Static caravan site fees are the annual or seasonal charges you pay to keep your caravan on a park. They cover your right to occupy the pitch and, depending on your park, a range of services on top. For most owners, they are the single largest recurring cost of ownership.
This guide explains what site fees include, why they vary from park to park, how they tend to rise over time, and what to do if the costs you are paying now do not match what you were told when you bought.
This guide is for people who already own a static caravan or holiday lodge. If you are working out whether your current costs are reasonable, you are in the right place.
What a Site Fee Is and What It Usually Covers
A site fee is the charge your park operator makes for the right to keep your caravan on their land. It is usually paid annually or in seasonal instalments. What is included in that charge varies between parks, so it is important to look at the breakdown rather than just the headline figure.
The table below shows the categories of cost that are commonly bundled into, or charged alongside, a site fee. Not every park includes every item, and some parks itemise costs that others roll into one figure.
- Pitch fee (site fee): the right to occupy your specific pitch on the park
- Rates / business rates: the park operator's rates liability, sometimes passed on to owners
- Utilities connection: access to mains water, electricity and drainage on the pitch
- Insurance (park policy): some parks require owners to use a park-arranged insurance scheme
- Ground maintenance: mowing, landscaping and upkeep of communal areas
- Refuse collection: rubbish and recycling collection from the pitch or communal points
- Storage: off-pitch storage for awnings, bikes or seasonal items
- Decking and hardstanding: maintenance of decking, steps or hard-standing areas around the van
- Guest passes: charges for visitors to enter or use park facilities
What is usually NOT included
Even when a site fee looks comprehensive, owners often find that certain costs are billed separately. Common examples include:
- Metered gas and electricity (charged at the park's own rate)
- Water rates (sometimes metered separately)
- Wi-Fi or entertainment packages
- Use of leisure facilities such as pools or clubs
- Annual safety inspections for gas and electrical systems
- Siting and re-siting of the caravan
It is worth reading your licence agreement carefully to understand exactly which items your site fee covers and which are charged in addition.
Site Fees vs Pitch Fees vs Ground Rent: What Is the Difference?
These three terms are often used interchangeably, but they do not always mean the same thing. Understanding the distinction can help you check whether you are being charged correctly.
Pitch fee is the most precise term. It refers specifically to the charge for occupying the plot of land your caravan sits on. Some parks use "site fee" and "pitch fee" to mean the same thing.
Site fee is a broader term. It is often used to describe the total annual charge, which may include the pitch fee plus other services such as ground maintenance, refuse collection, and access to communal facilities. When a park quotes you a site fee, it is worth asking what is included.
Ground rent is a term more commonly associated with residential park homes and leasehold property. In the context of static caravans and holiday lodges, you may see it used on some licence agreements, but it is not a standard industry term for this sector.
In practice: the terms are used loosely across the industry. What matters most is not what your park calls the charge, but what your licence agreement says is included and what is billed separately.
What Makes Static Caravan Site Fees Vary?
Site fees differ considerably from one park to another. If you are comparing your costs with those of owners at other parks, it helps to understand the factors that drive those differences.
The main factors that drive differences between parks are:
- Location: coastal and popular tourist areas command higher fees than inland or less sought-after sites
- Park facilities: pools, restaurants, and entertainment programmes add to running costs, which are reflected in fees
- Pitch position: sea views, lakeside spots, and larger plots often carry a premium
- Season length: A 12-month licence typically costs more than a 10-month or 9-month one
- Caravan age: some parks apply age-related levies or require owners to upgrade older vans after a set period
- Services included: A fee that bundles utilities and leisure access will look higher than one covering the pitch only
Comparing like for like matters. A lower headline fee at one park may not be cheaper once separately billed services are added.
How and When Site Fees Usually Increase
Site fee increases are a normal part of caravan ownership, but the way they are applied and communicated matters. Knowing what is typical can help you spot when something does not look right.
The annual review cycle
Most parks review their site fees once a year, usually at the start of a new season. The timing varies by park, but many align their review with the spring opening or with the anniversary of the licence agreement.
