New guidance for holiday caravan owners

The guide entitled, ‘Caravan holiday homes - the questions you should ask’, addresses the issues that are most frequently reported to the TSS.

It was developed following TSS’s engagement with the holiday caravan sector in assisting site owners to comply with the provisions of the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.

The Act requires that anyone about to buy a caravan on a holiday pitch is given a written copy of their agreement before they commit to the purchase.

Caravan owners already occupying a holiday pitch before the Act came into operation in September 2011 should also be given a written copy of their agreement.

The Act’s provisions will make it easier for TSS to challenge the terms of an agreement, if it considers that the terms are unfair under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999.

Failure to give the written terms required by the Act will mean that they are unenforceable by the park owner.

The guidance will enable consumers to choose sites offering terms that best suit their needs and to get the most out of their holiday caravan experience.

The guidance is available through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment website on the link www.detini.gov.uk/caravan_holiday_homes_2012