Ownership Guide This is your very own
FREE Holiday Home Ownership Guide
If you are thinking about buying a Caravan Holiday Home, this guide is for you. It will provide you with the steps you need to follow and the answers to the most frequently asked questions.You will then have all the information you need to choose the Park and Caravan Holiday Home that is right for you.
Mareham Lane | Spanby | Sleaford | Lincolnshire | NG34 0AT
www.highfields-retreat.co.uk
The purchase of the ‘right’ Caravan Holiday Home on the ‘right park’, will provide you with a whole new lifestyle, new friends and new experiences which will dramatically enhance the quality of your leisure time. The most important piece of good advice that we can give should you decide to purchase a Caravan Holiday Home is this… Make sure in the first instance you take the time to find the ‘park that is right for you’, before you do anything else. The most common mistake people can make is to buy hastily because they find the ‘perfect’ Caravan Holiday Home without giving enough consideration to the park it will be sited on. Even if you have the perfect Caravan Holiday Home, on the ‘wrong’ park, you will find that your planned enjoyment of it will be significantly hampered compared to what it could have been. On the following page, you will find the steps we advise all prospective customers to consider before making their final decision. They will help you establish what it is you are ideally looking for and enable you to make the right decision on where you want to be, why you want to be there, with which type of Caravan Holiday Home and most importantly, the benefits you will get from it.
STEP 1 - What features does the ‘right park ’ need to have? Below are some of the key things you may like to consider:■ Offers peace and tranquillity or has a lot going on (eg. Jet Skis, kid’s activities, alive at night) ■ Is exclusive to holiday home owners or allows touring caravans, camping, public onto site ■ Benefits from a natural setting with woodlands, views and wildlife or is more commercial with a clubhouse, swimming pool, gym etc ■ Has generous spacing between holiday homes and perhaps lake views or tight spacing with no views, where the on site/local facilities are more the attraction ■ Whether it is important to you that the park has been awarded a ‘Star Grading’ or not, and what that grading is from one to five stars, with 5 being the best. ■ Whether you can enjoy your hobbies on site or nearby, whether it be fishing, golf, walking, wildlife watching, reading or amusements, arcades, fun fairs, water sports, quad bikes etc ■ Would you like there to be a like-minded community of people on the park who are all there for the same/similar reasons and hold the same values (eg peace and quiet, pride in their plots), or a mix of different people on the park who want different things from the park? ■ Countryside location with traditional villages, market towns and historic Cities nearby, complete with charming places serving quality food and drink or Seaside location with beaches and associated attractions or adjoining a major City for high street shopping, health spas etc ■ Is it important that you are allowed to take your dog/s and if so, where can they be exercised, on or off site, plenty of different walks or just one recognised trail that everybody uses? ■ Family owned and run or corporately owned by a commercial operator ■ Staff that live on the park, take a pride in their work and offer excellent customer service or an ‘unmanned’ or ‘caretaker’ park where customers generally look after themselves ■ Park Season – 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 months of the year (the longer the park is open the more value for money you will generally get as Pitch Fees do not usually reduce or increase in line with how long the park is open in each year) ■ Whether the park holds accolades such as the David Bellamy Conservation Award for encouraging wildlife, protecting the environment and supporting local communities or not
(The text in green represents the features you can expect to find at Highfields)
STEP 2 - What features does the ‘right Caravan’ need to have? Below are some of the key things you may like to consider:■ Brand new or Pre-owned, and the benefits of each ■ Central Heating & Double Glazing, no Heating or Double Glazing, or the popular option of just Double Glazing, which also gives you the extra insulation that you normally get with Central Heating. It all depends upon your intended use really. ■ Size – standard size of 35’ x 12’ or larger ■ Layouts – there are many different living area layouts but the main three are open plan, galley kitchen and closed off lounge with several variations of each and not forgetting bedroom layouts, with en-suite facilities, space around the beds and storage all to be considered. ■ External appearance and colour ■ Internal features and highlights – different with every model ■ Available plots on the park of your choice may affect the caravan you choose. For example, if you have a stunning lake view, the more glass at the front to maximise that view the better or if you have a private plot with mature hedging and trees to the side and rear, you might want a model with bedroom windows that allow to you to see out (and if at Highfields, watch the birds feeding, stoats hunting or deer wandering by when you wake up in the morning and go to bed at night).
