Selling
What is my static caravan worth?
Usually much less than you paid. A static caravan loses value every year, and on a holiday park the price you can get depends as much on the pitch and the park's rules as on the caravan itself. Here is why, and how to make sure you are not offered less than it is worth.
Why the value falls so fast
- Depreciation. Like a car, a caravan loses value fastest in its first few years. Even Haven's own buying advice says never to expect a static caravan to grow in value.
- The age limit. Most parks set a maximum caravan age. The closer a caravan gets to it, the fewer years a buyer can keep it on the pitch, so the less it is worth. See how long static caravans last.
- The pitch belongs to the park. A caravan that can stay where it is is worth far more than one that has to be moved, and the park decides who can take over a pitch.
- Few buyers. If the park controls on-site sales, you may be selling to the park, a dealer, or a buyer the park approves, rather than an open market.
What first refusal means
Some park agreements give the park a right of first refusal: when you want to sell, you have to offer the caravan to the park before anyone else. Check your agreement for three things: whether the clause exists, how the park's price is worked out, and how long the park has to decide. Trading Standards guidance lists unfairly blocking private sales, and putting a private buyer on worse terms than a buyer from the park, as practices that may be unfair.
Your options when you sell
| Route | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Sell back to the park | Quick and simple, often the lowest offer. Get it in writing. |
| Part exchange | Put against a newer caravan on the same park. The allowance is only worth judging against the price of the new caravan. |
| Private sale on the pitch | Usually the best price, but the park normally has to approve the buyer and may charge commission. The Ferret has reported commission of up to 20 per cent. |
| Sell to a dealer | "We buy any static" companies will quote quickly. Useful as a second opinion on the park's offer. |
| Sell to be moved off site | Usually the lowest price of all, because the buyer pays for transport and a new pitch, and some parks charge a disconnection fee. |
How to get a fair price
- Read the selling clause in your agreement before you talk to anyone: first refusal, commission, buyer approval and any fees.
- Ask the park for its offer in writing.
- Get at least one independent offer from a dealer, so you know what the park's number is worth.
- Ask whether a private buyer could take over your pitch on the same terms, and how long is left before the age limit.
- Do not sign on the day. A fair offer will still be there next week.
Where mis-selling comes in
Whether buyers should have been told, before they bought, that their caravan would lose much of its value within a few years is one of the questions in the owners' group legal action against holiday parks. By April 2025 ITV reported around 2,500 people pursuing the claims. If you were told your caravan would hold its value or could be sold back for a good price, keep any paperwork or messages that say so. Our owners' rights guide covers the claims, and how to check any firm offering to handle one.
Common questions
How much is my static caravan worth?
Usually far less than you paid, and less each year. What it is worth depends on its age, condition and make, but mostly on where it can stay: a caravan with years left on its pitch is worth much more than one that has to be moved off the park. Get a written offer from the park and at least one from an independent buyer before you accept anything.
Why do static caravans lose value so quickly?
They depreciate like a car, most steeply in the first few years. On a holiday park the value also falls as the caravan gets closer to the park's age limit, and the park usually controls who can buy it on the pitch, which limits the number of buyers.
What does first refusal mean on a static caravan?
A right of first refusal is a term in some park agreements saying that when you want to sell, you must offer the caravan to the park first before selling to anyone else. Check whether your agreement has one and how the price is set. Trading Standards guidance says unfairly blocking private sales may be an unfair practice.
Can I sell my static caravan privately?
Often yes, but on the park's terms: most agreements require the park to approve the buyer and many charge commission. You can also sell the caravan to be moved off the park, which usually means a much lower price because the buyer has to pay for transport and a new pitch.
Sold recently, or been offered a price? What parks actually pay for caravans is even harder to find than site fees. Tell us your site fee and anything the park offered you at report what you pay, and it helps the next owner who has to sell.