Any caravan owner must ensure that they do not deny access to the public, wilful obstruct the highway without lawful excuse or make unreasonable use of the highway. This is defined under section 137 of the Highways Act and Regulation 103 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Act of 1986.

It is also necessary that the caravans reflectors face the direction of the traffic. A statement from the Police says that a caravan “must be lit at night if it is parked on a road and comply with the other normal parking rules”. This requirement should be answered if a caravan has all the normal regulation reflectors and is parked near street lighting. Many people do not follow this rule judging by the amount of poorly lit caravans seen on roads. However it is definitely worth making sure that your caravan is adequately visible both for the safety of other road users and for the protection of your caravan.

If you want to park your caravan on a road then you should speak to your insurance company. You may find that your insurance does not cover the car being left on the road for an extended period of time. There are also matters of civility to contemplate; try to consider the needs of your neighbours and other road users. Be courteous, inform them if you are going to leave your caravan on the road. Do not work on your caravan when it is in the road and under no circumstances use it as accommodation. Also you should be aware that the Police are able to issue warnings and fines if they believe that your caravan is causing an obstruction, it is down to the discretion of the Police officers what constitutes an obstruction so heed their warning.

Rules vary about parking caravans on roads. You will find that there is a great deal of information on the web, much of it is contradictory. The best thing to do is to contact your local council and local Highways Agency. They will be able to provide you with relevant local information and any applicable by laws in the area.

Ultimately parking a caravan on the road is not an ideal situation. You may find that you cannot park your caravan in your drive due to restrictive covenants on the deeds of your house. If you are unsure then you should seek advice from your solicitor. The best solutions to caravan storage are to keep your caravan out of sight and protected from thieves and weather in a garage or in a specifically designed caravan storage park.

What to look for in static caravan insurance

One of the main risks you should insure yourself against is theft. If you are using your static caravan as a holiday home, the chances are it will be left uninhabited for long periods at a time. It may also be situated in quite a remote area.

You should therefore look for an insurance policy that covers your contents whilst you are not resident in the caravan. Make sure also that you have all the necessary security devices and locks that your insurance policy demands.

You should also consider how you plan to use the static caravan. If you are planning to rent it out during the year, you need to ensure that your insurance provides protection against theft, flood or other damage even if it’s not you that is living in the caravan at the time. If you don’t, you may find your insurance is invalid if it is not you living in the caravan at the time of a claim.

Most policies won’t cover you if you are living in the caravan as your permanent residence. Make sure you are specific with the usage and select the most appropriate cover.

Benefits of static caravan insurance

Good quality static caravan insurance can offer you all the peace of mind that your holiday home is protected. For example, caravans are generally covered on a ‘new for old’ basis in the event of damage caused by fire or flood. The cost of disconnecting services and transporting your static caravan to be repaired are also covered.

Most policies also include cover which provides a cash sum for you to pay for alternative accommodation if your static caravan is rendered uninhabitable. The loss of hiring charges can also be covered to protect you if a booking you had taken for the caravan has to be cancelled due to it being uninhabitable.

Your contents can be covered against theft or accidental damage and most policies also provide a high sum of third party liability insurance cover.

Caravan Travel With A Pet Inside the U.K.

If you are going to a caravan site firstly check with the owners that pets are allowed.

Make sure that you have a travelling cage for your dog or cat. It needs to be large enough for them to be comfortable. Let your pet test the cage before you plan to travel especially if you are going a long way. It may help your pet to relax if you put a familiar blanket or cushion in the cage. Ensure that they have enough water for the journey. Take a spare bottle with you so that you can top up their water from time to time.

If you have a dog you are probably have the necessary equipment to keep them restrained when out and about, but this may not be the case if you have a cat. Some cats are house cats and they may be happy to remain in a caravan for the duration of the holiday. If this is the case with your cat you need to ensure that your caravan has good ventilation otherwise it may get too hot inside on a warm day.

Some people buy leads for their cats so that they can take them on a walk. Others choose to let their cats roam free, but this can be a risk if they become disorientated and try to find their way home. There are collar tags available that can be electronically tracked, this could be useful if you are trying to find your cat and it is hiding somewhere.

Caravan Travel With A Pet Outside of the U.K.

