Gransnet forums

House and home

Living in a caravan...

(28 Posts)
Andipandy Mon 24-May-21 08:54:03

Hi, my request for advice/thoughts/ideas is quite unusual I think. I am thinking of living in my caravan. I own a house in Europe, but cannot sell it yet, as my mother has the right to live in it. I own it and pay a mortgage on it. She lives in the downstairs flat, I live in the upstairs flat, which I could rent out if I left. I am 65, very healthy, fit, have 3 grown sons who are independant and I have been divorced/without a partner forever. I have worked all my life and raised my sons as a single mother - my mother did help me with childcare when nurseries/kindergartens/schools were closed. I would not have been able to work otherwise. My problem is my mother: she is 75, unfortunately she is also an alcoholic but reasonably fit. In the evenings she is usually passed out in front of the TV. She is often quite nasty to me when she has been drinking. She drinks about 2 - 3 litres of wine starting at about 11 am. I am going to retire in 5 years and will receive my European state pension. I am thinking of how to enjoy my retirement and how to live my life how I want to when I retire. I want to live on the coast in the UK (preferably Cornwall), I am a British citizen, was born in the UK and have worked and lived in the UK when I was younger. My plan (eventually) is to sell my house and buy a cottage in Cornwall. But until then... and this might well be another 20 years, I need to figure out how to best accomplish this. I own my caravan. Does anybody know of somebody who has done something similar?

fiorentina51 Mon 24-May-21 09:46:50

Your mother was 10 when she gave birth to you?

glammanana Mon 24-May-21 10:21:45

Something doesn't add up here ?

Jaffacake2 Mon 24-May-21 10:29:28

Stepmother ?

glammanana Mon 24-May-21 10:32:58

Jaffacake2

Stepmother ?

Never even crossed my mind you are so clever for a Monday morning blush

Franbern Mon 24-May-21 10:49:07

Think this was a typo, taking in numbers in the rest of this OP. Think she is 55 years of age at present (not the 65 she typed).

I have a friend who has lived in his caravan with his partner for some years now. Of course, problem is where it is going to be situated. He owns the field in which is is based.

Surely, living in a caravan (if a proper place for parking it can be found), is similar to those living in the Park Villages, (or whatever they are called), where there are stationery versions of large caravans. However, they do have such things as mains water and sewarage and electricity there.

Just having 'a caravan' is not going to provide any sort of home, unless a proper site for it can be found, which will, of course, cost in terms of rents, etc.

Not sure of the reason for the nasty comments about her mother, and what relevance that has to the question. Unless she is saying that she is, at present, her Mothers Carer, and her mother would not be able to continue if she was not there for her.

My goodness, twenty years is a longtime to look forward - Even if my estimation of her age is correct she will then be in her mid-70's. Who knows what the next three or four years is going to hold for us all, let alone two decades.

Oopsadaisy1 Mon 24-May-21 10:51:35

Apart from having a very young mother, you will need to find a Caravan Site that will allow you to live there all year, very few allow this and finding one that will allow you to have your own Caravan for 12 months might be hard to find.

The larger sites may also have a minimum requirement for their caravans, they might have to be a certain make and age.

Have you seen the prices of homes in Cornwall? You will need to do some studying before you make your decisions, many parts of Cornwall are very poor and run down, so you will need to do some research.
But if it’s not for 5 years or even 20, who knows what it might be like down there?

Oopsadaisy1 Mon 24-May-21 10:52:26

Sorry Franbern crossed posts and with much the same info!

Aldom Mon 24-May-21 11:01:11

Could you live in the caravan on an ad hoc basis and let your flat for Airbnb to bring in an income. Where is the caravan currently parked? How well do you think your mother would tolerate having strangers in your flat.

Andipandy Mon 24-May-21 11:27:21

Oops! I am 55!

EllanVannin Mon 24-May-21 11:47:33

I don't know about European retirement pensions but you won't receive a British pension until you're 67.

Doodledog Mon 24-May-21 12:01:13

Caravans nowadays are comfortable and perfectly possible to live in. The problem, as others have said, is not with the caravan itself, but with the site. There is a huge difference between holiday parks and residential sites, but neither have much, if anything, by way of regulation, and I would be reluctant to be at the mercy of a site owner for 20 years. Rents go up, alterations to sites are made, rules change and so on.

Moving from one site to another can be very difficult, as most sites only take on new caravans (bought from them, so they get commission) and you are unlikely to be able to keep one caravan on any site for 20 years, and buying a new one is expensive.

If there is another way to deal with your situation, I think it might be wise to consider it.

Esspee Mon 24-May-21 12:15:39

Caravan sites often close out of season.

Doodledog Mon 24-May-21 12:21:17

Esspee

Caravan sites often close out of season.

Holiday parks do, but residential sites don't.

Andipandy Mon 24-May-21 12:27:01

I know, but here I’ll get my pension at 60. It is also calculated differently (percentage of your total income).

Andipandy Mon 24-May-21 12:28:11

Oopsadaisy1

Apart from having a very young mother, you will need to find a Caravan Site that will allow you to live there all year, very few allow this and finding one that will allow you to have your own Caravan for 12 months might be hard to find.

