Permanent Caravanning.

[Steve L]

Continued from above (tinternet failed)

Over the winter I'm going to look vary hard at becoming a site warden. Having spent nearly two years watching and learning what our lot get upto I'm certain I could do the job standing on my head. Also the job would come with accomodation or serviced pitch and there would be no commuting costs. Ok, so you have to deal with the odd incident but if you are cautious and keep your eye out, you can stop the little things before they errupt into a major incident.

I wish you all the best and hope to share our exploits as time goes on.

Regards

Steve

 

[Barking]

Hi Steve

We made the decision to sell up and move into our caravan 18 months ago.

We are now nearing the end of our second season as wardens and in general have enjoyed it very much. It is hard work and having just come out of high season we are pretty knackered but it is a rewarding job to do when done well.

We were fortunate in not having to make the decision for financial reasons but I have to say that the ecconomics of living in and working on a caravan site are pretty good.

Living costs are pretty much nil and though we live well, eat out on both our days etc, we struggle to spend more than one wage a week - which is great as it is subsidising our Antipodean Adventure due to staer in a few weeks.

 

[Surfer]

Well we move the caravan onto the site tomorrow and over the next few weeks run down the house and domesticate the caravan. May also consider the warden thingy as it does sound interesting and will make no difference as either way we will be stuck on a site.

 

[Steve L]

Hope the move goes well for you Ian.

I'm still at our site and enjoying it. I will know by christmas wether I'm fit enough to go back to building or if I go down the warden route myself.

All the best.

Steve L.

 

[Steve L]

Well nearly into the last month of 2009 and we are still fulltiming.

Been a soggy month here in the welsh marches. Our awning has got a hell of a lot of dampness in it. This is mostly due to the hardstanding only having about 2" max depth of stone on a breathable membrain. Despite us laying a tarp down and then putting our ground sheet down and an awning carpet on that we are not insulated from rising damp. So I've broken out the duck boards curtesy of several plastic chicken nesting platform sections. They are about 1000 x 750mm slats that interlock and are very effective.

Also had a spot of luck and found a nearly new wastemaster at our local brick a brack auction, for the princely sum of

 

[Surfer]

As per my earlier post, we have been living in our caravan 5 days a week in preparation to moving into it permanently. I have been a bit undecided due to my arthritis, but the wife seems to have made up her mind that we are moving in regardless.

As we can't afford to pay two rents at present, we have decided to pull the caravan off the site for December / January. Anyway the River Severn which is only 500 yards away was in danger of bursting its bank.

Being unemployed and partially disabled due to arthritis there seems to be very little prospect of a job in the near future so it seems we have no choice but to move into the caravan. For the life of me I cannot understand how people can likve year in and year out on benefits as we are scrimping and scraping but cannot make ends meet. Certainly would prefer to be employed as sitting at home is very boring.

Good news is that I have managed to obtain a mobility scooter in excellent condition for

 

[Steve L]

Been there got that shirt Ian.

We have been forced to jump through hoops to get our "benifts" and I use that word in the loosest sense of the word because we have to scrimp and scrape to make ends meet. Mind you, I'm well miff'd to find out that Ive been on

 

[Surfer]

The old 4 x 4 may be heavier on petrol but it is very reliable and cheap to maintain. It is nearly 13 years old but has only doen 84,000 miles. I am on ESA at present and having physio every day with hydrotherapy once a week but I am now required to go to an ATOS doctor. I don 't have a problem with that a slong as they are suitably qualified which we all knw they are not!

By the end of today we will know for definite if we can afford to stay in bricks and mortar and not get by or whether it si the caravan where we will get by without any stress and hassle.

 

[full timer]

Get back in the van Ian, you know it makes sense,today marks our third year full timing I would go back to bricks and mortar if some one paid me. I suffered high blood pressure and had a bout of shingles before we got out of the house, havn't had a problem since and have never needed any medication apart from an open field with a pub nearby.......Mark

 

[Steve L]

I know what you mean Ian.

My wife had to see a french doctor who was barely understandable, and this was despite here being diagnosed as needing a double gyni operation and it is common knowledge that recovery is very long winded. She can't drive for 6 weeks or lift a full kettle.

When I told my consultant that the dwp didn't trust his diagnosis and they would bring in their own consultant to decide if I was genuinely ill, he went up the wall!!

To me it isn't rocket science. If you are under a hospital consultant or recieving prescribed medication/therapy, then you are a genuine case.

