The DOWNSIDE to full timing.

[Bulletguy]

Lifes full of 'what if's' and we would all like the benefit of hindsight. But some mistakes can prove financially disastrous, and if they could have been avoided, whats wrong in forward planning or thinking in order to avoid those mistakes or the possibilty of?

As yet i still have full time employment but am forward planning to take early retirement if possible.

On the other hand i could simply walk away from it now, sell my house, shove a nice wad of notes in my bank account, and go swanning off around the world in a shiny motorhome. But who is going to pick all the pieces up should it all go 'pear shaped'?

The Government?
The State?
The Welfare sytem?

Noooooooo........it will be me who will have to. So making plans for any eventuality seems to makes sense to me.

 

[Braunston]

Hi,

I haven't read all of the threads but could someone clarify what a full timer is, as from some of the threads it appears some people park on a site for more than a few weeks/months, does that still make them full timers or have they just replaced one semi fixed residence for another.

To qualify as a full timer how often do you need to move ? and if you do keep on the move without any semi permanent base how does that affect bank accounts/pensions/savings/insurance etc

 

[Bulletguy]

Hi,

I haven't read all of the threads but could someone clarify what a full timer is....

Living 24/7/365 days a year in a motorhome. Instead of 'bricks 'n mortar'.......thats your home.

Others tour around for a few months at a time, and then simply return back to their 'bricks 'n mortar'. Thats not my definition of fulltiming.

 

[hereford bull]

downside of full timing 2 weeks ago a couple in an rv were on their way to llangorse lake nr brecon on the back roads in their rv. A car came to fast the other way skidded and crashed into them rendering the rv unmovable 6hrs later on a low loader taken 50 miles to a garage and unloaded all their possesions clothes etc are in the rv .thats a downside

 

[Jan Pendreigh]

Full timing to us is exactly what it says - your rv/motorhome is your home. We sold everything and are taking a year or two touring holiday before we consider buying again :thumb: After 14 months we've learned a lot; we spent nights in a workshop getting repairs done; a night in a truckstop (free, which was good) surrounded by drivers of every possible nationality; we send a sae monthly to the doctor we're registered with for repeat prescriptions because he wouldn't give one for longer. We use Merv's sons address for our mail. There's a way round everything if you're determined enough.

We've just had friends in their caravan with us for a month. At the end of July Maureen said full-timing was the last thing she would ever do, no way was she going to sell her home and get rid of the accumulated treasures. Dave wanted to full time. They went home yesterday - Dave couldn't wait to get back to his 'local' and the village, Maureen never wanted to see her house again!!! You just never know but unless you try it .............

Jan

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[Road Runner]

I dream of spending 3 month is Spain then home and another extended tour but always keep my home.

I have some serious medical issues that will only get worse so cant take to many chances.

If i lived in my RV what would i look forward to?

My dads 86 and has Alzheimer's among other things and needs full time care from me so know how cruel old age can be and he certainly could not live in a bus.

 

[artona]

hi

downside of full timing 2 weeks ago a couple in an rv were on their way to llangorse lake nr brecon on the back roads in their rv. A car came to fast the other way skidded and crashed into them rendering the rv unmovable 6hrs later on a low loader taken 50 miles to a garage and unloaded all their possesions clothes etc are in the rv .thats a downside

how is that diiferent to your house burning down?

stew

 

[Road Runner]

hi

downside of full timing 2 weeks ago a couple in an rv were on their way to llangorse lake nr brecon on the back roads in their rv. A car came to fast the other way skidded and crashed into them rendering the rv unmovable 6hrs later on a low loader taken 50 miles to a garage and unloaded all their possesions clothes etc are in the rv .thats a downside

how is that diiferent to your house burning down?

stew

probably less likely to happen? (that's probably why full timing insurance is so difficult)

 

[Bulletguy]

downside of full timing 2 weeks ago a couple in an rv were on their way to llangorse lake nr brecon on the back roads in their rv. A car came to fast the other way skidded and crashed into them rendering the rv unmovable 6hrs later on a low loader taken 50 miles to a garage and unloaded all their possesions clothes etc are in the rv .thats a downside

Everything fully insured i assume?

If so, then its not a problem. If not......then i've no sympathy.

 

[Road Runner]

Everything fully insured i assume?

If so, then its not a problem. If not......then i've no sympathy.

Can you live in a bus in a bodyshop?

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[Bulletguy]

Can you live in a bus in a bodyshop?