Notice requirements
Parks are generally expected to give owners reasonable notice of a fee increase before it takes effect. What counts as reasonable notice will depend on the terms of your licence agreement. Some agreements specify a minimum notice period; others are less precise. If your agreement does not specify a notice period, it is worth checking what you were told at the point of sale.
How increases are calculated
Parks use different methods to calculate annual increases. Common approaches include:
- Retail Price Index (RPI): The increase is linked to the published RPI figure for a given month.
- Consumer Price Index (CPI): Similar to RPI but a different measure of inflation.
- Fixed percentage: The park applies a set percentage increase each year, regardless of inflation.
- Discretionary: The park sets the increase at its own discretion, without a fixed formula.
Your licence agreement should state which method applies. If it does not, or if the method applied differs from what you were told when you bought, that may be worth looking into.
What your agreement typically says
Licence agreements for holiday caravans are private contracts between you and the park operator. They are not regulated in the same way as residential park home agreements. This means the terms, including how fees can be increased, vary considerably from park to park. Reading your agreement carefully is the best way to understand what you agreed to and what the park is entitled to charge.
Costs Some Owners Say They Did Not Expect
Some owners tell us that certain costs came as a surprise after they bought. These are not necessarily unusual charges, but they are ones that are not always made clear at the point of sale. The themes that come up most often are listed below.
Guest passes and visitor charges Some parks charge a fee for guests to enter the park or use its facilities. Owners sometimes find these charges are higher than expected, or that they were not mentioned before purchase.
Additional service charges On top of the headline site fee, some parks levy separate charges for services such as waste disposal, communal maintenance, or leisure facility access. These can add a meaningful amount to the annual cost.
Commission on resale When an owner sells their caravan, some parks take a percentage of the sale price as a commission. This is a significant cost that is not always highlighted clearly before purchase. The commission rate, and the fact that it applies at all, may not be obvious from the initial sales conversation.
Siting and connection fees When a caravan is first placed on a pitch, or when it is moved, parks may charge for siting, levelling, and connecting to utilities. These one-off costs can be substantial and are sometimes not included in the figures discussed at the point of sale.
Winterisation charges On parks that close for part of the year, some operators charge owners to prepare the caravan and its connections for the closed season. This may include draining water systems, securing the van, or carrying out safety checks. Not all owners are told about these charges before they buy.
If any of these themes sound familiar, it may be worth reviewing what you were told before you purchased and comparing it with the costs you are now being asked to pay.
Holiday Caravans vs Residential Park Homes: an Important Legal Distinction
This distinction matters, and it is one that some owners are not clear on when they buy.
Residential park homes
If you live permanently in a park home as your main residence, you are likely protected by the Mobile Homes Act 1983. This legislation gives residential park home owners specific legal rights, including:
- The right to a written agreement with the park operator
- Statutory limits on how pitch fees can be increased
- Protection against eviction without a court order
- The right to sell the park home and assign the agreement to the buyer
These protections are meaningful and enforceable. They apply to people who live in a park home as their only or main home.
Holiday caravans and lodges
If you own a static caravan or lodge for holiday use, the Mobile Homes Act 1983 does not apply to you. Your relationship with the park operator is governed by a private licence agreement, not by statute.
This is a critical difference. It means:
- The terms of your agreement, including how fees are set and increased, depend on what is written in your licence
- You do not have the same statutory protections as a residential park home owner
- The park operator has more flexibility in how they structure charges
Some owners are not made aware of this distinction at the point of sale. If you were told or led to believe that you had protections similar to those under the Mobile Homes Act 1983, and you own a holiday caravan rather than a residential park home, that may be worth looking into further.
Not sure which category applies to you? The key question is whether the caravan or lodge is your only or main home, or whether it is used for holidays. If you are unsure, the terms of your licence agreement and the planning permission attached to the park will usually make this clear.
Park Home Claim is a claims assistance and document collation business. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Where a matter requires legal assessment it is referred to independent SRA-regulated solicitors.