravan? ................................................................................................ 16
Choosing a Caravan ....................................................................................................................... 17
4.1
New or Pre-owned? .............................................................................................................. 18
4.1.1
New Caravans................................................................................................................ 18
4.1.2
Pre-owned Caravans ..................................................................................................... 18
4.2
Layout.................................................................................................................................... 19
4.3
Bedrooms .............................................................................................................................. 20
4.4
Storage .................................................................................................................................. 20
4.4.1
Internal Storage ............................................................................................................ 20
4.4.2
External Storage ............................................................................................................ 20
4.5
Checking for faults/problems ............................................................................................... 21
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5
6
Choosing a Pitch ............................................................................................................................ 22
5.1
Pitch Grading ......................................................................................................................... 22
5.2
Your ideal pitch ..................................................................................................................... 22
What Are the Running Costs? ....................................................................................................... 23
6.1
Site Fees ................................................................................................................................ 23
6.1.1
7
Site Fee Reduction ........................................................................................................ 23
6.2
Insurance ............................................................................................................................... 24
6.3
Gas Usage .............................................................................................................................. 24
6.4
Gas Safety Check ................................................................................................................... 25
6.5
Electricity Usage .................................................................................................................... 25
6.6
Electricity Safety Check ......................................................................................................... 25
6.7
PAT Testing............................................................................................................................ 25
6.8
Rates...................................................................................................................................... 25
6.8.1
Water & Sewerage Rates .............................................................................................. 25
6.8.2
Non-Domestic Business Rates....................................................................................... 25
6.9
Alarm Maintenance .............................................................................................................. 25
6.10
Television Licence ................................................................................................................. 26
6.11
Drain Down ........................................................................................................................... 26
6.12
Accountant Fees.................................................................................................................... 27
6.13
Your Finance Charges ............................................................................................................ 27
6.14
Other Miscellaneous Costs ................................................................................................... 27
6.15
Repairs and Service Price List ................................................................................................ 27
When Are Payments Due? ............................................................................................................ 28
7.1.1
Site Fees ........................................................................................................................ 29
7.1.2
Insurance ....................................................................................................................... 29
7.1.3
Gas Usage ...................................................................................................................... 29
7.1.4
Gas Safety Check ........................................................................................................... 29
7.1.5
Electricity Usage ............................................................................................................ 29
7.1.6
Electricity Safety Check ................................................................................................. 30
7.1.7
PAT Testing.................................................................................................................... 30
7.1.8
Rates.............................................................................................................................. 30
7.1.9
Alarm Maintenance....................................................................................................... 30
7.1.10
Television Licence ......................................................................................................... 30
7.1.11
Drain Down ................................................................................................................... 30
© Keith Stott 2014
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Last Update 22 March 2016
8
7.1.12
Accountant’s Fees ......................................................................................................... 31
7.1.13
Other Miscellaneous Costs ........................................................................................... 31
7.1.14
Interest Charges ............................................................................................................ 31
Passes ............................................................................................................................................ 31
8.1
Privilege Cards (Haven Holiday Parks) .................................................................................. 31
8.2
Friends and Family Passes (Haven Holiday Parks) ................................................................ 32
8.3
Fun Works Passes (Haven Holiday Parks) ............................................................................. 32
9
Sub Letting .................................................................................................................................... 33
9.1
Grading of Your Caravan ....................................................................................................... 33
9.2
Damage Insurance ................................................................................................................ 33
9.3
What the Park Can Offer ....................................................................................................... 34
9.3.1
9.4
Dates Your Van Is Available........................................................................................... 35
Doing It Yourself .................................................................................................................... 35
9.4.1
Paperwork and Record Keeping .................................................................................... 35
9.4.2
Advertising .................................................................................................................... 36
9.4.3
Pricing............................................................................................................................ 36
9.4.4
Booking Deposit ............................................................................................................ 36
9.4.5
Damage Deposit (Security Bond) .................................................................................. 37
9.4.6
What Equipment should I Provide? .............................................................................. 37
9.4.7
Cleaners......................................................................................................................... 38
9.4.8
Key Release ................................................................................................................... 38
9.4.9
Passes ............................................................................................................................ 39
9.4.10
Holiday Insurance.......................................................................................................... 39
9.5
10
Income Tax ............................................................................................................................ 39
Upgrading Your Caravan ........................................................................................................... 39
10.1
Trading Your Caravan for another Model ............................................................................. 39
10.2
Improving Your Existing Caravan .......................................................................................... 39
11
Maintenance and Repairs ......................................................................................................... 40
11.1
Service and Repair Charter ................................................................................................... 41
11.2
Winterization ........................................................................................................................ 42
11.2.1
12
Draining Down .............................................................................................................. 43
Moving Parks............................................................................................................................. 44
12.1
Moving Within the Same Company...................................................................................... 44
12.2
Moving to a Park in another Company ................................................................................. 44
© Keith Stott 2014
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12.2.1
13
Moving to Haven from a Non-Haven park .................................................................... 44
Selling Your Caravan ................................................................................................................. 45
13.1
Transferring Ownership to a Family Member....................................................................... 45
13.2
Selling to the Park ................................................................................................................. 45
13.3
Selling to a Private Individual ................................................................................................ 46
13.4
Selling to a Trader ................................................................................................................. 46
13.5
Refunds ................................................................................................................................. 47
13.5.1
Site Fees ........................................................................................................................ 47
13.5.2
Insurance ....................................................................................................................... 47
13.5.3
Rates.............................................................................................................................. 47
14
Code of Practice ........................................................................................................................ 47
15
Complaints Procedures ............................................................................................................. 48
16
Documents for Reference ......................................................................................................... 48
17
Useful Websites ........................................................................................................................ 48
17.1
Websites Owned by Pathfinder Enterprises ......................................................................... 49
17.2
Third Party Websites ............................................................................................................. 49
© Keith Stott 2014
Page 5 of 49
Last Update 22 March 2016
1 Introduction
This guide has been compiled by me, Keith Stott; I have owned a Static Caravan Holiday Home on
Haven’s Presthaven Beach Resort Holiday Park in North Wales for over 20 years. During this time, I
have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience which I have shared with other caravan owners
through my web site - Haven Owners Forum.
Haven Owners Forum was formed in 2006 with the aim of bringing caravan owners on all parks
together to form friendships and share their knowledge and experiences.
The forum has been a great success with in excess of 3700 members and it is still growing. The forum
has also extended its following onto Facebook where there is a Haven Owners Forum User Group.
The information in this guide has been compiled from the feedback of all our members. It is based
on ownership of a Holiday Home on Haven Holiday Parks, but you will find that most holiday park
owners operate in a very similar way, so the information and advice in this guide will still have some
relevance if you are thinking of buying on a Non-Haven Park.
This guide is a ‘living document’ and will be edited and updated as and when necessary. If you find
any errors or omissions or if you can add or update any content in this guide, please notify Keith by
emailing him using this link – keith@Havenownersforum.co.uk
All Park Owners work to develop better systems to make the running of their business more
profitable and also to give a better service to their customers and owners. It is very difficult, if not
impossible, to keep this guide up to date in every aspect of caravan ownership, so all input or
suggestions from users of this guide is very welcome.
Whilst I have done our best to make sure the information given in this guide is accurate and up to
date I cannot accept any responsibility for any loss arising from the use of the information contained
in the guide.
© Keith Stott 2014
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Last Update 22 March 2016
2 Is Buying Right for You?
This may seem like a straightforward question. Many people buy after having one or more caravan
holidays usually on park(s) owned by the same company e.g. Haven. You will have enjoyed your
holiday and often have happy memories of holidays you had as a child.
The desire to own your own caravan so you can holiday whenever you want to is a very strong one
and the reason most of us do buy, but your desire to own is usually based on a few weeks of holiday
experience in someone else’s caravan and not on the reality of actually owning and maintaining the
caravan.
The idea behind this guide is:




To give you the facts.
To explain the pros and cons of holiday home ownership.
To help you ask the right questions, not just to the sales team, but also to yourself.
To identify all the pitfalls and all the good things about ownership.
Your answer to the question – Is Buying Right for You? – can only be given after you have read this
guide and then done your research and you can then look at the number of pros and cons you have
identified.
2.1 Investment or Lifestyle?
One of the most common questions asked by people considering buying a holiday home is “Can I
make money from owning a caravan?”
The answer to that question is “Yes, you can make money”
However, the question should be “Can I make a PROFIT from owning a caravan?”
The answer to that question for 99% of owners is “NO!”
It is possible to make money by sub-letting your caravan and this money can help to cover some of
the costs involved in ownership, but it is unlikely you will cover ALL your costs if you also include the
finance involved in buying the caravan.
For most owners we have invested in a new LIFESTYLE. This is not an investment that will show a
financial profit, but one which will show a massive return in family memories, new friendships, fun,
relaxation, stress reduction, etc.
Most owners accept that this new lifestyle will cost them money, but it is worth the expense. The
aim of this guide and our forum – Haven Owners Forum – is to help you reduce the financial cost of
ownership and to increase the benefits of ownership.
2.2 Financing Your Caravan
How you finance your caravan will depend on your own personal financial position and you will have
to decide on what is best for you. You do have a few choices:

You may be lucky enough to be able to buy your caravan outright.
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

You can use the finance package offered by the park. You will need to have a deposit of
around 20% of the purchase price and payments are usually spread over 84 months. This is,
as you would expect, subject to status.
You can source your own finance.
Whatever method you decide to use you should always check to see if there are any offers or
incentives to buy available that may help to reduce the initial purchase price.
2.3 What is Included in the Sales Price?
When looking at the price of a caravan you will often see phrases such as “No Site Fees until ……”
You should be aware that in most cases you are NOT getting FREE Site Fees. The site fees will be
included in the sale package and as such they will be included in any finance you take out and
therefore you will be PAYING INTEREST on those site fees.
You should look at all aspects of the total purchase price and see what, if anything, you can pay
yourself and therefore reduce the amount you have to take on finance. For many people this is not
possible, but you MUST make sure you are aware of ALL the components that make up the finance
package you are taking on.
2.4 Help to Buy Schemes
You may be offered a ‘Help to Buy’ scheme that would usually involve you agreeing to allow the Park
Owner to rent out your caravan in return for an ‘advance’ to help reduce the amount you have to
find initially. This ‘advance’ will normally be repaid over 2 or 3 years depending on the scheme and
its conditions. These schemes always sound like a good way to reduce the initial cost, but make sure
you UNDERSTAND all the terms and conditions of the scheme and THE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE ON
YOUR USE OF YOUR CARAVAN.
Many Park Owners run referral schemes that encourage existing owners to find new customers for
their park. At the present time Haven is running a referral scheme that could give you a £1000
discount on the purchase price of a new or pre owned caravan when bought from them.
Unfortunately, the scheme does not apply if you chose to buy privately.
If you would like to know more about Haven’s Referral scheme you will find some details and an
application form here or you can email me using this link – keith@Havenownersforum.co.uk
Other Park Owners do sometimes run similar schemes for their parks and it is worth looking into
those as well. If you know somebody who is an owner on a Non-Haven Park you should ask them
about what is available. If you don’t know anybody then you can ask me because I have contacts on
many parks and I MAY be able to find something for you, email me using this link keith@Havenownersforum.co.uk
2.4.1 Payment Protection Insurance
You will be aware that there has been a lot of bad press about PPI, but in view of the fact that you
are financing a new lifestyle I would strongly advise that you make sure you have some form of
insurance to cover the deposit and finance payments for your caravan.
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Some form of PPI insurance may be included or offered with your finance package but you need to
be sure it will cover you in event of redundancy/long term sickness etc. and if not you should look
for alternative/additional cover.
If things went wrong, you could end up losing a large amount of money if your caravan has to be
sold because it is unlikely you will receive enough to cover outstanding finance and charges.
2.5 Is Buying Privately a Good Idea?
The big advantage of buying privately from an owner is that you can get the caravan you want for
substantially less than you would if you bought the same caravan from the Park Owner.
However, you do have to bear several things in mind before going ahead.