I very much doubt it...it's hardly ideal for the people working there and it's unlikely the business premises insurance would agree to it either. But there are plenty of Hotels and Guest Houses around and undoubtedly there will be some insurance companies prepared to accept cover for this kind of case.

But do any fulltimers insure for this? That should be your question.

 

[artona]

Hi

But do any fulltimers insure for this? That should be your question. fulltimers are simply on a 365 day holiday, it is allowed you know

stew

 

[Bulletguy]

But do any fulltimers insure for this? That should be your question. fulltimers are simply on a 365 day holiday, it is allowed you know.

stew

Well lets hear what they have to say about it? I'd be interested to know.

Similar to Property and Contents insurance, whilst not a compulsory requirement, it's a damn good idea to have it. Yet many people still choose to 'opt out' and not pay for it but are the first to bleat when their home gets emptied of all their possessions. These type of people think it more important to stuff their homes full of expensive electronic 'gizzmo's' than to buy insurance. It's all about priorities.

Being 'on holiday' no matter for how long, does not excuse going without insurance cover. If thats what they choose to do.........fine, but don't expect sympathy when it all goes tits up.

Breakdown cover isn't compulsory, but once again its a damn good idea to have if you are running about in any large or heavy van. I took out breakdown cover as soon as my camper went on the road and when i had to have it taken into a Ford dealer during a recent holiday, my policy paid for the recovery, a Hotel for the night, plus taxi fares to and from the Garage.

 

[johnsandywhite]

I suppose we are a little different to what could be called normal Full-timers. Yes we ARE Full-Timers. We DO live in a fairly large RV for most of the time. The rest of the time we live in our Midi RV.

 

[Braunston]

Hi, JSW

How do you insure your static RV while it is on site ? just interested who you use or how you obtain cover, as perhaps i could use a similar method if i want to leave my motorhome and fly home for a short period ? have you arranged Spanish insurance ?
Thanks

I suppose we are a little different to what could be called normal Full-timers. Yes we ARE Full-Timers. We DO live in a fairly large RV for most of the time. The rest of the time we live in our Midi RV.

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[johnsandywhite]

Hi, JSW

How do you insure your static RV while it is on site ? just interested who you use or how you obtain cover, as perhaps i could use a similar method if i want to leave my motorhome and fly home for a short period ? have you arranged Spanish insurance ?
Thanks

:Cool: Yes there are lot's of Insurance companies willing to offer Insurance for static, semi-static or otherwise Motorhomes, Car-A-Vans etc. We have no recommendations. They all offer basically the same.

Link Removed

 

[alan and sue]

Full timers

Hi,

I haven't read all of the threads but could someone clarify what a full timer is, as from some of the threads it appears some people park on a site for more than a few weeks/months, does that still make them full timers or have they just replaced one semi fixed residence for another.

To qualify as a full timer how often do you need to move ? and if you do keep on the move without any semi permanent base how does that affect bank accounts/pensions/savings/insurance etc

Whats in a name, as long as you are doing what you want to do and it makes you happy who cares what other people want to lable you as!

 

[Pikey Pete]

Hi,

I haven't read all of the threads but could someone clarify what a full timer is, as from some of the threads it appears some people park on a site for more than a few weeks/months, does that still make them full timers or have they just replaced one semi fixed residence for another.

To qualify as a full timer how often do you need to move ? and if you do keep on the move without any semi permanent base how does that affect bank accounts/pensions/savings/insurance etc

I see myself as a fulltimer, though some may disagree. I have no property just my Motor Home.
I travel around Europe in the summer and lay up on a site in Southern Spain from September to March.
When I travel, sometimes I wild camp and sometimes I don't, depends how I feel at the time.
I go back to the UK for a service and MOT for a few days and wish I didn't have to.
Pete

 

[Baldy]

downside of full timing 2 weeks ago a couple in an rv were on their way to llangorse lake nr brecon on the back roads in their rv. A car came to fast the other way skidded and crashed into them rendering the rv unmovable 6hrs later on a low loader taken 50 miles to a garage and unloaded all their possesions clothes etc are in the rv .thats a downside

This is always a possibility, but then so is an unlicenced drunken joyrider in a stolen car crashing though the lounge window. In lawless Britain this, Iwould say is more of a probability when apparently only 35% of home owners have contents insurance and around the 63% have buildings insurance.


Both are extreme but there can be a downside to anything. One of the high points of fulltiming is that if you don't like your neighbours, you can move. In todays housing market, you're stuck there until it recovers or the bailiffs knock on the door.

