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Motorhome purchase and rental.


markm
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We are seriously considering buying one. Looking at swift / fiat models (around £55k). The plan is to use it when we want and then rent it out to family and friends and friends of friends.  The deal would be ‘no discounts’ unless it was parents and siblings - free of course. (possibly register as a business? Initially with one unit) 
 

We’d slightly undercut the big rental companies and take £1000 deposit to cover damages and insurance excess - we’d get a form / contract written up by a solicitor etc etc. 
 

We love holidays aboard and go skiing in feb and overseas in the summer, so we wouldn’t be interested in using it for Easter / Summer (the van would need to be returned clean and then we’d pay someone cash in hand to check / blitz it - Saturday morning pick up and Friday night drop off.)

 

We’d like to use it now and then, mostly short distance if it isn’t hired out and the weather is nice. Only at weekends - kind of last minute.   That would be our ‘bonus’.  Within 50 miles of home type thing, we live in Northumberland so loads of areas to go and of course Within an hour you’re in Scotland and two you’re in the lakes  

Thought and buying one and any pitfalls?  Don’t want : nor bothered about making a profit. That’s not the idea. 

Edited by markm
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My two brother in laws own a motorhome sales and rental business. My other half deals with the rental side of things there. They’re booked up solidly through summer but the rest of the year barely anything. Sales have gone through the roof this year for obvious reasons and I imagine you’d have no problem renting it out during the summer. If you wanted any specific questions answering feel free to drop me a pm and I will ask the other half.

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Thanks guys.   I'm thinking rentals for 2 weeks at Easter. 6-8 weeks in the summer (Scottish and English holidays).  I wouldn’t use it then - I’d do long weekends out of busy periods.  I’d like to think that would just about cover the price  

 


 

 

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11 minutes ago, bruno22rf said:

Prices are currently as high as they are ever likely to get, couldn't imagine a worse time to buy one.

Just having one built and am very aware that it's an awful investment!

If it wasn't something I'd committed to I'd probably have pulled out and wasted a pile of cash somewhere else.

 

Edd

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2 hours ago, markm said:

We are seriously considering buying one. Looking at swift / fiat models (around £55k). The plan is to use it when we want and then rent it out to family and friends and friends of friends.  The deal would be ‘no discounts’ unless it was parents and siblings - free of course. (possibly register as a business? Initially with one unit) 
 

We’d slightly undercut the big rental companies and take £1000 deposit to cover damages and insurance excess - we’d get a form / contract written up by a solicitor etc etc. 
 

We love holidays aboard and go skiing in feb and overseas in the summer, so we wouldn’t be interested in using it for Easter / Summer (the van would need to be returned clean and then we’d pay someone cash in hand to check / blitz it - Saturday morning pick up and Friday night drop off.)

 

We’d like to use it now and then, mostly short distance if it isn’t hired out and the weather is nice. Only at weekends - kind of last minute.   That would be our ‘bonus’.  Within 50 miles of home type thing, we live in Northumberland so loads of areas to go and of course Within an hour you’re in Scotland and two you’re in the lakes  

Thought and buying one and any pitfalls?  Don’t want : nor bothered about making a profit. That’s not the idea. 

My advice would be rent a motor home when you want to use one and not to buy one. I rented cars and vans for a number of years and it's nothing but hassle. 

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11 hours ago, harrycatcat1 said:

My advice would be rent a motor home when you want to use one and not to buy one. I rented cars and vans for a number of years and it's nothing but hassle. 

Heart says one thing and  head says the other. 
 

Our main idea would be to come hone from work on a Friday night, if the weather looks like it’s going to be nice, chuck some stuff and the dog in the van and just go 1/2 an hour away. Hiring wouldn’t allow us to do that. 
 

I’m (we) not jumping in right now, it would be ready to go in Easter 2022, just weighing up our options.  The other one is to buy second hand in the winter and just keep it for ourselves with the odd rental. 
 