Please don’t spend too much time on the finer details of this at this stage though.You do need to have a general idea of the key features you would like to have but you will get a much better idea of what you like, what you really need, and what you don’t really need once you have chance to look inside some Holiday Caravans on the park you are considering. In the meantime you can look on our website at www.highfields-retreat.co.uk/caravansales.asp to see pictures and features of some of the current new models available on the market (and some of our preowned ones) but there’s no better way to find the right caravan for you than speaking to a good Holiday Home Advisor on a park (like Steve at Highfields) who you will find is a fountain of knowledge and full of good advice having already helped lots of people to realise their holiday home dream.
STEP 3 - Plan how you’d like to finance your Caravan Holiday Home Once you have decided upon your park and Caravan Holiday Home, you will not be expected to pay the whole amount immediately. Most parks will take a deposit from you to secure the Caravan and plot and complete the purchase paperwork, in which, it will give you a timescale in which to pay the full balance (which you will have discussed and agreed with the park) and set out the intended ‘handover’ date. However, it is a good idea to have already planned out the amount you are comfortable with spending on your Caravan Holiday Home and where you will sourcing the funds from, so that once you have found your perfect park and Caravan, you are able to obtain the funds you will need readily and in the timescale you have agreed with the park. As a general guide, most standard sized brand new Caravan Holiday Homes, fully sited and ready to move into on a park start around £24,950 and quality pre-owned models can be obtained from around £10,000 upwards subject to availability. One thing to remember on pricing is that as a rule, like most things in life, you generally ‘get what you pay for’ in terms of quality and service so avoid anything that seems too cheap because there will be a reason for it but also, excessively expensive prices do not always mean ‘better’. All parks will sell their Caravan Holiday Homes at different prices, depending upon the quality of the park and facilities on offer. The best advice that we can give you on this is to aim for a Park that offers the high quality and service, but also offers you excellent value for money.
Below are some of the ways in which customers usually obtain their funds:■ From investments that have come to fruition or the end of the investment term ■ By cashing in Stocks & Shares or releasing funds from an ISA ■ By utilising funds that are sat in a bank account and currently earning very little return. ■ Early redundancy payments ■ Pension lump sums that have become due ■ Inheritance funds ■ By releasing some equity from a mortgage free/low mortgage home ■ Through caravan finance which is offered through most parks via Black Horse Finance
STEP 4 - Visit your preferred park/s Once you have been through these steps, you will be well prepared for visiting your preferred park or parks.
You should take all the time you want to look around the park, the holiday homes available and ask questions of the Holiday Home Advisor to be able to see whether that park is right for you or not.
If everything is as you thought it would be, or hopefully better, you should find that you feel comfortable with the park, its staff and the general atmosphere or ambience.You should be able to easily imagine yourselves being there enjoying your leisure time in your new Caravan Holiday Home.
A good park will give you as much time as you need and will be very interested in you, and making sure that the park is right for you, and that they advise you properly on the choice of holiday home so that you do get what you hoped for at the outset and have many happy years there.
Be wary of any advisor who doesn’t want to show you around, or simply asks you to show yourselves around. That is a sign of the service you can expect in the future should you decide to buy.
The best thing you can do whilst visiting is take the opportunity to talk to the parks existing customers. Ask them how much they enjoy the park and whether they would recommend you buy there. There is no better way of obtaining a first hand, very honest insight into the park than by doing this. If the existing customer is delighted, they will tell you and the enthusiasm will be infectious. If they are unhappy, they will tell you too, so take the opportunity to ask them why. If the Holiday Home Advisor doesn’t seem keen to let you speak with existing customers you need to walk away.
You are now ready to start looking for your ‘right park’!
Please remember, the purchase of the ‘right’ Caravan Holiday Home on the ‘right park’, will provide you with a whole new lifestyle, new friends and new experiences which will dramatically enhance the quality of your leisure time… If you think Highfields might be the right park for you, please feel free to call Steve or Sue on Tel. 01529 241185. We’ll be happy to answer as many questions as you have and when convenient, we can arrange a time for you to visit us and see what we can offer you.
