When it comes to selling . . .
Let’s face it, as exciting as buying and owning your own holiday caravan might be, there will come a time when your circumstances or finances change and you decide you need to give up the caravan. There’s three options available, but in the first instance you should give us a call and we can help and advise you. If you’d like us to assess your caravan you’ll need to drop us a line explaining your wishes and thoughts.
Route 1
The company can make you an Offer to Purchase your caravan. We’ll do a written assessment of it and tell you what trade price the company will offer you for it. Naturally this offer will be different from the retail value of the caravan. If you choose to accept this offer you should remove your possessions, sign the ‘buying in slip’ prepared for you in the office, give all your keys to us, and return your owner’s photo-card. We will then send you a cheque (plus or minus any money due or owing, such as insurance or pitch fee refund, or an electric account to settle).
If your caravan is an older model sometimes we don’t want to buy them in to keep on park. However we can give you details of traders and farmers who will make you an offer to buy off park. In this circumstance you’ll usually have to factor in the cost of us moving the caravan from it’s plot to the car park for their lorry to collect.
Pros – You get a quick settlement and cash in your bank, usually within a week to ten days, and there’s no more worries about having to pay pitch fees and any other costs.
Cons – You won’t get as much money as if you’d sold it privately, even after the company’s commission is taken. If you’ve got a high value caravan we might not be in a position to make you an offer, and will suggest a brokerage sale, see Route 2.
Route 2
If your caravan is a higher value model our Brokerage Service could work for you because sometimes the company is not in a position to offer you the full trade value for your caravan. There’s an up-front fee of £449 (inc VAT), and you’ll need to have the caravan gas and electric safety certificated before we can proceed. We’ll take the photos, produce a sales flier, and put your caravan on our website. We’ll also field the sales enquiries and do all the viewings for you.
When it is sold and the buyers’ funds are cleared in the company’s account, we will send you the sale proceeds less the commission due to the company under the terms of your Licence Agreement of 15% of the sale price plus VAT.
Our brokerage service was introduced to help owners of expensive holiday caravans realise an acceptable price in the event of the company not wanting the caravan or having the cashflow available at that time to make a fair offer to buy. We will not normally invite owners of lower value caravans to partake in brokerage sales.
Pros – You’re able to keep using your caravan while the marketing continues, but when we take a deposit you’ll need to vacate the caravan. You’ll usually end up with more money than if the company offered to buy your caravan.
Cons– There’s no guarantee when the caravan will be sold, and you need to pay the brokerage fee and safety test costs up front.
Route 3
You can sell your caravan by way of a Private Transfer to your own buyer. You can set your own asking price (we can advise if required) which might include the caravan contents and steps and storage boxes etc, but to be fair we will advise your buyer of the current Glass’ Guide retail value of the caravan.
If your caravan is less than fifteen years old we’ll give them a Licence Agreement and they can keep the caravan here on park. The company will act as your agent and take the money from your buyer at the time of the Transfer meeting, and will forward the proceeds on to you after their funds have cleared, and the industry standard 15% commission and VAT have been deducted.
Please note that with this option you’ll also need to provide us with gas and electric safety certificates for the caravan before the transfer can proceed.
Pros – You’ll usually get more money this way than with the company making you a cash offer.
Cons– You have to do the marketing and advertising yourself. You have to keep the caravan insured and pitch fees paid until the deal is complete, and you’ve got the cost of getting the caravan safety checks done. The buyer gets no guarantee with the caravan so might not want to pay as much.