Buying a Home from Home
UK Holiday Home Ownership Report 2015
A Nationwide Study of the Ownership
of British Holiday Homes
Produced in Association with OnePoll and Park Leisure
UK Holiday Home Ownership Report 2015
The idea of holidaying in a static caravan
or lodge used to be only for the most
hardened of Brits, but today times have
changed. The industry has evolved with the
times and static homes have steadily become
one of the most fashionable ways to enjoy
our country’s most beautiful natural spaces.
Today, accommodation is available for every
kind of traveller, and modern holiday parks
are now far removed from the “Hi-de-Hi”
style camper experience, offering luxury
spas, gourmet restaurants and beautiful
leisure facilities for a discerning clientele.
There’s been a boom in static caravan
and lodge ownership and holiday homes
on managed sites in the UK1 as people
turn away from owning ‘a place in the sun’
(there’s been an 80% decline in the number
of people buying international property
since the financial crash in 2007)2, and
instead opt for a simple, easy, great escape
right here on British soil.
According to the 2011 Census, nearly
200,000 Brits have invested in a British
holiday home,3 and recent figures from
leisure park businesses support the theory
that this is increasing. Park Leisure, one
of the largest, independently owned,
luxury holiday park operators in the UK,
with nearly 3,000 holiday homes across
11 parks, has reported a 56% increase in
caravan and lodge sales in the six months
leading to 30th June 2015, turning over
£28.4m in that period alone. Surprisingly,
the recession merely contributed to the
growth of this sector as people who
would have ordinarily been considering a
£300,000 holiday home began to seek a
more affordable option.
This investment into our country’s most
picturesque areas boosts the economies
of some of the UK’s key destinations too.
The holiday home industry in the UK now
generates more than £3 billion in tourism
spending every year, contributing to 14% of
the tourism economy as a whole.4
Corinne Sweet, psychologist,
psychotherapist and author, explains,
“Buying a little bit of heaven on earth is how
many discerning home owners view their
precious holiday home purchases as they
can provide an essential and welcome break
from the pressures of the daily grind. What’s
more, being able to get away relatively easily
and quickly to a familiar, safe and secure
place, can bring a very deep and basic
human benefit.”
‘‘
The holiday home
industry in the UK
now generates more
than £3bn in tourism
spending every year,
contributing to
14% of the tourism
economy.
‘‘
The Home away from
Home – at Home
Jon Boston, a spokesman for the British
Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH
& HPA), which represents the mobile
homes industry, says, “BH & HPA reports
that many of its member parks have seen a
growing interest in park-based holiday home
ownership across widening age groups and
demographics, and that the ability to enjoy
frequent breaks in high quality surroundings
is a prime motivator along with the social
advantages of friendships made and
reinforced with other holiday home owners.”
As Park Leisure reported its most successful
year to date, the company decided it was
the time to understand the motivation
of their customers and they partnered
with Onepoll to take a snapshot sample
of owners5 in the UK, looking into the
customer motivation and reaction to holiday
home ownership, and the reasons how and
why this market has come to be worth an
estimated £9.5bn.6
Funding the Holiday
Home Dream
1
The average investment in a holiday home in
the UK is £55,000, which is a third (39%)
of the amount spent on a first home by
those surveyed.7
Starting prices for mobile homes in the UK
are £15,000, but for the really luxurious
options, buyers can be looking at anything up
to £500,000, with the most expensive static
caravans and lodges in the UK selling for
£550,000 in 2011.8
UK holiday homes are mostly funded by
savings, with nearly half (45%) of owners
having saved for a long time for their dream
holiday home.
One in five buyers (22%) actually re-mortgaged
their first home to achieve their aspiration of
owning a second home for holidays, and one in
ten used their pension (13%).
Corinne comments, “Far sighted people
understand the benefits of time off in a
45% 45%
Rules of Purchase
Buying Options
• Finance - Park Leisure work in partnership
with a number of major lenders including
Barclays and Black Horse Finance (part of
the Lloyds TSB group)
• Part-Exchange - Park Leisure happily
consider a part-exchange if an
owner owns a holiday home
at another holiday park
• Cash
Site Fees &
Running Costs
Site fees are payable on
an annual basis. It is Park
Leisure’s ethos to utilise this revenue to
maintain the parks to the very highest of
standards and continue to develop the
facilities and service levels to an exacting
standard.