 

[PenelopePitstop]

I've thought of a downside!!!!

Listening to the rain hammering on the tin roof!!!

That's all!

Marie

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[Baldy]

another one

running out of water while in the shower. (guess who forgot to fill up the tank)oh:

 

[Bulletguy]

....apparently only 35% of home owners have contents insurance and around 63% have buildings insurance.

Which bears out what i've mentioned in previous posts on this thread.

Whilst contents insurance is not complusory and building generally only a requirement of intitial mortgage application, i have little sympathy for those who choose to gamble by ignoring insurance only to bleat when something goes badly wrong.

Breakdown insurance on any van makes sense, even if not using it for long distance travel....unlike a car, you won't be able to push a van off the road if you break down. As for contents, most household policies should provide adequate cover during trips/holidays etc. For 24/7 full time living in, i suppose a similar policy can be provided.

 

[Bulletguy]

Something i've not seen mentioned by full timers on this thread is Road tax and MOT.

If the vehicle is UK registered i'm assuming that annual road tax and mot has to be done each year only in the UK? If spending 50+ weeks of the year in europe this could prove a costly exercise with travelling back into the UK each time just for tax and mot. Fuel plus ferry fare easily mounts into a few hundered quid just for that trip alone.

How would this compare if the vehicle was registered in Germany, Spain or Holland, as an example? I'm not sure what the costs/procedure etc is there?

 

[Jim]

That is the reason that more people who need the space a large RV affords them are buying 5th wheels to Full time in. Once it is on the continent it can stay there with no annual (very expensive) trips back to the UK.

 

[Road Runner]

That is the reason that more people who need the space a large RV affords them are buying 5th wheels to Full time in. Once it is on the continent it can stay there with no annual (very expensive) trips back to the UK.

might just as well get a static then and have an economical diesel car to commute

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[Jim]

If you have a regular Euro motorhome, then its easy (relatively) just to register in the country you want to full time in. If you want an RV size motorhome then you need to keep the registration in the UK as I believe France, Spain, Italy etc will not allow you to register an RV as they are too wide.

Fifth Wheels are very easy to move, offer a lot of the advantges of an RV but without the need to get a UK MOT every year. You can move them as easy as a caravan, so should not be likened to a static. But those big three axle jobs would scare me to death if I were towing one

 

[Wildman]

Which bears out what i've mentioned in previous posts on this thread.

Whilst contents insurance is not complusory and building generally only a requirement of intitial mortgage application, i have little sympathy for those who choose to gamble by ignoring insurance only to bleat when something goes badly wrong.

Breakdown insurance on any van makes sense, even if not using it for long distance travel....unlike a car, you won't be able to push a van off the road if you break down. As for contents, most household policies should provide adequate cover during trips/holidays etc. For 24/7 full time living in, i suppose a similar policy can be provided.

If we all insured everything we owned against every eventuallity there would not be cash enough left to eat let alone go anywhere.

 

[Road Runner]

If you have a regular Euro motorhome, then its easy (relatively) just to register in the country you want to full time in. If you want an RV size motorhome then you need to keep the registration in the UK as I believe France, Spain, Italy etc will not allow you to register an RV as they are too wide.

Fifth Wheels are very easy to move, offer a lot of the advantges of an RV but without the need to get a UK MOT every year. You can move them as easy as a caravan, so should not be likened to a static. But those big three axle jobs would scare me to death if I were towing one

I am all for 5th wheels but part of my enjoyment is driving our monsters

 

[Bulletguy]

That is the reason that more people who need the space a large RV affords them are buying 5th wheels to Full time in. Once it is on the continent it can stay there with no annual (very expensive) trips back to the UK.

Don't quite follow your point here Jim, and i'm wondering if you fully understood my question?

I'm talking of road tax/mot on mh or rv in use for 'fulltiming'......irrespective of size. In other words, though it may remain static at some point for a few weeks or months, it also has to be 'ready to go' when desired so must be taxed and tested.

The question being.....would it prove more economically viable to register the vehicle outside the UK, rather than in the UK.

 

[Bulletguy]

If we all insured everything we owned against every eventuallity there would not be cash enough left to eat let alone go anywhere.

You takes your choice and takes your chances....as long as those that do don't bleat and blart or expect charity when it all goes tits up.
I'm not prepared to take that risk.....so i pay insurance and eat ok.

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