Deciding to sell your static caravan should be straightforward. However, when the caravan is situated on a holiday park, the process can become more complicated than selling something kept on your own land.
Owners are sometimes told that they must sell directly to the park, cannot use an outside buyer or will only be allowed to sell if they follow a particular process. This can leave you wondering whether you actually have the right to sell your caravan at all.
In most cases, the park cannot simply prevent you from selling a caravan that belongs to you. It may, however, have a legitimate say in how the sale is handled, particularly if the caravan is being sold with the right to remain on its existing pitch.
The precise position will depend on your purchase and pitch licence agreement, so that is always the best place to start.
One of the most important distinctions is between ownership of the caravan and permission to keep it on the park.
Although you may own the caravan itself, the pitch belongs to the holiday park. Your right to keep and use the caravan there comes from a separate licence agreement with the park operator.
That agreement will usually set out:
Selling the caravan does not automatically transfer your pitch agreement to somebody else. If the buyer wants to keep it on the park, they will normally need a new agreement with the park operator.
This is why a park may have more involvement in an on-site sale than it would if the caravan were being purchased for removal.
A typical holiday park agreement may allow you to sell in several ways.
You may be able to sell the caravan directly back to the park if it wishes to buy it. You might also be able to find a private buyer who wants to take over the caravan on its existing pitch, subject to the park approving that person.
Alternatively, you can sell the caravan to a buyer who intends to remove it from the park.
The process and likely costs can be very different for each option. Before accepting an offer, ask the park to explain its requirements in writing so you know exactly what will be involved.
Some park agreements give the operator an opportunity to buy the caravan before an on-pitch private sale completes. This is often described as a right of first refusal.
Under the National Caravan Council’s model agreement, an owner can find a buyer on the open market, but must tell the park about the proposed price. The park then has a limited period in which it may choose to purchase the caravan for the same amount.
Your own agreement may not use this exact process, so do not assume the park has a right of first refusal—or that it can impose any terms it wishes—without checking what you signed.
If the park says you can only sell to them, ask them to identify the relevant section of your agreement. Keep the conversation in writing and do not feel pressured into accepting an offer before you understand your other options.
A park may carry out reasonable checks before allowing a new owner to take over a caravan on one of its pitches.
These might include confirming that the buyer has a permanent residential address, understands that the caravan is for holiday use and can meet the ongoing financial commitments associated with the pitch.
The NCC’s best-practice guidance says checks on a private purchaser should be no more onerous than those applied to somebody purchasing directly from the park. It also says those checks should not be used simply to block or hinder a private sale.
There may still be valid reasons why a particular buyer cannot be approved. For example, they may intend to use the caravan as their main home when the site is licensed only for holidays.
If approval is refused, ask the park to explain its decision in writing. A vague statement that the buyer is “not suitable” does not give you enough information to understand or challenge the decision.
A sale to an off-site buyer is different because the buyer is not asking the park for a new pitch agreement.
However, you will still need to follow the park’s removal procedure. Static caravans cannot simply be collected without arrangements being made for access, disconnection and safe movement from the pitch.
Your agreement may require the park or its approved contractors to carry out the disconnection and de-siting work. There may also be charges for removing decking, skirting or other additions surrounding the caravan.
Ask for an itemised written quotation before agreeing to the sale. You should also establish who will move the caravan to the park’s collection point and which dates are available for the buyer’s transporter.
A professional caravan buyer can help coordinate the collection, but the park will still need to cooperate and provide access.
Unpaid pitch fees, utility charges or other sums owed under your agreement may need to be settled as part of the sale.
The park might be entitled to deduct certain agreed charges from money handled through an on-pitch sale. Some agreements may also allow the park to retain possession of the caravan until overdue amounts have been paid.
Ask the park for a current account statement so there are no surprises at the point of completion. If you disagree with an amount, raise the issue immediately rather than waiting until collection has been arranged.
Outstanding finance attached to the caravan is a separate matter. You will normally need to contact the lender and obtain a settlement figure before ownership can be transferred.
Advice about residential park homes is sometimes mistakenly applied to holiday caravans.
Residential park homes are protected by specific legislation, including rules governing sales and the commission payable to a site owner. Those protections do not automatically apply to a static caravan kept on a holiday park for recreational use.
For a holiday caravan, the purchase and licence agreement is especially important. Do not assume that a fee must be capped at 10% simply because you have seen that figure mentioned in advice about residential park homes.
If you are unsure which type of site or agreement you have, seek independent advice before relying on either set of rules.
Find your original purchase agreement, pitch licence and current park rules. Look specifically for sections dealing with resale, termination, transfer fees and removal.
You can then ask the park for:
Having this information early makes it much easier to compare offers based on what you would actually receive.
If the park’s position appears inconsistent with your agreement, submit a written complaint. NCC-member parks should have a complaint process and may also offer access to the NCC’s dispute-resolution arrangements. For a significant disagreement or potentially unfair contract term, consider speaking to Citizens Advice or a solicitor experienced in consumer or caravan law.
If you would prefer to sell without advertising the caravan privately or arranging transport yourself, Sell My Static can help.
We purchase static caravans of different makes, ages and conditions across the UK. You can request a free, no-obligation valuation, and if you decide to proceed, our team will coordinate the collection and keep you informed throughout the process.
Before collection, we can also work with you to establish what the holiday park requires, helping the sale move forward with fewer surprises.
Request your free valuation today and tell us a little about your caravan, its condition and the park where it is currently situated.