 

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I’d think twice about purchasing one. Motor homes are quickly becoming the most despised vehicles on the road. In principle I think it a fantastic thing to do. However selfish owners are causing major disruption by parking up where ever they want.  Take a look at how many car parks around the beaches and beauty spots of your native Northumberland are erecting barriers to keep motor homes away from their sites

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24 minutes ago, markm said:


 

Our main idea would be to come hone from work on a Friday night, if the weather looks like it’s going to be nice, chuck some stuff and the dog in the van and just go 1/2 an hour away. Hiring wouldn’t allow us to do that. 
 


 

 

Get a caravan, no tax or test, some servicing but not like a motor home. 

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2 hours ago, harrycatcat1 said:

Get a caravan, no tax or test, some servicing but not like a motor home. 

And if you want to go out for the day you aren’t having to pack everything back up or worrying about it fitting down lanes, car parks etc. Just jump in the car.

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If you were going to rent it out then it would HAVE to be a fully commercial insurance policy, and the cost of that would be eye-watering.

Just think about it : The person currently renting it has a smash in it. You then have the next few customers who now can't take their holiday, and will be claiming off you for breach of contract.

Seen any number of campervans where the numpty driving it has tried to go through a car park barrier that's only 7 foot tall and caused thousands of pounds of damage

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2 hours ago, robbiep said:

If you were going to rent it out then it would HAVE to be a fully commercial insurance policy, and the cost of that would be eye-watering.

Just think about it : The person currently renting it has a smash in it. You then have the next few customers who now can't take their holiday, and will be claiming off you for breach of contract.

Seen any number of campervans where the numpty driving it has tried to go through a car park barrier that's only 7 foot tall and caused thousands of pounds of damage

Very good point, which I had also thought about, but didn’t have a solution to, other than I would Need to rent one for the customer or offer them a refund. 

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37 minutes ago, markm said:

Very good point, which I had also thought about, but didn’t have a solution to, other than I would Need to rent one for the customer or offer them a refund. 

That's just the start of it, "oh I'm sorry but I hit the kerb and burst both tyres"

"I need to keep it two more days we've had an illness in the family "

etc etc etc I've heard every story in the book, oh and they won't look after it like you would.

It's a minefield.

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17 minutes ago, harrycatcat1 said:

That's just the start of it, "oh I'm sorry but I hit the kerb and burst both tyres"

"I need to keep it two more days we've had an illness in the family "

etc etc etc I've heard every story in the book, oh and they won't look after it like you would.

It's a minefield.

Again, great points. TYVM. 

 

The standard seems to be £1000 deposit returnable when the van is back, this covers the excess for major incident and also minors, broken items etc that are all paid for, just like a normal holiday in a caravan. 
 

Please don’t think I’m ‘dissing’ all feedback, I actually appreciate it and we’ve been discussing  the issues mentioned here. 
 

We’ve also discussed idiots riving the engine and gear box - something you can’t see…..
 

 

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23 hours ago, markm said:

Very good point, which I had also thought about, but didn’t have a solution to, other than I would Need to rent one for the customer or offer them a refund. 

Yeah. The problem is, if it's the height of summer or a bank holiday weekend, and you can't get another one or it'll cost you a fortune to do so - meaning you end up making a loss !

As to just cancelling their rental and offering a refund, it's not as simple as that - they are entitled to book an alternative holiday if you cancel at late notice, and send you the bill - and back that up potentially with small claims court action, which they would almost certainly win.

Doing something like this independently is a nightmare - you'll want to use it when others want to book it, you'll be chasing people for money, the scrotes of the earth with their kids and dags will turn up at your house, expecting to park their car on your drive for a week while they go on holiday, people will return the vehicle looking like an absolute tip. Oh, and when you refuse to refund their deposit they'll slate you on FB or whatever social media you use to advertise it.

Finally, the person you want to use to clean it will not do a good enough job of it unless you're incredibly fortunate, some weeks they'll not be available, or ill, or just forget.

This is all coming from the voice of experience here - we own my mum's old house on Anglesey which we rent out as a holiday let. We did do it independently at first, but it's far less hassle letting cottages.com look after the money and bookings side of things. 