You very rarely get any form of guarantee. Remember that any appliances in the caravan will
usually, but not always, have been there since the van was new.
You won’t have a choice of pitch; you will be buying the caravan on its current pitch. If you
want to change pitch you will usually have to upgrade or pay for the move (if the Park
Owner will allow a move without upgrading)
You won’t qualify for any discount on site fees offered by the Park Owner for buying your
caravan from them. These discounts vary from Park Owner and also on different parks
within the same group. On some parks the discount can be in excess of £500 per season.
You will have to pay site fees and other charges pro rata from the date you complete the
purchase until the end of the current season
You will be invoiced for the following seasons site fees etc. before the end of the season in
which you purchase
Your site licence will usually be for the remainder of the previous owners site licence e.g. if
the site licence for a caravan bought from the Park Owner is 10 years and you buy from an
owner who has been on the park for 6 years, your licence will be for 4 years instead of the
10 years you would get if you bought from the park. This DOES NOT mean you will have to
move or upgrade your caravan at the end of the licence term, licences are usually renewed
on an annual basis from then on, but you should, of course, always check with your Park
Owner for full details.
You will have to complete the transaction through the Park Owner
The Park Owner will take a commission (usually about 12.5 - 15% + Vat) in addition to the
sale price
This may make you think that buying privately is not such a good idea, but that is not the case,
despite all of the above, many owners have bought their first caravan privately and have been very
happy with the process and the savings they have made.
2.6 When Is the Best Time to Buy?
Any time is a good time to buy a caravan, but there are certain times within the season when you
can often get a better deal.
Depending on your circumstances, buying during the last month or so of the park’s season is usually
the time when you can the best deal. Each park will have its own season with nearly all parks
opening on 1st March (for owners). However, the date the park closes will vary with some parks
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closing as early as October and some staying open until January (There are some Non-Haven Parks
that stay open all year).
One of the ‘selling points’ is that when you buy you will get that seasons site fees included in the
price (they are not free; they are included in the price). This may be ok if you buy at the beginning of
the season, but you must be aware that the following season’s fees will be due at the end of that
first season, with the first payment being due in November (depending on how you choose to pay
your fees. (See When Are Payments Due?)
However, if you buy towards the end of the season you can often get the last month or so of that
season and the whole of the next seasons site fees included, which would mean you next payment
of Site Fees would be due at the end of the following season.
One other point to bear in mind is that if, when you buy, the site fees are included in the overall
price you are TAKING FINANCE for, then you will be paying interest on those site fees for the whole
term of your finance.
If you can buy without the site fees (and other items) included you could then pay them separately
and if you can put the money away so that you can pay the site fees in full when they are due, you
can qualify for an early payment discount that will effectively reduce your site fees by £50 or so.
The other option is to pay your site fees using the INTEREST FREE Direct Debit option where you pay
your site fees in 6 monthly direct debits starting on 15th November.
It is important to remember that whilst you may be able to negotiate which seasons Site Fees are
included, this will NOT apply to other fees such as Insurance, Gas & Electricity charges, Rates, etc.
(See What Are the Running Costs? For more information on other fees due).
2.7 GET IT IN WRITING
Whoever you decide to buy your caravan from you should always follow this golden rule.
Whatever you negotiate with the seller you should always ensure that everything is in writing. The
following are some of the more common things that may be negotiated and agreed on:









Deposit/Trade in amount
Payment terms
Your right to cancel within a certain period e.g. 30 days from signing the contract/getting the
keys/moving in.
Your commitment with regard to any finance package you agree to, either with the seller or
finance you arrange yourself e.g. early settlement, cancelation fees, etc.
Caravan inventory including any ‘free gifts’. You may be able to get some of the items in the
inventory yourself for a lot less than the park is charging you.
Date of delivery and siting of your caravan
Repairs required and agreed by the sales team (get TWO copies one for them and one for
you)
Pitch chosen and the right to a free pitch move in the first 12 months (or any agreed period)
if the chosen pitch proves unsuitable
Your ability to have verandas and/or decking fitted on your pitch
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




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
The availability of allocated parking if applicable
The length and scope of the guarantee offered. (see Warranty)
The grading of your caravan for sub-letting (including when the grading will change – the
grading of every caravan will change as the caravan ages).
Details of any guaranteed income if you sub-let through the park as part of your purchase
agreement.
Details of all the benefits you are entitled to as an owner e.g. discounts on and off park,
owners only facilities etc.
It is also worth asking if they will give you a written ‘Buy Back Guarantee’ i.e. what they will
give you if you have to sell within 12 months (or any time scale you agree on).
You should also visit the seller’s website and look for any offers for free gifts or discounts or
any specific ‘clauses’ or wording used in their promotion that may be of benefit to you, but is
not mentioned by the sales person. Make sure you know and understand these. You should
keep a copy of the website information by either printing the page(s) or taking screen shots.
2.8 Warranty
When you buy a Holiday Home from a Park Owner, such as Bourne Leisure, your caravan will be
covered by a warranty. The warranty given may vary with different Park Owners, but at March 2014,
Bourne Leisure offers the following:


New Holiday Homes – 5 Years
Pre-Owned Holiday Homes – 2 Years
The level of warranty offered on a Pre-Owned Holiday Home is significantly less than that for a new
Holiday Home.
Below is a copy of the 2014 Haven Warranty for New and Used Caravans.
© Keith Stott 2014
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© Keith Stott 2014
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Last Update 22 March 2016
© Keith Stott 2014
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3 Choosing a Park
The park you choose to site your new caravan on is normally the park you have holidayed on in the
past. This is a park that you may think you know well and the choice is easy to make, however, that
may not be the right choice.
Whilst it is possible to change parks it can prove to be expensive so making sure that the park you
choose will fulfil your needs well into the future could save you money and ensure you get to enjoy
your new lifestyle to the full.
3.1 Near or Far?
How far do you want to travel to get to your caravan?
Some people are happy to travel for 3 or 4 hours, but if you have young or disabled family members
that can be a stressful journey. Some people are happy to have their caravan ‘on their doorstep’
meaning they have only a very short journey time.
The distance from home and thus the journey time will not only be governed by family members,
you will also have to consider who will be using your caravan. If you do not want or need to sub-let
your caravan you can base your decision on the ‘mobility’ of your friends and family.
If you are planning on sub-letting, and doing it yourself, you will need to hire a cleaner unless you
plan to do the cleaning yourself, but this won’t be a cost effective way of working unless you are
very close to your caravan.
3.2 Location
Most Holiday Parks are on the coast and relatively close to the sea but we all have a different idea of
what makes the perfect holiday. You may have to take into account the needs of other people who
will use your caravan. All families evolve with the coming and going of family members and you
should ideally choose a park that will meet the needs of the majority of users.
If you are going to sub-let, you will want to choose a park that is likely to have the greatest appeal to
your potential guests and this is usually an active family based park close to the sea.
3.3 Park Layout
The park layout is something that you don’t have any influence over so when you have chosen your
park you will have to ‘live with’ the way the park is designed. However, it is worth remembering that
Park Owners will have an on-going development plan for the park and you should ask about future
development plans.
Development of all or part of the park could have an adverse effect on



the position of your caravan – you may have to move pitch
the view from your caravan – the siting of other caravans or the building of new structures
the ease of access to your caravan – footpaths or close parking
Most Park Owners work with a long term (often 5 years) development plan and you should always
ask about these plans.
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3.4 Park Rules
Every park owner has rules that you agree to when you sign the agreement to buy and site your
caravan on their park. The rules will vary depending on the Park Owner and possibly even from park
to park within the same company.
You should ALWAYS read the park rules BEFORE you sign any agreement. You should ask the sales
team for a copy of the rules when you first visit the park and read them when you are deciding if the
park is right for you.
As an example; a copy of the 2014 park rules for Presthaven Sands (Haven Park) is given here. As I
have said before there will be changes between park owners and even parks.

In accordance with the Site Licence and Planning Permissions, Owners and Guests
may occupy Caravans on the Holiday Park from the 1 March to (Date will vary on
each park) in each season.
Caravans must not be occupied outside this period. The Park Administration
Reception is open throughout the year. Other amenities, facilities and entertainment
will be available from time to time, at the reasonable discretion of the management,
having regard to seasonal demand.
No person may occupy a Caravan for more than 60(This can vary with different park
owners) consecutive days.
The Owner of the Caravan is not allowed to register the Caravan with the Local
Authority as their permanent address and may not use the Caravan as their main or
sole residence.

No animals, other than dogs, may occupy Caravans without prior written permission
of the General Manager.
Dogs must be kept on leads at all times when not in the Caravan and should not foul
the public areas of the Park.
No dangerous dogs may be kept at the Park.

All Park grounds are communal, save for the areas of land designated for individual
Caravans.
The area of land designated for an individual Caravan is the area covered by the
Caravan in addition to the area directly in front of the Caravan doors.
Any disputes as to whether land is communal or designated for an individual Caravan
will be determined by the Park Manager.

All Caravans are to be kept in good condition and maintained to the high standards of
the Park.
All steps, verandas and any other means of access to the caravan must be maintained
in good condition and conform to health and safety regulations.
The Caravan Owner is responsible for the general upkeep of the Caravan and the
tidiness around the unit, ensuring that the area underneath the Caravan is kept clean
and free of all material at all times.

