Nice to hear that you are still there Ian. Sorry to hear about your health problems.
Those who have never tried.............never win!!
Those who have never tried.............never win!!
Hello i am new to the site its 530am and my head is whirling with worry, next week we have a cab meeting where we will prob go bankrupt i am a teacher signed off with anxiety and depression and due to worry hubby now got headaches and diagnosed same given anti depressants we are 38. We bought this house hoping to cope but he has been made to take a wage cut and the cost of living is not helping, we incrued debts due to my illness. We want to lose the house as the area is rough with youth problems violence etc which didnt help me and migraine with seizures hospitalized in 2008, we have no idea how it will work if we have to continue with mortgage it will go pear shaped i now realise we need £1,000 to go bankrupt, £1200 to rent upfront no chance!!! We have a 2 berth and think best bet is getting shut of the lot and living in it we have already applied to candcc for a job in March not heard though!!! Whats been worrying me is adress for post doctors tax etc what do you do? we lived 4 6 weeks ages ago but still had a mortgage so I know we can do it. Any advice greatly rec,d just posting may help me sleep if someone can help.
Hi to all im just after a bit of advice after recently splitting up with my partner i have found myself homeless as such. I have a good secure job as a long distance lorry driver where i am away most of the week. I have looked at renting but for 2 days i would be spending roughly £600 per month on all bills etc. After reading the posts on here im thinking of getting a van and living in it at the weekend saving me loads on rent. The problem is an adresse for my car documents could i use a personnal po box for this. im going to be living in my lorry and hotels untill i have enough for a decent van. Ideally i would like a site where they could store it for me through the week and bring it out on the weekend does anyone know of any sites around Yorkshire Dales that does this many thanks from Steve
Is anyone who lives in their caravans still about on the forum? I have to sell my house (due to divorce) in Feb next year, and as I won't have enough equity to get another property on my own, but will have enough equity that I won't get any help housing benefit etc wise and will therefore lose everything I've worked my whole life for in just a few months if renting privately, I am considering living in my caravan with my two dogs. I would love to get in contact and get some advice from people who are doing it. As I will be hopefully past the worst of the winter I will have the summer to get used to it before the rough weather next winter.
I would also like to know if anyone knows of sites in Norfolk which do the 11 month stay thing?
Thanks all x
I would also like to know if anyone knows of sites in Norfolk which do the 11 month stay thing?
Thanks all x
I've been in our van now for nearly 3 years and it still works for us. We endured the worst winter in 30 years last year and survived it.
Basically it's all about being prepared. Keep an eye on the weather and act before any event. I E Lag the water barrels with old puffa jackets. Have two barrels as, if you don't you can bet your shirt you'll run out of water in a blizzard at 11pm and the torch battery will be flat. Likewise have 2 watsemasters. It lessen's the number of times your at the water point.
For a postal address use a family member or trusted friend, it's cheaper than a PO box. I have even renewed our photo driver's licenses without any probs. Tax the car on line and insure it that way too. "Simples"
If like us you need to move sites, sort the next site out at least a month in advance so that there's no last min panic. If you move sites you also don't qualify for council tax at band A on your caravan, as it is not a permanent residence. But you can claim housing benefit for your site fee's as long as you qualify for assistance.
I've posted all the info on these and more tips previously on this topic.
I think gven the current economic climate and the double dip recession we're supposed not to be having, there will be quite a few people going full time over the next year.
Basically it's all about being prepared. Keep an eye on the weather and act before any event. I E Lag the water barrels with old puffa jackets. Have two barrels as, if you don't you can bet your shirt you'll run out of water in a blizzard at 11pm and the torch battery will be flat. Likewise have 2 watsemasters. It lessen's the number of times your at the water point.
For a postal address use a family member or trusted friend, it's cheaper than a PO box. I have even renewed our photo driver's licenses without any probs. Tax the car on line and insure it that way too. "Simples"
If like us you need to move sites, sort the next site out at least a month in advance so that there's no last min panic. If you move sites you also don't qualify for council tax at band A on your caravan, as it is not a permanent residence. But you can claim housing benefit for your site fee's as long as you qualify for assistance.
I've posted all the info on these and more tips previously on this topic.
I think gven the current economic climate and the double dip recession we're supposed not to be having, there will be quite a few people going full time over the next year.
