Buying a holiday lodge

A lodge on a holiday park can become the place a family goes back to every year.

Buying one works differently from buying a house. These notes follow consumer guidance from the park industry's trade bodies, the Holiday and Residential Parks Association (HARPA) and the National Caravan Council (NCC). They also follow Business Companion, the government-backed Trading Standards guide for holiday parks.

What you are paying for

When you buy a lodge on a park, you pay for two things. One is the lodge itself. The other is the right to keep it on its pitch for a set time, which the park writes into a licence agreement.

That time always has a limit, so a lodge is not a purchase for ever. HARPA says its member parks offer at least ten years for a brand-new lodge. The NCC says its members agree at least 12 years for a new one. A second-hand lodge usually comes with the time left on the agreement.

A holiday home, not a main home

A lodge on a holiday park is for holidays. You need a permanent home somewhere else, and the park should ask you for proof of it. A "paper" address is not enough.

A park that is open all year means you can take a holiday there in any month. It does not mean you can live there. HARPA says owners should not commute to work from the park, register with a local GP or enrol children at a local school.

If you live there, the park can end the agreement and ask you to remove the lodge. The local planning authority can also take action. HARPA says it is misleading and illegal for a sales representative to tell you that living there would be fine.

Costs after you buy

The NCC lists the yearly costs owners should expect.

The pitch fee, paid to the park each year.
Rates and insurance.
Electricity and gas (LPG).
Preparing the lodge for winter.
Any other site fees, such as for a gym or spa.

Business Companion says a park must tell you the actual pitch fee before you commit. The agreement should explain how the fee can change and how you can challenge a rise.

The lodge's value over time

The NCC describes a holiday lodge as a lifestyle purchase rather than a property investment. Its resale value will be less than the price you paid.

Trading Standards guidance warns parks that claims about a lodge being a good investment, or a good way to earn an income, may be misleading if they are not accurate and fully explained. Not every park allows owners to let their lodge to others. Check this before you buy.

Before you sign

Ask for the licence agreement and the park rules before you pay any money. HARPA lists what the agreement should cover.

The yearly pitch fee and how it is reviewed.
How long the lodge may stay on the pitch.
Whether you may let it out, and whether pets are allowed.
The months the park is open.
How complaints are dealt with.

Both trade bodies suggest independent advice from a solicitor. Your local council can confirm that the park holds a holiday site licence.

Business Companion warns parks against pressure selling. It suggests that a lower price could be held open for seven days, so a buyer has time to think.

Selling later, and complaints

The agreement sets out how you can sell. The options usually include selling to the park, selling privately with the lodge staying on its pitch, or moving it off the park. Any fees for the park's help should be clear and reasonable. Business Companion says a park must not block a private sale unfairly.

A complaint starts with the park itself. If the park is an NCC member and you are still unhappy after its final decision, the NCC runs a free informal dispute service. If you were misled or pressured into buying, Citizens Advice explains your right to a refund.