Storage
This is a big consideration to make when deciding on your new caravan, often you may not have enough room to store your caravan in your yard or garden so caravan storage sites are the best answer. The prices involved in storage can range from a couple of pounds to around twenty pounds a week dependant on the location and facilities of the storage site.
The cheaper sites could be anything from farmers fields to private land, which could cause problems for getting your caravan off in wet or winter conditions unless you drive a 4x4 vehicle. If this option fits into your budget then it is advisable to ensure you have a hitch lock and wheel clamp fitted for security. The more expensive tend to have CCTV or security guards or both and would tend to be hard standing rather than fields, which tend to reduce the potential of damp in comparison to storing on grass.
Again you can find listings in the local newspapers or yellow pages of places offering storage facilities and remember to check out a few before you decide which is most suitable.
Security is an important factor when choosing a storage site. Always check with your insurer to make sure your are covered at the site. There are a range of factors that can make your caravan more secure.
When considering the cheaper sites many natural and man made land features can aid in the security of your caravan. A ditch or trench around the site in conjunction with a strong locked gate will be a great deterrent to the potential thief wanting to tow away your caravan. Dependant on the site either the owner will be the only person to have a key to the gate or each person storing a van may be issued with the key, in which case you need to take into consideration that up to 100 keys may be in circulation for that gate which could reduce the effectiveness
A previously mentioned some of the more expensive site do offer CCTV and security guards, thieves neither like been seen or heard, the mere fact that someone is in hearing distance is enough deterrent to stop your van from being vandalized, broken into or stolen. Any form of security attached to your caravan also becomes twice as effective; hitch locks or wheel clamps can make a lot of noise when removing them, consequently a thief is likely to be put off from even attempting to remove them.
If CCTV is used on the site we would advise you to clarify whether any of the cameras are dummy cameras, thieves are not always stupid and also catch on fast to which are real and which are dummies. Also enquire as to whether the system is monitored or just recorded 24 hours a day, detection before the event is far better than a camera shot of a thief and the back of your caravan leaving the storage facility.
Always keep your insurance company up to date with storage arrangements of your caravan, certain storage solutions may not be sufficient for the level of cover you require, or may effect the premiums you pay out to the company. Normally you will find than most insurance companies and their policies will cover you anyway, but it is always advisable to check it out anyway.
We now have a list of some of the sites around the country that offer storage, this list is by no means better than those not listed, and don't come with any recommendations of any type from ,but may prove useful in your search for caravan storage in your area.