Hi all
I am new to this forum and like many others looking at moving into my caravan for a couple of years with my husband and dare I say it elderly kitty cat.
We sold our house 3 years ago and have been renting ever since, paying out over £1,500 a month to do so and therefore unable to save to buy our own home, which we would very much like to do. We are both at least 20 years off retirement and both work, in fact have very good jobs, but are seriously toying with living in our van to save. We moved from Wiltshire to the Berkshire/Hampshire border and need to live around this area for work. Does anyone know of any good sites which would allow us to stay for 11 months in this area and do you have to move off for exactly 1 month or can it be a couple of weeks i.e. go on holiday somewhere and then move back? If you are prepared to pay council tax can you just stay where you are all year?
I have been looking up year round sites, how do you go about getting prices off them i.e. they show £19 a day for off season rates and £24 for high season, can you negotiate a rate as you are a guaranteed booking or do they still tend to charge the same seasonal rates?
Some of the postings on here are very useful, a lot I had thought of already in regards to storage i.e. thought if we got a pup tent we could store food, clothes etc., in there rather than blocking up our awning. Are there any tips on how to make your awning more secure my husband sometimes works away at nights and I would want more security than just a zip. Had though of possibly putting locks on the zip ends of the ones we don't use much, but wondered if anyone else had done anything. Also, the caravan door locks are not that secure, again can these be changed to something a bit more robust?
We are due to move out of our rented house in June of this year so a great time to get set up and running and learn some of the tricks of living in a van. We have owned our van now for 4 years, bought it brand new and had a second hand one for 2 years prior to that so are not new to 'holiday' caravanning which we both love. Any help advice on living in it permanently would be appreciated.
Thanks.
I am new to this forum and like many others looking at moving into my caravan for a couple of years with my husband and dare I say it elderly kitty cat.
We sold our house 3 years ago and have been renting ever since, paying out over £1,500 a month to do so and therefore unable to save to buy our own home, which we would very much like to do. We are both at least 20 years off retirement and both work, in fact have very good jobs, but are seriously toying with living in our van to save. We moved from Wiltshire to the Berkshire/Hampshire border and need to live around this area for work. Does anyone know of any good sites which would allow us to stay for 11 months in this area and do you have to move off for exactly 1 month or can it be a couple of weeks i.e. go on holiday somewhere and then move back? If you are prepared to pay council tax can you just stay where you are all year?
I have been looking up year round sites, how do you go about getting prices off them i.e. they show £19 a day for off season rates and £24 for high season, can you negotiate a rate as you are a guaranteed booking or do they still tend to charge the same seasonal rates?
Some of the postings on here are very useful, a lot I had thought of already in regards to storage i.e. thought if we got a pup tent we could store food, clothes etc., in there rather than blocking up our awning. Are there any tips on how to make your awning more secure my husband sometimes works away at nights and I would want more security than just a zip. Had though of possibly putting locks on the zip ends of the ones we don't use much, but wondered if anyone else had done anything. Also, the caravan door locks are not that secure, again can these be changed to something a bit more robust?
We are due to move out of our rented house in June of this year so a great time to get set up and running and learn some of the tricks of living in a van. We have owned our van now for 4 years, bought it brand new and had a second hand one for 2 years prior to that so are not new to 'holiday' caravanning which we both love. Any help advice on living in it permanently would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Although we stayed in our caravan for well over 2 years, Steve In Leo can offer more up to date advice. Your biggest issue is negoitating with a site owner to stay on the site for 10 or 11 months. Doubt if you will be able to stay 12 months as Council tax then kicks in and causes the owner all sorts of headaches.
Hi All,good to see some of the originals still out there vanning full time good to see ya enjoyin it too.Well we're into our 4th year now and still loving it.As is the case we like others have been through difficult moments but nothing that couldn't be sorted,and with that have learned much along the way.Anyone contemplating doing this full time as we are should go for it,we at first worried about this that and the other but soon found there was little to worry about.We love our lifestyle now and would find it hard to go back to how we lived before.Also we have met some amazing people along the way and the last 4 years has flown by so that proves how good it has been.Well good luck to you all hope to catch up with u soon,Kev & Christina.(nadsia).
Just completed our winter move due to our long term site being a 10 month one.
