01752 744010 
Many owners are not simply worried about one issue…
They are concerned about rising costs, falling values, poor treatment, limited resale options, unclear contracts, and whether they were given the full picture before they bought.
A recent Holiday Park Advice Centre survey found the same handful of issues surfacing again and again: rising site fees, depreciation, resale problems, poor treatment by park operators, mis-selling, below-standard site facilities, and residential use restrictions on holiday park licences. We’ve addressed each of these below.
Where We Stand
As a family business operating for nearly 40 years, we pride ourselves on our standards and integrity, and on providing affordable holiday home ownership opportunities for hundreds of owners since we opened. Owning a holiday home across the UK is not always an enjoyable process, so we wanted to be clear about how our parks operate with regards to the concerns and advice raised by the Holiday Park Advice Centre.
We pride ourselves on giving good advice to owners and always recommend asking lots of questions — and even staying at a potential holiday park you wish to purchase on, to get a proper feel for life on park and the local area. That’s why we offer a “Try Before You Buy” initiative: a stay on our parks, and if you decide to purchase, we’ll include the cost of your stay against your purchase.
Chris, our Head of Sales, is part of the family ownership, having been brought up and worked within holiday parks from a young age. Chris can be contacted directly and is on hand to answer every question you may have — and because he’s part of the ownership, he can also answer questions about any future development on the parks, as well as connect you to an existing owner who can help in your search.
With holiday parks across Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, and options from £15,000 to £200,000 and everything in between, we have something to suit everyone.
Below are the concerns raised, followed by our position on each…
Concern 1 of 7
For many owners, annual site fees are becoming one of the biggest concerns. What may have seemed affordable at the point of purchase can feel very different once increases begin to appear year after year. Some owners told us they are now worried about whether they can continue to afford the ongoing costs of keeping their holiday park home.
The concern is not just the amount being charged; it is whether owners were properly warned about future increases before they committed.
Our Position…
As a HARPA member, our pitch fees can only increase in line with inflation, or an evenly split increase to cover any major improvement works on park.
Since Covid, we have only increased our pitch fees in line with inflation. This allows us to maintain our parks to a high standard, absorbing rising costs from suppliers and providers, as well as finding and retaining good members of the team to look after your holiday homes and parks.
Concern 2 of 7
Depreciation…
A holiday park home can lose value quickly. Many owners told us they were shocked by how little their unit may now be worth compared with what they originally paid. For some, the reality of depreciation was either played down, poorly explained, or not discussed clearly enough at the point of sale.
This leaves many owners feeling trapped; especially when they still have years of site fees ahead of them.
Our PositionWe offer complimentary sales valuation figures with no obligation, so you know where you stand.
Holiday homes depreciate similarly to vehicles, so our advice is this: unless you’re planning to own a holiday home for two or more years, we’d recommend simply booking holidays directly with us instead.
Concern 3 of 7
Resale Problems
Resale is one of the biggest issues owners raised. Some owners believed they would be able to sell their park home easily if their circumstances changed. But in reality, many have found there is very little support, limited buyer interest, or restrictions on how they can sell. In some cases, owners feel they are being pushed towards selling the unit back to the park for a fraction of what they paid.
For many, this has created a painful situation: keep paying fees, or sell at a massive loss.
Our PositionWe offer owners both options: to sell on their behalf, or for the park to buy the holiday home back.
Both options give owners the choice of pursuing the best price or a quick process. If you choose to have us sell your holiday home on your behalf, there are no upfront fees involved, and our commission is only due once the sale has completed.
Concern 4 of 7
Poor Treatment by the Park Operator
A number of owners told us they feel ignored, dismissed or unfairly treated by their park operator. Concerns included poor communication, lack of transparency, pressure tactics, difficulty getting answers, and feeling that the relationship changed after the purchase was completed.
Many owners said they felt supported during the sales process — but far less supported once they had signed.
