The Cost of Buying a Holiday Home: An Honest Guide to Lodge Ownership

Buying a holiday lodge is exciting, but the cost of buying a holiday home goes well beyond the price on the listing. This guide sets out the costs that come with owning a holiday home on a UK park, so you can budget with confidence. It also shows how they work at Epworth Fields. For the whole process, step by step, see our guide to buying a holiday lodge.

1. The purchase price

Lodge prices vary a lot with size, specification, age and location. A coastal resort park and a quiet countryside park can be very different. At Epworth Fields our lodges start from £49,995, and you can see what’s available now on our lodges for sale page. See our affordable lodges for sale. Ready to look? See our holiday homes for sale. See what each budget gets you in our guide to lodges to buy.

Wherever you buy, check exactly what the price includes. The National Static Caravan Owners Union (NSCOU) suggests asking about siting, connection and decking (NSCOU buying advice). At Epworth Fields it’s simple: the price includes everything. Siting, connection, decking and furnishings are all included, so there are no hidden extras to get your lodge ready. See how a lodge compares with a static caravan.

2. Annual site fees

Every holiday park charges an annual site fee (also called a pitch fee) to keep your lodge on its pitch. It usually covers things like grounds maintenance, roads and general park management. Fees vary widely between parks. The NSCOU advises asking what the current fee is, when it is reviewed and how future rises are worked out.

At Epworth Fields the annual fee is £3,000 plus VAT, and site fees are frozen for 5 years for every buyer, new or pre-owned, so you can plan ahead. Read more in site fees explained.

3. Running costs

Beyond the site fee, owners generally budget for things like gas, electricity, water and insurance, and what you spend depends on how often you visit. The NCC also notes that you don’t pay council tax on a holiday lodge, because it isn’t your permanent home (NCC questions and answers).

Every purchase is tailored, so we’ll talk you through running costs and terms when you visit.

4. Maintenance costs over the long term

Like any home, a lodge needs looking after. Allow for routine upkeep, such as servicing, cleaning and the occasional repair, and for wear and tear as the years go by. A lodge is a long-term purchase, so it’s worth thinking about how you’ll budget for maintenance costs in year five or ten, not just year one.

5. Extra costs to ask any park about

Before you commit anywhere, ask what isn’t included. Common extra costs at some parks include siting, connection to services, decking, furnishings and the first year’s fee. At Epworth Fields the price includes siting, connection, decking and furnishings, so the main ongoing cost is the annual site fee.

6. How it compares with buying a second home

Buying a holiday lodge is different from buying a bricks-and-mortar second home. You own the lodge, and it sits on a pitch on the park, with an annual site fee rather than a mortgage on land. It’s a holiday home for your own use, not a place to live full-time. You can’t buy a holiday lodge with a mortgage. Read more in are holiday lodges a good investment?

7. Travel costs and transport links

The cost you’ll feel every month is getting there. A park close to home gets used more and costs less to reach. Epworth Fields has good transport links via the A1 and M18. Doncaster is around 35 minutes away, and much of South Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire is within an hour. And because it’s your own UK holiday home, there are no peak-season prices to pay in the school holidays. See lodges for sale in Lincolnshire and lodges for sale near Yorkshire.

8. What you won’t pay for at Epworth Fields

There are no costs for a holiday-letting operation, because lodges here are for owners’ own use only. You won’t have letting commissions, changeover cleaning or guest wear and tear to cover.

A simple budgeting checklist

1. Purchase price (at Epworth Fields this includes siting, connection, decking and furnishings)
2. Annual site fee (frozen for 5 years at Epworth Fields)
3. Running costs such as gas, electricity, water and insurance
4. Maintenance and extras
5. Your travel costs (a park close to home can save a lot here)

FAQ

How much does it cost to buy a holiday home in the UK?
It depends on the park, the lodge and the location. At Epworth Fields lodges start from £49,995. Then allow for site fees, utilities, insurance and upkeep.

Do I pay council tax on a holiday lodge?
According to the NCC, no, because a holiday lodge isn’t a permanent residence. You can’t live in a holiday lodge as your main home.

Will my site fees go up?
At Epworth Fields, site fees are frozen for 5 years.

Can rental income cover the costs?
Not here. Lodges at Epworth Fields are for owners’ own use and can’t be let out.

Can I buy a lodge with a mortgage?
No. You can’t buy a holiday lodge with a mortgage. We’ll happily talk you through the purchase when you visit.

Do you take part-exchange?
Yes. We take motorhomes, static caravans and touring caravans in part-exchange. Tell us what you have when you book your viewing.