Guess who had to do it on the only snow laden day this week!!!!!!!!
Should of listened to swmbo and moved on the 6th, but me being tight as a duck's u no what, saved £11 by moving in 3" of snow.
Did better though this year and got the van, main awning and my porch on the off side all up within a day.
I'm back at Cuckoo's corner on the A49 noth of Hereford and got a very warm welcome from Adrian and his wife (site owners). As usual Adrian has worked tirelessly to insulate all the water pipes and every thing is working as it does in the summer here. Although it is a small site and has dated facilities, they are very clean and usable. Every detail from concrete hard standings to brand new toilet pans and miles of insulation have been laid by Adrian.
The drive over was interupted by Dinmore hill as usual, it takes less than 2" of snow to block it with lorries and Herefordshire council still are unable to stratagise to prevent this happening. They're about as much use as a "hand brake on a canoe"!! I bet the council office carpark got gritted though.
Now the fun starts on Monday when I inform the council we have moved sites. Another 20 page housing application to be filled in and a discretionary payment application 15 pages of bulls***, to justify why the Housing Benefit of £40 doesn't cover the site fee of £80. That's rocket science for sure. Well it is to them. Then you have to remind them that they have a policy of paying an interim payment of £37-50 P/W until they conclude the same as last year, that we need the payments.
I'm still waiting for an operation on a compressed disc in my back which is due to take place at Oswestry now. I see the consultant on the 27th. Meanwhile, I have to suffer feeling like I'm riding a bike with no saddle until they operate. Not supposed to lift a thing or do anything resembling work, but what can you do when your home is a tourer. My best friend at present is a long handled paint roller, minus the roller. I use it to hook all the stuff I drop because of the arthritis in my arms and shoulders.
November and December were a nightmare on our 5 star site. No water, no cassette emptying unless you lift a 30Kg manhole cover. Snow throughout December upto 7" thick. The only path cleared led from the wardens lodge to the toilet block and on to the office. Even 4X4's struggled to negotiate the driveway. Still we were ok in our van which had heating and cans of water to exist on. I was not allowed to put the porch awning up on the offside to create a frost free water shed.
Fortunately I was trained to be self sufficient and make good out of nothing, but some of the static residents are retiree's who rely upon sticks to walk and don't have the skillsets to battle mother nature. I made a water kit for my son to use in his frozen static by using an aqua roll and a caravan pump rigged to the van pipes to give him pressured water to run the central heating boiler. That had failed because the site water pipes are not deep enough in the ground to be below thw frost line. Admittedly we had the coldest December for 100 years on average, but if wardens too a tip from Adrian , and planned for that, water does flow at all times.
Guess who had to do it on the only snow laden day this week!!!!!!!!
Should of listened to swmbo and moved on the 6th, but me being tight as a duck's u no what, saved £11 by moving in 3" of snow.
Did better though this year and got the van, main awning and my porch on the off side all up within a day.
I'm back at Cuckoo's corner on the A49 noth of Hereford and got a very warm welcome from Adrian and his wife (site owners). As usual Adrian has worked tirelessly to insulate all the water pipes and every thing is working as it does in the summer here. Although it is a small site and has dated facilities, they are very clean and usable. Every detail from concrete hard standings to brand new toilet pans and miles of insulation have been laid by Adrian.
The drive over was interupted by Dinmore hill as usual, it takes less than 2" of snow to block it with lorries and Herefordshire council still are unable to stratagise to prevent this happening. They're about as much use as a "hand brake on a canoe"!! I bet the council office carpark got gritted though.
Now the fun starts on Monday when I inform the council we have moved sites. Another 20 page housing application to be filled in and a discretionary payment application 15 pages of bulls***, to justify why the Housing Benefit of £40 doesn't cover the site fee of £80. That's rocket science for sure. Well it is to them. Then you have to remind them that they have a policy of paying an interim payment of £37-50 P/W until they conclude the same as last year, that we need the payments.
I'm still waiting for an operation on a compressed disc in my back which is due to take place at Oswestry now. I see the consultant on the 27th. Meanwhile, I have to suffer feeling like I'm riding a bike with no saddle until they operate. Not supposed to lift a thing or do anything resembling work, but what can you do when your home is a tourer. My best friend at present is a long handled paint roller, minus the roller. I use it to hook all the stuff I drop because of the arthritis in my arms and shoulders.
