Before you buy

Is a static caravan worth it?

It can be, if you use it a lot and go in with your eyes open. It is a way of paying for holidays, not an investment. Here is what it really costs, using real figures rather than a sales brochure.

What it costs every year

• Site fee: £3,692 a year is the middle figure across the 80 parks whose fee we hold. See every fee.
• Insurance: Haven quotes £217 to £495 a year. See our insurance guide.
• Gas, electricity and rates: Haven's own illustration adds gas and electricity averaging £426 a year and rates including water averaging £324 a year.
• Site fee rises: fees go up every year, and there is no legal cap on holiday parks.

What it costs over time

The caravan itself loses value every year, fastest at the start. And most parks set an age limit, after which you must replace the caravan or remove it. Put those together and a large part of the purchase price is usually not coming back. Our guide to how long static caravans last explains the age limit, and the cost of ownership calculator works out the total for your own figures.

When it can be worth it

• You will use it most weekends and holidays in the season.
• The park is close enough to get to easily.
• You have the site fee, the age limit and the selling rules in writing before you pay.
• You would happily pay the yearly cost for holidays anyway, and treat the purchase price as spent.

When it usually is not

• You are buying it as an investment or to make money from letting.
• You are relying on the resale value later. See what a static caravan is worth when you sell.
• You are stretching to afford it on finance with a fee holiday that ends in a year or two.
• The park will not tell you its site fee, age limit or commission before you commit.

Many owners who bought on the strength of what they were told about resale value and fees are now in a group legal action against holiday parks. Our owners' rights guide explains it.

Common questions

Is buying a static caravan worth it?

It can be, if you will use it a lot and you go in knowing the yearly costs and when you will have to replace it. The site fee alone runs to £3,692 a year at the middle of the 80 parks we hold, before insurance, utilities and rates, and the caravan loses value every year. It is a way of paying for holidays, not an investment.

Do static caravans hold their value?

No. A static caravan is a depreciating asset and the drop is steepest in the first few years. Whether buyers were properly warned about this is one of the questions in the owners' group legal action against holiday parks.

What are the pros and cons of owning a static caravan?

The pros: a holiday home you can use whenever the park is open, no booking, and your own things left in place. The cons: a site fee every year that rises, insurance and utilities on top, a caravan that loses value, a park age limit that forces replacement, and rules on selling and subletting set by the park.