Start with the total cost, not just the price
The sticker price on a lodge is the biggest number, but it is not the only one. Before you commit, get the full picture: the lodge itself, siting and connection to services, and the annual site fee you will pay for the pitch. A good park will lay all of that out for you without being asked. If someone is cagey about the running costs, that tells you something.
Understand the site fees
The site fee (sometimes called the pitch fee) is the yearly amount you pay to keep your lodge on its plot. It typically covers the upkeep of the park, the grounds and the shared bits. Ask what it covers, ask what it has been over the last few years, and ask how any yearly change is worked out. You want no surprises here, and a straight park will give you straight answers.
Check the licence and when the park is open
This is the one people forget. Ask whether the park is a holiday, leisure or residential park, and whether it is open all year round or shuts for part of the year. It changes how you can use the place completely. Bawtry Lodge Country Park runs a 12-month leisure licence and is open all year round, so there is no month or two where the gates are shut and your lodge is off-limits.
Read the pitch agreement
The pitch agreement is the contract between you and the park. It sets out how long your lodge can stay on the pitch, your rights, and what happens if you come to sell. Read it properly, and ask about anything you are not sure of. Any decent park expects you to, and will talk you through it.
New or pre-owned
A brand new lodge gives you the latest layouts and a blank slate. A pre-owned one can be a smart buy: often sited already, frequently with decking and extras thrown in, and a gentler price. Neither is automatically the right answer; it depends on your budget and how quickly you want to be set up. Whichever suits you, every lodge is priced openly and marked honestly.
Questions worth asking on a viewing
- What is the site fee, what does it cover, and what has it been recently?
- Is the park open all year round, or does it shut for part of the year?
- What licence does the park hold?
- What happens when I decide to sell?
- Who actually runs the park day to day?
- What is included in the price: siting, connection, decking, furniture?
Buying at Bawtry
We try to make this the easy bit. Every lodge is priced openly on the website, so you are never chasing a “price on application”. You deal with the people who own the park, not a call centre working to a target. And because we are open all year round, your lodge is yours to use whenever suits you.
Have a look at the lodges for sale, see what is available in Yorkshire, or if you are still weighing it up, read lodge vs static caravan vs park home. When you are ready, give the park a call and we will talk it through.
See the lodges for sale, every one priced up front.
How much does a lodge cost?
It varies with the model, the size and whether it is new or pre-owned. Lodges at Bawtry Lodge Country Park start from 59,950 pounds, and every one is priced openly on the website so you can see exactly where you stand before you call.
What are site fees and what do they cover?
The site fee, or pitch fee, is the yearly amount you pay to keep your lodge on its plot. It usually covers the upkeep of the park and its grounds and shared areas. Always ask a park exactly what its fee covers and what it has been over recent years.
Can I get a mortgage on a lodge?
No. A lodge is not bought with a normal residential mortgage the way a house is, because it is not property in the legal sense. Most buyers pay cash, and some use specialist leisure finance from an independent provider. We do not arrange or advise on finance ourselves.
Do you pay council tax on a lodge?
You do not pay council tax on a leisure lodge the way you would on a house, because it is for leisure use. What you pay is the annual site fee for your pitch. For exactly how it works at Bawtry Lodge Country Park, give us a call.
Is it better to buy new or pre-owned?
Neither is automatically better. A new lodge gives you the latest layout and a blank slate; a pre-owned one is often already sited, can come with decking and extras, and usually costs less. It comes down to your budget and how quickly you want to be set up.
Can I use the lodge all year round?
Yes. Bawtry Lodge Country Park runs a 12-month leisure licence and is open all year round, so your lodge is there to enjoy whenever you like.
Are holiday lodges a good investment?
Think of a holiday lodge as an investment in your time, not your money. Like a car or a caravan, a lodge is a depreciating asset rather than a property that rises in value, so buy one for the years of use and the place, not to make a profit. We would always rather you went in with your eyes open, which is why every lodge here is priced openly and we are straight about the annual site fee.