OWNER GUIDE

SITE FEES AND PITCH LICENCES EXPLAINED

When you own a static caravan on a holiday park, you own the caravan but not the ground it stands on. You pay the park for the right to keep it there. That right is set out in your licence agreement, and the cost is your site fee, sometimes called a pitch fee. This guide explains how both usually work.

WHAT SITE FEES USUALLY COVER

The site fee is the charge the park makes for the pitch your caravan stands on. What it includes depends on your licence agreement. Industry guidance from the National Caravan Council (NCC) says the agreement should make clear which services are included in the pitch fee and which are charged on top.

Depending on the park, the fee may include upkeep of roads and shared areas, rubbish collection, and use of some facilities. Other costs are often charged on top, such as:

• Business rates and water rates, passed on by the park.
• Electricity, often by meter.
• Gas, either bottled or piped.
• Insurance for the caravan.
• Winterising the caravan, and draining it down.
• Some leisure facilities, such as a gym or spa.

Site fees vary widely by park, region and facilities. Ask the park for a full written list of annual costs before you buy, not just the headline site fee.

FEE INCREASES

NCC best practice guidance says parks should give at least 45 days' written notice of a change to the pitch fee, with an explanation. It says fees normally change in line with inflation, or to reflect park improvements or changes in running costs. Check what your own agreement says about increases and how to raise a concern.

HOW LONG A LICENCE LASTS

Your licence agreement sets the length of time you can keep the caravan on the park. NCC guidance for its members says the agreement period for a new caravan will not be less than 12 years from the date you bought it. For a pre-owned caravan, it is the balance of that period from the date the caravan was first bought by a consumer.

Some parks offer longer terms. Always read the agreement before you sign, and keep a copy.

AGE LIMITS AND REPLACING OLDER CARAVANS

Many parks have rules about the age and condition of caravans on the park. NCC guidance says that during the agreement period, the park will not remove your caravan solely because of its age.

When the agreement period ends, there is no obligation on you or the park to agree a new one. If the park does not offer a new licence, the guidance says you must remove the caravan within 28 days of written notice. In practice, this is when some owners are offered a part exchange for a newer caravan, or decide to sell.

If you are buying a pre-owned caravan, ask how many years are left on the licence, and what the park's policy is when it ends. This affects what the caravan is worth to you.

THE MOBILE HOMES ACT DOES NOT USUALLY APPLY

The Mobile Homes Act 1983 gives strong rights to people living in park homes on protected residential sites. Holiday caravans on holiday parks are generally not covered. Holiday parks are not protected sites, so holiday caravan owners have fewer rights than park home residents. Your rights come mainly from your licence agreement, general consumer law, and any industry code the park follows.

A holiday caravan is for holiday use only. You cannot live in it as your main home. Most parks will ask for proof of a permanent home address.

COUNCIL TAX

The NCC says holiday caravans are not subject to council tax, as they are not a permanent home. Business rates may be charged and passed on through the park.

TIPS BEFORE YOU SIGN

• Get a full list of yearly costs in writing.
• Ask what the fee covers and what is extra.
• Ask how long the licence lasts and what happens at the end.
• Ask if you can let the caravan, and on what terms.
• Ask about the park's rules on selling, and any fees.
• Check if the park is a member of an industry body, such as the NCC or the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA).

Sources: thencc.org.uk thencc.org.uk parkhomes.lease-advice.org. Checked October 2026. Information, not advice.