we are defecting (1 Viewer)

[Wildbill]

Hi pamella, nice to hear you are taking a big step into static ownership!! Eeek! Lol I'm sure you will enjoy it. I've worked in caravan sales for the last 12 years on holiday parks with a couple of the big companies. I have been a sales manager for the last 6 years and I'm proud to say that if any of my team feel buying a static won't benefit you, we won't sell you one! Once you buy a static, yes you are on the same park for, hopefully, many years to come, why would any park team want to have a park with disgruntled owners? Isn't it better to fill a park with owners and families who love to be there and understand everything about the benefits, running costs, what options you have if you decide to move or sell up? I understand exactly why so many people are anti static. Unfortunately the industry is tarnished with stories of sales people giving bad advice in the past but things are changing, just want say try not to tar every park or company with the same brush. There are ins and outs, pros and cons of ownership and would always recommend you find out about the most important things. Like; length of season, winter storage, annual running costs including safety tests, sublet capabilities etc. static ownership is not for everyone, there are also lots of rumours flying around about how you are treated by the park owners which aren't always true. If you or anyone else have any questions as to what issues may arise from static ownership, give me a shout. Hope you have a great time!

I once bought a car from a dealership, turned me upside down and inside out, mis-sold insurance finance and everything, doesn't mean I'd ever not buy a car again? What's the difference? Research the supplier first, look for feedback, speak to other people who have dealt with that supplier and you can't lose.

I take it you don't own a motor home and seems you have just joined to hijack this thread with your sales pitch.
you will soon have used up your five post

 

[Familyguy]

I take it you don't own a motor home and seems you have just joined to hijack this thread with your sales pitch.
you will soon have used up your five post

Hi billthedrill, I haven't personally owned a motor home but aim to do so soon for my family. I do see the appeal, just also see the attraction of static ownership, is that a bad thing? Not hijacking the post but surely it would be an easy one sided tirade of abuse if I wasn't replying? Three of my family have motor homes, does that count? Why do you feel it's a sales pitch if I never disclose whom or where I work? What constitutes hijack when you simply comment on a thread? If someone on here offers help and support buying cars I would gladly receive, not accuse him of hijacking for the sole purpose of selling to me.

 

[Familyguy]

We are extremely curious about this; my brother has a static but doesn't say much about costs......

So, compulsory upgrades - does every site do this or just some? What happens to all the slightly older units?

Are site fees linked to say inflation or can the owners simply dictate terms?

Does every site owner routinely charge commission on you selling your own unit, no matter how this is done? Or is this just a bit of occasional sharp practise?

Thanks - interesting subject...... Every reply above is extremely negative but there are static parks all over the place, so there must be some upsides somewhere

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[Tootles]

Not hijacking the post but surely it would be an easy one sided tirade of abuse if I wasn't replying?

'Tirade of abuse'? Who has been abused in this thread? Where is this 'Tirade'? Are we talking about the same thread? Not that you can answer my post without pulling a tenner out of the commission money your not getting, because your site is, (as you say), full.

 

[ciderman]

Static contracts come with sell back to the site no fee or sell on to third parties 10% to 50% commission of the sale to site rent can be increased every year no reason and the van renewed every 10 to 15 years max or you will be chucked off site and charged for removing the van because you own that not the land it is on . 4 years in the industry 1 year manager of a static holiday park and a load of commission off punters DO NOT DO IT buy a caravan and site for the summer pay storage for the winter and enjoy the savings.

andy

 

[chaser]

I had said all I was going to say on this because it was getting a bit one sided, but now some have come on with the oppisate view, I said in one of my posts to the op sell your mh by all means if you don't like it, wasn't saying you had to stay with it, but I have done statics and was trying to save you a fortune, no other reason, and once you have bought one you won't be able to get out of that in a year if you don't like it, so just think it's maybe going to cost you upwards of £8000 a year, how many times a year could you rent a static for that, not got to go to the same place every time, no maintenance costs, or even go on foreign holidays all at far less cost than owning a static, with no hassle.
Don't see no upside to owning a static at all with all that is available now.
Not only to the op but everyone, DONT buy a static caravan unless you are loaded, and can afford to lose 10s of thousands of pounds for a load of hassle.

