Living in a caravan...

Is it a tourer caravan? are you used to towing it etc? If so I don't really see the problem if you want to try it out for a while? if you hate it and it is unsuitable you can move back into the flat you own!

A lot of people live in static caravans in the UK now. I am talking of static caravans now but some sites have a clause where you have to move out for 3 or 4 months in winter but if it's in a 'holiday' location there will be locals who have their holiday flat free or low occupancy who would rather have it occupied for those 4 months whilst you leave your caravan empty.

What is the European State Pension. I get my pension from a Country in Europe.
Europe is not a 'State', and all pension services are related to each separate Nation ????????
Can I apply for the same one as you ??????

Caravan sites are largely unregulated, and mis-selling of both caravans/lodges and of rental agreements on the pitches is widespread. I suspect that it will get worse because more people are looking at caravan holidays because of Covid.

I would suggest that you tread very carefully before parting with any money or signing a contract with a site. I have no direct experience, but I know that people have been told that sites are residential when they are not, that they can stay for x years then are asked to renew the licence at a higher rate after a couple of years, and various other malpractices.

If you are on Facebook, there is a group called something like Unhappy Caravan Owners (I don't think that is quite right, but you should be able to find it). They don't recommend sites, but you might get an idea of what questions to ask and which red flags to look for.

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.

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!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202105/medium-493408-screen-shot-2021-05-24-at-12-31-18.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202105/medium-108360-screen-shot-2021-05-24-at-12-24-06.png

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.

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.

Vedanta = want to

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Esspee

Caravan sites often close out of season.

Holiday parks do, but residential sites don't.

Caravan sites often close out of season.

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.

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

Oops! I am 55!

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.

Sorry Franbern crossed posts and with much the same info!

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?

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.

Jaffacake2

Stepmother ?

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

Stepmother ?