FAQ's

There are lots of questions those customers who are considering purchasing a caravan holiday home at Tarland will have – here we have listed some of the most common questions:-

How do we go about buying a caravan holiday home at Tarland?

After taking a guided tour of the park, we will cover the running costs and
answer your questions regarding ownership. This way you can decide whether
Tarland is right for you. If not, we may be able to recommend somewhere more
suited to your needs.

If you decide to join us, we can discuss the type of caravan which would
suit you, as well as your budget and how you plan to fund your purchase.
You can then view our varied selection of new and pre owned Holiday Homes
and choose your ideal location on the Park.
A deposit will be required to reserve your choice, allowing us to complete
your purchase and arrange a suitable date for you to start enjoying Tarland!

Can you take my touring caravan / caravan holiday home on another park in part exchange?

Yes! We will need to carry out a simple assessment which takes just ½ an hour or so.

Do you arrange finance?

Yes! We have a number of finance packages that can be tailored to suit your individual requirements. Please ask for full details.

How long can I keep my caravan on the park?

You can keep your caravan on Tarland Holiday Park until it is 15 years old, subject to the terms of the pitch agreement which stipulate the requirement for you to maintain your caravan in a good condition.

What about when I come to sell my caravan?

All of our owners are able to take advantage of the private sales facility. This allows you to sell your caravan to a third party on the park and the park operates as an agent and is involved in every aspect of the transaction. There is a charge of 15% + V.A.T. payable to the park in this instance. If you sell the caravan “off park” you simply need to liaise with the park office to organise disconnections etc. and to settle our account.

What does the purchase price of the caravan holiday home include?

All of the costs that are involved in getting your new caravan holiday home ready for you to move into:

  • Delivery
  • Siting and Connections
  • Two sets of galvanised bolt-on steps
  • Television Aerial
  • Earth anchors to secure the caravan to the pitch
  • Connection to Gas & Electricity
  • Connection to Water and Waste
  • Connection to Piped Gas
  • Electrical Safety Check
  • Gas Safety Check
  • Full Internal & External Valet
  • Pitch Development (see below)

What is the length of the season?

Tarland Holiday Park allows its static caravan owners to use their caravan holiday homes during the period 24th March – 31st October each year.

What are the annual running costs?

The annual pitch fee is due on the 1st January each year and is £940 including V.A.T. for the 2005 season.

When you purchase a caravan you will be charged a pro-rata amount reflecting the amount of the season remaining:

Month of Purchase ¦ Pro-Rata Fees Due
May 80%
June 70%
July 60%
August 50%
September onwards NIL

Month of Purchase Pro-Rata Fees Due May 80% June 70% July 60% August 50% September onwards NIL

Water / Rates & Refuse Collection are invoiced in June each year and will be approximately £170 for the 2005 season.

Electricity is metered and customers pay for only the amount that they use. We are in the process of looking at a card meter based system which will improve the efficiency of our electricity supply to our customers.

Gas bottles are provided from the park office and are paid for at the point of ordering. One of our team will deliver and fit the gas bottle for you. Our new development at Elm Glade has piped gas which is metered, and customers will be billed at the end of each season for the gas that they have used.

We recommend that you insure your caravan through “Caravan Guard” (Tel: 08450 717171) who will be able to arrange the necessary level of cover for you. The average caravan will cost £200 - £300 to insure adequately.

Who decides the length of the season?

The local planning authority sets the maximum period that the caravan park is permitted to be open for business each year. However, it is up to the park to decide, within that period, the actual dates during which the park will be open for you to visit your caravan holiday home.

Why would the park decide a different period?

There may be a number of reasons, but often the closed period is used to carry out essential maintenance and improvement work so that holidaymakers can enjoy the open period without being inconvenienced by any disruption on the park.

Can I move permanently into my holiday home?

No. You will normally be restricted to using it for holiday or recreational purposes. If you were to live permanently in your holiday home, this would be in breach of the planning permission or site licence with serious legal consequences. In addition, a caravan holiday home is not designed to be a permanent residence.

What about spending consecutive months in the unit?

Any plans to use your caravan holiday home other than for leisure breaks should be discussed with the park owner/manager before you purchase a caravan. It may be that local authority regulations, or the agreement you sign, will prohibit your taking up semi-residential status.

What’s wrong with long-term occupation?

Caravan Holiday homes are designed to provide comfortable, high-quality accommodation for recreational use only. On the other hand, Park Homes for residential use are designed and built to a different specification, with greater emphasis, for example, on storage space and thermal insulation.

Does the Mobile Homes Act 1983 apply to holiday parks?

No: this legislation was designed to protect the rights of owners of residential park homes on licensed residential home parks. It does not apply to caravan holiday homes sited on caravan holiday parks.

Then what are my rights?

Your rights are all contained within the “licence agreement” that you and the park will sign when you buy your caravan holiday home. This agreement is the contract that will be made between you and the park and it includes your right to keep the holiday home on the park for a given period of years and the times during which you can use your unit.

Does the agreement say anything more?

It does, including any rules applicable on the park such as the keeping of pets. That is why it is essential that you read the agreement thoroughly beforehand - and only commit yourself to it if you are happy with its contents. The agreement, along with the park rules, is there to ensure that everyone gets the most out of their holiday home ownership, and can look forward to years of trouble-free ownership.

What about insurance cover?

It is important to bear in mind that the cover that is provided for holiday homes is not the same as that for residential park homes when it comes to providing ‘alternative accommodation.’ For holiday homes, the insurance cover reflects the fact that the customer’s permanent home is not the park. The cover does not extend to providing temporary re-housing in the event of damage to the holiday home.