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[chaser]

Just as an aside, people aren't going to tell you it's a sh.. Idea if they are trying to sell you one

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Hi billthedrill, I haven't personally owned a motor home but aim to do so soon for my family. I do see the appeal, just also see the attraction of static ownership, is that a bad thing? Not hijacking the post but surely it would be an easy one sided tirade of abuse if I wasn't replying? Three of my family have motor homes, does that count? Why do you feel it's a sales pitch if I never disclose whom or where I work? What constitutes hijack when you simply comment on a thread? If someone on here offers help and support buying cars I would gladly receive, not accuse him of hijacking for the sole purpose of selling to me.

Thanks Familyguy - I thought that your posts were balanced and informative, giving an alternative view without any sales pitch - you were careful to avoid naming but did say that there were both good and bad. It does go a long way to answering my question concerning why there are many people who choose to do this, though we would appreciate some further clarification on the differences between residential and static ownership.

'Tirade of abuse'? Who has been abused in this thread? Where is this 'Tirade'? Are we talking about the same thread? Not that you can answer my post without pulling a tenner out of the commission money your not getting, because your site is, (as you say), full.

Tootles - I see your point but come on, give the guy a chance.

 

[joner8888]

Static contracts come with sell back to the site no fee or sell on to third parties 10% to 50% commission of the sale to site rent can be increased every year no reason and the van renewed every 10 to 15 years max or you will be chucked off site and charged for removing the van because you own that not the land it is on . 4 years in the industry 1 year manager of a static holiday park and a load of commission off punters DO NOT DO IT
buy a caravan and site for the summer pay storage for the winter and enjoy the savings.

andy

That has to be the way to do it if you like the site.
My other half only said yesterday that she liked the idea of a static on a site we were on , i said i would sooner buy a x 2 axle caravan ,store it there and use all season to try it out first.
Then if we don`t like it we could hitch up , tow away and move on .

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[Tootles]

Then if we don`t like it we could hitch up , tow away and move on .

Well put Jonner. They have you bang to rights if they know you cant move it, and even if you can find another site that will except a static they haven't sold themselves (very rare), your existing site will then charge you upwards of £1000 to disconnect, and tow it to the gate, any damage caused in the process you pay for!

 

[ciderman]

though we would appreciate some further clarification on the differences between residential and static ownership.

Simple somes sites have an 11 month year so that you don't pay poll tax if you are residential you live there you pay poll tax water bills, use the address to vote and have mail delivered to the address and lve there 12months of the year but you will still be expected to replace your home around 25 years. Statics are probably worse money pits than a boat, because you can be kicked off site for any breach of contract or if the site goes bust.

 

[Tootles]

though we would appreciate some further clarification on the differences between residential and static ownership.

Simple somes sites have an 11 month year so that you don't pay poll tax if you are residential you live there you pay poll tax water bills, use the address to vote and have mail delivered to the address and lve there 12months of the year but you will still be expected to replace your home around 25 years. Statics are probably worse money pits than a boat, because you can be kicked off site for any breach of contract or if the site goes bust.

Park homes are residential, you are not required to move out for any period of time. Yes, you pay council tax, a small rent each week, which includes water charges, (and cant be increased above the annual cost of living increase).Y

ou can vote, you get post delivered, just the same as a 'bricks and mortar' house. However, THERE IS NO AGE LIMIT ON THE LIFE OF YOUR PARK HOME! Ours was built in 1972!
The only 'downside' for some people is that there is usually a bottom age limit of 50 before you can buy or live in one. Plus, of course, you get the full protection of the law. You cant be evicted without a full court procedure, (not heard of one where we are). You speak as you find. I find park homes everything a static is not.

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[DuxDeluxe]

That is the difference - many people (duck included) never appreciated the huge gulf between the two and lumped them all together in our minds.

 

[chaser]

Where has the op gone, said they were going for a static, perhaps they didn't meen buying one, interesting to have their view

 

[snowdrops]

after a year of motorhoming we have decided we are off to statics im afraid.
we have outgrown our lovely hymer and feel a statics the way forward so going to give it a try.
we have advertised it on classified her and ebay for ten days.we got a bid so we'll see.

