Here at Allens Caravans, we have a number of residential parks across the UK on which countless people call home. With an increase in city hustle and bustle, we’re seeing more and more people enquiring about taking the plunge and living in residential park homes.
It’s natural that there are questions about this seemingly new way of living, with most revolving around the quality of living in a park home.
This could be because the term ‘residential caravan’ often gives people the impression that a park home is the same as a holiday caravan – something people can only visit at certain times of the year. In reality, holiday park homes are vastly different to residential park homes as a result of specific legislation, meaning they are fit for purpose and, crucially, winterproof.
Park Home Legislation BS3632
In Britain, certain products and services are held to standards outlined by the British Standards Institute. These standards ensure the products at hand are fit for purpose, and they offer consumers added protection against buying or receiving something that is not good enough or that doesn’t do its intended job. Residential park homes are no different. They are protected by BS3632 which requires park homes to meet specific criteria, mostly relating to quality and safety.
BS3632 was first created in 1963 and last had a major update in 2005, although further amendments were made in 2015. Some of the key points outlined in 2015 related to living standards. To achieve this standard, all residential mobile homes must have:
Central heating
Double glazing
More insulation in the roof, wall, and floor cavities
Thermostatic control of hot water to minimise the risk of scalding
Soundproof walls
A-rated appliances
Alternative renewable energy sources
These standards are similar to those that brick and mortar houses must abide by in order to be considered fit for permanent living. The addition of things like central heating, double glazing, and improved insulation makes the home warmer and suitable for living in during winter. It also makes the home sturdier and safer, not to mention more secure.
In practice, it’s no different to what you would expect from a traditional house. It would be absurd for developers to build homes with single glazing, minimal insulation, no central heating, thin walls, and unsustainable fuel sources. All of these things would make a house unliveable by modern standards. Whether you’re in a brick house or a park home, you are entitled to maintain the same standard of living, and that’s why BS3632 was created.
All of the Allens Caravans residential park homes meet BS3632, and we also hold a residential license for all our residential sites, meaning we are fully in compliance with the law and provide our residents with the very highest quality homes on secure parks.
Caravan Holiday Homes vs Residential Park Homes
Going on a caravan holiday during childhood is as good as a British rite of passage. Nearly all of us have been on one, and most of us have memories of staying in old caravans decades ago with flimsy walls, single glazed windows with condensation (or even frost) on, and only one heater in the living room. Appliances were old and basic, and even the meekest sound ricocheted around the caravan. The holidays were great, but the caravans were only suitable for a week-long stay at a time.
Since then, holiday park homes have come on leaps and bounds, but unfortunately, it is these memories that many people base their perception of residential park homes on. Holiday homes and residential homes are held to separate standards, with BS3632 relating to residential homes and BSEN1647 relating to holiday homes.
At Allens Caravans, our holiday homes share many of the same hallmarks as residential homes in the way of central heating, double glazing, and high quality appliances, but they are not suitable to live in. Firstly, they are smaller and in order to achieve BS3632 rooms must be a certain size. Secondly, the licenses for holiday parks and residential parks are different, with holiday parks closing over winter and residential parks remaining open all year round. Thirdly, the insulation levels are different.
Our holiday caravans are great for a luxury holiday, but they are not built to be lived in permanently, especially over winter.
Winter in a Residential Park Home
So, we’ve clarified that park homes are in fact winterproof, but you might still be wondering what winter is actually like in a mobile home. In short, it’s not really any different to winter in a traditional home! You can still put your central heating on when it gets cold, and you don’t need to worry about frost settling on your double glazed windows and doors. You’ll have plenty of insulation to retain heat, and the option of alternative and renewable energy sources means you can keep your bills under control and get the best possible price.
On top of this, the waterproof coating means the exterior of the home is able to stand up to the Great British weather and its notoriously wet and windy winters. By and large, residential park homes are more than fit for purpose during winter, ensuring you’ll stay snug and warm during those cosy nights.
Buy a Residential Park Home
If you’re interested in moving into a residential park home, get in touch with us and we’ll be more than happy to arrange a viewing and ask any questions you might have.