• Site fees vary from £2,107 to £6,795
depending on the park, location and
size of pitch
• Holiday home insurance is an essential
requirement as an owner on a Park
Leisure park
• Depending on your holiday home, gas will
either be supplied in a bottle or piped
• Electricity is on a meter and is billed
annually
Rental and Subletting
Of the 11 Park Leisure sites,
ten do not allow subletting
of their holiday homes. This
‘owners only’ principal is
an attraction for holiday
home owners as it provides
for a more tranquil and secure
environment
Residency at a Park Leisure
Holiday Park
Park Leisure has a holiday license which
means their homes can be used for holidays,
but not as a main residential address
(because you don’t pay council tax)
familiar and secure place, surrounded by
home comforts. So buying the peace and
quiet they need to sustain functioning at a
high stress level the rest of the time feels
a positive decision. High-achievers (typical
Type A personalities or Alphas) always
like to feel smart and ahead of the game,
psychologically-speaking, using hard earned
funds to purchase some invaluable space for
regrouping and thinking time. Using money
now, instead of later, is a way of ensuring that
they arrive successfully at the later date in life
not only satisfied, but also in good shape.”
13%
7%
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Case Study
22%
Name:​​​ Sue Weston
Park:​​​ Amble Links
Age:​​​ 63
Profession:​​ Retired
Marital status:​Divorced
Paid £20,000 for her holiday home
Purchased the holiday home with
inheritance money
Owned the home for nearly six
months
Uses the holiday home most
weekends
“I funded my
holiday home
after receiving
inheritance
money from
a relative in
Canada. I didn’t
want to spend the money on
something that would just benefit
me, so I bought the home so the
whole family could come up and
enjoy the home and the tranquillity
of the area!”
UK Holiday Home Ownership Report 2015
2
35%
like to go walking
and exploring
54%
visit local
attractions with the
kids and grandkids
13%
12%
make life plans
do work or projects
37%
relax, read books
and watch films
12%
do creative activities
like painting, drawing
and photography
20%
catch up on sleep
Location, Location,
Location
The South West of the country is the
holiday home hotspot of England and
Wales, with seaside locations such as
Cornwall and South Hams proving to be
most popular.9 The 300 mile coastline and
unspoiled countryside, and the increased
popularity of walking,10 encourages holiday
home owners to explore whilst visiting their
coastal retreat, with over a third (35%)
of those surveyed stating they mostly go
walking and exploring when visiting their
holiday home.
Norfolk closely follows the South West as
a holiday home hotspot,11 offering a rural
getaway on the East coast with some of
the finest British beaches at seaside resorts
like Great Yarmouth, Cromer and Holkham.
The Lake District scores fourth,12 with
holiday home owners coming from all over
the UK to take in the National Park and its
spectacular scenery, wildlife, history and
culture. In 2014, visitors spent £1.1 billion
in the Lake District and tourism is the main
source of income for the area’s economy.13
11%
take part in local
water activities
10
4
8
6
5
6%
14%
socialise with friends/
other people that have
holiday homes nearby
13%
do absolutely
nothing
like to enjoy culinary delights at
local restaurants and bars
1
1. Cornwall 12%
2. South Hams 11%
3. Norfolk 11%
4. Lake District 8%
5. Pembrokeshire 8%
6. Gwynedd 6%
11
7
3
9
2
7. East Lindsey 6%
8. Yorkshire Dales 5%
9. Cotswolds 4%
10. Northumberland 4%
11. Peak District 3%
Other 22%
On average, holiday home owners live no
more than three hours away14 from their
holiday homes at these locations, which are
all easily accesssible from major cities via
motorway networks or train routes.
Owners of a holiday home in the UK are
most likely to work in the finance industry,15
are female (59%) married (78%), and aged
between 35 and 44 (35%). London has
the most holiday home owners in the UK
(34%), closely followed by those in the
West Midlands (21%).
The age of people who buy their
first holiday home
49%
Case Study
The Joy of Ownership
Name:​​​ Paul Hodgins
Park:​​​ Ribble Valley
Age:​​​ 54
Profession:​​ Nurse
Marital status:​Married
Paid £55,000 for his holiday
home
Purchased the holiday home
through a loan
Owned the home for nearly
nine months
Uses the holiday home most
weekends, all year round
need time and space away to maximise their
efforts. Feeling they wish they had bought
a home sooner is only a sign of how much
high-achievers understand the need to
refuel and regenerate for the next round
out in the fluctuating market place and
world.”
27%
“Although
I think I entered
the holidayhomeowner
industry at a
really good time,
I wish I’d purchased the
home sooner because it serves as
escapism from the daily grind. As
soon as you’re in the car and on
your way to the park, you can leave
your worries behind you and you
can feel yourself becoming less
stressed.”
People tend to buy during Spring, with most
purchases happening in the month of April
as people prepare for the summer months.
Corinne comments, “Springtime is often a
time of moving forward, regeneration and
new growth, so it is not surprising that April
is a favourite time to splash out on a home.”