The larger sites may also have a minimum requirement for their caravans, they might have to be a certain make and age.

Have you seen the prices of homes in Cornwall? You will need to do some studying before you make your decisions, many parts of Cornwall are very poor and run down, so you will need to do some research.
But if it’s not for 5 years or even 20, who knows what it might be like down there?

I know what the prices are. I have done my research.

Andipandy Mon 24-May-21 12:29:35

EllanVannin

I don't know about European retirement pensions but you won't receive a British pension until you're 67.

Here it is still 60, but it is being increased. But for me luckily it is 60. Calculation is different than in UK, it’s a percentage of your lifelong income.

Andipandy Mon 24-May-21 12:35:32

Oopsadaisy1

Apart from having a very young mother, you will need to find a Caravan Site that will allow you to live there all year, very few allow this and finding one that will allow you to have your own Caravan for 12 months might be hard to find.

The larger sites may also have a minimum requirement for their caravans, they might have to be a certain make and age.

Have you seen the prices of homes in Cornwall? You will need to do some studying before you make your decisions, many parts of Cornwall are very poor and run down, so you will need to do some research.
But if it’s not for 5 years or even 20, who knows what it might be like down there?

I know my comments about my mother seem harsh, but we have a very difficult relationship to say the least. I won’t go into this but she is part of the reason I want to leave - for my own sanity and mental health. I am a free spirit. She lives in the house free of charge, has a very good pension, I pay for the house, and will be doing so when I leave.

nanna8 Mon 24-May-21 12:36:14

Many people do that here. They are called grey nomads and spend years driving round with a caravan from site to site. Many others live permanently on site but that is here and you are there. If you have a caravan and don’t Vedanta to move around constantly, choose somewhere nice and warm and not a miserable cold, wet place.

Andipandy Mon 24-May-21 12:36:35

Aldom

Could you live in the caravan on an ad hoc basis and let your flat for Airbnb to bring in an income. Where is the caravan currently parked? How well do you think your mother would tolerate having strangers in your flat.

I could but I’d prefer to rent out long-term.

nanna8 Mon 24-May-21 12:37:04

Vedanta = want to

Andipandy Mon 24-May-21 12:45:44

nanna8

Many people do that here. They are called grey nomads and spend years driving round with a caravan from site to site. Many others live permanently on site but that is here and you are there. If you have a caravan and don’t Vedanta to move around constantly, choose somewhere nice and warm and not a miserable cold, wet place.

Yes, that is exactly what I want to do. But I live in a place with reasonably hot summers now. I love the storms and rain so can certainly see myself living as a grey nomad. I know they exist in Australia and the US but have yet to find some (online) who do exactly that in the UK. Going to Spain for a few months in winter is something I have also thought about.

muse Mon 24-May-21 12:47:57

There are mobile home parks in Cornwall. Lots of them. Prices are reasonable. Around £80,000 to buy

The coast is for those with bottomless pockets. The further south west you go the more expensive it is. Go inland. I live in mid Cornwall. I can get to north and south coast in 25 mins.

I live 10 miles from both these properties. Rented properties get snapped up very quickly. There are cheaper rents than this one but with 1 bedroom.

You need to drive round Cornwall. Much is being done for the poorer areas with some excellent new housing going up.

House prices are on the increase too across the county.

Agree with those that have mentioned having the owners permission to put a caravan in their field. The owner needs permission from the council to do this. You have to be a relative of the land owner to live in the caravan as your permanent residence. You would have to show you have a property that is being renovated or built somewhere else.

Not easy but good luck.

Andipandy Mon 24-May-21 12:50:28

muse

There are mobile home parks in Cornwall. Lots of them. Prices are reasonable. Around £80,000 to buy

The coast is for those with bottomless pockets. The further south west you go the more expensive it is. Go inland. I live in mid Cornwall. I can get to north and south coast in 25 mins.

I live 10 miles from both these properties. Rented properties get snapped up very quickly. There are cheaper rents than this one but with 1 bedroom.

You need to drive round Cornwall. Much is being done for the poorer areas with some excellent new housing going up.

House prices are on the increase too across the county.

Agree with those that have mentioned having the owners permission to put a caravan in their field. The owner needs permission from the council to do this. You have to be a relative of the land owner to live in the caravan as your permanent residence. You would have to show you have a property that is being renovated or built somewhere else.

Not easy but good luck.

thx Muse!

romaroot Wed 16-Jun-21 13:20:54

You could try the transient sites, but you only get 3 months then have to move, they are mostly travellers who use these sites. There aren't too many either, not enough for the travellers. You could get on a permanent council site. Most have long waiting lists, there are thousands of gypsies on waiting lists for sites.
But you could join the list, not as long on transient but you only get 3 months then have to move on.
All our laws are changing too, if you aren't on a site you will be prosecuted, fined and your van confiscated.
Not a good time to be in a caravan in England or Wales. Scotland have far fewer laws and welcome travellers.