Patios and stone slabs may only be laid with the written permission of the Park
Manager and by laying these slabs they are deemed to have passed onto the
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ownership of the Park and may not be removed unless the ground is restored to its
original condition.
However, it is the Caravan Owner’s duty to maintain any such patios and slabs in a
safe condition and the Caravan Owner will be responsible for any incidents if this is
not done.

No fences, steps, walls, boxes, sheds or similar structures may be erected on the Park.
Verandas constructed in accordance with standard designs are allowable on
designated areas of the Park with the permission of the Park Owner.
A programme for the removal of structures out-with this policy has been implemented
on the Park. A copy of this programme is available upon request.

Disabled access ramps and steps constructed in accordance with the standard
designs, will be allowed on any part of the Park by agreement with the Park Manager
and Caravan Owners are advised not to commence work until they have received
such consent in writing.
Ramps and steps may be installed by the Park’s own staff, by appropriately qualified
contractors or by the Caravan Owner with Park Manager’s consent.
All work must be carried out in a proper and workmanlike manner and comply with
health and safety regulations and all applicable statutory requirements.
A list of contractors who have previously carried out such works at the Park is
available from the Park Manager upon request should Caravan Owners wish to use
their services.

Clothes may be dried on clothes airers that attach to the Caravan window.
Washing lines or rotary dryers are not permitted.

Tents and motor Caravans are not permitted on the Park.
Windbreaks may be used during daylight hours only.

Ball games are to be played on the designated areas and not between Caravans.
3.5 When can I use my caravan?
You can ‘visit’ your caravan at any time during the year; however, you are only allowed to sleep in
your caravan during your parks ‘season’.
Each park has its own ‘season’ and you will be told by the sales team what dates apply to your park.
All Haven holiday parks opens on, or just after, the 1st March each year for owners (and their private
sub-let guests, if they have any), and opens for Haven guests just before Easter.
Each park will close for Haven’s own guests after the October half term, but will remain open for
owners. Your park will have its own ‘End of Season’ date ranging from beginning of November to the
middle of January; during that time owners can continue to stay in their caravan (and sub-let if they
want to).
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After the ‘End of Season’ date owners can still visit their caravan, but, they are not allowed to sleep
in them; you are usually expected to leave the park around ‘tea time’; again this is something you
should clarify with your park.
There is a list of HAVEN park opening and closing dates FOR OWNERS available in the ‘Members
Resources’ section of the forum http://www.havenownersforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=131&t=19264
4 Choosing a Caravan
This is often where new owners have the most difficulty because it is almost impossible to imagine a
‘show’ caravan full of your own personal belongings. The ‘show’ caravans are laid out carefully to
make them look spacious, but if you look carefully you will see that the layout is very minimalistic in
design.
If you are going to sub-let through your park, you are advised not to leave personal items in your
caravan when you are not using it.
If you are not going to sub-let, you will usually find that you will fill all available places with your own
‘home comforts’. Think about what you would like to keep in your caravan and then look to see if
there is going to be a suitable place for those things.
If you have family or friends who will use the caravan regularly and have mobility impairments, you
also need to check for accessibility not just in and out of the caravan, but also for ease of movement
inside and the suitability of the shower etc.
Good practice is, as with buying a car, to look around several caravan show grounds, whether they
be a traders show ground or different holiday parks, and look at the range of caravans available so
that you can get some idea of size, layout and features available. If you visit different caravan parks
you will also have the opportunity to view the facilities available on the different parks.
Your first few visits should not be with the intent to buy, but be about research of what is available
within your budget range and compiling the ‘check list’ you will use to find the perfect caravan for
your needs.
The best advice is to be very critical of every caravan you view, new or pre-owned. You need to be
sure it is the right one for you and meets all your needs. (See Checking for faults/problems ).
It is, of course, possible to change/upgrade your caravan at any time, but if you do that within the
first 12 months or so of buying your caravan it can be an expensive decision.
Many Park Owners run referral schemes that encourage existing owners to find new customers for
their park. At the present time Haven is running a referral scheme that could give you a £1000
discount on the purchase price of a new or pre owned caravan when bought from them.
Unfortunately, the scheme does not apply if you chose to buy privately.
If you would like to know more about Haven’s Referral scheme you will find some details and an
application form here or you can email me using this link – keith@Havenownersforum.co.uk
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Other Park Owners do sometimes run similar schemes for their parks and it is worth looking into
those as well. If you know somebody who is an owner on a Non-Haven Park you should ask them
about what is available. If you don’t know anybody then you can ask me because I have contacts on
many parks and I MAY be able to find something for you, email me using this link keith@Havenownersforum.co.uk
4.1 New or Pre-owned?
Whilst owning a Brand New caravan is a possibility for many and can give you a great ‘Buzz’ it may
be more practical to look at finding a caravan that is within your price range and ‘ticks all the boxes’
and for many this will mean a pre-owned caravan.
4.1.1 New Caravans
If you are looking to buy a new caravan your choice will really only be limited by your budget. It is
important that you already have your list of criteria that your new caravan must meet.
When buying a new caravan ask the sales person if the caravan you are looking at is the one you will
get or will you get one sent straight from the manufacturer.
If when looking at a new caravan you think “It would be nice if it had a particular feature or
modification” then ask the sales person if that could be done by the manufacturer before delivery.
Examples could be:


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
Extra plug sockets
Washing machine instead of dishwasher
Room for a fridge/freezer instead of just a fridge
Extra aerial points in bedrooms
Changes to shower access
Etc.
Having modifications done by the manufacturer will probably delay the delivery of your new caravan
and alter the price you pay, but it will mean that everything has been done and you don’t then have
to arrange for the work to be done at a later date which could impact on your use of the caravan.
The other and perhaps the main reason for having the manufacturer do the work is that the
alterations then become ‘factory fittings’ and will be covered by the manufacturers’ warranty
(usually 5 years on a new caravan).
4.1.2 Pre-owned Caravans
You have a few choices here:
4.1.2.1 From the Park Owner
For your own piece of mind, it may be advisable:



you will get a guarantee (usually 2 years)
You will be sure there are no major faults or outstanding finance.
You will have a greater choice of pitch
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4.1.2.2 From a trader
When buying from a trader you should:




Make sure you have written confirmation that the caravan can be sited on the park and
pitch you want.
Make sure you have written details of the type and length of any warranty, including what is
and what isn’t covered.
Make sure that the cost of transporting, siting and carrying out all safety checks required by
the park are included in the price you pay for the caravan, or that you are fully aware of all
addition costs you will be required to pay to either the trader or the park.
Make sure you have examined the caravan in detail and compiled a list of repairs etc. that
are required and you know who will be responsible for them. Make sure you have at least
TWO copies of the list; one for you and one for the trader. (See Checking for
faults/problems).
4.1.2.3 Buy privately
When buying privately you will usually buy from an owner who is selling the caravan already sited on
a park. You should:


Make sure you are happy with the park (See Choosing a Park)
Make sure you are happy with the pitch (See Choosing a Pitch)
When buying a Pre-owned caravan, you will need to be completely happy with its condition. Buying
a caravan is not much different to buying a car; you need to look it over carefully inside and out. (See
Checking for faults/problems ).
If the caravan is only a couple of years old, you may get the remainder of the manufacturer’s
warranty. But you need to check that the warranty is transferrable.
You are unlikely to get a warranty from the seller, so any faults that subsequently develop will have
to be corrected at your expense.
4.2 Layout
Modern caravans come with a wide range of layout styles and sizes and making a choice can be very
difficult.
Some older or ‘starter’ caravans are only 10 feet wide and fitted with a ‘Galley’ kitchen, this can
cause problems with lack of space whilst cooking.
Do you ‘need’ two bathrooms/toilets?
Many caravans are open plan in design and whilst this may make them appear spacious it can be a
disadvantage in caravans without central heating. Caravans without central heating usually only
have a single gas fire in the lounge area and this is unlikely to effectively heat the whole of the
caravan.
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4.3 Bedrooms
Most caravans come with a choice of two or three bedrooms, but some of the newer ‘high end’ ones
can have four bedrooms.
A two bedroomed caravan will be more spacious and usually have extra features such as en-suite or
second toilets.
However, the number of bedrooms you decide on may not depend on the size of your family. You
need to bear in mind who may use your caravan in the future. If you have children, they will want to
bring their friends etc. and if you are going to sub-let your caravan will be more ‘family friendly’ with
three (or four) bedrooms than with only two.
Bunk beds can seem like a novelty at first for your children, but can become less so as the children
get older.
Most caravans come with additional sleeping in the lounge or dining area, but many people find
having to prepare it and pack it away everyday frustrating and from the owners’ point of view this
additional sleeping area is more likely to get damaged so if they sub-let, they may not advertise that
additional sleeping capacity.
4.4 Storage
When looking at caravans for sale on Holiday Parks it is not unusual for them to have two
bedroomed caravans on the display ground because the always appear to be very ‘spacious’. When
viewing any caravan, you need to look carefully at the amount of storage available and its
practicality.
You should try and imagine the things you will want to store in the caravan (either permanently or
just temporarily), and see if you can ‘find a home’ for those items.
If you have had a caravan holiday you will be aware of how difficult it can be ‘to find a place’ for
everything you have taken with you just for that holiday. When you own your own caravan you will
have a many more things to store, especially in the kitchen and bedrooms.
4.4.1 Internal Storage
Having a holiday in a caravan is quite different from owning one and equipping it to reflect your own
style. The temptation is always to ‘bring more’ but we do not always think about where things will
go.
Storage can be particularly important if you plan to sub-let through the park. Most parks insist that
you do not leave any personal items in your caravan whilst they have the use of your caravan. This is
because their insurance will only cover theft or damage to ‘standard inventory’.
If you cannot leave your personal items ‘on display’ when sub-letting, you will either have to bring it
all home or allocate some storage area in your caravan you can make secure to keep your personal
there.
4.4.2 External Storage
As discussed previously storage is a major concern for all caravan owners and new owners will
quickly find their caravan lacking.
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Whilst internal storage can be maximised by careful use, many owners look to external storage as
the answer, however, this is not as simple a solution as it may seem.
Most parks will allow a single ‘Bench Seat’ storage unit for each caravan.
Some parks will allow other external storage units but may impose some restrictions on size and/or
materials.
Some parks will allow a single storage unit for storing equipment required for a disabled user (proof
of disability is usually required before the park will authorise them).
Some parks will allow storage to be fitted under verandas/decking, but again will impose restrictions
on size and materials.
It is important that, if you want/need additional outside storage, you make sure you fully understand
what you park will allow and get all information IN WRITING and signed by the person who
authorises/agrees to it. This also applies to Decking and verandas.
4.5 Checking for faults/problems
When choosing your caravan, you will need to check it in detail for any problems that should be
corrected either before you take possession or within an agreed time scale afterwards.
When buying a new caravan, it is possible that the caravan you see on the showground will not be
the one you actually get. You must clarify this with the salesperson.
If you are buying a new caravan or from a trader, a lot of the checks will only be possible when it has
actually been sited.
I am not going to create two lists one for new and one for pre-owned caravans; most of them will
apply to both. Some checks should be done when examining the caravan BEFORE agreeing to buy
and the checks in bold print should be checked again when the caravan has been sited.
These are things to check:


The outside condition of the caravan.
o Signs of damage to the panels and/or the seals between the panels
o Presence of holes that may suggest things have been moved or replaced e.g. steps,
outside lights, aerials/satellite dishes, etc.
o Condition of the chassis. New caravans have a galvanised chassis so rust/corrosion is
not usually an issue, but it can be with older caravans.
o All doors, windows and skylights open and close easily, fit into their frames
correctly and the seals are in good condition.
The internal condition of the caravan
o Condition of upholstery and curtains – signs of colour fade and/or damage
o Condition of the carpets, especially high traffic areas
o Yellowing of walls and ceilings due to smoking
o Condition of all light fittings/shades
o Condition of any folding/pull down/lift up bed mechanism
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o
o
o
Check ceiling for signs of damp especially the edges and around skylights
Check for signs of staining around toilets/sinks/showers that may suggest leaks
Check all internal doors, cupboards and draws close easily and are aligned
correctly.
5 Choosing a Pitch
When you buy a caravan either new or pre-owned you will be offered a selection of pitches on which
you can site your caravan.