12%
8%
3%
Purchasing month by percentage (%)
1%
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65
66+
AVERAGE AGE 35
January
People tend to buy their first holiday home
at the age of 3516, although there is a small
trend in holiday home ownership amongst
a younger generation with over one in
ten (12%) of the sample surveyed having
bought their holiday home between the age
of 18-25. Over half of the holiday home
owners surveyed wished they’d bought their
holiday home sooner (61%).
Corinne explains, “Holiday home owners
can often be people of vision and insight,
understanding that they need to use their
wealth and power to maximise their efficacy.
Alpha males and females, who often make
excellent entrepreneurs and risk-takers, also
need time to recoup and regroup, so owning
a bolt-hole means they understand they
February
March
April
May
June
2% 6% 13% 27% 16% 12%
July
August
September
October
November
December
4% 7% 3% 1% 1% 1%
Can’t remember: 7%
UK Holiday Home Ownership Report 2015
Park Life
People tend to use their holiday homes
once a month (37%), with some visiting
every other weekend (28%). Owners tend
to visit for five days on average, or for a long
weekend, and most use their holiday home
during school and bank holidays.
For UK holiday home owners, the main
reason cited to buy a holiday home was to
have an escape easily accessible from their
first home (48%). Corinne explains, “In
today’s digital, hyperconnected world, these
holiday home owners need to be far enough
away to relax, but not too far from the
action (or digital connectedness) so they
can react and keep some control over their
business affairs.
Holiday home owners also want to provide
a place to get the whole family together
more (41%). The rise of the multigenerational getaway over recent years has
meant that more people are holidaying
with adult children, grandkids, parents and
even extended family in tow.17
She adds, “People have to prioritise their
time to meet their 24/7 professional
commitments, so owning a home where
family and extended family can meet
together is a practical and logical use of
time and resources.”
Nearly three quarters of the holiday home
owners surveyed confirmed they have spent
more quality time with their families since
buying a holiday home (72%)
According to UK holiday home owners, the
main benefits of owning a holiday home
are the familiarity and comfort (38%), with
over half saying they no longer take holidays
abroad (59%), because they are put off by the
unknown and often have safety fears (20%).
Corinne explains, “As human beings, we
are always on ‘red alert’ for danger, and
we react with ‘fight, flight or freeze’ when
under attack. Worries about travel safety
and world issues have meant many people
are rethinking their holiday plans, and
deciding to stay in the UK, where things are
familiar and secure. This gives home owners
Usage of Holiday Homes
Average length of visits
to Holiday Homes
37%
37%
31%
28%
25%
16%
11%
3%
2%
2%
h
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Case Study
Name: ​​​Ralph Fieldhouse
Park:​​​ Littondale
Age:​​​ 69
Profession:​​ Retired​​
Marital status:​Married
Benefits for UK
Holiday Home owners
38%
37%
29%
28%
26%
When it comes to relationships, the holiday
home owners said their escape improved
their relationships with their friends (54%)
and family (52%) as they spent more time
together. Relationships with partners also
improved with nearly half (47%) having
more sex and 46% feeling less stressed.
20%
18%
9%
52%
Improved
relationships
with partners
“Littondale
has been
a tranquil
escape for
the family for
over forty years,
Paid £42,000 for his holiday
and whilst the
home
world has changed a lot in that time,
Purchased the holiday home
the unspoilt beauty of North Yorkshire
through savings
has remained intact. We’ve recently
Owner of a holiday home for 40 years upgraded to our new holiday home as
Uses the holiday home most
we can still have the creature comforts
weekends, mainly from March through whilst escaping the hustle and bustle
to October
of the towns. Back to what really
matters: good company, beautiful
surroundings and good food!”
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Corinne adds, “High-achievers are used
to compartmentalising their time and are
able to multi-task and decision-make,
at high speed. The ability to function at
a high level is increased when there is a
subconscious awareness that there is an
end point (a break), which is easily attained
(3 hours away) and which is available on
command (power). Risk-takers can be more
adventurous at work, more often, knowing
that there will be a place to recover and
rethink not too far away from the madding
crowd. Having a place to go which is entirely
secure and dedicated to their needs, is all
part of being able to succeed in life and
work. Plus, an escape from the reality of
everyday life helps people to get in touch
with parts of themselves that, necessarily,
remain hidden whilst at work. Often holiday
homes in the country, by the sea, in the
hills, or deep in the woods, remind us that
we are human beings, in touch with nature
and our basic instincts, desires and needs.
The smell of fresh air, the crackle of a wood
fire, the sound of the sea, the twitter of
forest birds, and the smell of grass and
flowers, can bring us respite, back to a state
of ‘cognitive assonance’. Work life, and daily
stress so often throws us into a state of
‘dissonance’ and ‘discord’, so a break away
from that reality can provide huge relief and
remind us who we really are and what we
really want.”