Like Mark I feel much happier recovering in the tranquility of or caravan on a site where we are the only van occupied.

 

[Surfer]

We now have a real dilemma on our hands. We questioned our benefits about a month ago as they did not seem right and when we never got a reply assume that we were wrong. Yesterday in the post we got a re-assessment which more than doubled our benefits.

Now the difference between the bricks and mortar and the caravan has narrowed down to about

 

[Steve L]

Just thought I'd share this with you Ian.

I completed an ESA income related form and took it to the job center yesterday.

I asked why It has been 34 weeks so far that I've been on the trial period of

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

As per my earlier post, we have been living in our caravan 5 days a week in preparation to moving into it permanently. I have been a bit undecided due to my arthritis, but the wife seems to have made up her mind that we are moving in regardless.

As we can't afford to pay two rents at present, we have decided to pull the caravan off the site for December / January. Anyway the River Severn which is only 500 yards away was in danger of bursting its bank.

Being unemployed and partially disabled due to arthritis there seems to be very little prospect of a job in the near future so it seems we have no choice but to move into the caravan. For the life of me I cannot understand how people can likve year in and year out on benefits as we are scrimping and scraping but cannot make ends meet. Certainly would prefer to be employed as sitting at home is very boring.

Good news is that I have managed to obtain a mobility scooter in excellent condition for

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

We now have a real dilemma on our hands. We questioned our benefits about a month ago as they did not seem right and when we never got a reply assume that we were wrong. Yesterday in the post we got a re-assessment which more than doubled our benefits.

Now the difference between the bricks and mortar and the caravan has narrowed down to about

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

We now have a real dilemma on our hands. We questioned our benefits about a month ago as they did not seem right and when we never got a reply assume that we were wrong. Yesterday in the post we got a re-assessment which more than doubled our benefits.

Now the difference between the bricks and mortar and the caravan has narrowed down to about

 

[Surfer]

Being over sixty I get my prescriptions for free. We have no confidence in NHS doctors unless they are indigeneous as we have had similar problems but with foreign doctors. One of the reasons I rather suffer than go to the local NHS dentist. Obviously there are some good foreign doctors but they seem to be few and far between. It is my guess that asylum seekers arenow trained as doctors!

Anyway rant over. They have agreed to backdate the benefit payments to day one so that is a bonus. Although on ESA at present, I have been applying for several jobs a week as hopefully I will be able start work if I got a job in early January, but not even getting a glimmer of a response.

In the meantime I will have to investigate whether the local authority will pay a housing benefit while we are living in the caravan as I am told on good authority that we are entitled to it.

 

[Steve L]

You are entitled to housing benefit to pay towards the pitch rental. The presisent is that the council will pay for houseboat moorings as they are residential. Takes a bit of getting through to the council as they don't "think outside the box" !!!!!

You have to sell the idea based on the pitch being the equivilant of a mooring for your caravan. I get

 

[Steve L]

You are entitled to housing benefit to pay towards the pitch rental. The presisent is that the council will pay for houseboat moorings as they are residential. Takes a bit of getting through to the council as they don't "think outside the box" !!!!!

You have to sell the idea based on the pitch being the equivilant of a mooring for your caravan. I get

 

[SilverBirch1]

that should be presedent. I think, sorry for the typo. Dicky hand.

precedent - sorry

 

[Surfer]

We were going to collect our caravan from the dealers as it was there for delamination issues to get it ready to move back into on a permanent basis at the end of this month when the site re-opens, however the weather has dictated otherwise.

Although we can collect from the dealer the issue is getting it back into storage as the storage place is up a slight incline and the road is frozen over!

We had originally planned to give it a bit of a wash before going on site but somehow I don't think we will have much of a chance. We managed to get a nice second hand 2 year old Isabella awning for a good price and a gas heater to keep the awning warm on thsoe chilly evenings.

We are really looking forward to having the freedom and community spirit associated with living permanently in a caravan.

 

[andyp1]

I love the spirit of this post , please keep everyone informed

Andy

 

[Rabfaetheblae]

Hi Steve how are you holding up in this weather, hope you are both fine and cosy.

Regards Rab

 

[machighlander]

steve, ye are a breath of fresh air. if anyone was feeling down they just need to read your posts an they will feel rejuvenated, wow, lifes a ***** aint it.

pull yer socks up an get on wi it.

 

[Surfer]

Steve has no signal where he is located as he is not snowed in but snowed under.

 

[Surfer]

Steve has no signal where he is located as he is not snowed in but snowed under.

Oops let me try again