Family Holiday Planning: Transparent UK Park Fees Explained

There's nothing quite like the feeling of planning a family holiday. The excitement builds as you picture sunny days, new adventures, and precious time spent together. But we know that for many, this excitement can be tinged with worry about budgets and the possibility of unexpected costs. We're firm believers that holiday planning should be exciting, not stressful. That's why we're committed to being completely upfront about our costs, ensuring you can find one of the best holiday parks with transparent fees and no hidden charges in the UK. This is our guide to understanding every cost, designed to give you the clarity and confidence to focus on what truly matters: making memories with your loved ones.

What's Included in a Lovat Parks Holiday?

Whether you're joining us for a short break or considering the wonderful lifestyle of holiday home ownership, we want you to be fully informed. The costs differ slightly depending on the type of holiday you choose, so let's break it down.

For Your Holiday Stay (Glamping, Lodges, Touring & Camping)

When you book a holiday with us in one of our beautiful lodges, glamping pods, or holiday homes, your comfort is our priority. The price includes all your bed linen and the beds will be made up for your arrival, so you can travel a little lighter and settle in straight away. If you're joining us for a touring & camping holiday, you'll need to bring your own bedding and equipment for your pitch.

We love seeing happy dogs exploring our parks, and you're welcome to bring up to two with you for a small additional charge. This is £50 for your stay in our accommodation, or £3 per night on our touring pitches. For those who enjoy a spot of fishing where available, there's a supplement of £15 per day, though you will need a valid rod licence.

To make planning even easier, you can secure your holiday booking with a low deposit of just £50. Once booked, you can view all the details and manage your stay through your personal online portal. For more answers to common questions, please feel free to browse our FAQs page.

For Holiday Home Ownership

Choosing to own a holiday home is an incredible lifestyle decision, giving you a personal escape to return to again and again. The cost structure for ownership is different from a short stay, and we're here to walk you through every element so you can make a fully informed choice.

Demystifying Holiday Home Ownership Costs

We believe that finding your dream holiday home should be a joyful experience. That's why we're committed to providing a clear and honest breakdown of all the costs involved. It's part of our promise to help you find the perfect retreat for your family, without any unexpected charges.

The Initial Purchase Price

This is the one-time investment for the holiday home itself. At Lovat Parks, our holiday home prices start from £50,000 upwards. While you can't get a residential mortgage for a holiday home, we do offer finance options through our sole, trusted provider, Santander Consumer Finance, to help make ownership more accessible.

One of the most significant benefits is that when you buy a holiday home, there is no stamp duty or council tax to pay. It's also important to note our parks are for holiday use, but for those seeking a permanent address, we do have specific residential ownership options at our Penmarlam and Azure Seas parks.

For a closer look at the different homes available, our guide on choosing a lodge or caravan is a great starting point, and you can find a complete overview in our latest ownership brochure.

Annual Site Fees: What They Are & What They Cover

Sometimes called pitch fees, annual site fees are a standard cost for holiday home owners. These fees are your contribution towards the running and upkeep of the park you love so much. It's really important to understand what your site fees cover before you commit.

Our site fees start from £3,650 (including VAT) and cover:

• Park maintenance and beautiful landscaping
• Security and our on-park team
• Use of park amenities
• Refuse collection and grounds upkeep
• Essential infrastructure like roads and lighting

As a member of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, we are committed to fairness. We communicate all fees to our owners every November for the following year, ensuring they are kept reasonable and only change to reflect inflation or significant investments we're making to improve the park. This straightforward approach is a core part of The Lovat Difference.

Yearly Running Costs: Utilities and Upkeep

Alongside your site fees, you'll need to budget for annual running costs. These are much like the bills for your own home and include electricity, gas, and water, which are all metered so you only pay for what you use. Other costs include insuring your holiday home and a TV licence if you watch live TV.

To help you budget, a great starting point is to set aside around £1,000 for typical annual utilities. Remember, as a holiday home owner, you pay non-domestic rates rather than council tax, which is another key financial benefit.

An Option to Offset Costs: Our 'Love to Let' Service

Many of our owners choose to let their holiday home out when they aren't using it, which is a fantastic way to earn an income and offset the running costs. Our fully managed 'Love to Let' service handles everything for you, from marketing and bookings to cleaning and handovers. It's a popular and hassle-free option that we're proud to offer as part of The Lovat Difference.

The Lovat Difference: Our Commitment to You

Choosing a holiday park is about more than just the location; it's about finding a partner you can trust. Finding a trustworthy park is vital when buying a holiday home. For us, that trust starts with a clear and simple promise, ensuring that, unlike some experiences, with Lovat Parks there are no hidden fees.

Peace of Mind from Day One

We want you to feel completely confident in your decision. That's why we've put guarantees in place to give you total peace of mind.

• 10-Day Cooling-Off Period: After signing your purchase agreement, you have 10 days to change your mind and receive a full refund of your deposit.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Even after you've taken ownership, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if things aren't right.
• 12-Month Warranty: Every new holiday home comes with a complimentary 12-month warranty, covering you from day one.

These promises are central to what we call The Lovat Difference.

Long-Term Security with Generous Licences

Your holiday home is a long-term investment in your family's happiness. We offer some of the most generous licence agreements in the industry, ranging from 20 years right up to an incredible 100 years. This gives you long-term security and value for generations. For example, owners at our stunning Azure Seas Holiday Village are offered licences of up to 50 years, while at Penmarlam Lodge Retreat, the maximum licence term is an amazing 100 years.

A Certified B Corp You Can Trust

In 2020, we were incredibly proud to become the first UK holiday park group to achieve B Corp certification. This isn't just a badge; it's legally binding proof of our commitment to meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. It means we consider the impact of our decisions on our team, our customers, our communities, and our planet—a value that underpins everything we do.

Conclusion: Holiday Planning Made Simple

At Lovat Parks, we believe planning a holiday or buying a holiday home should be a straightforward and joyful process. By being open and honest about all our costs, from a week-long stay to a lifetime of ownership, we hope to give you the confidence to plan your next family adventure. We want you to focus on the fun stuff, knowing exactly where you stand.

If you have any questions or are ready to explore our beautiful park locations across Cornwall, Norfolk, and the New Forest, our friendly team is always here to help. We'd love to chat and can't wait to welcome you.