If you buy a new caravan or upgrade your existing caravan you will be given a much greater
choice of pitches.
If you buy a caravan privately from the owner, you will normally buy the caravan on its
existing pitch. If you then want to move to another pitch you will either have to upgrade the
caravan or pay the park to move your caravan to an agreed new pitch
If you ‘bring on’ a caravan you will normally have a very limited choice of pitch.
5.1 Pitch Grading
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
Parks will have pitches that they grade differently e.g. Standard and Premium pitches.
A ‘Premium’ pitch may offer extras such as Parking, Sea View, Quieter area of park, piped
gas instead of bottled supply, ability to have a veranda, etc.
However, these ‘extras’ will vary from park to park because not all parks can offer all the
extras such as a sea view.
You should discuss the difference in pitch grading with the park because this will affect the
site fees you pay.
5.2 Your ideal pitch
We are all individuals with different needs and requirements, so when choosing your pitch, you
should have a list of criteria that are important to you.
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A quiet part of the park or close to the entertainment
Proximity of shops and other facilities
Parking close to your pitch or allocated parking. Remember to take into account the amount
of vehicles there may be from other caravans that will have to share any local car park area
and may mean that in peak periods there may be more vehicles than parking spaces.
Parking is not generally allowed on the grassed area around caravans, so if you want to park
your car on the grass close to your caravan, it is a good idea to get written permission to do
that.
Ability to have a veranda
Any plans the park has to develop that area in the future
Position in relation to the sun. Do you want a ‘sun trap’ or a nice shaded area?
The view you will have from your caravan window/door e.g. a scenic view or the back of
another caravan. Don’t forget to think about the views from ALL your caravan windows. It is
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
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
a good idea to stand by the pitch with a floor plan of the caravan so you can work out what
the views will be out of each window/door.
What are the site fees for the pitch? Some pitches attract a higher rate than others
What are the noise levels around the pitch? Trains, traffic, proximity of site maintenance
sheds, etc.
If you have younger children; are there safe playing areas nearby?
Are your neighbours’ private owners or are the majority of the surrounding vans fleet vans?
Is the pitch close to a main footpath that will have a lot of foot traffic going to and from the
park facilities? (Think about people coming back from the entertainment complex late at
night)
When looking at potential pitch locations don’t just look at empty pitches. Look at the area of the
park you are interested in and if any of the pitches you would like are occupied ask if the caravan on
the pitch is a fleet van (owned by the park) or a privately owned van.



If it is a fleet van the park may well be willing to move it off the pitch so you can have your
van, there.
If it is a privately owned caravan on the pitch ask if the owner on that pitch would consider
moving (the owner may have taken that pitch because it was the best available at the time
for them, or their requirements/circumstances have changed, and they would now like to
move) or
If you can reserve the pitch and have a free move on to it if that pitch becomes available in
the future (within an agreed time scale).
Finally, when you have selected your pitch, ask if they will allow a FREE PITCH MOVE within 12
months of you first occupying your pitch, just in case you find it isn’t suitable. Make sure you get
this agreement IN WRITING
6 What Are the Running Costs?
The Site Fees are not the only thing you will have to pay for when you own a caravan. The following
will also need to be paid at various times throughout the season (See When Are Payments Due? for
more details).
6.1 Site Fees
Site Fees allow you to keep your caravan on the park and use the parks facilities. The fees you pay
will vary depending on which park you are on and will also usually depend on which pitch you
choose on that park (Every park will have ‘Standard’ and ‘Premium’ pitches – see 5.1Pitch Grading).
6.1.1 Site Fee Reduction
If you buy your holiday home from Bourne Leisure you will get a reduction in your site fees. This
reduction will vary between parks and only applies to the original purchaser.
The reduction can vary between just over £200 and £540 depending on the park you purchase your
caravan on
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You will NOT get this reduction if you buy privately even when Bourne Leisure act as the selling
agent.
This reduction will be carried over to a family member if you decide to transfer ownership of your
caravan to them either as a gift or bequest. (Correct Sept 2014 – Haven Sellers Pack)
One final and important point to remember about this site fee reduction is that when you purchase
your caravan and the sales person tells you what site fees you will pay; they are quoting the site fees
AFTER the reduction has been applied. This often causes new owners some confusion when they get
their first invoice for site fees because you will get an entry for site fees BEFORE the reduction is
applied i.e. the invoice will quote site fees of £xxxx and then an entry saying “Reduction for buying a
Bourne Holiday Home” £yyyy and then another entry giving the reduced fees of £zzzz
6.2 Insurance
Insurance is required to cover any damage to your caravan and/or its contents, and is usually on a
‘New for Old’ basis (new for old won’t apply on caravans over a certain age – that age may vary and
will be determined by the insurance company).
Insurance is also required to cover Public Liability and the usual minimum requirement for that it
£2m but a sum of £5m is becoming more common.
Insurance will be offered by the park and automatically renewed unless you decide to use an
alternative insurer.
If you decide to provide your own insurance cover, you must ensure that it meets all the
requirements set by the park and it also covers losses occurring when sub-letting. You will also need
to check that your policy will cover you if your park is at risk of flooding.
You must provide the park with a copy of your valid insurance for their records.
If you sub-let through your park you may be covered by additional insurance in the form of a Repair
Cover Plan. This may be provided free of charge if you meet the requirements of your parks subletting scheme. If it is not provided free of charge you are usually able to purchase this for around
£200 (Correct Sept 2014 – Haven). If you have any ‘Repair Cover Plan’ insurance, as with any form of
insurance, it is important that you understand exactly what is covered and what is not.
6.3 Gas Usage
Gas will be supplied to you caravan in one of three ways:



In Bottles
By Metered Pipe Supply
By Un-Metered Pipe Supply (Shared Supply)
How you are billed and when you have to pay will depend on the type of supply. (It is possible that
some Non-Haven Parks will include this in their site fees, but that is very rare now).
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6.4 Gas Safety Check
This is a mandatory annual requirement and will be carried out by the park, however you can use
your own suitably qualified contractor if you want to and you will have to supply the park with a
valid copy of the safety certificate. (See Repairs and Service Price List)
6.5 Electricity Usage
Electricity supply to your caravan will be a metered supply and you will be billed according to your
usage (it is possible that some non-Haven parks will include this in their site fees, but that is very
rare now).
6.6 Electricity Safety Check
This is a mandatory 3 YEARLY requirement and will be carried out by the park, however you can use
your own suitably qualified contractor if you want to and you will have to supply the park with a
valid copy of the safety certificate. (See Repairs and Service Price List)
6.7 PAT Testing
The annual testing of Portable Electrical Appliances such as toasters and kettles etc. is mandatory if
you sub-let your caravan and on most parks optional if you don’t sub-let.
The park will usually do this automatically, however you can use your own suitably qualified
contractor if you want to and you will have to supply the park with a valid copy of the safety
certificate. (See Repairs and Service Price List)
If you don’t sub-let, you will usually need to confirm in writing to the park that you do not sub-let
and that you do not require PAT testing.
6.8 Rates
Rates usually consist of two elements; Water & Sewerage Rates and Non-Domestic Business Rates
Charge.
6.8.1 Water & Sewerage Rates
What are these?
6.8.2 Non-Domestic Business Rates
What are these?
The charge for non-domestic rates is set by central government using a rate in the pound which is
normally increased in line with the September RPI and thus by November park owners are able to
estimate the charge for the following year to a high degree of accuracy
6.9 Alarm Maintenance
Most caravans will have an alarm fitted and this will require an annual maintenance check and test.
Bourne Leisure requires an annual subscription to the service (See Repairs and Service Price List) the
fitting of an alarm is not usually mandatory, but is usually included when buying a new caravan or
will already be in place in a pre-owned caravan.
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Having an alarm fitted will often qualify you for a reduction in your insurance premium (check with
your park or insurance provider), but this reduction is minimal (£15 on a Bourne Leisure park (March
2014)).
You can, if you wish, fit an alarm of your own choosing, either fitting it yourself or having a
contractor fit it for you. However, you will not be able to connect your own alarm to the parks
monitoring system.
With the advances in technology there are now a wide variety of alarms other than the one offered
by the park that could meet your requirements. It is worth doing some research taking into account
the cost of supply and maintenance as well as the features it offers.
6.10 Television Licence
The TV Licence regulations state that you must have a TV Licence for your caravan if:


You Sub-let
Your television at home will be in use at the same time as the television in your caravan
If your television at home will never be in use at the same time as the one in your caravan, then you
don’t need a separate licence. You are required to notify the TV Licencing Authority of this by
completing and returning a form to them.
*** Note *** ‘Television’ means any form of equipment that can receive LIVE television broadcasts.
6.11 Drain Down
One of the most important tasks to be carried out on your caravan is the annual drain down in
preparation for the winter shut down.
The draining of your water system is a fairly straightforward task and many owners do it themselves.
(See Draining Down)
If you don’t feel confident or physically able to do this yourself, you can either arrange for the park
to do it (See Repairs and Service Price List) or you can use a contractor of your choice.
The advantage of using either the park or a contractor is that if any damage does occur, you will be
protected by their insurance, whereas if you do it yourself you will have to bear the cost.
If you use the park to do the drain down and reconnection for you the date of the drain down and/or
reconnection will not be specified, you will be given a range of dates to choose from and even then
the date cannot usually be guaranteed.
If you use your own contractor you can usually specify the date you want the work doing.
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6.12 Accountant Fees
If you sub-let or receive an income from your caravan in any way you are required to declare it on
your tax return. If sub-let and you meet the criteria laid down by HMRC you can reclaim some of the
expenses involved in sub-letting against your tax liability.
It is for this reason that many owners use an accountant. It is important that you use an accountant
who has a working knowledge of Holiday Home Rentals.
6.13 Your Finance Charges
If you used some form of finance to buy your caravan you will obviously need to make repayments.
The amount and frequency of your repayments will depend on your personal arrangements and
therefore cannot be given in this guide. However, it is important that when you work out you budget
(especially if you are sub-letting to help cover your costs) you include these payments in your
calculations.
6.14 Other Miscellaneous Costs
Just like your home, your caravan will need some maintenance and repair from time to time. Some
items will need replacing due to normal wear and tear, some due to damage.
6.15 Repairs and Service Price List
This list is intended as a GUIDE ONLY these prices are from ONE Haven Park and are correct as of
Sept 2014.
You should remember that prices for ALL goods and services whether caravan related or not will
vary from one region in the country to another and from one Park Owner to another.

