Is Holiday Home Ownership Worth It? Honest Advice on Costs, Resale and Choosing the Right Lodge

I'll start with the honest bit. When you buy a holiday home, you're buying a lifestyle. A static caravan or lodge is a depreciating asset, so it isn't an investment in the way a house might be. Whether it's worth it comes down to two questions: can you comfortably afford it, and will you use it regularly?

Is it worth it for you?

In my view, ownership is worthwhile when the costs sit comfortably within your budget and you'll be using the home often. Please don't skint yourself to buy one. And if there's a real chance you'll need to sell within a year, I'd suggest waiting.

Two practical questions matter more than people expect:

• Drive time. If the journey is over two hours, think carefully about how often you'll realistically make it.
• Who will use it. Picture the people who'll actually be there most of the time, and buy with them in mind.

Seasons, holiday use and residential specification

Most of our partner parks have 12-month seasons. That is still holiday use, though. A holiday home can't be your permanent residence, however long the park's season is.

It's also worth clearing up a common confusion. BS3632 is a construction standard for residential-specification homes. It tells you how the home is built. It doesn't give you permission to live in it as your main home.

What does it cost each year?

These figures were supplied in November 2026. Across our partner parks, average site fees are £3,078 a year, and that includes water, rates, refuse, grounds maintenance and security. The other figures are budgeting examples quoted at Hanworth Country Park, to give you a feel for the extras. They aren't legal requirements that apply everywhere every year, and they vary by park and by home.

Electricity at Hanworth was quoted at 34p per kWh with no standing charge. I've left gas out of the table because the billing unit needs confirming before I'd want to quote it.

Please treat all of these as examples to confirm before you buy, not fixed or guaranteed prices. On site fee increases, the recent rises I've seen have tended to be around 2.6%. That isn't a cap or a promise. Your written agreement with the park is what governs any increase.

Resale: what affects what you get back

What you get back depends on the home's age, condition and location, how well it's been looked after, the market at the time and the way you choose to sell.

There are broadly two routes. If we buy the home from you as a trade purchase, you're paid quickly. A commissioned sale on the pitch, where the park permits it, can take time. You can tell us the net figure you'd like to walk away with, but neither the price nor the sale itself can ever be guaranteed. There's more on both routes on our sell your holiday home page.

A real example

One customer paid £99,975 for the lodge she and her partner had chosen as their retirement dream. Sadly, her partner passed away, and she no longer wished to visit. We offered her a choice: an immediate trade purchase, or marketing the lodge on commission. She was in no rush, so she chose to market it. She removed her personal belongings, and we dressed the lodge with our display kit.

After three years, she received £83,000 net, after commission and fees. That's £16,975 less than she paid, and the figure doesn't include her ongoing ownership costs over that time. It's one example, not a typical or guaranteed outcome.

New or used?

I often compare it to buying a car. A basic new car and a premium car that's a few years old can be a similar choice, and the older one may suit you better. Holiday homes are the same. Don't just compare ages. Compare the actual condition, the specification, any warranty, and how long is left on the pitch term.

I'm in favour of checking whether a home is built to residential specification, if that suits the way you intend to use it. That's my advice, not a rule that every holiday home has to be BS3632.

Two bedrooms or three?

A three-bedroom model isn't necessarily much bigger than a two-bedroom one. Dimensions vary between models, and the extra bedroom often takes space from the living area, the kitchen or the main bedroom.

My advice is to be a little selfish. Buy for the people who'll use it regularly, rather than for family who might visit once in a while.

How long can the home stay on its pitch?

On many of our partner parks, the pitch term runs for 35 years from the date the home was manufactured, not from the date you buy it. A pre-owned home comes with whatever remains of that period, subject to the actual agreement.

After that, a park may offer 12-month rolling agreements, depending on the home's condition and the park's terms. That isn't guaranteed, and there's no automatic right to stay indefinitely.

Your checklist before paying a deposit

Before you pay a deposit, get clear answers on:

• What the total price includes, such as decking, delivery, siting and connections, where they apply.
• Site fees, and how future increases are worked out.
• Utility charges and how they're billed.
• The season length and the occupancy rules.
• The pitch term dates and how renewal works.
• Resale: commission, exit terms and any removal costs.
• The rules on guests, pets and letting.
• Warranty and aftersales support.

What our customers say

Let's talk it through

If you're weighing it up, I'm happy to talk through your budget, who'll be using the home and how far you're happy to drive. Give us a call or send us a question, and we'll go through the options honestly. You can also browse our lodges for sale or all holiday homes for sale.

Costs and tariffs in this article were supplied in November 2026. Prices, fees and terms vary by park and change over time, so please confirm the park-specific figures and terms before you buy.