If you're looking for a good holiday home park, you've probably got loads of questions that need answering. Long standing Park Manageress Judy Weight gives her answers to our most frequently asked questions (FAQ):
We went to a holiday caravan exhibition and have decided on the caravan we want to buy what's the next step?
Firstly we would always recommend that you find your ideal holiday home park first, to find out how big the bases are to ensure you don't buy a holiday home that is too big to fit on your ideal park!
Once you have found your ideal holiday home park and ideal base you know how big your caravan should be and whether or not to buy a forward facing caravan or sideways facing caravan to take advantage of the best views.
Some holiday home parks, like ourselves, have a range of quality, fully valet second hand holiday homes for sale on site, ranging from low cost "starter" caravans for customers who are new to the industry (ideal for those who wish to try caravan holidaying at a lower financial risk) to prestigious newer models for those who have had a holiday home before and looking to upgrade at a fraction of the cost. Buying a holiday home onsite also gives you a saving of around £3000 as there are not the transport and set costs involved with buying from a trader.
Firstly we would always recommend that you find your ideal holiday home park first, to find out how big the bases are to ensure you don't buy a holiday home that is too big to fit on your ideal park!
Once you have found your ideal holiday home park and ideal base you know how big your caravan should be and whether or not to buy a forward facing caravan or sideways facing caravan to take advantage of the best views.
Some holiday home parks, like ourselves, have a range of quality, fully valet second hand holiday homes for sale on site, ranging from low cost "starter" caravans for customers who are new to the industry (ideal for those who wish to try caravan holidaying at a lower financial risk) to prestigious newer models for those who have had a holiday home before and looking to upgrade at a fraction of the cost. Buying a holiday home onsite also gives you a saving of around £3000 as there are not the transport and set costs involved with buying from a trader.
Caravan & Holiday Home Buying FAQ
We love the West Country/Coast and would like to have our holiday home there, but it is a four hour drive from home. Should we look for a Holiday home park nearer?
If you are looking to visit your caravan most weekends then a journey up to two hours is ideal. If you are planning to use your time at the caravan for peace and relaxation then a eight hour drive there and back with kids/pets/relatives in the back will probably negate any benefits you derive from it.
Far better to be closer, so you can drive down on a Friday and return home early Monday morning. While Fir View Tan y Ffridd has plenty of activities on site, we appreciate the attraction of the sea. The majority of our clients use our park as a base for their day excursions as they can travel down to the park Friday night and then set off Saturday morning to the beaches of Barmouth, Tal y Bont, Aberystwyth... which are all only 40 minutes away. In fact Fir View Tan y Ffridd is pretty much central to most attractions in Wales! Where you can choose to go to the coast when the weather is sunny, without being stuck there with the strong winds and rain when it's not! All the while enjoying the savings on the premiums a coastal holiday home park would cost in relation to an inland park
If you are looking to visit your caravan most weekends then a journey up to two hours is ideal. If you are planning to use your time at the caravan for peace and relaxation then a eight hour drive there and back with kids/pets/relatives in the back will probably negate any benefits you derive from it.
Far better to be closer, so you can drive down on a Friday and return home early Monday morning. While Fir View Tan y Ffridd has plenty of activities on site, we appreciate the attraction of the sea. The majority of our clients use our park as a base for their day excursions as they can travel down to the park Friday night and then set off Saturday morning to the beaches of Barmouth, Tal y Bont, Aberystwyth... which are all only 40 minutes away. In fact Fir View Tan y Ffridd is pretty much central to most attractions in Wales! Where you can choose to go to the coast when the weather is sunny, without being stuck there with the strong winds and rain when it's not! All the while enjoying the savings on the premiums a coastal holiday home park would cost in relation to an inland park
We were dismayed to discover some parks are only open for 7 months of the year, although we were allowed to visit the caravan at other times, we cannot stay overnight. Are there any Holiday home Parks with longer opening seasons?
Each Caravan park is issued with a license from its local authority, stipulating the opening period. In the past, eight month seasons (usually from March - October) have been the most common.
Increasingly, though, longer licenses have been issued with some parks even having up to a 12 month license. Remember though, unless you have a Chalet you cannot live permanently on a holiday caravan park, even if it is a 12 month license; you must have a permanent address somewhere else.