It is possible to travel in your caravan with cats, dogs and ferrets outside of the U.K. on the Pets Travel Scheme (PETS). This scheme allows these pets to enter the U.K. from certain countries, all of the E.U. and certain other non-EU countries without having to be quarantined for six months. This is great if you are a caravanner who likes to travel around Europe for your vacations.

To comply with PETS you must have your pet micro chipped, then vaccinated against rabies, blood tested to ensure an acceptable level of protection against rabies. When the pet is to return to the U.K. it must be treated for ticks and tapeworm no less than 24 hours and no more than 48 hours before it is to embark on its return journey. Your pet must travel from a PETS listed country by an authorised route and with an authorised carrier back to the UK.

It is essential that you travel with all of the relevant documentation and proofs of the treatment. When travelling outside of the U.K. you must get an additional veterinary certificate. If you do not have sufficient evidence that your pet is compliant with the PETS scheme it will be taken into quarantine for six months or until you can show compliance.

The cost of taking your dog, cat or ferret on your caravan holiday through the PETS scheme is likely to start at around £125, but it can varies significantly. Don’t forget that you will need to have booster jabs from time to time and have the passport re stamped to prove that your pet is still healthy.

Certain countries have more strict rules about animal behaviour than we do in the UK. For example in Switzerland dogs some must be muzzled in public places.

Taking your pet on a caravan holiday can be great fun if you are prepared. To ensure maximum enjoyment always check the local rules of the campsite, country or principality and make sure that you are in accordance with government legislation at all times.

Static caravans can be purchased for reasonable prices but there is a significant amount of variance in the prices. As you would expect pre-owned static caravans can be a great way to get value for money, if you are after the luxury end of the new market you should anticipate paying a lot of money for your static caravan.

There are a number of things to consider if you are going to buy a static caravan. Static caravans are designed to stay in one place, they can be moved but it will be a costly and time consuming exercise. With this in mind the first thing to consider is location. Make a short list of the places that you are happy to go to time and time again. Consider not just the caravan park itself but the local area.

When you have decided upon your preferred location you need to think about where in the park you would like to be situated. Perhaps your would prefer to be at a quiet end of a park or maybe you would rather be in the midst of the buzz, right near the facilities. Choose wisely, as your placement within the park will have a significant affect on your enjoyment of your static caravan.

Budgets for static homes need to include running costs, they are more expensive to run than standard towed caravans. You will have to pay rent and possibly money to a park residents association / towards the upkeep of the park, your caravan will also be connected to mains electric and fresh water so do not forget to factor those in to your budget projections.

Some people choose to use their static caravans as permanent residences. If you choose to do this then you need to check that permanent residence is permitted. Planning permission is necessary if the caravan will be used permanently. Recently a caravan site in Aberystwyth has run foul of the council because they do not have planning permission for 44 out of 68 caravans. They are now applying for retrospective planning permission, if it is not granted then the residents of 44 of the caravans may be homeless for six weeks of every year. They claim that the council were completely aware of the situation over the twenty year period, a charge the council deny. Ultimately this case highlights the need to fully check out the status of the site before you commit to it.

If you are not looking to have a permanent residence then you may want to rent out your static caravan when you are not using it. This can significantly contribute towards the running costs of your caravan particularly if you are only going to use it for a few months of the year.

Buying a static caravan can be a great way to own a holiday home. But make sure that you do a lot of research so that your static caravan will always be the perfect retreat.

Previously caravans measuring more than 2.3m wide had to be towed by a car with a gross weight of over 3500 kg. VAT did not have to paid on any caravan over 2.3m wide. After the 20^th April the standard VAT rate of 17.5% will be resumed on any caravan up to 2.55m wide.

The changes have come about after a challenge from the European commission. The aim of the changes is to bring the U.K. into harmony with regulations across Europe. The changes have been made in the form of amendments to the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations of 1986.

What this means for caravanners is that if they purchase a caravan between 2.3 and 2.55m wide in the next seven days VAT will not be payable. This represents a significant saving. However it will not be road legal until the 20^th April if it is to be towed by a regular car.

Reactions from the caravan community have been general positive. A number of commentators have highlighted the benefit of having an increased range of road legal caravans for users with regular cars. Many people have already benefited from what is effectively a VAT suspension on larger caravans which are due to become legal next week.