Aha ! We did the same, had a campervan, travelled, kayaked loved it, however, decided to settle on a beautiful static in West Wales and give up the mobile side of hols. Amazing, but .......... 2 yrs later we made decision to sell and lost £20K !!!! Our new campvan nearly finished. We found £4K a yr too expensive for rent/utilities, ended up next to a van owner who rented theirs out to all and sundry and got very itchy feet. Hope you enjoy it, but make sure you really know you're doing the right thing first, it's very expensive to change your mind a few years in

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[Minxy]

As has been suggested, why not get yourself a nice caravan, stick it on a seasonal pitch - no council tax, water rates etc, etc, if you find the site isn't what you want you can then easily move it to another one. Even if you haven't got a car with a tow bar you could always hire one for when you need to physically move the caravan. The cost of doing this will be a lot less than buying a holiday static, or even a residential park home.

 

[Jazzbow]

not such a 'fun' thread this one, it would seem that only one opinion is allowed!

 

[Minxy]

I know of some holiday chalets in Pembrokeshire which are right on the beach.

Not particularly well built but ok and around £50k.

999 year lease with about 950 years to run.

Site fees about £500 per annum.

Obviously electric and council tax on top but better long term value than a static in my opinion.

Planning restricted to 11 months occupation in any 12 month period which is not enforced ( and never has been ) by the Local Authority.

The leases are also defective so that £500 a year is pretty much fixed ( it's index linked) but no nasty surprises in years to come.

Be very careful about 'assuming' that this will always be the case, there's a holiday park near us which has been consistently and fraudulently 'turning a blind eye' to the 'vacating for a month' requirement and appear to also be selling them as 'permanent homes, which has come seriously unstuck and the residents are caught in the middle of it all!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...eam-retirment-homes-planning-row-council.html

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[oldmanriver]

I have had 4 static caravans on various sites in the south east,when the site were privately owned not to bad but in the last 10/12 years they have been taken over by haven and park resorts, that's when the rot set in, they had to make great profit for the share holders, never again

 

[pamella]

we have been down the caravan route and the motorhome route and neither are for us.we found both too small and cramped.we never wanted to tour as such and only went up to an hour away so we are pretty sure we have made the right decision this time.we have gone in with my parents too so halving the costs.we have been lucky enough to find the caravan we wanted on the site we wanted and also on one of the best pitches on the site.we have a clubhouse,pool,kids park and field area too all for a reasonable 1420.00 per year rent along side 350.00 per year rates so we are made up.

 

[Chris]

Be very careful about 'assuming' that this will always be the case, there's a holiday park near us which has been consistently and fraudulently 'turning a blind eye' to the 'vacating for a month' requirement and appear to also be selling them as 'permanent homes, which has come seriously unstuck and the residents are caught in the middle of it all!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...eam-retirment-homes-planning-row-council.html

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Well the park has been there since about 1970 and the Council have never enforced the 11 moth rule. They might struggle now.

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[Tootles]

not such a 'fun' thread this one, it would seem that only one opinion is allowed!

Not at all. If you have an opinion, then air it! Just checking................No, no one has been refused an opinion on this thread, or this subject!

 

[Puddleduck]

Be very careful about 'assuming' that this will always be the case, there's a holiday park near us which has been consistently and fraudulently 'turning a blind eye' to the 'vacating for a month' requirement and appear to also be selling them as 'permanent homes, which has come seriously unstuck and the residents are caught in the middle of it all!

Whether the council can now enforce or not the residents must be very worried and upset. It's them I feel for.

Are the usual searches and investigations done when buying Park Homes and the like or are these not required? I am genuinely interested as I'd never think about spending that sort of money without getting a qualified legal opinion on the contract.