Fir View Tan Y Ffridd is open from the 15th January to the 15th November, as in Britain we do have lovely summers, but we do have cold winters, and holiday homes are what they say on the tin, fantastic to have in the summer only! We do have Chalets on site which are much more prepared for the winter months; these are 12 month lease hold contracts.
Each Caravan park is issued with a license from its local authority, stipulating the opening period. In the past, eight month seasons (usually from March - October) have been the most common.
Increasingly, though, longer licenses have been issued with some parks even having up to a 12 month license. Remember though, unless you have a Chalet you cannot live permanently on a holiday caravan park, even if it is a 12 month license; you must have a permanent address somewhere else.
Fir View Tan Y Ffridd is open from the 15th January to the 15th November, as in Britain we do have lovely summers, but we do have cold winters, and holiday homes are what they say on the tin, fantastic to have in the summer only! We do have Chalets on site which are much more prepared for the winter months; these are 12 month lease hold contracts.
I hope to be able to sub-let my caravan to close family and friends. Do I need permission from the Park owner?
Not all parks allow sub letting. Some are for owner-occupier only. At Fir View Tan y Ffridd we do not allow sub-letting on a commercial basis for the benefit of other caravan residents. In our experience people who hire a holiday home on a weekly basis tend to disturb the peace and tranquility of the park and disregard the wishes of paying neighbours. Safety and security are our main priority and we ask that you inform your family & friends to sign in & inform us at the office so we know who is on site.
Not all parks allow sub letting. Some are for owner-occupier only. At Fir View Tan y Ffridd we do not allow sub-letting on a commercial basis for the benefit of other caravan residents. In our experience people who hire a holiday home on a weekly basis tend to disturb the peace and tranquility of the park and disregard the wishes of paying neighbours. Safety and security are our main priority and we ask that you inform your family & friends to sign in & inform us at the office so we know who is on site.
Once I've bought my caravan, what other charges do I have to pay?
The main cost is the annual pitch fee, which is paid to the park owner for the use of their land. Rents vary accordingly to length of license and the facilities on the park. Small "peace and quiet parks with eight month seasons may charge around £1,800 per annum. Those with a whole host of entertainment and sporting facilities, with longer licenses, and /or near to the sea can charge up to £4,500. Be careful here as some park's have different fee's for different bases or areas of the park.
At Fir View Tan y Ffridd the only additional costs you will have to pay are your site fee's, your caravan insurance and for the electricity and gas you use. The site fee's are £1,825 for the season which are paid per annum and inclusive of rates, VAT etc. Depending on the caravan, caravan insurance will cost in the region of £300 and can be done through ourselves taking the hassle away from you or through an independent insurance broker. Each pitch has a electricity meter which is calculated annually and gas bottles cost around £30.
The main cost is the annual pitch fee, which is paid to the park owner for the use of their land. Rents vary accordingly to length of license and the facilities on the park. Small "peace and quiet parks with eight month seasons may charge around £1,800 per annum. Those with a whole host of entertainment and sporting facilities, with longer licenses, and /or near to the sea can charge up to £4,500. Be careful here as some park's have different fee's for different bases or areas of the park.
At Fir View Tan y Ffridd the only additional costs you will have to pay are your site fee's, your caravan insurance and for the electricity and gas you use. The site fee's are £1,825 for the season which are paid per annum and inclusive of rates, VAT etc. Depending on the caravan, caravan insurance will cost in the region of £300 and can be done through ourselves taking the hassle away from you or through an independent insurance broker. Each pitch has a electricity meter which is calculated annually and gas bottles cost around £30.
I'm not sure if we can afford a brand new caravan. What are the snags with buying a previously-occupied one?
At Fir View Tan y Ffridd we have a range of previously occupied caravans for sale, all in immaculate condition that are only bought from previous customers so we know their full maintenance history. They are then valet and electricity and gas checked.
While the snags are we obviously do not have the range available as a caravan distributor, you do save around £3000 on the transport and set costs associated with buying a new caravan and if you can live without the most up to date gadgetry then a second hand caravan can be just right for you!
At Fir View Tan y Ffridd we have a range of previously occupied caravans for sale, all in immaculate condition that are only bought from previous customers so we know their full maintenance history. They are then valet and electricity and gas checked.
While the snags are we obviously do not have the range available as a caravan distributor, you do save around £3000 on the transport and set costs associated with buying a new caravan and if you can live without the most up to date gadgetry then a second hand caravan can be just right for you!
What sort of Facilities do Holiday home parks have?