U.K. tourism will also potentially increase thanks to this legislative change. Many European caravanners have vehicles that can, at the moment, not be driven legally in the U.K., but from April the 20^th they will be able to bring their caravans to the U.K. for holidays, hopefully having a positive impact on the tourism industry.

Common Causes of Fire

Cigarettes are the most common cause of fire in caravans. Hot ash, improperly extinguished cigarette ends and smokers falling asleep whilst cigarettes are still alight are all cited as the most common causes of caravan fires.

Unattended cooking is also a great risk in a compact space. If chip pans catch alight they can throw flames into the air, which can easily catch onto low ceilings and quickly destroy a caravan. Wires from electrical equipment, including kettles, can trail across hot hobs causing fire.

Electrical fires or mechanical failure of equipment can in some instances also be blamed for fires.

How to Protect Yourself Against Caravan Fires

• Install a smoke alarm. Change the battery every year. Check the battery and clean the smoke alarm before every trip.
• Check the seals and the hose connected to the gas cylinders. Have them checked over by a CORGI registered engineer is you are in any doubt.
• Clean the vents of the caravan.
• Ensure the windows open easily, so that they can be used as alternative excape routes.
• Make sure that there are two exits from every sleeping area in the caravan.
• Ensure that your caravan has a fire extinguisher that is not past its expiry date.
• Ensure that your caravan has a fire blanket, these are the only effective way of tacking a chip pan fire. A fire extinguisher will blow the burning oil all over your caravan.
• When you set up your caravan leave a 6m or 20ft gap in between your caravan and the next.
• Turn gas cylinders off when they are not in use, particularly at night and when you are out of the caravan.
• Make sure that clothes or upholstery are not near to any kind of heat source, as they can catch alight.

The Bottom Line

If there is a fire in your caravan evacuate it immediately. You may be able to tackle small fires with either a fire extinguisher or a fire blanket but if you are in doubt then you should leave it to the professionals.

You do not have to wait until there is a fire to contact the fire service. Your local fire brigade should be more than happy to give you advice about fire safety and in some instances they will come and do a practical fire safety check for you.

The men were said to have been involved in the large scale conspiracy since 2004, they stole the caravans and motor homes from driveways and motorway service stations. That information should stand as advise to any caravan or motor home owner. Most people are more careful once they are on holiday, but criminals often target driveways and service stations as people sometimes do not take all of the necessary measures to secure their caravans or motor homes in these places.

Insurance officials reported that in 2007, the year that the men were arrested, caravan theft almost halved. It dropped from 848 to 454 in just one year. All of the men had previous convictions relating to the theft of caravans and the judge described the operation as “well organised”.

It is worth remembering to adequately secure your caravan. There are a number of tools available to you to make sure that you are not the victim of organised or opportunistic crime.

Firstly ensure that your caravan is registered with C.R.I.S. (The Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme). If your caravan was manufactured after 1992 it will already be part of the scheme, if it was manufactured before this date you can apply to have it registered. The scheme makes it significantly harder for criminals to sell on your caravan once it has been stolen. If you are buying a second hand caravan you should definitely perform a C.R.I.S. Check and ensure that it has all of the necessary documents.

There are lots of other security measures that you can undertake, including fitting alarm, electronic tracking devices, wheel clamps and hitch locks.

If you would like more detailed information about caravan security please follow this link to our earlier caravan security blog post.

1. Regularly check your windscreen for chips and cracks.  If they are not dealt with they could worsen whilst you are driving and cause serious visibility problems. Some chips can be sorted without a whole new windscreen being fitted, saving you time and money as well as increasing safety. Approximately 2 million people fail their MOT each year because of problems with the windscreen.
2. Check your tyres.  Kwikfit estimate that 1/10 drivers head out onto icy roads with illegal tyre depth.  If you are unsure take your vehicles to a garage and ask their opinion.  In many snow bound countries there are laws insisting on the use of winter tyres, in the U.K. that is not law but it is advisable if you are going to be using your vehicles in difficult conditions.
3. Salt and grits spread onto the roads to prevent ice forming may make driving safer but have a detrimental affect on the health of your car.  Check for rust on the bodywork and under the car, the earlier you find it the easier it is to sort out.
4. Inspect your windscreen wipers for wear. If they break because of ice on the glass, or if they are just ineffective it could cause you major problems when driving.  It is recommended by manufacturers that windscreen wipers are changed once a year.
5. Watch out for pot holes and be sure to avoid them at all times.  Going into potholes can cause all sorts of problems for your car.  The most common problem caused by potholes is axle and suspension damage. It is estimated that the cost to British motorists is £2.8 billion every year.