Like
a feeling of being in control in a world
which feels increasingly out of control. The
familiarity of a holiday home, with your own
objects and furniture, brings an increased
sense of security and wellbeing, a sense
of home from home, which is under your
control.” A significant amount of holiday
home owners (64%) admitted they feel less
stressed now that they have a holiday home,
and also claim they are more productive
during the week knowing they can escape to
their holiday home at the weekend.
Corinne explains: “Many professionals focus
so much on work and goals that they can
lose sight of those that matter the most:
partners/spouses, family, friends, loved
ones, extended family and children. Love
and marital relationships can suffer badly
under work stress, so it is not surprising the
survey found that 47% of people said they
had more sex in their holiday homes. Feeling
less stressed (46%) will help relationships
to breathe and relax away from the usual
argument triggers and daily routines. And
spending quality time away with family
(52%) and friends (54%) helps build a solid
base from which to go back into the daily
fray. Some important bonding can happen
away from the trammels of daily life, when
within the relative comfort and familiarity of
a holiday home”.
UK Holiday Home Ownership Report 2015
Conclusion
So the people who best explain investing
in a static home in the UK are the owners
themselves. Nearly three quarters (71%)
said that they have had to explain why they
chose to invest hard earned savings into
a destination so close to home. However,
the positive psychological impact of that
ownership spans across almost every
element of their lives including reduced
stress levels, relationships with friends and
family and an improved lifestyle.
Indeed, the verdict from UK holiday
home owners surveyed is that they
have ‘no regrets’ - in fact 11% of Park
Leisure customers alone upgraded their
accommodation in 2014.
Corinne concludes, “The psychological
and wellbeing benefits of buying a UK
based holiday home speak for themselves.
Regular destressing breaks mean increased
productivity through better relationships
and health, more fun, and even a more
fulfilling sex life. Using money wisely to
increase your emotional and physical health
has to make sense in our frantic 24/7
hyperconnected world, so it’s not surprising
people are using their hard earned funds
to buy a bit of tranquillity and regrouping
time away from home. We can build happy
memories with partners/spouses, children
and grandchildren, and make time slow
down and even stop, for a little, as we take
regular breaks. People might even discover
new leisure pursuits, life directions or learn
new skills using their holiday homes as a
base. And, as we are living longer, and are
more active and healthy into our 80’s, 90’s
(or even beyond), wanting to enjoy regular
and accessible breaks close to nature,
and stay connected with ourselves and
others, will become increasingly important,
necessary and popular.”
Notes:
[1] Park Leisure, one of the largest independently owned luxury holiday park operators in the UK, with nearly
3,000 holiday homes across 11 parks have reported a 56% increase in caravan and lodge sales in the six
months leading to 30th June 2015, turning over £28.4m
[2] HiFiX’s Property Hotspots Report released in December 2014
[3] At the time of the 2011 Census, 1,570,228 UK residents (2.8% of the population) reported having a
second address in another local authority that they used 30 days or more a year. 11% of these were for
holidays (172,725)
[4] British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA, 2010)
[5] 300 holiday home owners in the UK were surveyed by OnePoll
[6] The average cost of a Park Leisure holiday home bought in the first six months of 2015 was £55,000. This
figure was multiplied by the number of people that own a second home for holiday purposes according to
the 2011 Census, 172,725, to give an estimated overall estimated market value of around £9.5bn
[7] The average spend on a first home from the holiday home owners surveyed was £191,320, 39% less than
the £55,000 average spent on a Park Leisure holiday home bought in the first six months of 2015
[8] The UK’s most luxurious mobile home was sold in 2011 to a buyer in the Welsh coastal town of Abersoch for
£550,000
[9] 12% of the sample surveyed by OnePoll (the highest figure) own a holiday home located in Cornwall, 11%
own in South Hams (the second highest figure)
[10] According to Sport England’s survey of sport and recreation participation in Britain, 9.1million adults in
England, or 22% of the population, walk recreationally for at least 30 minutes in four weeks
[11] 11% of the sample surveyed by OnePoll own a holiday home located in Norfolk
[12] 8% of the sample surveyed by OnePoll own a holiday home located in the Lake District
[13] STEAM 2014: Cumbria Tourism Report
[14] The sample surveyed were asking how far their holiday home is from the home they live in (in hours) and
3.01 was the average
[15] 10% of those surveyed described their job role as banking, insurance or accountancy – the highest figure
above any other profession
[16] 49% of those surveyed (the highest figure) were between 26 and 35 when they bought their first holiday
home, generating an average age of 35
[17] Multi-generational family travel topped the list of 2014 trends revealed in the recent Virtuoso Luxe Report