There are a few good reasons to put some thought into where you will store your caravan when it is not being used. 

1. Caravan storage can affect your insurance premiums.
2. Most caravan theft occurs in the months when caravans are not being used.

3. Bad weather can damage your caravan.

4. You are likely to want to do some work on your caravan when you are not using it.

5. You may want to take spontaneous trips with your caravan.

There are a number of options for seasonal caravan storage available to you, depending on your priorities. It is a good idea to look into all of the available caravan storage options before making a decision, you may find that it is cost effective to store your caravan in a secure site as your insurance premiums may drop but this can be inconvenient in other ways. Always read the small print in your insurance documentation as there are likely to be clauses that specify how winter caravan storage must be done.

Home Storage

Many people choose to store their caravan at home, normally on a driveway. This is the cheapest place that you can store your caravan and it has the advantage that your caravan is easily accessible. You can carry out routine maintenance without much hassle, you can go away for the weekend without having to sign out and into a secure site. But there are disadvantages, firstly the presence of your caravan becomes an indicator for thieves whether or not you are at home. Secondly your neighbours may not like your caravan being visible on your driveway. There may also be legal issues with storing your caravan on your drive, it is forbidden in the deeds of some houses. Always check before you begin storing your caravan at home. Insurance premiums are likely to be higher if you are storing your touring caravan at home, contact your insurance provider and ask them their policy about home storage.

Open Air Storage

If you do not have room or do not want to store your caravan at home storing it at an open air facility is likely to be the next cheapest option. Prices start from around £3 per week. Not all of these facilities will have hard standing areas on which you can secure your caravan. Those that do will be more expensive. If your caravan is placed on the earth you need to ensure that it is firmly anchored. One of the major drawbacks to this type of storage is that your caravan will be exposed to the elements whenever it is not being used. The chance of weather damage, particularly in the winter, is quite high. Additionally a lot of these sites do not have great security measures in place, increasing the risk of theft. Ultimately if there are any issues with damage or with theft it is likely to take longer for them to be noticed, unless you regularly go and check your caravan.

Permanent Siting

If you consistently return to the same caravan site you could consider getting a permanent siting on that site. This will mean that you do not have to move your caravan when you wish to go on holiday. It is likely to be relatively inexpensive to do this but the drawbacks of storing your caravan in the open air are still present. Weather damage and potentially low levels of security are issues with permanent sitings. On the plus side if it is a busy location there are likely to be lots of people around who will inform you if there are any problems.

Undercover Storage Sites

There are now many facilities which over undercover storage for touring caravans. Across the country there are large warehouses and barns which have been converted into caravan storage areas. The main advantage of these undercover caravan storage sites is that the caravan is kept away from potentially being damaged by the weather and it is kept under lock and key meaning that it is extremely unlikely that you will be the victim of theft. These sites cost substantially more, but they are monitored and will have a varying number of security measures in place. Some sites will pick up your caravan for you, which is especially useful if you are uncomfortable reversing it into tight spaces.

Registered Undercover Storage Sites

There are a number of organisations that offer exceptionally good security and are regulated by trusted organisations. The Caravan Club, the Camping and Caravanning Club and the Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association (CaSSOA) all offer high standards of undercover storage. Protecting your caravan from both theft and weather damage. Although the cost may seem at first glance to be prohibitive you may find that your insurance premium will drop substantially if you use one of these accredited sites. It is advisable to contact your insurance provider and ask them what their policies are about storage sites. The waiting lists can be long for a spot at one of these sites so it is worth contacting your local caravan storage site in order to check availability of places and to be added to a waiting list if necessary.

When selling a used caravan first impressions are extremely important! This is especially true for a buyer of a secondhand caravan. The buyer is likely to want to spend extended amounts of time in the caravan so it is important to create a good impression straight away. Selling on-line is great for caravans as you can reach a huge audience with just one advert. Be thorough and you will be successful.

1. Firstly give your caravan a spring clean. Empty it of all your personal belongings and clean it thoroughly inside and out, including all appliances.

2. If there are any small low cost jobs to be done consider doing them! This will create a good impression for any prospective buyer.

3. Carry out all of the checks that a prospective buyer would. This way you can set a fair price and remind yourself of all the great things about your caravan, as well as areas that need improvement.

4. Write an accurate and enticing description, include as much relevant information as possible in your description. Be completely honest and you will save time in the long run.

5. Take pictures. Provide a number of pictures showing as much of the caravan as necessary to give prospective buyers a good idea of what your caravan is like and the condition that it is in. Adverts with pictures attract significantly more attention than ones without.

