A nurse alleges she faced a £72k financial setback after purchasing her dream caravan, only to find out six months later that she would only recoup a small portion of her investment.
Katherine Upton, 48, remortgaged her house to purchase the £62k mobile home from a Haven holiday village in Sussex.
She spent an additional £10k on decking, intending to rent out the secondhand van for a small profit and to cover site fees.
But when her marriage broke down six months later, and the mother-of-one went to resell the caravan, she could allegedly only recoup £18k.
Haven claims they never offered Ms Upton a figure and declined a sale.
“I was completely overwhelmed and truly devastated. Not only had my marriage ended, but I was also plunged into a deeper financial crisis,” she shared with the Daily Mail.
‘I just felt completely cheated and disrespected.’
Concerned about increasing site fees, Ms Upton gave her ex-husband the caravan as part of the divorce settlement.
Katherine Upton said she bought the secondhand caravan (pictured) for £62k in September 2023 – and paid an additional £10k for decking
The mobile home featured a modern, cream and beige interior, complete with a trendy kitchen
When trying to resell the mobile home, Ms Upton said she realised it was worth far less
‘The site fees were going up. So not only did I have an increase in site fees, but my van was worth nothing,’ she said.
‘I remortgaged my house yet again and I managed to take out enough money. I paid off my husband with the van.
‘It was a massive mistake. At the end of the day I left my ex husband with it.’
Ms Upton, an NHS nurse, said she was left so distraught by her financial situation that she has been signed off work with stress.
‘I have suffered from extreme stress and burnout,’ she said.
‘I had remortgaged my house to buy this van, because I thought it’s a way that we can live and make money.
“I thought buying the caravan would be a nice gesture, and if it didn’t work out, we could simply sell it. I genuinely believed we might get back around £40k-£50k, losing £10-15k. That was the loss I was willing to accept.”
The mother stated that before making the purchase, she ensured she could receive a fair amount from the company if she decided to sell. However, Haven reportedly contests this, suggesting the conversation pertained to a favorable price on a part-exchange deal.
“I told [the salesperson] that this is a major purchase for me, and the reason I’m doing it is because my husband and I have hit a financial impasse,” she explained.
The mother insists she had been reassured when buying that the 2015 model was in ‘high demand’ and would not quickly lose its value
The caravan features a cosy twin room and spacious double bedroom
The living area of Ms Upton’s former caravan
The mobile home is seen from a distance, surrounded by nature and greenery
A MailOnline graphic detailing some of the hidden costs of owning a static caravan
She claimed she was told she should not expect to lose much money on it in the short space of a year.
But after her marriage breakdown, Ms Upton felt let down by salespeople at the park.
‘I said to Haven, I’ve only had this van all of six months, and I’d like to sell it back to the park, because I’ve separated from my husband now.
‘I was really quite stressed at this point.’
Ms Upton said she believed the property was listed solely in her name when she bought it in September 2023.
But further complications arose when the mother realised she could not sell the van without her husband’s permission, as it was in his name too.
She ended up remortgaging her house for a second time, and giving her ex-husband the mobile home.
‘I’m completely f****** skint – I’m lucky I didn’t go bankrupt,’ she said.
Ms. Upton is one of many individuals across the UK who have shared their caravan troubles with the Daily Mail, with some stating they have lost their life savings and inheritances.
After her marriage breakdown, Ms Upton felt let down by salespeople at the park
The mobile home came with its own bathroom, complete with a toilet, sink and shower
The van featured a stylish cream and beige interior, complete with a modern kitchen
Retired NHS nurse Maureen McShea, 73, said she spent her pension on an £85,000 caravan only to receive £50,000 less for it two years later by the park owners.
Ms McShea said she upgraded her £40,000 mobile home to the expensive model in August 2022 after Hunters Quay Holiday Village, of Argyll Holidays, suggested she renew it in her daughter’s name to make it easier to inherit.
After receiving £36,000 for the old caravan, she used that and £49,000 of her lump sum pension to make the upgrade.
But following a lengthy battle with breast cancer, she was forced to sell last year when her husband also fell ill with prostate cancer.
The caravan group offered Mrs McShea just £25,000 for the home – a £60,000 loss on what she’d put in – which she managed to haggle up to £35,000 despite them telling her they were struggling to sell it on her behalf.
A spokesperson for Cove UK said at the time: ‘Cove UK purchased the Argyll Holidays business in February 2022. Mrs McShea was a valued long-term customer, and we are very sad to hear about her husband’s health. We are also surprised and disappointed that she is unhappy with the sale of her caravan, as this has not been raised with us directly.
‘As a business, Cove UK wants to ensure that all of our caravan owners are happy with their holiday homes. We therefore take careful responsibility to ensure all customers fully understand the financial commitment they are making.’
