Full Time Caravan Living

3500kg would need a B+E licence and you would need a 4x4 or large van to tow. What i would suggest is that you put in the tow car that you have or would want to buy and then use the club matching service to find which van will suit, but you still may find that you will need to take the B+E test. Look in the help and advise section at the top of the page. Another problem you may find is by law you are only allowed a certain amount of time on the same site, unless of course you find another route

Paul

If you passed your Driving test after 1 January 1997, Category B entitles you to:

• Drive a combined weight (car and caravan) of up to 3,500kg. If the combined weight exceeds 3,500kg, the B+E test pass is required
• Drive a motorhome without a trailer up to 3,500kg. Passing the LGV test entitles you to drive a motorhome up to 7,500kg
• Drive a motorhome with a trailer, providing the trailer does not exceed 750kg and the combined weight is not more than 4,250kg. If the trailer exceeds 750kg, a LGV test plus the B+E test will need to be passed.

 A list of B+E Driving Instructors can be found here

 The Club’s Driving Licence leaflet can be found here

Regarding CLs, the maximum stay is 28 days before you should be moving on. There are however some sites with seasonal pitches. 

In my experience there is no problem with staying the maximum 28 day on a cl. Some CLs will become full quite. My favourites, I book a year ahead. Sometimes that's not enough. Speak to the owners as soon as possible.

All modern touring caravans are built with wieght in mind for ease of towing. It follows therefore, that many fixtures and fittings are not as robust as those found in your home. Be careful and be gentle and keep on top of the maintanance.

Washing. Ever heard of a 'Bucket'? That's what we do. Also use the local launderette service. Forget those plasticy washing machines, spend the money on a couple of bottles of wine for the house warming. For drying clothes, I find the proprietry caravan rotary driers are pretty good. Some site owners don't like washing hung on fences or lines tied to them. Some dont mind. Never had any probs with the rotary drier.

Start thinking about solar power. Not paying for electric hook ups is going to be significant for you. At £15000 budget, get as much out of the dealer as possible, or if private sale, haggle hard. Damm, haggle anyway.

Good luch and enjoy.

To use a CL, you must join the Club. £46pa or £56 if you don't do DD.

Great idea - I tried to point my daughter in that direction when she was going through a divorce but she didn't fancy it!  HGV licence but terrified of towing! 

I would also think of investing in Safefill gas cyclinder - gas is so much cheaper bought for a refillable - and you can see the gas level as the bottle is transparent so no danger of running out as you just take it away to fill it when necessary.  I would have thought CL owners would welcome a regular customer unless they are suspicious of your youth!  If you get funny looks - try booking for 5 days and extend?   In other threads it is often said how useful it is to have an address you can use rather than being of No Fixed Abode - so perhaps friends or parents can help there.   Very best of luck. 

This forum should be on your list

Caravans and MHs covered.

http://www.motorhome365.com/

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Also what do people do about clothes washing? I have seen that you can get mini washing machines but can't imagine they cope that well with towels and then it is not ideal to have to go to laundrettes regularly.

We caravan for most of the year, doing 8-10wk spells and we have one of the small twin tubs which we use every week. It travels on the back seat of our tow car and we do our washing in the shower compartment. They have enough capacity to was a double duvet cover (we use one instead of a sheet sleeping bag) and do all our washing in it including towels. Wash with liquid detergent and use fabric conditioner in the rinse. A bowl of hot water and 2 buckets of cold water will give a decent wash, and 2 further buckets of cold water for the rinse.  You should recoup the cost of the machine in 9 mths against using a  laundrette. Easy peasey.

With regard to the problem of time limits on stays on CL's, I have stayed on a few sites where the owner ran a small commercial site adjacent to the CL which may not be  subject to the same rules as the CL, or if they are tend not to be scrutinised as closely. I have often seen workers on these. So although the CC may not be able to accommodate your lifestyle looking closely at those CLs and CSs run by the other lot with adjacent sites could help you.