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Safety Tests and Services


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Electrical Safety Test - £70
Gas Safety Test - £70
PAT Test (per appliance) - £5.75
PAT Test (up to 10 appliances) £34.50
Gas Appliance Service - £83
Ramtech Alarm - £200
Ramtech annual warranty - £100
Drain Down (central heating) - £75
Drain Down (no central heating) - £45
Accessories

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Plumbing

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
Smoke Alarm - £19.50
Carbon Monoxide Alarm - £38.50
Alarm Battery - £5
Low Energy Halogen Bulb - £5
© Keith Stott 2014
Electrical Socket (single) - £70
Electrical Socket (double) - £80
Outside Light - £93
Fire Extinguisher - £31
Door Lock - £36
Door Catch - £10
Pull out bed & mattress – £195
Slab Work (per slab) - £17
Step Treads (pre tread) - £10
Steps – 3 tread (New) - £495
Steps – 3 tread (used) - £120
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Outside Tap - £40
Shower Head (white) - £16.50
Shower Head (chrome) - £27.50
Shower Hose - £15
Shower – Complete (chrome) - £45
Last Update 22 March 2016
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Thermostatic Mixer Tap - £125
Taps - £58
Sink replace (std white) - £77
Toilet pan replace (std white) - £80
Toilet seat replace (std white) - £36
Toilet Roll Holder - £15
Cleaning & Sub-let Services
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Carpet clean (all) - £40
Carpet clean (one room) - £20
1 Hour Clean - £30
4 Hour Deep Clean - £99
Outside Wash - £50
Patio Wash - £35
Veranda Wash - £37
Duvet Wash (per duvet) - £10
Curtain Cleaning (per curtain) - £20
Mattress Cleaning (per mattress) £20
Upholstery Clean - £60
Window Cleaning - £25
Bedding Hire - £
Key Release - £3.50
Kettle (white) - £9
Kettle (stainless steel) - £24
Toaster (white) – £8
Toaster (stainless steel) - £23
Microwave (white) - £46
Microwave (silver – plastic) - £55
Fridge (std under counter) - £165
TV 20 “ Combi (TV only) - £150
TV 28 “ Combi (TV only) - £175
TV 32 “ Combi (TV only) - £200
DVD Player - £35
Coax Cable - £7.50
Maintenance



Call Out Charge (less than 30 minutes)
- £10
Clear Blockage - £10
Clear Gutters - £20
Labour Charges (1/2 Hr)




Electrical Inventory
General Labour - £15
Gas Labour - £20
Electrical Labour - £30
Plumbing Labour - £20
ALL prices will include fitting and VAT
**** Please remember these prices are a GUIDE ONLY – they will vary from park to park ****
7 When Are Payments Due?
Invoices will be issued at different times throughout the season. In most cases payment of these
invoices will be due in full within 30 days of issue, but more information on payment dates is given
below.
Payments can be made:




On the park – cash or credit/debit card
On-line using the Park Owners website (Haven’s is www.owner-services.co.uk)
Direct debit – If you use this method for your Site Fees it may (depending on the Park
Owners schemes) to add your utility charges to your direct debits.
Standing Order
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7.1.1 Site Fees
On Haven parks your Site Fees are usually invoiced in October and you have three payment options:



Pay in full in one payment. Due 1st December (If Site Fees are paid IN FULL before this date,
Haven offer an early payment discount, usually between £50 & £75 depending on the park).
Pay in TWO instalments. These are due on 1st December and 28th February
Pay in SIX monthly instalments. These payments are by Direct Debit and the first payment
will be collected in November.
One other point to bear in mind is that if, when you buy, the site fees are included in the overall
price you are TAKING FINANCE for, then you will be paying interest on those site fees for the
whole term of your finance.

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If you can buy without the site fees included, you could then pay them separately and avoid
paying interest on them.
If you can put the money away so that you can pay the site fees in full when they are due,
you can qualify for an early payment discount that will effectively reduce your site fees by
£50 or so.
The other option is to pay your site fees using the INTEREST FREE Direct Debit option where
you pay your site fees in 6 monthly direct debits (but you won’t qualify for the early
payment discount).
7.1.2 Insurance
This is usually invoiced in March and payment is due within 30 days if provided by your park.
If you have sourced your own insurance, you may have an instalment plan in place which will set out
your payment dates. Otherwise, because insurance is due in March you can expect your payment to
be due around then.
7.1.3 Gas Usage
This will depend on how your gas is supplied.


If you use bottled gas you will pay for your gas as you use it.
If you have a piped supply, either metered or shared, you will be invoiced in November and
payment will be due within 30 days.
7.1.4 Gas Safety Check
This is due every 12 months and will become due 12 months from your purchase date. You should
receive a reminder from the park that your safety check is due. If you use your own contractor you
will need to arrange the test and payment will obviously be due subject to their terms.
If you let Haven do the test you will be invoiced around the time the test is due and payment will be
due within 30 days, however, the safety check may not be done ‘on time’ as the parks often try and
do these safety checks in ‘blocks’
7.1.5 Electricity Usage
You will be invoiced in November and payment is due within 30 days.
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7.1.6 Electricity Safety Check
This is due every 3 YEARS and will become due 3 YEARS from your purchase date. You should receive
a reminder from the park that your safety check is due. If you use your own contractor you will need
to arrange the test and payment will obviously be due subject to their terms.
If you let Haven do the test you will be invoiced around the time the test is due and payment will be
due within 30 days, however, the safety check may not be done ‘on time’ as the parks often try and
do these safety checks in ‘blocks’
7.1.7 PAT Testing
This is due every year if you sub-let. You should receive a reminder from the park that your safety
check is due. If you use your own contractor you will need to arrange the test and payment will
obviously be due subject to their terms.
If you let Haven do the test you will be invoiced around the time the test is due and payment will be
due within 30 days, however, the safety check may not be done ‘on time’ as the parks often try and
do these safety checks in ‘blocks’
If you don’t sub-let, you don’t need this test.
7.1.8 Rates
Both elements of this; Water & Sewerage & Non Domestic Business Rates are invoiced in December
and payment due in 30 days.
7.1.9 Alarm Maintenance
The payment of any alarm maintenance will depend on who supplied your alarm and their
maintenance schedule. At the time of writing this guide Haven used Ramtech Alarms on their parks
and although you would expect your alarm to have its annual maintenance check on or close to the
anniversary date of its installation, this is not usually the case. Ramtech will arrange for an engineer
to visit the park and cover as many alarms as possible on that visit, but it is not guaranteed that all
alarms will be checked. This can mean that you could be invoiced for your alarm maintenance at any
time during the season.
If you have an alarm fitted by someone other than the park your maintenance schedule will be
dependent on the arrangements made with them.
7.1.10 Television Licence
This will be due from the date you decide to get a licence. This may be the date you buy your
caravan or the date you decide to begin sub-letting.
Payment will be due either in full or by monthly direct debit.
7.1.11 Drain Down
This will be due when you decide to close your caravan down for the winter. This date will vary due
to different parks having different closing dates and may also be governed by the weather; an early
very cold spell may mean it is advisable to drain down before your season ends, whereas a warmer
winter may encourage you to continue to use your caravan until the very last day.
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If you use the park to do the work for you, you can expect to be invoiced for the work around the
date you specified for the drain down to be done and payment will be due within 30 days.
If you use your own contractor the payment will be due in line with their terms.
7.1.12 Accountant’s Fees
If you decide to use an accountant, you will usually be given a choice of paying an annual fee or
paying by direct debit. The date(s) payment will be due will depend on your arrangements with the
accountant.
7.1.13 Other Miscellaneous Costs
You will never know when your caravan will suffer damage or equipment failure etc. it is therefore
good practice to have a ‘repair fund’. How much and when you put into this fund will be entirely up
to you, but it is suggested that you base your decision on the cost of replacing items due to wear and
tear and the cost of replacing items that are NOT covered by your insurance policy. Remember that
your insurance policy will have an excess of at £50 and possibly more.
7.1.14 Interest Charges
Where there is an outstanding balance older than one complete calendar month, BL can add an
interest charge of 1.6% (correct at Sept 2014) which will be added to your account. Interest on all
outstanding accounts will be billed in April. Monies received against your account are always
credited against the oldest outstanding transactions, giving you a minimum of one month's interest
free credit. BL may change the interest rate, but must give two months’ notice.
Other park owners will have similar conditions.
8 Passes
This section relates to the use of passes on HAVEN HOLIDAY PARKS ONLY. Most Park Owners
operate some form of ‘Pass’ and if you are interested in becoming, or already are, an owner on a
Non-Haven park you should ask your Park Owner how their system operates.
The information below is correct at the time of writing, but may interpreted differently by individual
Parks. This section will be re-written as and when changes are agreed and implemented.
At present Haven issue three types of pass:
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Privilege Cards – these are issued FREE to owners
Friends and Family Passes – these are issued FREE to friends or family of owners
Fun Works Passes – these are supplied to paying guests on the park, whether they rent from
Haven or privately from an owner.
8.1 Privilege Cards (Haven Holiday Parks)
Every owner is given TEN privilege passes for every caravan they own. These are valid for the season
in which they are issued and are renewed every season for as long as you own a caravan.
It is important that you read and understand the full Terms and Conditions for the use of these
cards.
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These cards entitle you to a range of ‘privileges’ both on and off park:
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They allow access to all Owner Only Events
They give the holder 15% discount on MOST purchases on park
They can be pre-loaded with money and used as a payment card
They allow ADULT card holders to obtain Free ‘Friends & Family’ day passes (subject to some
limits – these will vary by each park).
They can be used to get discounts at selected ‘Off-Park’ venues (These will vary from park to
park)
Privilege Cards can be used ON ANY HAVEN park and the card holder will be entitled to the same
benefits they would enjoy on their own park EXCEPT:
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They may NOT use the card as a method of payment. They will still be entitled to their 15%
discount if they show their card, they just can’t use the card as a method of payment.
They may NOT attend Owners Only events on that park.
They may NOT request Friend and Family passes on that park
8.2 Friends and Family Passes (Haven Holiday Parks)
These are issued free of charge to friends or family members who may be visiting the owner, but
don’t require a Privilege Card.
At present there is no standard scheme in place that applies to ALL Haven parks. The scheme is set
by each General Manager on their own park. Because the way the scheme is applied varies from
park to park and from year to year, you will need to check with YOUR park at the START OF EVERY
SEASON and make sure you understand how the scheme is being offered.
As a general rule if your ‘Friends or Family’ are staying for longer than 14 days, the park may ask that
they purchase FUN WORKS PASSES.
The Friends and Family passes entitle the pass holder to use all the facilities on the park EXCEPT any
OWNERS ONLY facilities or events such as Owners Parties. They DO NOT entitle the pass holder to
the 15% discount or any other ‘privilege’ that Privilege Card holder may get.
The Privilege Card holder is responsible for the behaviour of the user and the correct use of the pass.
8.3 Fun Works Passes (Haven Holiday Parks)
These are the passes that PAYING guests must purchase if they wish to use the parks facilities. If the
guest is renting the caravan directly through Haven, then these passes will be included in the rental
price.
If the guests have rented their caravan from the caravan owner the passes are NOT usually included
in the rental price. However, they will have the option to buy the passes or not.
Fun Works passes entitle the holder to use all the parks facilities EXCEPT any OWNERS ONLY facilities
or attend any OWNERS ONLY events.
Fun Works passes DO NOT entitle the holder to any discounts either on or off the park.
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9 Sub Letting
Many owners will sub-let their caravan to help cover the running costs. Whether or not you chose to
sub-let will depend on your individual situation and will be a matter of personal choice.
Some parks offer schemes to help with the initial cost of buying your caravan by guaranteeing a level
of income if you let them use your caravan for their guests for a number of weeks in one or more
seasons.
The income may be paid at the end of each season or it may be offered as an ‘upfront’ payment to
help with the purchase price.
Different Park owners will have different schemes and schemes that are in place may change so it is
important that you fully understand the terms and conditions of any scheme being offered to you.
9.1 Grading of Your Caravan
One of the most controversial points that applies to sub-letting is the grading of you caravan. The
terms used for the different grades will vary with different Park Owners. The grading’s usually use
terms such as: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium or Standard, Superior, Deluxe etc.
It is important that you know what grade has been applied to your caravan (and that you agree with
it) and also that you understand that this grading will change with the age of your caravan and, of
course, the income you get will fall as your caravan is downgraded.
Before your caravan is accepted in to a sub-let scheme it will be inspected to make sure it meets the
requirements for the grade. This should not be an issue if you buy a new caravan, but pre-owned
caravans may need some work and you will be advised of this and it will be your responsibility to
ensure the work is done to the required standard or to authorise the park to do the work and charge
it to your account.
Most Park owners will only accept caravans up to SEVEN years old onto one of their sub-let schemes,
if your caravan is older than that you can still sub-let but you will either have to do it yourself or use
a third party to do it for you.
9.2 Damage Insurance
If you sub-let your caravan, damage to or loss from your caravan will happen at some point and it is
therefore important that you are covered for these incidents.
You need to make sure you have adequate insurance and this will normally be provided by one or
more of the following:


