A Guide to Hiring a Caravan

Hiring a Caravan vs. Owning a Caravan

There are a number of reasons why hiring a caravan could be preferable to buying one:

• Flexibility: Hiring a caravan provides you with the flexibility of being able to try out the caravan holiday experience without the long-term commitment that comes with owning a caravan. You get to use the caravan and once you are done, you can return it to the company you hired it from.

• Costs: Hiring also provides the caravan experience without being tied down with the long-term costs associated with caravans, such as storage, maintenance, etc. We will consider costs related to hire in a later section of this guide.

• Try-before-you-buy: Perhaps you’re considering purchasing a caravan – in that case, hiring gives you an opportunity to see whether owning a caravan is for you before committing to a purchase. From the experience of towing to seeing if you/your family enjoy the caravan experience, hiring a caravan gives you the opportunity to see what works for you and whether you’d want to take the step of buying a caravan of your own. 

How do I hire a caravan?

Once you’ve made the decision as to what kind of caravan you want to hire, there are a number of options open to you.

Holiday parks

Many holiday parks, including those run by Haven, will have static caravans that are available for hire at affordable rates. In addition, a number of companies manage static caravans at locations belonging to the Butlins family of resorts. This provides the caravan experience as well as access to all the amenities and entertainment options that holiday parks and resorts usually supply.

Independent suppliers

There are a number of caravan hire suppliers available, catering to a variety of needs. Some popular touring hire companies include; Caravanhire-online.co.uk, The Caravan Company and HireMe Leisure – as well as a host of local suppliers so it is worth doing the research to find the supplier that best suits your needs. Sites such as; Static Caravan UK and UKCaravans4Hire as well as listings on popular classifieds site Gumtree can provide similar offerings for hiring a static caravan.

Airbnb

Increasingly, the concept of glamping (glamorous camping) becomes an alternative form of holiday and the popular Internet rental site Airbnb has opened up a world of vintage and quirky caravans, such as this offering from Oakland, CA. If you are looking for something closer to home, Airbnb provides a number of options for hiring a caravan which are worth taking into consideration.

FAQs about Hiring a Caravan

What kind of insurance do I need to hire a caravan?

Static caravan owners will typically have insurance on their caravans already. They may charge a deposit which will, in essence, act as a form of insurance – contact the supplier beforehand to discuss this.

In the case of touring caravans, this will differ from supplier to supplier so ask before you buy for more information about

Do I need a special kind of license to tow a caravan?

According to GOV.UK, if you passed your car driving test between 1 January 1997 and 18 January 2013, you can:

• Drive a car or van up to 3,500kg maximum allowable mass (MAM) towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM.

• Tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined MAM of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg.

For drivers who passed their test, you’re usually allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM.

This should be enough for most caravans and cars but ask your supplier and check your driving license information for more details.

What might I need to bring with me when I hire a caravan?

Depending on who you hire from, the equipment included will differ but here are some items you may want to consider:

• Bed linen

• Cutlery and crockery – plates, bowls, knives, spoons, etc.

• Safety equipment – fire extinguisher, fire blanket, smoke alarm, etc.

• Electrical goods

• Board games

• TV

• A microwave

Hiring a caravan can be a great experience for you and your family and we hope that this guide has helping you in making the right decision.