You may have been mis-sold a static caravan if you were told something before you signed that turned out not to be true, or if something important was left out, and you bought the caravan because of it. That could include what you were told about site fees, resale value, how you could use the caravan, or how easy it would be to sell.
This guide explains what mis-selling looks like in practice, which laws may apply, and what to do next.
What owners tell us they were told
These are things owners tell us they were told before they signed. If any of them sound familiar, it may be worth having your purchase reviewed.
"Site fees would barely rise"
Some owners say they were told that annual site fees would rise only slightly, in line with inflation or by a small fixed amount each year. In practice, site fees can rise significantly, and the licence agreement may give the park wide discretion to increase them. If you were given a specific assurance about future fees that turned out to be wrong, that may be relevant to a claim. Our guides to static caravan site fees and site fee increases explain how fees work and what you can check.
"It would hold its value"
Static caravans are not like bricks-and-mortar property. They usually lose value over time. Owners sometimes say they were told the caravan would hold its value, or even go up in value, as a reason to buy. If that influenced your decision, it may form part of a claim.
"You could sell whenever you wanted"
Some owners say they were told they could sell their caravan on the open market at any time. In practice, many licence agreements let the park approve any buyer, charge a commission on the sale, or require the caravan to leave the site once it reaches a certain age (see our guide to static caravan age limits). If these restrictions were not explained to you, that could be significant. Our guide to selling a static caravan covers the restrictions owners most often come across.
"You could live there all year round"
Holiday caravans are generally for holiday use only. Planning conditions and licence agreements usually mean a holiday caravan cannot be your main home, and many parks close for part of the year. If you were told you could live there full time, and the reality is different, that may be relevant.
"Renting it out would cover the costs"
Some owners say they were told that rental income would cover, or largely cover, the cost of owning the caravan, including site fees. If that turned out not to be accurate, and you bought on that basis, it may be worth including in your review.
"You signed on the day you first viewed it"
Being asked to sign on the same day you first saw the caravan can be a concern. A same-day sale may mean you did not have time to read the terms, ask questions or take independent advice. If this happened to you, note it down as part of your account of the sale.
Holiday caravan or residential park home, and why it matters
The type of home you own affects which legal protections apply to you.
Holiday caravans and lodges sit on a licence agreement between you and the park. The licence lets you keep your caravan on the site, but it does not give you any ownership of the land. The terms, including site fees, resale rights and when you can stay, are largely set by the park. Holiday caravans are not covered by the Mobile Homes Act 1983. If you bought a lodge, see our page on mis-sold holiday homes and lodges.
Residential park homes are different. If your park home is your only or main home on a protected site, you are likely to be covered by the Mobile Homes Act 1983 (in Wales, the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013). It gives residential owners a written agreement, protection against eviction, and the right to sell or gift the home, and the site owner can only object on limited grounds. Our guide to park home owner rights explains more.
Why this matters for a claim: the kind of agreement you hold affects which laws a solicitor will consider. Your paperwork should show whether you have a holiday licence or a residential agreement, and the agreement you signed is one of the first documents a solicitor will want to see.
Laws a solicitor may look at
A solicitor decides which laws apply to your situation, based on the facts of your case. These are the main ones that may be relevant. Only a solicitor can assess whether any of them applies to your purchase.
Misrepresentation Act 1967
The Misrepresentation Act 1967 can apply when a false statement of fact led you to enter a contract. The statement does not have to have been made deliberately. If a salesperson said something they believed was true, but it was not, the Act may still apply. A solicitor would look at what was said, whether it was untrue, and whether you relied on it when you decided to buy.
Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (purchases before 6 April 2025)
The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 banned unfair commercial practices, including misleading actions, misleading omissions and aggressive selling. A misleading omission could include leaving out something important, such as limits on resale or on when you can stay, where that was likely to change a buyer's decision. These Regulations applied to sales before 6 April 2025.
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (purchases from 6 April 2025)
From 6 April 2025, the 2008 Regulations were replaced by Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. It still bans unfair commercial practices, including misleading actions and misleading omissions. A solicitor will work out which rules apply from the date you bought.
Consumer Rights Act 2015
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires contract terms between businesses and consumers to be fair and transparent. If a brochure or a written summary of costs was not accurate, a solicitor may consider whether the Act is relevant.
What to gather before your review
You do not need everything in order before you contact us, but the more you can find, the more useful the review will be. Look for:
- Sales brochures and price lists you were given before or when you bought
- The licence agreement you signed
- Site fee letters and invoices showing what you have been charged over the years
- Emails and text messages between you and the park or the sales team
- Notes of conversations, even rough ones, recording what you were told and by whom
- Finance paperwork, if you used a loan or finance agreement to buy
If you no longer have some of these, you may be able to get copies. Under UK data protection law you can ask an organisation for a copy of the personal information it holds about you. This is called a subject access request. Our page on evidence and subject access requests explains more.
You do not need to wait until you have everything. You can start with whatever you have, and the solicitor can say what else may help.
How a review works
- Tell us about your purchase. Fill in a short form with three details to start with. It takes about two minutes.
- We call you back. We call for a short, informal conversation about what you were told before you signed. Lines are open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
- An independent SRA-regulated solicitor reviews your case. The solicitor looks at what happened and tells you whether, in their view, you may have a claim. The review is free and there is no obligation.
- Nothing is agreed until you see the terms in writing. If you want to go further, you will be sent written terms first. You are under no pressure to go ahead.
- Finance is looked at too. If you used finance to buy your caravan, mention it. The solicitor will look at it as part of the review.
Park Home Claim is a claims assistance firm, not a law firm. We are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Financial Conduct Authority. The review of your case is carried out by an independent SRA-regulated solicitor, not by Park Home Claim.
Sources
- Misrepresentation Act 1967
- Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2025, which brought the new rules into force on 6 April 2025
- Consumer Rights Act 2015
- Mobile Homes Act 1983