The insurance you are required to have to cover your caravan may or may not cover loss or
damage by paying guests. You will need to check your policy and if necessary ask your
insurance provider to confirm the level of cover in writing.
If you are sub-letting through the one of your parks sub-let schemes, you need to know what
insurance, if any, is provided and what is covered. For example, the insurance may cover loss
or damage whilst your park has its guests in your caravan, but it may not cover you if you
have your own guests in. You need to be sure you know exactly what cover you have.
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
You may need to buy a separate insurance policy specifically designed to cover sub-let
losses. Some Park Owners will offer you this type of insurance as an ‘add on’ to their sub-let
packages, but again you need to know if this will cover loss caused by your own guests or
just theirs. The alternative is to buy insurance from an outside source that is design to ‘fill
any gaps’ in the existing insurance cover that you have.
As in all cases of insurance cover, whether it is for your home, your car or your caravan, you need to
understand exactly what level of cover you actually have so that you don’t get any nasty shocks
when you discover you are not covered for a particular incident.
You should also be aware that although the insurance provided by Park Owners promises to replace
‘like with like’ you should not expect replaced items to ‘match’ (especially in style and colour) they
certainly won’t replace a full set of crockery because one piece is broken, so you will end up with a
‘mishmash’ of items and they may not replace items such as mattresses and duvets with new ones
One thing that is NOT usually covered by any of these types of insurance is LOSS OF INCOME whilst
your caravan is being repaired after a loss. This could mean that you will then have to find the funds
from elsewhere to cover your site fees etc. that you were hoping to cover through sub-letting.
9.3 What the Park Can Offer
If you decide you need or want to sub-let and you decide to sub-let through the park, the park may
be able to offer you a choice of packages, again it is important that you fully understand the way the
scheme works and what the parks’ responsibilities are and what yours are.
Usually the park’s scheme will offer you a ‘stress free’ package where they will cover all aspects of
the sub-letting. However, this does come at a cost. The park will, of course, want their commission
for offering the service, but there are other costs that will still be passed on to you and you need to
fully understand this. The costs that you will still be responsible for are:
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Gas & Electricity use
Insurance
TV Licence
Wear and Tear
Routine Maintenance
Gas & Electricity Safety Tests
PAT Testing of appliances
Some costs such as Cleaning, Key Release and Guests passes are usually included in the scheme, and
these costs are included in the commission charged by the park.
The Parks’ sub-letting scheme should cover any loss or damage caused by their guests whilst using
your caravan and this cover should ensure that any repairs or replacements are sufficient to bring
your caravan back to the same standard, but you must bear in mind that it may not be possible to
exactly match patterns or colours etc.
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Some parks will offer you the opportunity of taking out an insurance policy to cover the cost of any
repairs etc. that are not covered by the sub-letting agreement you have accepted. It may be possible
for you to source this type of cover elsewhere and it may be included in your standard caravan
insurance, but you need to check the small print of your insurance to make sure that it does cover
sub-letting.
9.3.1 Dates Your Van Is Available
When you agree to allow the park to use your caravan you will agree with them the dates you will
make it available. Some schemes that allow the use of sub-let income to be used in advance for the
purchase of your caravan may require availability for specific dates.
Most parks will allow you to ‘Buy Back’ dates that you have decided you want to use for yourself or if
you have secured a ‘Private Let’ (see Doing It Yourself). You will need to discuss the ‘Buy Back’
option with a member of staff who is responsible for the scheme or your caravan to make sure you
understand the notice you need to give the park and how you cover the cost of the ‘Buy Back’ e.g.
do you have to pay the park for those dates or will the cost be deducted from your overall sub-let
income.
9.4 Doing It Yourself
This is the method that will usually generate the highest level of income for you, but it does take up
a certain amount of your time, how much will depend on you and how well organised you are.
If you want to take the plunge and do your own sub-letting, you will find that forums such as our
Haven Owners Forum will be a very useful source of help and support from other owners who do
their own sub-letting. You will also find a selection of ‘Members Resources’ such as letting booking
forms, terms and conditions, cost calculators and much more. All of these resources can be freely
used and modified to suit your own requirements. If you are not an owner on a Haven park you may
still use these resources or you may wish to search for a similar forum etc. for your park.
9.4.1 Paperwork and Record Keeping
If you are going to sub-let yourself, you can make it a lot easier and less time consuming if you are
organised. The following are usually what is recommended/required:
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Booking Form
Detailed Terms & Conditions for the use of your caravan
Booking Calendar/Diary
Receipt book for Booking and Damage Deposits
Booking Forms for Passes
Contacts System to record enquiries and rentals
Filing system for all receipts and invoices
Detailed inventory list (see What Is the Basic Inventory?)
Details of Cleaners (Including ‘Back Up’ Cleaners)
Details of contractors (for repairs etc.).
Details of Gas suppliers (if you use bottled gas)
Claim forms for insurance claims
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9.4.2 Advertising
The places you can advertise your caravan for hire are really only limited by your imagination, some
examples are:
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In your caravan window – Your Park Owner will usually restrict what you can display in your
caravan window, but will allow you to advertise your caravan for rent.
Park notice board (if applicable)
Shop Windows
Notice boards at work
Your own website
Facebook
Twitter
Gum Tree
Specialist Caravan Rental Websites – Some will charge – some offer free advertising.
Haven Owners Forum & HOF Classifieds – are websites that allow you to advertise for free.
Ask other owners what works for them
9.4.3 Pricing
This is something that most owners struggle with. How much should you charge for the use of your
caravan?
Ideally you will be able to charge enough to cover the running costs of your caravan. Unfortunately,
it is not as simple as calculating your running costs and dividing by the number of nights your
caravan will be rented for (Rental periods are always calculated based on the number of nights your
guests stay in your caravan).
The following may help you work out what to charge:
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What do other owners charge?
What does your park charge?
What grade is your caravan?
What extras do you offer?
Are you going to include passes (most owners don’t)?
Are the rental dates in the ‘Peak’ or ‘Off Peak’ part of the season?
What are your cleaning costs?
Do you have to pay Key Release Fees?
How much income do you need to generate?
9.4.4 Booking Deposit
The booking deposit is the deposit you require to secure the booking for your guest. This can be any
amount you wish; many owners ask for between 10% - 20%. This deposit is NOT usually
REFUNDABLE, if the booking is cancelled, this of course is up to you and will depend on the wording
in your Terms and Conditions and your good nature depending on the reason your guests give for
wanting to cancel the booking.
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9.4.5 Damage Deposit (Security Bond)
A damage deposit is a deposit you take in advance as security against any damage or extra cleaning
costs etc. that you may have if your guests do not respect your caravan during their stay. This
deposit is usually £50 - £100 and should not be less than the excess payable by you in the event you
have to make a claim on your insurance policy. This deposit is not included in the cost of the holiday
it is an extra charge and is usually taken at the same time as the booking deposit.
This deposit IS REFUNDABLE if all is OK when your caravan is inspected after your guests have left; it
is usually refunded within 14 days of the date your guests leave your caravan.
It is very likely that your guests will love your caravan, have a great holiday, don’t cause any damage
and will want to come back the next year. If this is the case, I would advise that you continue to
charge the damage deposit (some owners don’t charge it to repeat guests). I believe you should
continue to charge the damage deposit because:
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It is there to cover your insurance excess.
You have established a system for charging and refunding it. Why do something different for
some guests than you do for others.
Your guests will expect it to be charged and will also know that it will be refunded.
It could prove difficult, if not impossible, to ask your guests for money if any damage does
occur. Remember accidents do happen.
9.4.6 What Equipment should I Provide?
If you sub-let, you will have to provide your guests with a basic ‘inventory’. This is the minimum of
equipment that guests would need and expect when they use your caravan.
If you have decided to sub-let yourself and either do your own cleaning of use the services of a
private cleaner you may decide to provide a few ‘little extras for your guests, such as welcome packs
etc. and this often makes a difference to your guests.
However, if you are sub-letting through your Park Owner on one of their sub-let schemes they will
only accept responsibility (and provide insurance cover) for the basic inventory and will advise you
not to leave any personal items or items ‘extra’ to the inventory.
If you do leave/provide anything extra, you will usually find that the park’s cleaners will remove