November and December were a nightmare on our 5 star site. No water, no cassette emptying unless you lift a 30Kg manhole cover. Snow throughout December upto 7" thick. The only path cleared led from the wardens lodge to the toilet block and on to the office. Even 4X4's struggled to negotiate the driveway. Still we were ok in our van which had heating and cans of water to exist on. I was not allowed to put the porch awning up on the offside to create a frost free water shed.
Fortunately I was trained to be self sufficient and make good out of nothing, but some of the static residents are retiree's who rely upon sticks to walk and don't have the skillsets to battle mother nature. I made a water kit for my son to use in his frozen static by using an aqua roll and a caravan pump rigged to the van pipes to give him pressured water to run the central heating boiler. That had failed because the site water pipes are not deep enough in the ground to be below thw frost line. Admittedly we had the coldest December for 100 years on average, but if wardens too a tip from Adrian , and planned for that, water does flow at all times.
Hi all
Well things have progressed for us from my first posting. We have now found an all year site about 9 miles away from us which have hardstanding with electric hook up, water and waste facilities, but you cannot put an awning up on those. They also have grass electric pitches which while you can put your awning up, you have to move every 2 weeks to give the grass a chance to breath, even though we have a breathable ground sheet. So we are now in a dilemna about selling our lovely 2 berth, end bathroom Elddis Odyssey 462 with awning and going for a larger fixed bed, end bathroom model. My favourite out there is the Elddis superscirrocco, I have wanted one for many years and this might be what pushes us. Without being able to use our awning, we could not live in our 2 berth and we don't fancy moving every 2 weeks either. Have started looking out for a bigger van and hope that with what we can get for ours which is in perfect condition, that we can get away with only paying an addition £2-3K for a big one which is slightly older than ours. I have also found a great storage place, which is only 3 miles from the site so if we needed to get things we can pop back easily. So things are coming together, we are being swayed more each day to actually do this and reading some of the postings on here, it doesn't appear that anyone has regretted doing it. Not sure how our parents will react, I can feel the frowns on their faces that we have gone from owning our own home 3 years ago, to renting for 3 years, which they didn't like either to now living out of our caravan. I have worked out it will save us over £1,000 a month, great savings to put towards buying our new home in 3 - 5 years, but they won't see it that way : (. Love reading the postings on here, any other tips would be great to hear about.
Well things have progressed for us from my first posting. We have now found an all year site about 9 miles away from us which have hardstanding with electric hook up, water and waste facilities, but you cannot put an awning up on those. They also have grass electric pitches which while you can put your awning up, you have to move every 2 weeks to give the grass a chance to breath, even though we have a breathable ground sheet. So we are now in a dilemna about selling our lovely 2 berth, end bathroom Elddis Odyssey 462 with awning and going for a larger fixed bed, end bathroom model. My favourite out there is the Elddis superscirrocco, I have wanted one for many years and this might be what pushes us. Without being able to use our awning, we could not live in our 2 berth and we don't fancy moving every 2 weeks either. Have started looking out for a bigger van and hope that with what we can get for ours which is in perfect condition, that we can get away with only paying an addition £2-3K for a big one which is slightly older than ours. I have also found a great storage place, which is only 3 miles from the site so if we needed to get things we can pop back easily. So things are coming together, we are being swayed more each day to actually do this and reading some of the postings on here, it doesn't appear that anyone has regretted doing it. Not sure how our parents will react, I can feel the frowns on their faces that we have gone from owning our own home 3 years ago, to renting for 3 years, which they didn't like either to now living out of our caravan. I have worked out it will save us over £1,000 a month, great savings to put towards buying our new home in 3 - 5 years, but they won't see it that way : (. Love reading the postings on here, any other tips would be great to hear about.
The forum page numbering system seems to have gone slightly awry on this topic. Unfortunately moderators can't rectify this problem because we'd risk losing the entire topic of 314 posts.
It's a good topic with some good information about cold weather caravanning for all of us, good luck to all who caravan full time and stay warm!
It's a good topic with some good information about cold weather caravanning for all of us, good luck to all who caravan full time and stay warm!
