Unfortunately winter is upon us once again and unless you plan on taking your caravan away over the colder seasons it is now time to protect your caravan by putting it into hibernation. There are a number of key steps to take that will ensure that your caravan makes it through the cold and rain in one piece. If you do not take adequate steps to prevent the onset of damp, infestation and weather damage then you may find that your caravan will need a lot of work doing on it in the spring and of course that could cost a lot of money, at worst your caravan could become completely unusable. But do not panic these eventualities are avoidable if you are careful.

 Deal With the Water Systems

• Drain the hot and cold water systems completely. Open the taps and remove the drain plug (often located on the outside of the caravan). It is a good idea to do this at the last place that you use your caravan as the journey home should clear out any excess water.

• Empty the toilet tank, then clean and dry thoroughly. If you have a cassette toilet you should apply lubricant to the seals and blade, this can be a specific maintenance product, silicon spray or olive oil. This will help to avoid corrosion and sticking.

Remove All Accessories

• Remove all upholstery if possible. The best place to store it is in a dry place in your house. If you do not the risk of damp and mould is high.

• Remove gas cylinders if possible. Make sure that they are turned off, stored in an adequately ventilated place and keep them securely locked away. Remember that butane freezes below -4°C and it is not usable at less than 3°C. Propane does not have this problem.

• Remove the leisure battery, it is advisable to recharge it every couple of months to keep it at maximum efficiency. Ensure that the battery you remove does not power the alarm system in your caravan. Most alarm systems have a dedicated power source.

Prevent Damp Setting In

• Open all of the cupboards and storage places in the caravan, including the fridge and freezer if you have one. This will ensure that air circulates through the whole caravan, which will help to prevent damp and ensure that the air does not get stale.

• Open all of the vents and windows and lightly lubricate them. When you have done this make sure that they are all closed and locked, to avoid the weather and vandals getting in. Air circulation is important to ensure that damp does not set in, so do not cover vents. You can also place dehumidifiers in the caravan to combat damp.

Clean Thoroughly

• Clean everything thoroughly, taking special care to ensure that there are no traces of food anywhere. You could leave non perishables, like tinned food, in the caravan, but in case of damp and the potential of tins to rust, this is not strictly advisable.

• Clean and dry the awning, ideally you should store it in your house. If you do not it is likely that it will go mouldy.

• Clean and polish the outside of the caravan. There are specialist products available for the winterising of caravans if you wish to protect your caravan as much as possible.

Store Carefully

• Plug all of the water and waste outlets and inlets. This will stop creatures using your caravan as their home.

• Taking the weight off the wheels for even a few weeks will increase the life of the suspension, running gear and tyres. Remove the wheels and support the axles with axle stands. Store the wheels and bolts securely. Check with your insurance company that your caravan is still covered when you do this. If this is not possible try to move the caravan every month or so to even out the wear on the tyres.

• If necessary purchase a cover for your caravan, make sure that it is made from a breathable material otherwise it will do more harm than good. This is particularly a good idea if your caravan is stored under a tree.

• Leave the handbrake off.

• Check the caravan regularly for damp, vandalism and other damage.

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.

Caravan Security CRiS

Vehicle theft peaked in 1992, but since then has been steadily declining. Still upto 1900 touring caravans are stolen each year in the U.K., and there are over 10,000 unsolved cases of caravan theft.

The Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme was established in 1992 in an attempt to combat the high numbers of touring caravans that are stolen each year. CRiS was set up by HPI and the National Caravan Council (NCC). HPI have a long history of checking the registration of cars as they have been doing it since the company was created in 1938.

Every caravan manufactured after 1992, by members of the NCC, now has a 12 digit Vehicle Identification Number (V.I.N.). This number is put on the chassis and on the windows. And since August 1997 all are fitted with an electronic tag that is embedded somewhere within the main bodywork. This means the police can easily access the information about your caravan should there be an incident. Similarly if the police find a caravan that has been stolen they can easily identify it by using the V.I.N. number.

The advantages of this scheme to buyers and sellers are numerous. Firstly if you are buying a pre-owned caravan you can check that the CRiS numbers all match, thereby identifying its provenance. Secondly you can contact CRiS and have the history of the caravan checked. This enables you to see if it is has been stolen, if it is an insurance write off, if the seller is the registered owner or if there is outstanding finance on it.

CRiS charge £14.95 for this service, but by using it you can rest easy knowing that purchasing the caravan will not cause you any problems later on. Although it is imperative that you make the check before purchasing the caravan.