6. Ensure that you have all the necessary paperwork. Including CriS documentation, service history and any repair receipts. Any customer will want to see these so that they know they are not making a bad purchase.

7. Place the caravan in an easily accessible place. Anybody that is coming to view your caravan will be pleased if it is located on flat ground and they can walk all the way around it.

8. When all of these tasks have been completed your caravan will be an attractive prospect for any potential buyer and with the huge number of customers who search on the web for used caravans it will surely not be long before your caravan has found its new owner!

9. After making the sale you should arrange a secure way to take payment. If necessary ask your bank about how to safely receive money from a customer. Be aware that taking cash, cheques or bankers drafts can in some instances leave you vulnerable to unscrupulous buyers.

10. The final job is to make sure that you have provided the new owner with all of the relevant paperwork. Don’t forget to transfer CRiS ownership, if applicable, with the CRV2 registration documents. This must be filled out by both the seller and the new owner and sent to CriS who will charge a small fee to register the new owner of the caravan.

C4Caravans is a marketplace for the sale of caravans. We provide a marketplace for both dealers and private sellers. There are advantages to buying from each, private sales can be considerably cheaper but you will not get the after-care service that you will get from a reputable dealer. Either way there are a number of things that it is advisable to check out when buying a used caravan so that you can accurately gauge the cost of any work you may have to do to it and avoid unforeseen and potentially expensive problems.

• Always check it first! Do not buy a caravan or part with any money without spending some time looking at the caravan and evaluating the condition. Carry out as many checks as possible, after all this is going to be your home away from home as well as being a significant financial investment so it is worth getting it right.

Firstly ask to see the paperwork.

1. Ownership Documentation – ownership can also be verified through the CRiS scheme (started in 1992). Make sure that both the windows and the chassis are etched with the same CRiS number. Do an HPI check. This ensures that your caravan does not have outstanding finance, it guarantees its provenance and checks that it is not stolen or recorded as an insurance write off.

2. Service History – including any documentation and receipts for repairs done. Any pre-owned vehicle should come with a complete service history.  It is preferable that it does because an owner that has looked after the paperwork is likely to have taken care of the caravan as well.

3. It is always worth finding out how easy it is to source replacement parts for the caravan in the U.K. particularly if it is a foreign make, old or made by a manufacturer who is no longer in business.

4. Ensure that your paperwork is in order as well.  Larger and heavier caravans require a different driving license.  Make sure that your car can safely and legally tow the weight of the caravan you are looking to buy.

Examine the exterior of the caravan. Make sure that it is placed on a flat surface and that you are looking at it in good light.

1. Ensure that the caravan stands level when on even ground. Check the chassis underneath and have a quick look on the roof to see that everything is in order.

2. Look at the bodywork of the caravan, inspect for rust, cracking, dents and scratches.

3. Check the tyres and the spare tyre. They should be changed at least every four years, ask when this was last done.

4. Examine the grab handles, awning rails, waste outlets, external sockets, corner steadies, the jockey wheel and any other running gear. All of these should be in good working order. Make sure that the mechanisms are not bent and work smoothly.

5. Gas and electrical connections – If possible check all external sockets are working and connect the caravan to a car to ensure that the electrics will work properly both whilst driving and when the engine is off.  Connect the gas to make sure that this works as well.  If there appears to have been any D.I.Y. on either the gas or electrical systems it is advisable to call in a qualified person to check them over.

6. Look at the windows and doors. They should fit perfectly and not be displaying cracks or other signs of wear. They can be expensive and difficult to replace dependant on the model. Don’t forget to check the hinges as well.

Thoroughly inspect the interior.

1. Damp – Check everywhere for damp, this is one of the biggest issues with used caravans, particularly if they have not been used for some time. Beds, corners and lockers should all be inspected. If you miss something it could be costly to repair.

2. Inspect the seals. The lifetime of seals varies depending on what they are made of, it can be anything between 5 and 20 years. Check what they are made of and find out when they were last replaced.

3. Examine the floors – they should be evenly laid, neither spongy or sagging. Weakness can be rectified but it may be costly.

4. Locks and fittings should be sturdy and in working condition on all doors, windows and lockers. Make sure that you receive a full set of keys when you buy the vehicle.

5. Investigate the smoke alarms, water pumps, ovens, electrical sockets, lights, vents and all other accessories and fittings. Ask the previous owner to show you how they work and see everything in action.

There are lots of advantages to buying a used caravan. Be thorough and you will avoid problems in the long run. You should expect that there will be some things that you will need or want to change on your caravan. When you have all of the details you can make an informed choice about what work you want to do. Then you will be able to buy yourself a used caravan assured that you will be a satisfied customer of a caravan that will keep you happy for many years to come.