Our caravan was a Lunar 640 with a proper island bed (Walk around) Shower on one sdie and bathroom on the other side. Front had a L shape lounge but thsi was only used in the depths of winter as the rest of the time we sat in the awning. For the cooler evenings we had a Superser catalytic gas heater which kept the awning as warm as toast. We also had a Sky box connected to the 32" TV in the awning and also the TVs in the lounge and bedroom area. We had cane furniture for our lounge site. In the winter when we had to move, we had a rented garage and piled that full of the stuff from the awning.
Our van is an Abbey freestyle 540se, fixedbed. Having the fixed bed is defiately a bonus. Where we are now we turn our van 90 degrees on the concrete hard standing and that way we can use our full awning on the left side of the van and have 50% hardstanding under the awning negating the need for ground sheets. We also put our porch awning up on the right side of the van to provide a frost free shed for the water barrels. No need at present to lag the barrels like this. We had to use old puffa jackets from Oct to jan to insulate the water barrels. Placing the water pump down one sleeve also lags that. You need XXL size for 40Ltr Aqua rolls and 50Ltre Waterhogs. I pay about £5 at charity shops and try to buy blue,brown or green color to apease our wardens.
We stay at Cuckoos for 7 weeks and then go back to the seasonal site which has a modern toilet and laundry block. You can certainly tell the difference between owner operated sites and warden controlled. Here this morning, Adrian was out and about checking the water was flowing bright and early. We had a very hard frost today, even the ice scraper wouldn't clear the car windscreen.
We stay at Cuckoos for 7 weeks and then go back to the seasonal site which has a modern toilet and laundry block. You can certainly tell the difference between owner operated sites and warden controlled. Here this morning, Adrian was out and about checking the water was flowing bright and early. We had a very hard frost today, even the ice scraper wouldn't clear the car windscreen.
We extended the lounge on our 'downsize' home last year. I couldn't stand being in an 18 x 16 box, we seemed so cramped and on top of one another. I often lay out on the lounge floor whilst watching the box and doing my back excersises, our books alone would more than fill or twin axle and spending hours in the garage tinkering keeps me sane.
As much as we love weeks and weeks away in the caravan it is outside of my thinking as to how anyone full times in a touring caravan, giving up the comforts of a home for a tourer, Owch
I don't belive it doesn't hurt at times, you may be able to cope and adjust but I find it hard to believe that full timing is a long term positive and agreeable life choice after having a real home.
I've enjoyed reading this section, but I don't 'get it'. Some useful info on cold weather camping ideas.
As much as we love weeks and weeks away in the caravan it is outside of my thinking as to how anyone full times in a touring caravan, giving up the comforts of a home for a tourer, Owch
I've enjoyed reading this section, but I don't 'get it'. Some useful info on cold weather camping ideas.
Its really a case of choice and what suits each of us,a bit like some people like 1 bed flats some like multi bed detached.Some like small cars and some like limo's.Also the fact of personal finance or weather you are happy in the rat race so on and so on.If everyone was the same the world would be a boring place and then what would we all talk about and debate on forums like this?As long as we all love carravaning thats what keeps us all as a community and friends.Power to the permanent vanners.Kev & Christina.
Yeah, I've no problem with big v small flat, house, maisonette or bunglaow. T
he largest twin axle is only about 1/2 the size of my elderly aunties sheltered housing retirement flat.
I question that positive remarks really cover the changes many would have to make to their lives, I'm not making personal criticism of anyone that gives up bricks and mortar in favour of a caravan to live in. I just feel that some are kidding themselves that it has a lot of positives or long term benefits.
We have friends who let their seaside home as Holiday let and tour in their caravan part of the year, from their experiences in the caravan long term I just don't buy it. I just can't see myself full timing at 80+ crippled with arthritis
he largest twin axle is only about 1/2 the size of my elderly aunties sheltered housing retirement flat.
I question that positive remarks really cover the changes many would have to make to their lives, I'm not making personal criticism of anyone that gives up bricks and mortar in favour of a caravan to live in. I just feel that some are kidding themselves that it has a lot of positives or long term benefits.