 

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1 hour ago, robbiep said:

Yeah. The problem is, if it's the height of summer or a bank holiday weekend, and you can't get another one or it'll cost you a fortune to do so - meaning you end up making a loss !

As to just cancelling their rental and offering a refund, it's not as simple as that - they are entitled to book an alternative holiday if you cancel at late notice, and send you the bill - and back that up potentially with small claims court action, which they would almost certainly win.

Doing something like this independently is a nightmare - you'll want to use it when others want to book it, you'll be chasing people for money, the scrotes of the earth with their kids and dags will turn up at your house, expecting to park their car on your drive for a week while they go on holiday, people will return the vehicle looking like an absolute tip. Oh, and when you refuse to refund their deposit they'll slate you on FB or whatever social media you use to advertise it.

Finally, the person you want to use to clean it will not do a good enough job of it unless you're incredibly fortunate, some weeks they'll not be available, or ill, or just forget.

This is all coming from the voice of experience here - we own my mum's old house on Anglesey which we rent out as a holiday let. We did do it independently at first, but it's far less hassle letting cottages.com look after the money and bookings side of things. 

 

Again Thanks, I was 70/30 for it, now  51/49 against. We’ve discussed many of the things you lot have mentioned (and a lot we hadn’t thought about). 
 

Our ideal would be 10 weeks rental a year (Easter and summer) to help with the costs and then enjoy it the rest of the time, we would never run it as a full attempt as a money maker.  Fiends, family and friends of friends  (no pets and only a 4 belt / berth van - would never consider a 6 berth)
 

We could afford to buy and keep, but it would mean we use it all the time. But - skiing in France in February and Florida every second year for a month comes first. 


I've looked second hand. It is phenomenal the  cost of second hand, up to 10 year old at the moment in time….  It’s not worth even looking at them, the loss is nearly pocket change  

 

Edited by markm
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On 03/08/2021 at 19:37, markm said:

Very good point, which I had also thought about, but didn’t have a solution to, other than I would Need to rent one for the customer or offer them a refund. 

So you want to run a business renting a vehicle to family and friends only, but your worried they might sue you for breach of contract. 🤔 Different strokes for different folks and all that but I'd never try and run a business making money from family or friends, one because mixing business and pleasure is a recipe for disaster and two I'd lend it to them for free as I wouldnt be running a business off the people closest to me. 

 

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1 hour ago, 12gauge82 said:

So you want to run a business renting a vehicle to family and friends only, but your worried they might sue you for breach of contract. 🤔 Different strokes for different folks and all that but I'd never try and run a business making money from family or friends, one because mixing business and pleasure is a recipe for disaster and two I'd lend it to them for free as I wouldnt be running a business off the people closest to me. 

 

I’ll not comment on any of your posts / thoughts and don’t value your input at all.

 

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A bloke we know well owns a load of amusements in Wales and has some very well. He has grafted hard all his life and is very wealthy now. 
 

 

He owns a home abroad and owned a car out there. 
 

Friends and family would go out and use the home and the car. 
 

He would be left furious each time he turned up to use it himself to find damage on the house, car, or both. 
He would also say that he let them use his house and car for free, and they never even bothered to fill up the cars fuel tank!! 
 

In the end he sold the car, and iust rented one when we went out there. 
 

He was a lot happier. 
 

 

 

 

 

My sisters mother in law also has a place abroad. She only let close friends and family use it. 
 

She was also furious when she turned up to find the house damaged. 
 

She ended up banning almost everyone from going to the house because of all the hassle, and then had major fallings out with family members because she would no longer let them use her Villa. They seemingly forgot that they damaged the place and didn’t even bother to tell her. 
 

 

 

I honestly could not think of a worse way to fall out with friends and family. 

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5 hours ago, markm said:

I’ll not comment on any of your posts / thoughts and don’t value your input at all.

 

Please don't take this the wrong way but you are going to be able to take a lot more excreta than that.

I've rented out cars, vans and houses and would say you need skin as thick as a rhino to rent stuff out. Just saying.

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