Highfields Retreat… The 2nd most common comment we hear from our customers is that whilst they liked the look of what they saw on our website and brochure and were hoping it was as good as it seemed, they found that in reality it was actually much, much better and more enjoyable than they could have ever imagined.
MOST COMMON comment is… ‘Buying our Caravan at Highfields is the best decision we ever made!’
Most Frequently Asked Questions How long can I keep a caravan on a Holiday Park? It is important to ask this question of any Holiday Park; in fact some sites will put a time limit, the usual is 10 years (Highfields is 15 years!) and certain parks (like Highfields) will allow you to keep your Caravan Holiday Home longer, as long as the exterior is kept in good order. Locations that enable you to retain your caravan there longer, will ensure you will obtain more value for money.
What is a Pitch Fee, what does it cover and how much does it cost? A Pitch Fee is a charge made by the Park Owner to cover many things such as rent of the pitch, site maintenance (appearance & ground care etc), water rates, refuse disposal, staffing costs and for the provision of any general amenities on the park. Some parks also include a local authority charge, but others add it on top (Highfields includes this charge in its pitch fee). Pitch fees will vary according to where the park is in the country and the size of the park. Generally for a quality park with good facilities, you would expect to pay around £2,000 - £2,500 per year (whilst Highfields has this quality and more, our pitch fee is still only £1,950 which is very competitively priced and represents excellent value for money, especially as it includes unlimited fishing!)
Is there a legal agreement between the Park Owner and Caravan Owner to protect their rights? Yes, officially it is recommended that you don’t buy a caravan from any park that is not a member of the British Home & Holiday Park Association (BH&HPA) or the National Caravan Council (NCC). Certain parks will have their own contract, however the BH&HPA & NCC have for many years, had a Licence Agreement that is nationally recognised, which has been recently updated and is covered by a Code of Practice that was approved by The Office of Fair Trading. This Licence and Code of Practice outlines the criteria for ownership and site fees etc and also refers to an Arbitration Scheme on the rare occasion it should be needed.
How can I be sure a Park is as good as it appears without spending lots of time there before I buy? Ask the Sales Advisor who is showing you around how often present owners upgrade their existing caravans. If owners upgrade regularly throughout the Park, it is a sure sign that they are happy there. It is also very worth while speaking to existing caravan owners about park life there. Many of Highfields new owners have come to our park through recommendations and you are welcome to come along and chat to them.
How much will a Caravan Holiday Home cost me? This will depend upon the quality, location and the facilities of the park, which vary from a good location to a not so good location.You will generally pay a premium for a good location on a smaller park that has good facilities. A guide price will mean that second hand caravans can be purchased from around £10,000 (be cautious on paying anything less). Brand new caravans are available from £24,950 ranging up to the top models at £65,000 plus.
Should I buy Pre-owned or New? This is usually dictated by budget, however some people like to take a cautious approach of buying a preowned model initially with a view to upgrading to a new model at a later date if they like the park as much as they hope they will. New caravans are built using the latest production methods and materials and often benefit from the latest designs and creature comforts as well as having increased insulation, double glazing, central heating, low energy lighting and en-suite facilities to name a few.
How important are Double Glazing & Central Heating? This depends upon the time of year and frequency of using your caravan. If your main usage is only likely to be throughout the warmer months (April – September) with the odd ‘out of season excursion’ then owning a caravan without double glazing and central heating will be fine. If however, you want to use the Caravan in the colder months, or at the very least early Spring and late Autumn, when there can be a nip in the air at night, Central Heating and Double Glazing make a very worthwhile investment for the extra expense (about £3,000). A popular option in today’s market however is to have just Double Glazing, which also provides the extra insulation you normally get with Central Heating, keeping the Caravan much warmer and this only costs about £1,000 extra.
Is there a siting fee on top of the caravan price? This is an important question to ask of any park. A lot of parks will charge an additional fee for siting and connection to services (e.g. if the unit is parked on a sales area) and fees can vary considerably. At Highfields, we don’t believe in doing this and we make sure this and any other related costs are already accounted for in the price of caravan, so our customers always know where they stand on what they have to pay.