those items; and although these items are supposed to go into storage for you, it is often quite
difficult to trace them.
9.4.6.1 What Is the Basic Inventory?
The quantity of items such as cutlery and crockery will depend on how many beds your caravan has.
The numbers quoted are for a typical 3 Bedroom Caravan (sleeping 8), numbers in brackets are for a
2 Bedroom Caravan.
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8 (6) Water Glasses
8 (6) Wine Glasses
8 (6) Tea Plates
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8 (6) Dinner Plates
8 (6) Cereal Bowls
8 (6) Mugs
Last Update 22 March 2016
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8 (6) Knives
8 (6) Forks
8 (6) Desert Spoons
8 (6) Tea Spoons
1 Carving Knife
1 Vegetable Knife
1 Fish Slice
1 Cutlery Tray
1 Corkscrew
1 Tin Opener
1 Potato Masher
1 Slotted Spoon
1 Solid Spoon
1 Cheese Grater
1 Glass Chopping Board
1 Grill Pan
1 Set of 3 Pans
1 Frying Pan
1 Measuring Jug
1 Glass Roasting Dish
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1 Casserole Dish
1 Potato Peeler
1 Dust Pan and Brush
2 Door Mats
1 Clothes Airer
1 Broom and Handle
1 Waste Paper Basket
Coat Hangers
Kettle
Microwave
Toaster
Fridge
Flat Screen Television (26” for
Prestige & Platinum, 19” for all other
grades). These grades are based on
Haven’s Grading 2012.
2 Double Duvets
4 (2) Single Duvets
8 (6) Pillows
9.4.7 Cleaners
If you sub-let yourself and are not able to do the cleaning yourself then finding a good reliable
cleaner is paramount, because they can make your sub-letting experiences so much easier.
By far the best way to find a reliable cleaner is by word of mouth, so ask other owners on your park.
You may also find a cleaner by advertising in the local press or by using websites such as HOF
Classifieds
Most cleaners will offer a variety of services ranging from a simple change over clean to a full ‘Meet
& Greet’ service. Most will also offer to do simple tasks such as changing light bulbs etc.
The prices charged by cleaners will, of course, depend on the level of service they offer.
You can also use your parks cleaning service (See Repairs and Service Price List)
Whoever you use for cleaning, it is good practice to have details of at least one other cleaner you
can call on if your cleaner is unavailable for any reason (sickness/holiday/etc.)
9.4.8 Key Release
When you sub-let your caravan you will need to have a method of supplying your guests with keys
on their arrival and collecting from them on their departure. There are a few methods you could
consider:
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
Use your parks Key Release Scheme. This usually incurs a charge of around £3 to £5 per
rental.
Meet and Greet your guest yourself
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
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Use your cleaners meet and Greet service
Attach a Key Safe to your caravan
Post they keys to your guests
9.4.9 Passes
Most parks require guests to have an entertainment pass to access and use the facilities on the park.
Very few owners include these in the price they charge for the use of their caravan, however it is up
to you, but if you do add the cost of them to the price you charge you may find many people
consider you too expensive.
A large number of guests who rent a private caravan do not want passes so it is more common for
owners not to include them but to supply guests with the relevant booking forms and prices so that
they can buy the passes when they arrive on the park or order them in advance if they decide they
do want passes.
If you do decide to arrange to buy the passes in advance for your guests it is suggested that you
make sure you receive the cost of the passes at the same time as the booking deposit and that you
state clearly in your Terms and Conditions that the cost of the passes is NOT REFUNDABLE in the
event of cancellation.
9.4.10 Holiday Insurance
It is recommended that you advise your guests to take out holiday insurance to cover the cost of
their holiday in your caravan in the event they have to cancel. The cost of this type of insurance is
usually quite low and it may be worthwhile you sourcing one or more companies who can offer this
cover and pass the details on to your guests.
9.5 Income Tax
If you sub-let your caravan you will generate an income and this is something that should be
declared on your tax return.
It may be that your personal circumstances are such that it will have very little effect on your tax
liability and you can claim allowances for some of the costs incurred, if you meet certain
requirements.
Income tax is a complex animal and it is best to get advice from an accountant.
10 Upgrading Your Caravan
10.1 Trading Your Caravan for another Model
10.2 Improving Your Existing Caravan
All caravans can be improved by adding or installing extra features. Just about anything is possible
but will be limited by, your DIY skills of the depth of your pockets. If you don’t want to do the work
yourself you can ask the park to do the work, but the most cost effective way is to find your own
contractor. If you do use your own contractor you will have to make sure they are approved by the
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park to carry out the work. You will have to check with your park before carrying out any external
work.
This list is a sample of work you can do/have done:
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Extra Plug Sockets (electrical ‘additions’ may be limited by the supply to your
caravan. You may need to get professional advice on this).
Replacing fixed seating with free-standing
Re-upholstery
Fitting laminate flooring
Fitting new beds
Changing curtains to blinds
Fitting double glazing
Fitting central heating
Under-floor insulation
Extra paving
Fitting decking and/or veranda
The list is limited only by your imagination.
(See Repairs and Service Price List)
Adding features such as Central Heating and Double Glazing to your existing caravan will
work out a lot less expensive than upgrading and this is especially attractive if you love your
caravan.
If you are considering improving your caravan you can get a lot of advice from other owners
who have had that type of work done and our forum is a great place to ask these questions.
You will also find that our forum members will be able to recommend contractors if you need
to use one.
11 Maintenance and Repairs
All caravans will at some point need some form of repair or maintenance. If you are a ‘handy DIY’
type of person you will usually be able to do most things yourself.
If you can’t or don’t want to do the work yourself, you will have the choice of asking your park to
carry out the work or you can find your own contractor.
Most Park Owners will be able to provide 24-hour cover and attend ‘emergencies’ within a specified
time; usually one hour.
If you use your park for your repairs, they will usually invoice you for the work and add it to your
account. This will, in most cases, give you 30 days to pay the invoice (Check this with your park).
For a guide on prices charged by the park see Repairs and Service Price List
If you use an outside contractor you may have to pay on completion of the work; therefore not
benefiting from the 30 days.
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11.1 Service and Repair Charter
Below is a copy of Haven’s Service and Repair Charter 2014. Most park owners will offer something
similar.
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11.2 Winterization
The MOST IMPORTANT thing EVERY OWNER MUST do is to TURN OFF YOUR STOP TAP every time
you leave your caravan when the temperatures are likely to fall below freezing. If you do not do this
your INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY OUT.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that just because you have booked a drain down with either
your park or an outside contractor that you do not need to worry about it YOU DO!
It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to make sure your stop tap is off. Saying that “I thought they (park or
contractor) would do it” will NOT cut it with your insurance company THEY WILL NOT PAY OUT and
neither will your park (even if you had booked your drain down with them).
If you have any difficulty accessing your stop tap, speak to your park team and they should be able
to reposition it for you.
Winterization of you caravan is a simple common sense procedure that you should follow at the end
of every season when you close your caravan down.
Some owners will close their caravan down shortly after the end of season party and not return until
the park reopens to start a new season. If you fall into this category, then you should do the
following:
This list is in no particular order.
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Switch off and defrost your fridge. Leave the fridge door OPEN
Switch off and defrost your freezer. Leave the freezer OPEN.
Ensure your cooker and all pans are clean and free from grease and food particles.
Remove all food from your caravan.
Sweep and mob all floors, paying attention to all ‘nooks and crannies’ where food particles
may lurk.
Make sure all kitchen surfaces are free from food particles.
Either take down or pull back your curtains. If you are leaving your curtains up, you should
keep them open and pull them back so that they do not touch the windows.
Empty all waste bins
Remove all valuables from your caravan
Ensure all vents are open and clear
Strip all beds and if possible stand the mattresses on end, if this is not possible make sure
they are not touching any outside walls.
Either take your bedding home or vacuum pack it for storage in your caravan
Place all furniture in the centre of the rooms and make sure no cushions etc. touch outside
walls or windows.
Leave all doors, cupboards and wardrobes OPEN
You may wish to place moisture traps in various places in your caravan. Personally in 20
years of ownership I have never found this necessary, but the vast majority of owners will do
this. If you decide to do it you may use moisture traps filled with gels or as most owners do,
bowls containing either salt, washing powder, cat litter, or any other moisture absorbing
material of your choice
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
Complete the ‘drain down’ procedure (see Draining Down)
11.2.1 Draining Down
When it comes to the actual drain down you have two options:
11.2.1.1 Get someone else to do it
You will again have two options:

Ask your park team to do it
If you ask your park to do it, they will supply you with a drain down request form to fill in. They
will ask for the date you would like your caravan to be drained down and the date you would like
it to be re-connected (neither of these dates will be guaranteed). You will also be asked if your
caravan has Central Heating.
When you have sent in your form you should receive a confirmation. If you don’t get a
confirmation within about a week, contact your park to make sure your booking has been
recorded.
You need to be aware of EXACTLY what they will do when they drain down (e.g. would they do
anything to protect your washing machine/dishwasher (if you have one)?). They should provide
you with a list what is included in the drain down package you are paying for. You should also be
fully aware of what they will and WILL NOT cover if there are problems when they re-connect
(they don’t usually cover items that have failed due to age or normal wear and tear).

Hire your own contractor to do it.
If you decide to use an outside contractor, you need to ensure that your park will accept them
(parks will have their own criteria that all outside contractors must meet e.g. professional
qualifications, public liability insurance etc.).
The procedure for booking your drain down with an outside contractor will be very similar to
booking through your park as above.
11.2.1.2 Do it yourself
Doing it yourself is a straightforward procedure and anybody with decent DIY skills should have no
problems.
The purpose of doing a drain down is to make sure there is no water left in the system that could
freeze and damage pipes, valves, taps or boilers.
The following steps should be followed:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Turn off the water supply at the stop tap
Open all taps including the shower
Disconnect the water supply pipe from the stop tap and allow the water to drain out
Close all taps and shower and tie up the floats in the toilet cistern(s)
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5. Pressurise your water system (See Note ** below) and then open each tap in turn until no
water runs out and then close it before moving on to the next tap. When all taps have been
done do the same with the shower(s) and finally the toilet(s).
6. Disconnect your pressurising unit
7. Open all taps including the shower and leave them open
8. If you have a thermostatically controlled mixer tap for your shower you may need to remove
it. Check in your instruction manual or with the manufacturer.
9. Flush the toilet and place antifreeze in the pan and cistern
10. Put antifreeze in the sinks and shower/bath plug holes
11. If you have a washing machine or dishwasher I would suggest you check your instruction
book or contact the manufacturer for instructions on protecting it (personally I have no idea
what damage, if any, adding a bit of antifreeze to protect the pump etc. would do).
12. If your caravan has central heating check/top up the antifreeze in that system according to
the manufacturer’s directions.
** NOTE
There are several ways of pressurising you water system (you must only use low pressure to avoid
damage to valves and seals). You will find information on different methods of pressurising in the
Caravan Improvements, Repairs and Maintenance section on our forum.
Whoever is doing your drain down it is your responsibility to make sure your stop tap is turned off.
12 Moving Parks
It is not too unusual for owners to decide that they want to move from the park they are on to
another one Whatever the reason you will basically have two options:

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Move your existing caravan to another park and site it there
Upgrade your caravan and site the upgrade on another park.
Park Owners will often allow a ‘bring on’ and cover most of the costs of moving your
caravan on to their park.
12.1 Moving Within the Same Company
12.2 Moving to a Park in another Company
12.2.1 Moving to Haven from a Non-Haven park
 If you already have a caravan on a Non-Haven Park, then you may be able to move it to one
of Haven’s parks.
 Not all of the Haven parks will accept a ‘Bring On’ but ALL Haven parks will allow you to part
exchange your existing caravan so you can move; usually Haven will cover most of the cost
of your move (they will not pay for transportation of Verandas or Decking).
 The parks that will accept a ‘Bring On’ will vary so you need to check if the park you are
interested is one of those parks.
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
The most up to date information about this can be found on Haven’s Move Your Caravan
website.
13 Selling Your Caravan
If you are considering selling your caravan you will have to inform your Park Owner in writing, this
will a requirement of your agreement with the Park Owner.
You will be required to inform them of any finance still in place on your caravan and supply details of
your lender and account details.
You are also required to inform them if you subsequently decide not to sell.
You usually find that your Park Owner will ask you about your desire to sell and should then offer
you alternatives that may enable you to keep your caravan.
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Sub-Letting. If you haven’t previously sub-let your caravan, this may be a solution and your
park will almost certainly have a member of staff or even a team who would be more than
willing to explain your current options, based on the grading of your caravan. An alternative
to that would be to consider doing the sub-letting yourself. This is not as difficult as you may
think and you will find a lot of useful information in this guide and on our forum
Alternative Pitch. This is sometimes appropriate if you are not happy with your current
location; your neighbours; or even the level of your site fees. Any alternative pitch offered
will, of course, depend on availability.
Payment Plans. Sometimes owners consider selling their caravan due to cash flow problems,
having a chat with your park’s General Manager will enable them to look at the possibility of
agreeing an alternative payment plan for you.
Moving to another park within the same group. Your Park Owner may suggest that a move
to another of their parks may be an alternative and they should be able to a visit for you to a
park that may be suitable so you can look at the park and its facilities.
13.1 Transferring Ownership to a Family Member
It may be that rather than sell your caravan (or for any other reason i.e. in your will) you may decide
to transfer ownership to a family member.
Most Park Owners will allow this and are happy to help with the transfer. They will request written
confirmation of your desire to transfer ownership as well as proof of the family members. You
should check which documents are required and acceptable with your Park Owner.
If you Park Owner offers a ‘loyalty discount’ on your site fees you need to confirm whether or not
this will be passed on to your family member. At the present time Haven will pass this loyalty
discount on to an approved family member.
13.2 Selling to the Park
If you decide to sell your caravan, the terms of your agreement with your Park Owner will usually
give them first refusal on your caravan if they want to buy your caravan.
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At this point you should be able to negotiate the price paid for your caravan. In practice you will
usually be told the price they are willing to pay and there will be very little room for negotiation.
13.3 Selling to a Private Individual
If you decide to sell your caravan on its pitch to a private individual, you will have to conduct the sale
through your Park Owner as outlined in your agreement with them.
Once you have found a buyer, you will be obliged to inform your park, in writing, of the price you
have agreed to sell your caravan for. Your park will then have the option to buy your caravan for that
price without deducting any commission. This option usually only applied within the first 5 to 10
days (depending on the terms of your agreement) of you notifying the park.
If your park declines to buy your caravan you will have to conduct the sale through them with them
acting as your agent and all monies paid will be handled by them.
Your park will have the right to vet your buyer and even refuse to allow the sale to them, however
this rarely happens.
Your park will arrange to meet with your buyer to ensure that they are fully aware of the conditions
of the sale and also of the terms of the licence agreement they will receive when they buy your
caravan.
When meeting with your prospective buyer, your park will almost certainly offer them an alternative
deal for one of their own caravans, so you need to be aware that your sale could fall through in
favour of a sale by the park.
If the sale of your caravan is completed, then your park will charge you a commission based on the
sale price of your caravan. This commission is usually 12.5% of the sale price for most caravans (i.e.
under 16ft wide) or 10% for large holiday homes (i.e. over 16ft wide).
13.4 Selling to a Trader
If you decide that selling to a trader is the best option for you; you will have to inform your park
which trader you are using. The choice of trader will be up to you, but many parks will offer you a list
of traders who have already bought caravans from owners on the park and so your park will have
some knowledge of how they work. They may recommend a particular trader to you, but the final
choice is yours.
It is important to remember that a trader is only interested in your caravan and will offer you the
market value of your caravan according to a trade guide such as ‘Glasses Guide’ without taking in to
account the contents of your caravan or any external extras such as verandas etc.
If you do sell to a trader your park will charge you for disconnecting your caravan from all the
services and then to move it to a ‘holding area’ awaiting collection by the trader. This is around £300
(Sept 2014 on a Haven Park)
If you have a veranda, either the park or an approved contractor will have to dismantle and dispose
of it, or prepare it for collection. You will be responsible for the cost of this.
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Your park will be able to provide you with all the necessary paperwork and will handle all the
payments. The trader will pay your park and they will pay you when they have taken any charges for
disconnection etc. and any outstanding fees and then making an adjustment for any refunds of fees
etc. that you are due.
The collection and transportation of your caravan is the responsibility of the trader.
13.5 Refunds
When you sell your caravan you will be entitled to refunds of the fees you have paid in advance.
How much you may be entitled to is outlined below.
13.5.1 Site Fees (Haven Parks)
When you end your agreement for siting of your caravan on your park you may be entitled to a
refund of some or all of any site fees you have paid in advance.
These refunds percentages based on termination in the following months are:
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January – 100%
February – 100%
March – 89%
April – 78%
May – 67%
June – 56%
July – 44%
August – 33%
After 31st August – NO refund
13.5.2 Insurance
If you bought your caravan insurance from somebody other than your park you will have to contact
them to cancel your policy and they will advise on any refund due.
If you bought your caravan insurance from your park you will be entitled to a pro rata refund and the
amount refunded will depend on in which month you sell your caravan.
13.5.3 Rates
These are calculated over 12 months and your pro rata refund will be based on the month in which
you sell your caravan.
14 Code of Practice
Most Park Owners will belong to one or more Trade Associations; these Trade Associations have
drawn up a Code of Practice that is seen as a minimum standard level of practice to be adopted by
their members.
Your park will be able to supply you with a copy of this Code of Practice or you can apply to the
Trade Association for a copy.
You can also download a PDF copy of the NCC Code of Practice
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The two main Trade Associations are:
The British Holiday & Home Parks Association
6 Pullman Court
Great Western Road
Gloucester
GL1 3ND
National Caravan Council
Catherine House
Victoria Road
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU11 1SS
www.bhhpa.org.uk
www.thencc.org.uk/
15 Complaints Procedures
All Park Owners will have an established complaints procedure and copies of this will be available
from your park.
In the first instance it is usual to make your complaint to the General Manager of your park. If that is
not appropriate or the results unsatisfactory then you will usually contact the Park Owner’s Head
Office, the address should be in the documentation you have for your caravan or it can be obtained
from your park.
In the event that you cannot get satisfaction from your Park Owner you may take your complaint to
the appropriate Trade Association for conciliation.
16 Useful Documents for Reference
There is an ever-increasing selection of useful documents, forms and spreadsheets available in the
‘Members Resources’ section on our forum. I have provided a link to these below. You will need to
be a forum member to access them. If you are not a member you will need to register.
Registration is FREE - http://www.havenownersforum.co.uk/ucp.php?mode=register
The information was correct for HAVEN parks at the time of publishing, but may be subject to
change without notice and may not be accurate for Non-Haven Parks. Please check with your park
owner before making any decisions based on this information.
Members Resources - http://www.havenownersforum.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=131
17 Useful Websites
The following websites have been used as a source of information in producing this guide or offer
services and/or information that may be of use to owners or potential owners.
These websites, unless otherwise indicated, are not owned by the author of this document and as
such no responsibility can be accepted for the information and content provided by them.
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17.1 Websites Owned by Pathfinder Enterprises
www.havenownersforum.co.uk – A forum run by owners for owners providing help and advice on
every area of caravan ownership.
www.hof-classifieds.co.uk – Free and Low Cost advertising for all things relating to Static Caravans
and much more.
www.pathfindercouriers.co.uk – a division of pathfinder Enterprises. Pathfinder Couriers offers a
24/7 courier service covering all of mainland UK.
17.2 Third Party Websites
www.owner-services.co.uk – Website for Haven Owners allowing them to manage their account,
book events, arrange repairs etc.
www.moveyourcaravan.co.uk – Haven’s website providing up to date information about their
‘Move your caravan’ service.
www.haven.com – Haven website
www.bhhpa.org.uk - The British Holiday & Home Parks Association
www.thencc.org.uk – The National Caravan Council
www.nacoservices.com – The National Association of Caravan Owners
www.ukparks.com – UK Parks
www.parkjobs.info – Park Jobs
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