We’ve misplaced tens of 1000’s of kilos on our caravans: As mom loses her life financial savings on a vacation let – different patrons reveal their cell house hell
- Have YOU experienced something similar? Email [email protected]
Devastated families have told how they lost their life savings after spending thousands of pounds on caravans.
Many invested in the mobile homes to make a profit by renting them out to holidaymakers while also using them as getaway destinations themselves.
But, little did they know at the time, they would be blighted by rental costs, maintenance and cleaning fees – before being offered just a fraction of what they initially paid as they tried to sell up.
Grandmother Kim Graham paid £57,000 for a mobile home from Seal Bay Resort in Selsey two years ago.
Mrs Graham put her life savings into the property shortly after the loss of her three-year-old granddaughter from Strep A, hoping the caravan would be a safe place for her family to go to grieve.
But when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June, Mrs Graham decided to sell the mobile home, only to be offered just £15,000 by the company to buy it back.
Speaking to MailOnline, Mrs Graham said: ‘I’m devastated, my life savings went into it for my family to enjoy. I expected to lose money if I sold it but not that much.
‘My grief and sadness has escalated and I feel I’ve let my family down.’
Have YOU experienced something similar? Email [email protected]
Jim Green and his wife Lorraine (pictured) bought a caravan at Parkdean Resorts Wemyss Bay in 2013, but said they were offered just £4,000 for it when going to sell
Kim Graham paid £57,000 for a mobile home (pictured) from Seal Bay Resort in Hampshire two years ago, but was offered just £15,000 for it this year
Mr Green described his caravan as ‘beautiful’ but said he was told by the company it was old and would need moving offsite
Mr Green claimed the park put the mobile home on sale for nearly £27,000 – after offering him £4,000
The view from the decking of Mr Green’s old caravan at Parkdean Resorts Wemyss Bay before he gave it up
The grandmother added: ‘At the time I’d just lost my three-year-old granddaughter suddenly to Strep A and I wanted somewhere to go to make new memories with her little brother and my other grandchildren at a weekend/holiday retreat.
‘They talked me into buying a nearly new one and I wish I’d taken more time to read through the T’s & C’s as no one pointed any pitfalls out.
‘No one knows what’s around the corner but I wish someone would’ve sat with me and made me understand all of the risks instead of painting a rosy picture and readily duping me out of my life savings.’
Additionally, Mrs Graham said she did not realise the caravan would come with fees of more than £8,000 a year and claimed she was ‘totally mis-sold’ the purchase.
‘Their costs are so high it’s impossible to make a profit or even cover the extortionate fees,’ she said.
MailOnline has contacted Seal Bay Resort for comment.
Meanwhile, former caravan owner Jim Green and his wife Lorraine bought a mobile home at Parkdean Resorts Wemyss Bay for £31,995 in 2013, before spending another £8,000 on decking.
He paid £17,495 for the more expensive model, in a part-exchange offer where the caravan park paid him £14,500 for his old mobile home, which he had bought earlier the same year for £12,500.
When they realised they only had three years left on the tenure, the park gave them £4,000, claiming the caravan was too old and would need to be moved off site.
But now, Mr Green has claimed the company has put the home on sale for nearly £27,000.
He told MailOnline: ‘It’s been really stressful. We actually bought it for our grandkids.
‘They have put my caravan which we loved up for sale on my very pitch for nearly £27,000 and given any new owners another 15 years tenure. We are absolutely gutted.’
Parkdean Resorts Wemyss Bay say that a lot of investment has gone into the caravan since he sold it, including a new boiler, and the value has increased as a result.
They added that customers are reminded of the fact caravans and lodges do not hold their value on their website and during the sale.
The scene from the decking of Mr Green’s mobile home before he was offered £4,000 for it
The view from the window of Mr Green’s former caravan at Parkdean Resorts Wemyss Bay
The scene from Mr Green’s former caravan before he was offered £4,000 for it
A spokesperson from Wemyss Bay Holiday Park said: ‘Parkdean Resorts has a strong community of over 19,000 loyal holiday homeowners, many of whom have been with us for decades.
‘We have a thorough process and carefully train our people to provide prospective owners with as much information as possible while they make their decision about ownership and financing.
‘Just like a car, a caravan or lodge will depreciate over time, so when it’s time to sell, owners should expect to receive less than what they paid. This is outlined clearly on our website and at various points throughout the sales process including the welcome meeting.
‘Mr Green had been an owner at the Park since 2013 and paid £31,995 for this caravan. In February this year, Mr Green decided to sell, and agreed to our offer of £4,000. This reflected the market value of this 2010 model of caravan, which had 14 years of use.
‘The caravan has since been fully refurbished, has had a new boiler installed and has been moved to a different pitch, increasing its value.’
This week, a couple told of their fury after they bought a caravan for £110,000 but were left financially crippled and £50,000 out of pocket.
James and Emma Richardson, of Cleethorpes, purchased the caravan at Tattershall Lakes country park in 2022, intending to earn some money by renting it out as a holiday home.
James and Emma Richardson (pictured) purchased a caravan at Tattershall Lakes country park in 2022, and say they have been left £50,000 out of pocket
Andrew Dawson (pictured) bought a caravan before being diagnosed with terminal cancer, only to realise his purchase had severely decreased in value
The pair claimed a salesperson at the park told them their rental income would be enough to cover their £1,269 monthly finance repayments.
But when approached by the BBC, a spokesperson for the company Away Resorts said ‘there are no guarantees’ about the income buyers will make from subleasing.
The couple claimed they faced months where their rental income was as little as £200 after deducting £1,200 for cleaning fees, rental costs and visitor passes.
Mr and Mrs Richardson desperately tried to sell the caravan but had their offer rejected by the park, costing them £20,000 to give back the home and settle their finance agreement.
Mr Richardson said that within a two-year period the couple endured losses exceeding £50,000, which he said has financially ‘crippled’ them.
Away Resorts told the BBC that ‘comprehensive information, including detailed terms and conditions’ is given to all interested customers to ensure their complete understanding of the risks involved.
Meanwhile, East Yorkshire couple Andrew and Sue Dawson purchased a caravan at Parkdean’s Skipsea Sands holiday park in 2022.
The family was then given the tragic news that Mr Dawson, 59, had terminal cancer and was given ‘a few short years’ to live.
They went to sell the caravan, only to discover it had suffered severe depreciation from £62,400 to just £17,000, The Express reported.
A spokesperson from Parkdean Resorts said: ‘Parkdean Resorts has a strong community of over 19,000 loyal holiday homeowners, many of whom have been with us for decades. We have a thorough process and carefully train our people to provide prospective owners with as much information as possible while they make their decision about ownership and financing.
‘Just like a car, a caravan or lodge will depreciate over time, so when it’s time to sell, owners should expect to receive less than what they paid. This is outlined clearly on our website and at various points throughout the sales process including the welcome meeting.’