Facilities range from park to park, these can include a swimming pool, tennis courts, golf course, gymnasium, restaurant, to name but a few. Some, like us, have children's play areas and organised children's entertainment through the holidays and social clubs for evening entertainment too. So spending time at a holiday home park can be like a "all inclusive holiday"
While Fir View Tan y Ffridd does have a range of facilities, please see Park Facilities for more details, what amazes most caravanners is this country's beautiful countryside, it's heritage and diverse wildlife, which Fir View Tan y Ffridd sits in the middle off. While we do provide the facilities, our caravanners organise the entertainment, keeping the entertainment appropriate to those that wish to enjoy it without strict schedules outlining what entertainment is planned for weeks to come.
Facilities range from park to park, these can include a swimming pool, tennis courts, golf course, gymnasium, restaurant, to name but a few. Some, like us, have children's play areas and organised children's entertainment through the holidays and social clubs for evening entertainment too. So spending time at a holiday home park can be like a "all inclusive holiday"
While Fir View Tan y Ffridd does have a range of facilities, please see Park Facilities for more details, what amazes most caravanners is this country's beautiful countryside, it's heritage and diverse wildlife, which Fir View Tan y Ffridd sits in the middle off. While we do provide the facilities, our caravanners organise the entertainment, keeping the entertainment appropriate to those that wish to enjoy it without strict schedules outlining what entertainment is planned for weeks to come.
We've found our ideal park which has an empty base for a new caravan. However the park does not have any show homes and the owner has suggested we look at various manufacturers ranges. What's the best way of doing this?
The easyist way is to look around a caravan distributor, like Salop leisure, who's Shrewsbury outlet has some 60 caravans from numerous distributors available for you to inspect first hand. It is always a good idea to get hold of as many brochures as possible so that you can get a good idea of what features are unique to each manufacturer and what to expect for your money. Each manufacturer produces new ranges each year so make sure that your literature is up to date!
The easyist way is to look around a caravan distributor, like Salop leisure, who's Shrewsbury outlet has some 60 caravans from numerous distributors available for you to inspect first hand. It is always a good idea to get hold of as many brochures as possible so that you can get a good idea of what features are unique to each manufacturer and what to expect for your money. Each manufacturer produces new ranges each year so make sure that your literature is up to date!
Caravans are clad in Aluminum, uPVC and wood-like finishes, which is the best?
Aluminum clad caravans are the most common and the least expensive. The exterior is easy to maintain as just a regular wash down or annual paint or polish will keep them in tip top condition. UPVC and other finishes are pretty much maintenance free with some boosting better levels of insulation.
Aluminum clad caravans are the most common and the least expensive. The exterior is easy to maintain as just a regular wash down or annual paint or polish will keep them in tip top condition. UPVC and other finishes are pretty much maintenance free with some boosting better levels of insulation.
A lot of the holiday homes we have seen have decking fitted. How do we acquire one of these?
Some second hand caravans already have decking fitted which is included in the purchase price. For holiday homes without or for caravaners wishing to buy a new holiday home, most parks, like ourselves work with a local supplier and can advise and arrange to have your decking fitted to your specification and taste.
Some second hand caravans already have decking fitted which is included in the purchase price. For holiday homes without or for caravaners wishing to buy a new holiday home, most parks, like ourselves work with a local supplier and can advise and arrange to have your decking fitted to your specification and taste.
We are very active and enjoy our outdoor sports. Where can we store our bicycles, surf boards and wet suits?
Some manufacturers incorporate storage areas (like the Willaby Westmoreland with storage area at the back which is accessed from the outside) These are lockable so your equipment is safely stored and ready for your visits. Alternatively many caravaners purchase stand alone storage units or sheds to store cumbersome equipment securely out of the way.
Some manufacturers incorporate storage areas (like the Willaby Westmoreland with storage area at the back which is accessed from the outside) These are lockable so your equipment is safely stored and ready for your visits. Alternatively many caravaners purchase stand alone storage units or sheds to store cumbersome equipment securely out of the way.
Fir-View Tan-Y-Ffridd Holiday Home Park * Llangyniew * Welshpool * Powys * SY21 0LT * Email: info@fir-view.co.uk
* Phone: 01938 810575 Fax: 01938 810575 Mobile: 07848034424
* Phone: 01938 810575 Fax: 01938 810575 Mobile: 07848034424
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Email: info@firview.co.uk
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