New member but have been caravaning on and off over the years. I have a question that I dont know the answer too, can you pitch your touring caravan on a site and live in it all year round? I know there are seasonal pitches but what about the off season winter etc, will sites allow you to continue to stay?
Going through a bit of a marriage breakdown and I want my wife and the kids to remain in the house and my thoughts were to live in our caravan?
Do you think this is possible?
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Quote: Originally posted by Ran0227 on 14/8/2024
New member but have been caravaning on and off over the years. I have a question that I dont know the answer too, can you pitch your touring caravan on a site and live in it all year round? I know there are seasonal pitches but what about the off season winter etc, will sites allow you to continue to stay?
Going through a bit of a marriage breakdown and I want my wife and the kids to remain in the house and my thoughts were to live in our caravan?
Do you think this is possible?
Simple answer is generally NO as most sites will not have a residential permit. We used to stay on a pitch from Feb until Nov and then move to another site for the winter months. You will need an address for insurance, car and driver licence as you will not be able to use the site address. We used my father's address.
Even our neighbours son lives in his static, but has to come home and live with his mum for 2 months when the site has to close. Only allowed licence for 10 months opening
Thanks Ian, I thought it may be something like that. I suppose 8 or 9 month is better than no months I can keep things as my home address for a period. Now its trying to find a site in Scotland thats got avaialability for the next few months
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You could stay in one site for as long as it allows, then move to another site for the remaining months.
Some sites open all year round, and you could apply that filter when search for sites using UKCS's site search facility.
That would solve issue with staying away from your marital home; however, it does not solve the postal address issue.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
It is possible to live full time in a touring caravan - many people do it for very similar reasons to you.
It is not illegal to live in a caravan of any description.
But it becomes illegal when the land under the van does not have planning permission for residential use, which is why people move from location to location.
It is not a desirable way of life, as it has a great deal of hassle and uncertainty. Your big problems will be a postal address (as already mentioned), the fact that it will affect your future credit rating (your postal address will now be a "care of" address, so you are, technically, "of no fixed abode", and the biggest problem - what you will say to your car insurers when the question "where is the car normally kept" comes up.
All of these are surmountable, but do need to be thought about.
You also need to be prepared to move at any time, as while some sites (static and seasonal) will turn a blind eye to people using the van as their permanent address, this does mean the site is breaching their licence terms, so you may be asked to either prove that you do actually have a home elsewhere, or told to vacate the pitch. Easier with a tourer than a static.
I would suggest thinking of this as a temporary situation while you start to think about your next steps.
Good luck and hope it all works out for you.
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
The key is the word touring. It is not legal to stay in a touring caravan on one site all year round, although I'm sure many do. They just keep under the radar. Finding a site that will allow it won't be easy, because it is really a case of the site turning a blind-eye as they would be in contravention of their licence. I believe 30 days is the maximum unless you have a seasonal pitch. Finding a site that offers seasonal pitches, is open all year round, and has a vacancy, might be like finding a needle in a haystack though.
Sorry to sound so negative, but just pointing out it won't be easy. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Contrary to another post, living in the caravan will not affect your credit rating.
Regarding car insurance we gave our father's address and then the location of the caravan park. The premium actually dropped as the caravan site was regarded as more secure that on street parking.
We lived in our caravan with our three dogs for 2 1/2 years and the caravan was a twin axle. We had a full awning with lino as it was a gravel pitch. We were about 100m from River Severn.
Thanks everyone for their thoughts and feedback, it really has helped. I am hopeful that I can keep my home address as my fixed abode as I’m not likely to sell this and just let my wife and kids stay where they are.
So if im still an owner and use a touring caravan to stay at then I’m hopeful that will negate some of the address issues. The car insurance will be a bit tricky as mentioned as the main storage/parking will not be the driveway but I’m sure if I speak to them, they will advise.
It’s certainly going to be an adjustment but I’m glad I have a caravan as renting is more expensive than my mortgage , time to go find a needle in a hay stack, finding a site that can accommodate mostly all my requirements this late in the season.
Have a look at whether UKCS's Site Search filters can help with finding suitable sites for your needs and requirements.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
I’m located in west Lothian so not allot around me really, some in Edinburgh and a few in and around Falkirk. I was hoping Beecraigs would be available on a seasonal but no
I had a response from The Woods site, and they have availability from 1st Oct to end Feb, they are looking for £1525 plus I have to pay electric on a meter. I don’t know if this is good or bad?
Quote: Originally posted by Ran0227 on 21/8/2024
I’m located in west Lothian so not allot around me really, some in Edinburgh and a few in and around Falkirk. I was hoping Beecraigs would be available on a seasonal but no
I had a response from The Woods site, and they have availability from 1st Oct to end Feb, they are looking for £1525 plus I have to pay electric on a meter. I don’t know if this is good or bad?
Others might know that side of the country better than me for suggesting other sites to stay on, but The Woods is a good one (read the reviews here). The ones I know in the SW are too far away for your needs.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Touring pitch to live in all year
via mobile 15/8/2024 at 9:02am
I can keep things as my home address for a period. Now its trying to find a site in Scotland thats got avaialability for the next few months 
, only saving grace is its coming into low season.
, time to go find a needle in a hay stack, finding a site that can accommodate mostly all my requirements this late in the season. 
