Questions to Ask Before Buying a Holiday Home on a Park

Use the questions before you commit

A viewing is often the first time the park, pitch and home come together. It is also easy to remember the sea view and forget the agreement. Take these questions with you, photograph or note the answers, and ask for written confirmation of anything that affects costs or your right to use or sell the home.

Speak to both the seller and the park when they are different people. A private owner can describe the unit and its history, while the park controls the future pitch terms and approval process. Leave time to read the paperwork without pressure.

Costs and payment

Ask for the all-in purchase price, including siting, connections, steps, decking and contents where applicable. Request the current fee for the exact pitch, not a general park range. Establish what it includes, when it is reviewed and how you will pay. Add separate utilities, insurance, servicing and maintenance to an annual budget.

• What is included in the advertised price?
• What is the current pitch fee for this pitch?
• How and when can it increase?
• Are electricity, gas and water metered?
• Which facilities or services cost extra?
• What are the deposit terms and total amount payable if financed?

Agreement and future rights

Request the purchase and pitch agreements, park rules and any warranty before deciding. Read the term, renewal, age and condition requirements, and what happens when the arrangement ends. If the current owner has favourable terms, ask whether they transfer to you or whether a new agreement will apply.

• How long can this home stay on this pitch?
• Can the agreement be renewed, and on what basis?
• Are there age or appearance restrictions?
• Can I sell privately or only through the park?
• Are commission, transfer or removal charges possible?
• Will the park need to approve a future buyer?

Rules and day-to-day use

Ask how the park operates through the year, not just in peak summer. Facilities may be seasonal. Check guest, pet and vehicle rules, parking, decking or alteration approval, and who maintains the area around the pitch. If you hope to use the home in winter, inspect the heating and ask about winterisation.

• When is the park open and are there stay limits?
• Is the pitch holiday-use only?
• Must I keep a separate main residence?
• Are pets, guests and multiple vehicles permitted?
• Can I add or change decking?
• Who maintains the pitch and communal space?

Subletting and income assumptions

Do not assume holiday letting is allowed because the park has a booking website. Some parks prohibit owner subletting, others require use of their scheme, and others allow independent bookings subject to conditions. Check commissions, cleaning, insurance, dates reserved for the owner and the consequences of guest damage.

• May I sublet this particular home?
• Must bookings go through the park?
• What commission and management charges apply?
• Are there restrictions on peak dates or owner use?
• What insurance and safety standards are required?

The home itself

Look beyond the photographs. Inspect the roof, seals, chassis where visible, floors, windows, plumbing, appliances and heating. Ask about damp, past repairs and service history. For a new home, obtain the full specification and warranty terms; for a pre-owned home, ask what remains covered and what contents are included.

• What is the year, make and model?
• What work has been done and what needs doing?
• Are there signs of damp or leaks?
• Which appliances, furniture and outside items stay?
• What documentation and warranties will I receive?

Printable final check

Before paying a deposit, make sure you have written answers about price, pitch fee, utilities, park opening, holiday-use restrictions, the agreement term, subletting, maintenance, age rules and eventual sale. If one answer is essential to your decision and is still vague, pause. A park visit should leave you with clearer facts, not simply a stronger emotional attachment.