Buying a holiday home is a fantastic way to holiday, it gives you the choice and freedom to holiday in a place that you enjoy whenever you want.

Buying and owning a caravan or lodge on Aberdunant is a very cost effective solution to owning a second home.

We appreciate that your spare time is precious and it is important to us that we find you the right holiday home, on the right pitch within your set budget first time, so you and your family can enjoy Aberdunant for years to come.

Holiday homes can be expensive items to buy, but this guide has been designed to give you inside tips and hints so that you have all the right information to make your final decision.

There are various questions you should ask yourself and when you arrive at the park. Here are the most common questions we get asked along with some top tips to get you off to a great start!

1. How long is the season?

The majority of holiday parks operate a season. Aberdunant Holiday park opens on March 1st and closes on January 2nd each year giving you access to the park for over 10 months of the year.

2. How much are the site fees?

Caravan Site fees are currently £2825 per Annum including the VAT, Local Rates, water, sewerage and refuse collection and includes the maintenance of park facilities.

Aberdunant offers a £150.00 discount for full payment received before the 1st November each year.

Electricity is metered to your caravan; gas is delivered to your door and is charged by the bottle, by the park. These will normally be itemised on your end of year bill so you can see what was used and when.

Insurance is mandatory and will be based on the caravan you buy and quotes are available from the office.

Lodge site fees are an extra £500 per annum inclusive of VAT.

Top Tip: ensure that the site fees and running costs are comfortable before you decide on the type of holiday home you buy.

3. Can I pay my site fees monthly?

Yes you can, Aberdunant offers a standing order service to help spread the payment over 11 months. Standing orders must be in by October 14th and the first payment goes out of your bank on the 7th November each year. The final payment is on the 7th September. The service is completely free but you do not receive the early payment discount.

4. Is there an age limit to the holiday home I can site on the park?

This is very important. Most parks will have some sort of renewal or appraisal policy, Aberdunant guarantees the holiday home can remain on the park for 15 years. After this date the company will advise you as to whether it will be allowed to remain on the park and will largely depend how well kept the caravan is.

Top Tip: Keeping the caravan in good order, well maintained and washed is a great way to gain extra time.

5. Does the park offer a part-exchange service?

If after a few years you decide you want to purchase a new holiday home or something that is newer, the sales office will offer you a great part-exchange service.

A lot of our business is from Part exchange and is a great way for the park to generate pre owned holiday homes for new owners wanting to "test the water "with something second hand.

Top Tip: Ask about any special deals that are coming up and keep looking on the showground and internet at the latest models to give you a good idea what's available.

6. Do you offer finance?

Yes the park can offer you some finance and payment options. We are regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and have a consumer credit Licence.

The Finance companies we use do require some kind of deposit which will normally be around 20 to 30% of the value of the holiday home. Written quotations are available and are competitive. Interest is fixed for the whole of the term.

All finance will be secured against your holiday home.

7. Other ways to finance your holiday home:

Not all of us will have the money in the bank to buy it for cash. Therefore here are a few tips to allow you to make an informed decision over which way to buy your holiday home:

• • Personal Loan from your bank or lending institution.

They will ask what the loan is for and will offer you various interest rates as well as allow you to choose over what term the loan is for.

8. Re-mortgage your house:

• • This will be cheapest option for you.
• • It will be secured against your home.
• • It can be placed over a period of time that suits you from 3 to 25 years.

Please bear mind that any finance will be subject to status. Please consultant a competent person in relation to any finance offered to you.

9. Can I sell my holiday home privately?

If you decide in the future that you wish to sell your holiday home yourself you may want to sell it on the park. The company allows you to sell it back onto the holiday park but will charge you a fee to cover their administration and transfer costs etc. This is 17.5% plus VAT of the re-sale value. Aberdunant offers a free web service to advertise your caravan.

10. Does my holiday home come with a warranty?

New holiday homes will come with a manufacturer's warranty and any pre-owned holiday homes will come with a warranty from the park.

Top Tip: Ensure that any work you have agreed with the salesperson to be completed is clearly noted on the paperwork at the time of buying.

11. Can I let my holiday home out?

The park allows you to do this but does have some rules.

You will be responsible for who uses the holiday home and must have a landlord's gas certificate and a current electric certificate which will cost around £70 to £100per annum.

This can also be a great way to supplement your annual fees. Some holiday home owners fetch as much as £4000 per year from rental income!

Top Tip: - Use competent and well know companies like www.Latebreaksuk.co.uk or Hoseasons to advertise your caravan.

12. Can I live on the park?

No, Aberdunant is not a residential park and is only licensed for holiday use.

This is a common question especially from those people who have retired and want to stay on the park for longer periods of time.

Most parks will not allow you to stay all year round as this affects the status of the park. If you are looking for a park that you can live on for 12 months this will require a Residential Park Licence which is provided by the Government.

13. 1 – 10 process of buying a caravan.

• 1. Find the right area of the country you want to holiday in.
• 2. Make a short list of the parks that have the right facilities you need
• 3. Narrow this down based on cost and affordability.
• 4. Take a tour around the park and go through the site rules.
• 5. Discuss openly with the park what you want and within what budget.
• 6. Look at a mixture of holiday homes for your budget or under it.
• 7. Once decided on the right holiday home, look at the choice of pitches available.
• 8. Discuss siting options with the park
• 9. Agree a deal, siting and move in dates, complete paperwork and pay deposit.
• 10. Move in and enjoy.

14. Governing bodies

There are many governing bodies that offer some good information and advice. Here are just a few:

• • National Caravan Council
• • British Holiday Homes Park Association (BHAPA)
• • Trading Standards
• • Welsh, England and Scottish Tourist Boards – they offer star ratings which will help you select a holiday park suitable to your requirements