Advice on Selling Your Static Holiday Caravan or Lodge

What are your options?

Generally there are three options available to you when you want to sell:

1. To sell your holiday home to your park owner
2. To sell your holiday home to a trader or dealer (off park)
3. To sell your holiday home to a private buyer to remain on park

Selling Your Holiday Caravan or Lodge to Your Park Owner

This is by far the easiest way to sell your caravan or lodge. A good place to start is to find out what the current value of your holiday home is — you can obtain this by contacting one of the NACO team, as we have access to the most up-to-date valuation information.

If you want to sell to the park, you'll need to contact a member of your park's team to ask if they wish to purchase your unit. In most cases they will make you an offer — however, you may need to prepare yourself, as there is likely to be a difference from the amount you originally paid for your unit.

Parks are keen to buy because they can sell your unit on at a higher profit, as the sale of new and used caravans is where the majority of a park's income is generally made. The park's offer will be based on the unit's value and nothing else.

It is likely that the park will offer the current trade value, although in some cases there is room for negotiation. Considerations in this regard include:

1. Condition of the caravan or lodge
2. Double glazing and central heating added after manufacture
3. Inclusion of additional structures (decking, verandah, skirting etc.)
4. Pitch position — if your caravan is on a desirable pitch this can give you extra leverage, as the park will be interested in both the resale value of your unit and the ability to re-sell the pitch at a premium

Hopefully you'll be able to secure a sale, but if you can't reach an agreeable price it's well worth considering some of the options below, as they may be more suitable and ultimately achieve a higher sale price.

Bear in mind that there are advantages to selling direct to the park: you won't be charged a disconnection fee (or any admin fee), and there's no third party involved. Once the deal is done, you'll receive your money within a shorter timeframe.

Make sure you check your agreement — if you have one — and carefully read anything you're asked to sign.

For a current valuation or additional guidance, please get in touch at info@nacoservices.com or by phone on 01255 820321.

Selling Your Caravan or Lodge to a Trader or Dealer

This is a good option if your park owner isn't in a position to buy your unit, or you're looking to achieve a higher price than the one offered by your park.

Start by contacting a few traders or dealers to see how much they will offer. In most cases it's likely to be similar to what your park has offered, but sometimes it can be substantially more — so it's worth approaching several to get the best price.

Once you have some prices, refer back to your pitch licence agreement. There are generally two main considerations to bear in mind:

Notice to terminate your agreement

You may be required under the terms of your licence to notify the park of your intention to remove your caravan, and the park may have first refusal. Check your agreement to see what your obligations are in this regard. Notice periods within agreements commonly vary from 14 to 28 days. We would always recommend submitting notice to the park in writing, including any information required under the terms of your agreement (such as the intended removal date).

Disconnection and removal costs

There will generally be a disconnection and removal charge made by your park to ready your unit for collection by your purchaser, by removing it from the pitch and transporting it to a collection point on park (usually the entrance or a car park). This charge can vary dramatically across the UK, ranging anywhere from roughly £300 to £3,000.

It's uncommon for a park owner to allow an outside third party to undertake this process, for safety and insurance reasons. However, in some cases your agreement may allow for alternative arrangements — contact your park owner for their definitive position.

Selling Your Caravan or Lodge Privately to Remain on Park

This is the best option if you want to maximise the amount you get for selling your caravan or lodge. The first thing to do is check your agreement, or ask your park owner what you need to do if you want to sell your unit — this way you can decide on the price you want to achieve, taking into account any commission or charges payable to the park owner.

Once this is done, write to your park owner to advise them of your intention to sell your caravan or lodge. The information you need to include in the letter will vary depending on the terms of your agreement.

When pricing your caravan or lodge, remember that a buyer is paying for several factors beyond just the unit itself — the pitch, and the age and condition of the caravan, all play a part. Buyers may also pay more for a good location on park, a nice view, or a larger garden.

Your park operator may be able to offer guidance on a realistic sale price — or NACO can help with this too, just get in touch.

Additional factors to consider when deciding on a sale price:

1. Commission
2. Disconnection charges
3. Any refund due on pitch fees already paid

It's also worth asking your park how a new owner will be treated contractually, and how their pitch fee will be calculated — you don't want a sale to fall through because the buyer wasn't given enough information about their future commitments.

You may also be asked to sign a private sale or re-listing agreement — please read it carefully and make sure you're happy with any terms mentioned that you may not have been made aware of previously. If you have any concerns, please get in touch for further guidance.