Storage fees

I am slightly surprised, puzzled is a better word, that people buy a caravan and then wonder about storage and the associated costs? The first thought while wondering about buying one is surely where will we keep it?

I agree, we were paying for a storage space for over a month before we obtained our van. It was either that or loose it as they were in high demand.

Yes a very good point and one that could be easily excused as opposed to not looking at costs, after all one thinks of one's 'home and land' as being free to do as one wants. 

I'm not up to speed with the current situation, but back in my yachting days I often wondered about all those who succumbed to the glamour of boat shows without thinking about where they would moor any purchase. Perhaps a not dissimilar scenario to new vanners where at least there's a possibility of putting it on the drive.

When we got our first van is was kept at home but a new heavier van put an end to that however, where we live is not somewhere you would choose to take a van, three miles of single track access roads being just one issue, and if buying now would be wondering about storage.

I can see Davids point and we know three people who have had 'issues' due to storing their van/MH at 'home'.

One spent a large sum creating access and hard standing, one faced a constant battle as he used a communal area, and one got fed up with the aggro and used storage.

It brings to mind the issue that EV charging will be for the many that do not have parking at home.

There are waiting lists for a storage space at all the places in this area, except in places that it would be very difficult to to get your LV insured if stored there

You make a very valid point. I have had a share in a narrowboat for 19 years and when I bought my share, it was very difficult to find a home mooring for many boaters.  Since then, numerous new marinas have been built and the problem is no longer an issue, although mooring fees don't seem to have gone down! I have, however,  met people who have bought boats when they have never even been on one before and some of them have soon realised that it is not for them and I envisage that may apply to some motorhomers and caravanners as well, especially since the advent of Covid.  In respect of parking a van on the drive, there may be covenants in a property's deeds which disallow the parking of M/Hs or CVs.which they may not have been aware of.

Covenants are usually only enforceable by the builders who seldom have interest in enforcement once the development is completed and sold. Uppity neighbours often think they can utilise it but, particularly after the passage of time, find that it is basically meaningless. Redress is perhaps only available to them if it can be shown to be to their detriment, i.e. loss of light, access etc.

Our local LA will not allow c/vans on the front of houses and even those with larger motorcaravans have been told to store them elsewhere unless they can prove it is needed frequently 

They have a purge ,at times,,it does not apply it seems to pvc  as there are many white vans on drives

I’m not so sure about that CY, I think that’s a bit of an ‘urban myth’. Covenants are capable of being enforced by subsequent owners even though they were in no way involved with the original agreement. It’s generally not tested in law tho’ as a letter from the complainants solicitor is usually enough.

We had to forego having the van on the front drive when we retired to a flat in Gloucester. Shocked to read some of your fees, we pay £25 pcm for a secure lot on a farm about 5 miles from town. Before you all rush to the phone, the compound is full! We miss having the van outside, so handy for cleaning, odd jobs etc. The biggest drawback is loading prior to holidays, where check-listing and box-filling becomes slightly obsessive.  Main advantage is an empty drive doesn't advertise that we're away to the local villains!