12 Month Caravan Parks in the UK allow you to use your caravan for 12 months of the year. However, it’s not quite as straightforward as that.
Many caravan holiday parks in the UK close for between 2 and 4 months of the year. So the obvious benefit of owning a holiday home on a park with a 12-month license is that you can take a break whenever you want to.
It can be frustrating for owners that they can’t use their holiday homes for 2 to 4 months of the year, despite the fact that the closed season is usually during the winter.
Why most caravan parks have a “closed” season
There are practical reasons why many parks close for a couple of months or so annually. It allows maintenance staff to undertake repair work where necessary, clear the grounds and for the refurbishment of the communal park facilities.
The closed season also allows owners to carry out essential maintenance on their holiday homes. Nevertheless, you won’t be permitted to stay overnight or have access to site facilities, since they won’t be open.
Naturally, caravan parks with a 12-month license keep most, if not all, facilities open for their owners. This means that if you decide to take a long weekend break or just want to get away at short notice, 12-month caravan parks allow you to do this.
Winter breaks
For owners that rent their caravans out for most of the year, this is a great benefit. It allows them to take their own holidays out of the main rental seasons. Whilst winter is usually cold in the UK there are some days with clear skies and of course, spending Christmas on a family orientated holiday park is great.
Winter breaks can also be ideal to get away on your own when the park is relatively quiet. Another benefit is that you won’t need to go through so many winterization tasks as owners do on closed season sites. These tasks are essential if a caravan is going to be left empty over the winter when the holiday park isn’t open.
A caravan that is used all year means the central heating will be used frequently. Continuous use of the water means no frozen pipe to contend with or the ensuing damage caused by them.
12-month caravan parks are NOT residential
However, the not so straightforward thing that we mentioned earlier is that 12-month caravan parks are NOT residential. Whilst you can use your caravan all year round, achieving the maximum rental, you cannot live in your caravan.
Those living in the UK are eligible to pay council tax. They must be registered at an address to do this. If you purchase a caravan on any of the 12-month caravan parks, the operators will need proof that you have a permanent residential address.
Regulations are not the same across all counties in the UK. But permanently residing in a caravan that is not registered as residential will cause you and the caravan park owners enormous problems. Hence enjoy all the benefits of 12-month caravan parks but be clear your holiday home is just that – to be used solely for holidays!