Our PositionAs a family business, we want everyone to feel welcome, and how our team treats owners and guests matters to us as much as the condition of our parks. If anyone feels they’ve been treated unfairly, dismissively, or without respect by a member of our team, we want to hear about it directly, and we take it seriously — not as an exception to manage quietly, but as something we investigate properly every time.
The overwhelming majority of our owners and guests have a positive experience with our team — across all four parks, we’ve scored an average of 9.6/10 from over 2,600 reviews.
Concern 5 of 7
MIS-SELLING CONCERNS
Mis-selling was one of the most serious issues raised. Some owners told us they feel they were sold a lifestyle dream without being given a realistic explanation of the financial risks, restrictions, resale difficulties or long-term costs.
Common concerns included:
- Being told the park home would hold its value better than it has
- Not being clearly warned about depreciation
- Being reassured about resale without proper evidence
- Not understanding the limits of holiday park use
- Feeling pressured into making a decision
- Being given verbal promises that were not reflected in the contract
If important information was left out, exaggerated or misrepresented, owners may have grounds to question how the sale was handled.
Our Position
As a holiday park, our advice and rules are clear. We offer a minimum 10-month season across our parks, for which owners can enjoy lots of holidays. Owners cannot live on our parks, and we require proof of a primary address in the form of a council tax bill, annually.
We also offer a refundable reservation deposit, allowing prospective owners to take some time to consider the purchase without the risk of the holiday home selling to someone else in the meantime. If you decide not to purchase for whatever reason, the deposit is 100% refundable.
Our park rules document is updated annually, so every owner is kept up to date.
Concern 6 of 7
Below-Standard Site Facilities
Many owners also raised concerns about facilities. Some said they bought because of the lifestyle, amenities, community and promised standards on the park; only to find that facilities later declined, changed, closed, or were not maintained to the level they expected.
For owners paying increasing site fees, this can feel especially frustrating. The question many owners are asking is simple: what exactly are we paying for?
Our Position
We understand that when facilities decline or fees rise without clear explanation, owners are right to ask what exactly they’re paying for; and we think that deserves a direct answer, not a general reassurance.
Site fees go towards grounds, maintenance, communal facility upkeep, insurance, staffing and environmental works. Each of our four parks has a dedicated grounds and maintenance team, and we treat the environmental condition of our sites as an ongoing commitment rather than a one-off standard set at the time of sale.
Concern 7 of 7
Residential Use on a Holiday Park Licence
Some owners told us they are concerned about the way their park home was sold or presented to them. In particular, some believed the property could be used in a way that felt close to residential living, only to later discover restrictions linked to the holiday park license.
Our Position
We are clear with every customer from the outset: our holiday caravans and lodges are for holiday use only, for up to the period stated in their contract, and cannot be used as a permanent or primary residence.
Before any sale proceeds, we require proof of residency at another address, and we will not complete a purchase until this has been provided and verified; no exceptions. This requirement is explained at the earliest stage of the sales process, so no customer commits to a purchase under any misunderstanding about how the property may be used.
If We’re Being Completely Honest…
We don’t think owners raising these concerns are being unreasonable. Rising costs, uncertain resale, and a lack of clarity at the point of sale are real problems in parts of this industry, and we’d rather address them head-on than pretend they don’t exist. Explore everything you need to know about holiday home ownership here;
So don’t take our word for any of it. Come and stay with us before you buy; the cost comes off your purchase if you go ahead. Speak to Chris directly; he grew up in this business and will answer the difficult questions as readily as the easy ones, and he can put you in touch with an existing owner who can tell you what life on park is actually like, years after the sale rather than in the weeks around it. Read the park rules before you sign anything, ask exactly what your site fees cover, and take your time; your reservation deposit is fully refundable if you decide it isn’t right for you.
We’ve been a family business across Somerset, Devon and Cornwall for nearly 40 years because owners keep coming back, not because we’ve avoided the hard conversations. If any of the concerns above sound familiar; on our parks or anyone else’s — we’d rather you raised it with us directly than carried it quietly.
Speak to Chris…
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