We have friends who let their seaside home as Holiday let and tour in their caravan part of the year, from their experiences in the caravan long term I just don't buy it. I just can't see myself full timing at 80+ crippled with arthritis
Chris,i totally agree with what you say,it took us 4 yrs to make the decision to go permanent.mainly because we didn't know how we would cope.At the time we didn't even have a caravan,just holidayed in one a couple of times.If we had had the knowlegde of this forum an talked to the the likes of Ogre and steveinleo it would have made our homework much easier.Even so we decided to go for it,it wasn't so much of a case of living in a van full time but a whole life style change for us.We are lucky that all our family are grown up and living their own lives so it made our decision easier.We sold our house and put the proceeds into accounts for the future so we are fairly fortunate in this day and age,also we have found jobs that suit our new way of life and we are happy doing them.We are only in our late 40s so have a few years before we retire,We have had the oppurtunity to travel europe in the last 4 yrs with our van and have certainly gained some good experience,whilst we were in our house we couldn't have been able to do that.The way we look on life now is different than we used to,we take each day as it comes and don't worry unduly about what or may not be.As for being old with issues what will be will be.We will deal with that as it happens.Funny thing saying that tho,when we first started this full time thing,i helped an old chap who had dropped the front of his van off the jockey wheel into the mud and couldn't hitch his van onto his car.So i manually lifted it up so he could reverse under it,i got him sorted an off he went happy.The next day my back was out,so now when it is cold weather my back reminds of that time,but never the less life goes on.Fair play to anyone who gives it a go,but remember you don't have to do anything for ever if ya don'want to.Who knows what the future will bring for any of us,just live life to the full while you can.A.T.B,kev & christina.
There are definitely a lot of benefits associated with being permanent with the main fact being comradeship with other vanners followed up by security. Obviously a lot less bills also as water and elecfrics are all in and you only have to buy gas as and when you need it..
If you have a 2 bed semi worth 150k it may cost more for water and electric. It should out last us and over a few years it should increase in value. A 16k caravan is worth about 12k a day or two after you buy it and even if you've sold the semi, the invested proceeds are unlikley to keep up with inflation. Your tow car is also likely to work harder, most sites are not near shops or bus routes. 30k on a new car and van and by the end of the year you'll be lucky if they are worth 16. Touring caravans are going to depreicate and wear pretty fast used 24/7.
You've not got a permanent address, for mobile phone contracts or proper broadband or Sky or voting.
My friend moved to a new house last week she lived a mile from her doctors surgery and now is just over a mile and half from it, the Doctor will now not do house calls! What health service do you get on a sites and how does it work when you're not their pemanently. And what insurance do you pay, my friends car insurance is changing as she no longer has home parking, And what about things such as CRB clearance for some employers or getting credit or bank accounts, insurance, Is a camp site acceptable when it's not a permanent address.
Full timing may look good in the short term, long term it looks like it could be an easy route for disaster.
You've not got a permanent address, for mobile phone contracts or proper broadband or Sky or voting.
My friend moved to a new house last week she lived a mile from her doctors surgery and now is just over a mile and half from it, the Doctor will now not do house calls! What health service do you get on a sites and how does it work when you're not their pemanently. And what insurance do you pay, my friends car insurance is changing as she no longer has home parking, And what about things such as CRB clearance for some employers or getting credit or bank accounts, insurance, Is a camp site acceptable when it's not a permanent address.
Full timing may look good in the short term, long term it looks like it could be an easy route for disaster.
Chris,Its obviously not for you so fair play,many of us have lived the way you like to and have decided it's not for us any more at this time.There are solutions to everything doctors,phones car tax ins everything, its not a problem if ya know how to deal with it.If anyone reads this forum from the very beginning many of the questions are answered along the way.Many issues can easily be solved by just talking to people and asking,many people are happy to help.In 4 yrs we've had very very few issues that couldn't be sorted out. If it's not for you don't worry ya self about it.Be optimistic and enjoy ya lifes path what ever you choose it to be.Atb. K&C
Parksy commented on this in an earlier post and the whizz kids at Haywiremarket are still scratching their balls heads!
TRENDING THREADS
-
Newbie Caravan Owners - Bailey Unicorn Cabrera
- Started by tim2000s
- Replies: 2
-
-
-
-
Thetford Fridge N604M.3 (3 way) not running properly on Gas
- Started by Tall Paul
- Replies: 3
-
-
Facebook
Twitter