Buying guides
Holiday lodge and static caravan buying guides
Know what to ask before anyone asks you to sign.
Clear, practical guidance on the costs, agreements and decisions behind holiday lodge and static caravan ownership.
Explore the guidesLodge buyers: start here
checks before
you commit
What to check before buying a holiday lodge
Start with the complete picture. Ten connected checks covering the park, permitted use, price, paperwork, site fees, restrictions and your route out.
Read the buying checklistPractical tool
Lodge ownership calculator
For lodge buyers, the purchase price is only the starting point. Explore how site fees, running costs, depreciation and resale deductions affect the bigger picture.
Use the lodge calculatorthe price tag
own figures
assumptions
Lodge ownership calculator
Estimated 10 year net ownership cost
£194,272After assumed resale proceedsYears of ownership
Worked example. Your figures change the result.
See the example assumptions
£100,000 purchase over 10 years. Site fees start at £6,500 and rise by 5% a year. Other annual costs start at £2,500 and rise by 3% a year.
Resale is modelled using 15% annual reducing-balance depreciation, with a 15% selling charge plus 20% VAT on that charge. No separate upfront, travel, finance, extraordinary repair or other exit costs are included. No letting income is assumed.
These are example assumptions, not industry averages or forecasts. Use your own figures and agreement terms in the calculator.
Explore the details
Holiday lodge guides
Start with the holiday lodge buying checklist, then explore the detail.
- Comparing purchasesRead guide
Buying from a park vs a private resale
Compare lodge and static caravan purchase routes, incoming pitch terms, seller responsibilities and complete costs before committing.
- Holiday useRead guide
Can You Live in a Holiday Lodge All Year?
Understand 12-month opening seasons, occupancy restrictions and the documents to check before committing.
- Specialist adviceRead guide
Solicitor, surveyor or buying adviser: who checks what?
Understand the different checks, avoid gaps between advisers and see how commercial investigation helps you judge and negotiate the purchase.
- Running costsRead guide
Holiday lodge site fees
What the annual fee covers, how increases work and what to check behind a free site-fee offer.
- Future valueRead guide
Holiday lodge depreciation
Why lodges lose value, what affects resale and why one depreciation percentage does not tell the whole story.
- The agreementRead guide
Holiday lodge licence agreements
Understand the term, renewal, park rules and restrictions, including what happens when the agreement ends.
- Selling and leavingRead guide
Selling a holiday lodge
Your resale options, park commissions, transfer deductions and the costs of leaving or moving the lodge.
- Purchase priceRead guide
How much does a holiday lodge cost to buy?
Advertised new and pre-owned examples, package inclusions and a practical way to compare the full purchase budget.
Explore the details
Static caravan guides
Start with Buying a static caravan, then explore the park fees, agreement and longer-term costs.
- Start hereRead guide
Buying a static caravan: what to check before you commit
Check the park, pitch agreement, complete costs, condition evidence and exit terms before committing to a static caravan.
- Comparing purchasesRead guide
Buying from a park vs a private resale
Compare lodge and static caravan purchase routes, incoming pitch terms, seller responsibilities and complete costs before committing.
- Holiday useRead guide
Can You Live in a Holiday Lodge All Year?
Understand 12-month opening seasons, occupancy restrictions and the documents to check before committing.
- Specialist adviceRead guide
Solicitor, surveyor or buying adviser: who checks what?
Understand the different checks, avoid gaps between advisers and see how commercial investigation helps you judge and negotiate the purchase.
- Static caravan feesRead guide
Static caravan site fees: what is included and what can change
Understand the quoted pitch fee, what sits outside it, how promotions work and what the agreement says about future changes.
- Static caravan costsRead guide
Static caravan costs: purchase price, running costs and exit
Separate the purchase price from setup, yearly running costs, borrowing and exit, then test the commitment with a transparent five-year example.
- Static caravan agreementsRead guide
Static caravan licence agreements: what to check before signing
Understand the pitch agreement, remaining term, fee changes, resale provisions and removal terms before signing.
- Static caravan resale valueRead guide
Static caravan depreciation: what affects resale value?
Understand why resale value depends on the original package, remaining pitch position and sale route rather than one fixed annual depreciation rate.
- Static caravan lifespanRead guide
How long does a static caravan last, and how long can it stay?
Separate the caravan’s physical condition from the remaining pitch term and any age or replacement policy before deciding how many years of ownership the purchase supports.
- Static caravan selling and exitRead guide
Selling a static caravan: sale routes, fees and exit
Understand the practical sale routes, deductions, buyer approval, finance settlement and removal obligations before relying on an exit plan.
How we write
Practical guidance.
Sources you can follow.
We link to published guidance, explain the commercial questions and make uncertainty clear. Where the answer depends on the park, the agreement or specialist advice, we say so.
Need help with the purchase?
Turn the questions into a properly investigated purchase.
Still searching or already found a lodge or static caravan? We investigate the purchase, handle the negotiations and give you a clear recommendation before you commit.