 

[Plumberman]

We had a static caravan in mid wales for about 17 years,we had a new to us van about 7 years ago with no age limits on site so long as they were in reasonable condition.
We used it every 2 weeks in the season but for no good reason the site owner decided he did not like us and made our stays very uncomfortable.
He entered our van by breaking in to release a trapped bird even though we had given him three sets of keys which he denied.
In the end we decided to cut our losses even though we loved the site.
We ended up giving the van to the site owner to cover towing and removal fees.
We were gutted at having to make this decision but had no option in the end.
Obviously not all site owners are like this but after spending thousands of pounds with him we thought we would have been treated in a better manner.
He must have sold our van on for a fair profit but we could do nothing.
But the good thing is it brought us to Motorhomes where we decide if the site is good enough for us not the other way around.
We have never looked back since.
Make your own decision re statics and motorhomes it's personal taste at the end of the day but be careful about site and owner rules.
I wish you well if you decide static is for you.

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[Tootles]

Whether the council can now enforce or not the residents must be very worried and upset. It's them I feel for.

Are the usual searches and investigations done when buying Park Homes and the like or are these not required? I am genuinely interested as I'd never think about spending that sort of money without getting a qualified legal opinion on the contract.

When you buy a park home, you sign a sales agreement with the last owner, and transfer money for keys, as you would do with a house. The documents you exchange are of the legal nature, but you do get 28 days to change your mind, by law. A solicitor is not required, as a park home is deemed as being your 'chattels', great term for a sound policy.
The site owner must be paid their set commission as from last May by the purchaser, changed from the seller. The site owner usually takes care of all the paperwork, and acts as a middle man, holding deposits etc. It works very well, (at least, it did with us).
If you feel a survey is necessary, then that onus is of course on you as the buyer. Prices of coarse vary with age, condition, and area. You can parallel it with buying a car, I suppose. I saw a two bedroom 40' x 10' sell the other week for £5.000!! OK, work needed, but the chap will have a first rate little 'house', probably for around 20 k, everything new.

 

[Tootles]

These two links should explain most things. The first one is a GOV site, the second one a tad more commercial.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/park-homes

http://parkhomes.lease-advice.org/advice-guides/buying-a-park-home/

Just as a footnote......You don't get these rights with a holiday home, (static caravan)!

Your rights improved on 26 May 2013
8 It was already illegal for site owners to:
n evict you without a court order
n harass you into giving up your home
n prevent you from exercising your rights –
for example, your right to sell your home.
8 Now it is also illegal for the site owner to:
n give false or misleading information that
would interfere with your sale.
8 As well as this, site owners cannot now impose rules that:
n make you tell them that you want to sell your home or insist
that they have to agree to the sale
n interfere with your right to sell
n insist on approving your buyer. You do not have to give contact
details or references, and your buyer does not need to have any
contact or an interview with the site owner
n stop you from using a solicitor or estate agent to sell your home
n make you or your buyer carry out a survey.

 

[Puddleduck]

Thanks Tootles, very useful. I was also thinking about the situation faced by the people in Beverley and who, if anyone, checked the residency conditions? I suppose in their case they were sold their dwelling fraudulently and the contracts looked fine, it would only be if someone checked right back to the original planning consent that the anomaly would have been uncovered.

We are going to market our house next Spring and if it sells we will have a lot of options, a Park Home being just one. If the house doesn't sell that is fine as well as it isn't a forced move.

The links were useful and apply to England (and with some exceptions) Wales, not to NI or Scotland.

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[Tootles]

Is this what your talking about???


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detail/story.html

I was also thinking about the situation faced by the people in Beverley and who, if anyone, checked the residency conditions?

This site is a holiday home site, with a 12 month occupancy licence, nothing more. A park home site is always FULLY RESIDENTIAL, if unsure, just give the local authority a ring, they have to licence all sites, park home or holiday.
The council in the Beverley case are quite within their rights to close it down. IF the site owner has been talking porky-pies, then the residents case is with him.

Take the time to browse park home adds. Choose the part of the country your interested in, and check the prices. Plenty of homework there to see you through this year!
Always check EVERYTHING, site, prices, local authority, in fact, if your keen, go knock on a few doors.....We did!!.

 

[Puddleduck]

Yes, that was the site I was talking about but I'm not looking to buy at that site (or any other right now).

As always very useful advice Tootles.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

As always very useful advice Tootles.

...........even if he is rude about ducks

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