Spring is almost upon us, so fingers crossed for some lovely weather soon.  But it is worth carrying out these simple checks on your car, caravan or motohome to ensure that every journey you make in your is as safe as it could possible be.

Bank Holidays

For a start most of our bank holidays take place in the Spring which means that you can take a long weekend break. Easter is early this year so the holidays are on, Good Friday, the 2^nd and, Easter Monday, the 5^th of April. The May bank holidays fall on the 3^rd and 31^st.

Great Value Caravan Pitches

Prices for prime caravan pitches in the Spring will be considerably less than in the summer high season. There will be premiums for the bank holidays but you will still be able to stay in some of the best places in the countryside for less than at other times.

Calm Caravan Travel and Caravan Rallies

Many sites are likely to be less full, if you are a caravanner that enjoys the calmer side of caravan travel then you may want to try out one of the busier sites without having to encounter hoards of other people. Alternatively lots of caravan rallies take place in the Spring. If you want to socialise with lots of people that also enjoy caravanning then you should consider attending one of these events. For example The Caravan Club traditionally holds it annual rally over the second May bank holiday.

Caravan Checks

Travelling a shorter distance for less time than your usual main caravan holiday will give you an opportunity to re familiarise yourself with your caravan. You will have the opportunity to check that everything is in perfect working order and it will remind you of any jobs that you may not have done at the end of last year.

So no excuses, get into your caravan or motorhome and spend some time in the Great British countryside this Spring!

Preparing Your Vehicle for Winter

• Get your car serviced so that it is in the best condition to deal with the adverse conditions.

• Check and, if necessary, replace the anti freeze in the radiator.

• Consider getting winter tyres put on your vehicles if you live in a remote or badly affected area. Always ensure that your tyres have at least 3mm of tread depth and that they are properly inflated according to the manufacturers instructions.

• Check that your windscreen wiper blades are working well, replace them if they are not, this will help to ensure that you have the maximum visibility at all times.

Driving in Winter Conditions

If conditions are bad it is best to not drive. Always check weather reports before making a long trip. Use route planners and local radio traffic updates to get the latest information on the roads that you wish to travel.

Flooding & Strong Winds

The risk of flooding in certain areas is high this year. The Met office have issued severe weather warnings for much of the country, it is never advisable to drive in flooded conditions but if you have to then you should follow these basic guidelines:

1. Avoid driving through surface water; your engine may flood, or you may aquaplane which could cause you to loose control of your vehicle.

2. The deepest water is likely to be nearest the curb, if possible drive near to the centre of the road.

3. If you have to drive through surface water, stay in first gear and continually move to avoid stalling.

4. Always test your breaks immediately after driving through water, if they work fine then you can increase your speed.

5. High winds will particularly affect highsided vehicles including caravans and motor homes, slow down and remember to be extra cautious when approaching open areas such as bridges.

Snow and Ice

1. Decrease speed

2. Stopping distances are increased so leave a large amount of distance between yourself and the car in front.  Take more time to slow down to navigate corners and bends in the road.

3. Do not break hard. Breaking gently will help to minimise skidding, if the wheels lock when braking, ease off the brake.

4. Have your lights on all of the time

5. Keep your windscreen, lights, windows and mirrors clean for maximum visability.

Winter Supplies for Your Vehicle

Prepare yourself for difficult conditions by having these essentials in your vehicle at all times and especially if you are taking a long journey.

• First Aid Kit

• Blankets and warm clothing

• Non perishable and high energy food eg nuts, dried fruit and sweets

• Water

• De-icer and ice scraper

• Maps of the area

• Torch and spare batteries

• Mobile phone

• Spare tyre, wheel wrench and jack

• Shovel, if snow is expected

• Towing ropes

• Tool Kit

• Jump leads

If you are well equipped you will find that you are able to deal with most situations easily and safely. The most important thing to remember is to be cautious and vigilant.  This is especially necessary if you are towing a caravan as it will be far more challenging to drive safely in difficult conditions, make sure that you plan your journey very well and take plenty of provisions.