Potential advantages
- Potentially higher selling price
- Caravan may remain on its current pitch
- Desirable pitches may attract buyers
- More control over the asking price
Sell Your Static Caravan Privately or to a Trader?
Not sure which option is right for you? Selling privately can potentially achieve a higher price, while selling to an off-site trader may offer a quicker and simpler route. Compare the likely costs, time, fees and what you may actually walk away with before deciding.
No obligation • No pressure • Free valuation
Private sale
- Higher possible sale price
- Park commission or a transfer fee may apply
- Site fees may continue
- Buyer and viewings required
- Potentially longer process
Off-site trade sale
- Agreed trade price
- No advertising required
- No buyer viewings
- Collection arranged
- Quicker, simpler process
A trade price is often lower than a completed private sale. The useful comparison is what you may keep after costs, and how long you are willing to wait.
Private sale or off-site trader: a quick comparison
How much you get when selling a static caravan depends on the price you agree and the costs that come off it. This table is a guide to the usual differences. It is not a description of every park.
| Feature | Sell privately on-site | Sell off-site to SCB |
|---|---|---|
| Potential headline price | Likely higher privately, if a buyer completes | Agreed trade value, often below a strong private retail price |
| Park charge | A percentage, usually with VAT on top, or a one-off transfer fee. That fee may already include VAT | No park sales commission on our purchase. Sums you already owe the park are separate |
| Advertising | The seller usually handles this | None required |
| Buyer enquiries | The seller handles them | None from private buyers |
| Viewings | Often required | Normally not required |
| Negotiation | The seller handles it | One agreed offer |
| Waiting for a buyer | Potentially weeks or months | Not required once a trade sale is agreed |
| Collection | Usually not required if the caravan stays on the park | Arranged by SCB after you accept |
| Payment | Depends on the private transaction | Paid on the day of collection, before the caravan is loaded |
| Certainty | A buyer may withdraw | A trade purchase once agreed, subject to the usual checks |
| Best for | Potentially maximising the price, if you can wait | Speed, simplicity and certainty |
Park rules, commissions, transfer fees, site fees and sales processes vary. Owners should confirm the exact terms with their holiday park before making a decision.
Walk-away price calculator
Use the slider for the park’s commission rate (12.5%–15%). VAT at 20% is added on top, which is usual when a park takes a percentage. Confirm the figures with your park.
Park charge
VAT on this fee
Est. walk-away price—
You walk away with—
The result uses only the figures in this calculator.
An amount above £99,999,999 was limited so the example stays readable.
Selling your static caravan privately on-site
Owners sometimes sell their static caravan privately to another buyer who keeps it on the same holiday park. That can work well when the pitch is attractive and the park will agree to the new owner. It is subject to the park’s rules and the licence terms. Not every park allows a private on-site sale.
If the caravan stays on the pitch, you are usually selling both the caravan and the chance for someone else to take that pitch. What the pitch licence allows you to transfer is worth reading before you advertise. Where we have written about a particular operator, those pages start from holiday parks.
The park may take a percentage of the sale price. VAT is usually added on top of that percentage. Some parks charge a one-off transfer fee instead of a commission. The fee they quote may already include VAT, or they may add VAT on top. Ask which applies before you compare a private sale with a trader offer.
Some owners also ask the park about selling the caravan back to the park, or about a part-exchange. That is a third route. The figure is often tied to that park’s own stock, and it can be harder to compare with a straightforward price. A longer look at a private sale, a park sale and a cash buyer is on the blog.
Potential drawbacks
- Park approval may be required
- Park commission or transfer charges may apply
- You may need to advertise
- Buyer enquiries and viewings
- Negotiation and paperwork
- The sale may take time
- Site fees can continue while you wait
Selling your static caravan to an off-site trader
An off-site static caravan buyer purchases the caravan so it can be removed from the holiday park. Static Caravan Buyer is that kind of buyer. The caravan leaves the pitch. It is not transferred to a new pitch holder. How a sale with us works, including payment before loading, is set out on our main selling page. If the question is mainly about taking the unit off the pitch, see static caravan removal.
We buy from private owners and from people dealing with an estate, including caravans that are still sited. Makes we are regularly asked about include Willerby, ABI, Atlas and Swift. The offer reflects the caravan, where it is, and the practicality of removing it. We collect from parks across the UK — the areas we cover are listed under locations.
Potential advantages
- No need to find a private buyer
- No advertising
- No public viewings
- An agreed trade price
- Collection can be arranged
- Useful when you are leaving a park
- Useful if another year of site fees is approaching
- Suitable if you live a long way from the park
- Can be simpler for an older caravan
Potential drawbacks
- The trade offer will often be lower than the best achievable private retail sale price
- Park removal and disconnection rules may still need to be followed
- Any amounts owed to the park remain subject to your agreement with the park
Older units, and units that need work, can still be discussed. Condition changes the figure. Selling a caravan in any condition explains that part of the conversation. A park age rule is a separate question, covered on our park age limits page.
The asking price isn’t always what you walk away with
Illustrative example only
These figures are made up so you can see the arithmetic. They are not a typical commission, not your site fees, and not an offer from Static Caravan Buyer. Your park may charge something different, or nothing. This illustration uses a percentage with VAT added on top. A one-off transfer fee is a fixed amount, and it may already include VAT.
Private sale in this example
- Private sale price£20,000
- Park commission−£2,500
- VAT on commission−£500
- Annual site fees due before sale−£4,000
- Other charges−£500
Estimated amount remaining£12,500
Trade offer in this example
Trade offer today
£13,500No extra owner-paid charge is deducted from this example offer. The £500 “other charges” line sits only on the private side.