When buying a CRiS registered caravan you must ensure that you are issued with a Touring Caravan Keeper Registration Document (CVR2). This will be essential should you wish to sell your caravan or should it be stolen. When selling a caravan you must make sure that it becomes registered under the new owners name, CRiS charge a £12.00 fee for this, normally payed by the purchaser.

Of course there are many caravans that were manufactured before 1992. If you own one don’t panic you can still register with CRiS and are advised to do so. Not just for the obvious security benefits but because many insurers will not insure a caravan that is not CRiS registered and it should add value to your caravan.

You can contact CRiS seven days a week on 01722 411 430.

8am – 8pm Monday – Friday
9am – 5pm Saturday
10am – 5pm Sunday

Caravan theft has been declining over the last four years. This is due to increased security, both in terms of physical products and items like tracking devices that are deterrents to thieves. But theft is still an issue and in order that your caravan does not become a target due to being noticeably less secure than others there are a number of steps that you can take. Firstly make sure that you have numerous photographs of your caravan and its’ contents, as well as all the appropriate documents. Secondly invest in some approved security devices, make sure to check for the ‘SoldSecure’ mark. This is an not-for-profit association set up by the Master Locksmiths Association and the Police to test security products. Anything approved by them will be a product worth having.

Simple but effective deterrents

Always locking doors, windows and roof lights, regardless of the duration of your absence from the caravan.

• Storing the keys somewhere safe, preferably without labels informing that they are for the caravan.

• Removing personal belongings when you are not using your caravan. Also leaving cupboard doors open to show that they are bare, may prevent a break-in.

• Keeping your caravan in a police approved, secure caravan park. Don’t just consider price, be aware that if you can walk into the park and remove your caravan without being challenged then a thief will be able to as well.

Minimum Security Requirements

Wheel Clamps

Often a minimum requirement for insurers, they work by immobilising the wheel. The advantage of wheel clamps is that they are an obvious security measure and as such a deterrent to opportunist thieves. There are a proliferation of wheel clamps available. The best ones do not have exposed locks and do have thick radiating arms so they can resist damage from tools like saws and drills.

Hitch Locks

Again these are often a minimum requirement for insurers. They prevent your caravan from being hitched or towed away. It is important to make sure that it covers the hitch head and completely covers the security bolts. Otherwise thieves can just bypass it. Some also come with audible security alarms.

Anchors and Posts

These are generally used when your caravan is not in use. Security posts are concreted into the ground, either by the A-frame, the body or ideally both. These make moving the caravan virtually impossible for a thief. Anchors can be used in a similar way.

Electronic Security

An important thing to remember is that tracers and alarms often have high power consumption. This is particularly an issue if they are going to be left alone for a long amount of time. So remember to check the power source; many caravan-specific devices have special long life batteries to counteract this problem.

Alarms

It is advisable to get an alarm that has an internal sensor, one that will activate immediately if an intruder gets in. Other key features are tilt motion sensors and corner steady vibration sensors. They will detect if anyone is attempting to move the caravan in order to tow it away. If you buy an alarm specifically designed for a caravan it should not be set off by the normal movement created by the wind. It is also possible to get alarms that are remotely controlled or ones with panic alarms, should something happen when you are nearby. Another desirable feature is that the alarm will be activated when the road lighting is plugged in.

Markers

It is essential to have your caravan CRiS registered, for if the worst does happen you will have a greater chance of your caravan being returned to you. CRiS use a 12 digit vehicle identification number (V.I.N.) individual to each caravan as an identifier. There are also extension services of this nature available, involving micro dot tagging or extra electronic chips. If your caravan was built by a N.C.C. manufacturer after August 1997 then it will already have an electronic tag. If it was built after 1992 by a N.C.C manufacturer then it will already be CRiS registered.

The Police also recommend tagging your belongings with a ultraviolet marker, in case of property theft. They also suggest that marking the roof of your caravan with the V.I.N. may aid recovery if it is stolen and the police search from the air.

Trackers

Modern tracking devices generally work using global positioning satellites. This means that you will be able to know where your caravan is at any time, enabling you to follow its path. You can choose to have a monitored service, meaning that an external company or the police will be alerted when your caravan is moved. Or you can choose to be alerted yourself. It is important to note that the police do not have to immediately respond if you phone and alert them of a stolen vehicle. They are more likely to respond if contacted by an external company. Be aware that these companies often charge a high premium for constant monitoring. Thieves are also becoming better at finding and removing tracking devices. Despite this having a tracker installed increases your chances of finding your caravan. Due to the vast number of tracking devices and their varying levels of merit, not all insurers will automatically drop your premiums if you get a tracking device installed. It is always worth checking with them before making an expensive purchase of this nature. A last note on this is that the Police are under no obligation to recover your caravan; if it is abandoned it is still your responsibility.