Is Sub-letting a good idea? Generally, No. Whilst you will receive a small income, it will not be great enough to justify the additional maintenance issues, wear & tear and accidental damage which will occur. This could affect the future re-sale value but more importantly means that you cannot enjoy your own holiday home whilst another family is using it! Beware however, not many, but some parks insist that you have to sub-let your Caravan with them as part of the contract with buying with them.
Can we take the dog? You will need to check the rules of the park as some parks accept pets and some do not. At Highfields, dogs are most welcome and there are lots of woodland and meadow areas where they can be safely let off the lead. All dogs must be kept on the lead within the park itself (a common practice) so as to ensure that all of our customers enjoy the facilities whether dog lovers or not.
What does the Park’s star grading mean? Many parks are members of the industry’s official quality grading scheme. This is administered by the tourist boards through annual inspections which determine a grading of between one and five stars, five being the best. The stars don’t measure the quantity of the park’s facilities, but rather the quality of what’s on offer. At Highfields we have 5 stars and have also received the discretionary Rose Award only given to a handful of parks nationally for exceptional quality.
Is it important that the Park has a David Bellamy Award? Generally yes. It shows that the Park cares for the environment, wildlife and the preservation of natural resources. This is a good quality to have for any business. It also tells you a lot about the nature of the people who own or who are running the park. If the park does not care for its own environment it will most definitely show. However, the Bellamy Award is much more than that. For example it also encourages the park to be good neighbours, get involved in new environmental initiatives and support and encourage local rural communities throughout the whole of Britain. At Highfields, we proudly hold the GOLD David Bellamy Award accolade and the much coveted Special Distinction Award, won in 2010.
Can Park security be an issue? If your chosen park is situated within a busier area then potential theft and damage could be a problem – please check out the parks entrances & exits, find out who else do they let on the park other than holiday home owners and ask about security measures that the park has adopted. One way in which you can tell that there may be an issue is to look out for how many holiday homes are fitted with security devices such as intruder alarms, and especially if the park is offering this as a service. Also does the park have 24 hour warden control in case of any emergency that may arise?
What if we ever need to sell? This is definitely a question to ask before putting down your deposit, as different Park’s have different procedures. Please don’t fall into the trap of buying a caravan on a park that insists that your only option is to sell back to the Park itself, as this method does not realise the caravan’s full resale potential when you need it. Also, watch out for contracts that state you have to upgrade the holiday caravan every 3 years to keep your plot. At Highfields, Caravans can be sold privately (on or off the park), we could buy it back from you or we could sell it on your behalf, and for as long as you are on the park, you get to keep your original plot whether you keep the original caravan for life or decide to upgrade at a later date.
Remember – Owning your very own caravan holiday home is an investment in quality of lifestyle & well being, allowing you to make the most of your leisure time whenever you want to. You don’t need a passport, there’s no maximum baggage allowance and there’s definitely no waiting around in airport passenger terminals!
Park & Holiday Home Essential Checklist When visiting your preferred park/s, there will be many questions you will want to ask and a lot of information to take in. Please feel free to use this checklist to make sure that the most important points are not overlooked.
Before visiting make sure the park… ✓ ❑ is a member of the BH&HPA or NCC ❑ has a long enough open season to suit your needs ❑ has a good enough tourist board grading for the quality you want ❑ does not allow tents, touring caravans or motor homes onto the park ❑ has a recognised BH&HPA Licence agreement to protect your interests ❑ does not allow sub-letting of caravan holiday homes ❑ has no security issues that will hamper your enjoyment ❑ provides you with suitable options for (and will assist you with) selling your caravan should this ever become necessary
When visiting make sure you are satisfied that… ✓ ❑ you are pleased with the spacing between caravans ❑ you are happy with the Park’s facilities and they suit your needs ❑ you have seen and agree to the Park Rules ❑ you have spoken to at least 2 existing holiday home owners ❑ you are pleased with the views from your chosen plot ❑ the advisor has given you sufficient time & answered all your questions ❑ you can see yourself being happy there for many years to come
Any less than 15 ticks indicates that you have not yet found the right park!
www.highfields-retreat.co.uk
T. 01522 778717 E. info@lowretreat.co.uk