In this example, the lower trade offer actually leaves the owner with more once another year of site fees and selling costs are included. £12,500 remaining on the private route, compared with £13,500 on the trade offer. This is an illustration, not a promise and not a prediction of your result.
When selling privately may make more sense
A private static caravan sale is worth weighing up when the pitch, the timing and the park’s charges line up. It may be worth considering if:
- Your park permits private sales
- Your pitch is desirable
- You are not in a hurry
- Your site fees are already covered for a substantial period
- The park commission or transfer fee is reasonable
- You are comfortable dealing with buyers and viewings
- You believe demand for the caravan is strong
When selling to SCB may make more sense
Selling to an off-site trader may suit owners who want a defined route rather than the highest possible headline price. It may suit you if you:
- Want the caravan sold quickly
- Are leaving the park
- Do not want another year of site fees
- Do not want to advertise
- Do not want viewings
- Live a long distance from the park
- Have inherited the caravan
- Have already tried selling privately
- Own an older caravan
- Prefer certainty over achieving the absolute maximum possible price
How an SCB sale works
The steps below are the same process described on our sell my static caravan page, shortened so you can compare it with a private sale. The times are targets we work to. They are not a promise that every enquiry is answered, or every offer issued, inside that window. A free valuation does not commit you to sell.
Tell us about your caravan
Use the form or call 0800 644 5000. Make, model, year, condition, and the park or storage address are the details that help. Photographs help if you have them.
We review the details
We aim to contact you within 24 hours of your enquiry. That conversation covers condition, access, and anything the park requires before a unit can move.
Receive an offer
Once we have discussed the caravan, we aim to provide a cash offer within 48 hours. The offer follows that conversation. There is no obligation to accept.
Payment and collection, if you accept
We agree a date with you and, where the caravan is still sited, with the park. For a caravan we have agreed to buy, collection is arranged at no cost to you. You receive payment on the day of collection, before the caravan is loaded. A particular day is not guaranteed.
Before you decide, get both numbers.
Estimate what you could walk away with from a private sale, then request a trade offer from Static Caravan Buyer. You can compare the figures and decide which route makes the most sense for you.
No obligation • No pressure • Free valuation
You do not need to use the calculator before asking for an offer.
Questions owners ask
Park contracts are not standard. These answers are general information so you know what to check. They are not legal advice.
Can I sell my static caravan privately?
Many owners sell privately to another buyer, often someone who wants to keep the caravan on the same holiday park. Whether you can do that depends on your park agreement and licence terms. Check those documents, and confirm the process with the park, before you advertise.
Can I sell my static caravan while it is still on a holiday park?
Sometimes. Some parks allow an on-site private sale, subject to their approval of the buyer and the pitch. Others restrict private sales or do not offer them. Park rules vary. Confirm directly with your holiday park.
Can my holiday park charge commission when I sell?
Some parks take a percentage commission when a caravan is sold on site. Others charge a one-off transfer fee instead. A park may charge both, or neither. There is no single rate for every UK park. The percentage range in the calculator is an example only. Ask your park which charge applies, and the amount, before you rely on a figure.
Does VAT apply to park sales commission?
Where a park takes a percentage, VAT is usually added on top of that percentage, often at 20%. A one-off transfer fee is different. The figure the park quotes may already include VAT, or VAT may be added on top. Ask the park which applies to your agreement. In the calculator, a percentage has 20% VAT added on top. For a transfer fee, you choose whether VAT is included or added.
Can a holiday park stop me selling privately?
There is no single answer. Your licence or pitch agreement may require the park's approval, limit who can buy, or set conditions on a sale. On some parks a private on-site sale is not available. Read your agreement and speak to the park. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can I sell my caravan to a trader instead?
Yes. An off-site trader such as Static Caravan Buyer can offer to buy the caravan and remove it from the park, rather than transferring the pitch to a new owner. You can request a no-obligation offer and compare it with what a private sale might leave after the costs that apply to you.
Who pays for removing a static caravan from a holiday park?
It depends on the agreement and the type of sale. Where Static Caravan Buyer has agreed to purchase a caravan, we arrange collection ourselves or through our buyers, at no cost to you. The park may still require notice, disconnection, or its own contractor, and any charge under your park agreement is for you to confirm. A collection day is not guaranteed, because access and park requirements can change it.
How quickly can a trader buy a static caravan?
We aim to contact you within 24 hours of receiving your enquiry. Once we have discussed the caravan, we aim to provide a cash offer within 48 hours. Those times are targets, not a guarantee for every enquiry. Collection is arranged only after you accept, and the date depends on access and any requirements the park has set.
Will I get more money selling privately?
A private sale can achieve a higher headline price, and sometimes a higher amount after costs. It does not always. A park percentage, VAT added on top of that percentage, a transfer fee, and site fees that continue while you wait can reduce what you receive. A lower trade offer can leave you with more, or with less, depending on those costs and whether a private buyer is found. The calculator uses the figures you enter. It does not predict how quickly a private buyer will appear.
What happens if my next site fees become due before I sell?
If the caravan remains on the pitch, site fees can continue under your agreement until the sale completes or the caravan leaves. Another year of fees can change the amount you walk away with, even if the asking price looks higher. You can enter outstanding site fees in the calculator. Confirm what you would owe, and when, with the holiday park.
Do I need permission to remove my static caravan from the park?
You will normally need to follow the park's removal process. That can include notice, disconnecting services, and agreeing access for a transporter. Requirements differ from park to park. Confirm directly with the holiday park before a collection date is fixed.
What happens if I still owe money to the holiday park?
Money owed to the park, including site fees, remains subject to your agreement with the park. Static Caravan Buyer does not automatically pay outstanding site fees. Agreeing a sale with us does not, by itself, clear a balance you owe the park. Check the balance with the park before you decide.