Balancing the Narrative: Why Best Practice Matters More Than Ever For Holiday Home Buyers On Holiday Parks.
If you’ve read the headlines lately, you’d be forgiven for thinking our entire sector is in crisis — or worse, out to exploit people’s dreams.
“Holiday parks are broken.”
“Pitch fees are a scam.”
“Buyers are being misled.”
But here’s the truth: that isn’t our story.
And if you’re reading this — as a Holiday Park Owner, manufacturer, supplier, or even a holiday homeowner — chances are it’s not yours either.
The challenge isn’t that everyone’s doing things wrong. It’s that those who are doing things right haven’t had the platform to tell that story — clearly, consistently, and confidently.
Until now.
So…We’re Sharing This Best Practice Initiative As Part of a Wider Conversation.
Love Your Holiday Home | Love Your Holiday Park.
It’s a sector-led, self-help initiative aimed at bringing clarity, consistency, and mutual respect back into the Holiday Home ownership conversation — and building a Best Practice resource that benefits buyers, parks, manufacturers and the communities we all support.
It’s not anti-regulation.
It’s pro-transparency.
Because we believe we can raise the standard ourselves — before it’s written for us.
Let’s Talk About What’s Really at Stake
There’s a lot of media noise at the moment — from legal firms and social media groups promoting fear, to bad experiences being generalised across the board. But those stories often leave out something important:
- The 1000s of family-run Holiday Parks and other operators doing things the right way.
- The UK manufacturers battling to survive post-Covid, post-Brexit, increased energy and employment costs, inflationary costs for materials and challenging operational challenges.
- The buyers who love their Holiday Homes — and wouldn’t give them up for the world, as they offer wonderful holidays and getaways for them and their families.
The Danger?
Without a balanced narrative, the pressure for sweeping regulation grows — and the flexibility we all rely on, as Holiday Parks and Holiday Home buyers, disappears.
The Bigger Picture: Jobs, Supply Chains & Rural Economies
Holiday Parks don’t just create holidays — they support entire ecosystems.
- UK Manufacturing: It’s thought over 40,000 jobs are supported across caravan and lodge production, with key hubs in Yorkshire and the North East. These figures include the ecosystem of support services, suppliers and contractors.
- Supply Chain Impact: Transporters, crane operators, utility engineers, LPG consultants, landscapers, and more — all rely on a functioning, fair industry
- Local Business Support: Holiday Parks are often some of the largest year-round employers in rural areas, from maintenance crews to seasonal teams
- Tourism Contribution: According to UKCCA’s 2024 report, static caravans and lodges contributed over £5.3bn to the economy — a figure that benefits local shops, restaurants, and service providers
This isn’t just about Holiday Home buyers.
It’s about livelihoods. It’s about balance. And it’s about time we told that story, too.
So What Are We Actually Proposing?
We’re building a Best Practice Toolkit. A voluntary, buyer-friendly, sector-strengthening Toolkit.
In brief, it includes:
- A universal Q&A that every buyer should ask
- A set of pitch fee breakdown examples to promote transparency
- An aftersales framework that encourages clarity and support from manufacturers and dealers
- Park-specific templates so businesses can use the standard Q&A’s in their own voice
- A “Love Your Holiday Home | Love Your Holiday Park” trust mark — a soft stamp of confidence
Below is the draft “Proposed Best Practice Toolkit Roadmap For Holiday Home Buyers & Holiday Park Owners”. Have a look and see what you think!
This is not about regulation, compliance or red tape.
It’s about giving exemplary Holiday Parks a simple way to show they’re doing things properly — and giving Holiday Home buyers a reason to feel confident to invest in their dream holiday lifestyle.
20 Standard Key Questions Every Buyer Should Ask Before They Purchase a Holiday Home on A Holiday Park
Transparency starts with the right questions.
Whether it’s a first-time Holiday Home buyer, or a buyer that is considering an upgrade, these 20 essential questions will help them understand exactly what they are signing up for — from licence terms and pitch fees to resale conditions, subletting rules and aftercare.
Click the image below to view the Q&A PDF list so far. We have aimed to identify why each question matters with the intention of helping Holiday Home buyers protect their dream holiday lifestyles and plan with confidence.
Why Pitch Fees Deserve Clarity
“Pitch fees are too high.”
“What do I actually get for my money?”
“They go up every year and no one can explain why.”
We’ve all heard these concerns — and many parks are rightly cautious about how they respond.
But hiding from the question doesn’t help.
So we plan to create a sample “Key Facts” table that breaks it down in ways similar to the explanation and list outlined in my previous post “How To Make The Most Of Your Holiday Home On A Holiday Park”.
And Let’s Be Honest About Aftersales
If you’ve ever sold a brand-new Holiday Home, you’ve probably heard one (or all) of the below quotes.
“We waited months for our snag list to be resolved.”
“No one told us who to contact when something went wrong.”
“We felt passed from pillar to post between the dealer, the park and the manufacturer.”
Because here’s the truth: even when the park does everything right — offers clarity, welcomes questions, handles handover with care — the buyer’s experience can fall apart if the product and its support system don’t hold up.
Buyers don’t care whose fault it is.
They just want things put right — quickly, clearly and fairly.
No new Holiday Home is perfect. Just like no new-build house is either. Snags happen. And buyers get frustrated when they don’t know who’s responsible — or how long it should take to put things right.
Holiday Parks want to work with manufacturers and dealers who take ownership seriously. And we want manufacturers to support the Holiday Parks that do the same.
That’s why the toolkit includes:
- A sample manufacturer pledge
- Aftersales guidance
- Suggested response timelines and points of contact
It’s not about shifting blame — it’s about making responsibility clear. It is a recognition that Holiday Parks and manufacturers are in this industry together.
Balancing the Narrative: Why Clarity and Transparency Matter More Than Ever
Before getting behind change, it’s important to understand WHY.
This advocacy piece sets out the bigger picture — from media pressure and buyer confidence, to the real-world economic impact on manufacturing, rural communities and supply chains. It explains the thinking behind this voluntary initiative, highlights what’s at stake for everyone involved and lays the groundwork for collaboration.
Click the image below to read the full WHY PDF document — and discover the story behind this industry led initiative.
So What Comes Next?
We’ve built the bones. Now we need your input.
This is your chance to help shape something that:
- Supports Holiday Home buyers without patronising them
- Builds trust without bureaucracy
- Defends Holiday Parks without denying that improvements can always be made
If you’re a Holiday Park owner, manufacturer, or supplier who believes in doing things the right way — or a holiday homeowner/buyer who values clarity, transparency, trust and care — we want your voice.
Together, we can change the narrative – and protect the freedom, flexibility and pride this sector was built on.
Join the Conversation
Get involved – follow this link to join the conversation and help change the narrative together.
Let’s raise the bar.
Let’s keep it fair.
And let’s help people Love Their Holiday Home — and the Holiday Parks that make it possible.
