We bought the retirement caravan of our dreams but it turned into a financial nightmare... now we're £150k out of pocket and working three jobs just to stay afloat
Lisa and Robert Colvin-Jones bought a caravan by the sea after downsizing their home, with the aim to make memories with their grandson and to rent it out when they are not there.
However, the purchase has turned into a financial nightmare for the pair, aged 55 and 56 respectively, with alleged hidden costs and other fees.
The couple say they have to work three jobs between them just to stay afloat.
They have only stayed in the caravan for three days in 2024 and not at all in 2025 - earning just £500 in rent across 32 weeks.
'We could not have known this would be the start of a financial nightmare that is still ruining our lives today,' Lisa said.
'Robert and I are forced to work three jobs between us because of the financial hole [this] has left us in.
'It is not where we wanted to be at this stage in our lives.
'What should have been a simple, peaceful family investment has instead turned into a huge financial loss with misleading information, hidden fees and false promises at every turn.
'Our trust has been completely betrayed. We feel trapped and hope that sharing our story will prevent others from falling into the same trap.'
The pair visited Sea Bay Resort park in West Sussex in September 2021.
Lisa, a full-time carer, from Sussex, was going through serious medical issues at the time of the purchase and having a relaxing family retreat seemed 'just the ticket'.
The salesperson showed them the 2019 ABI Ambleside caravan for £89,995.
They claim to have been reassured that it was a 'platinum' standard home - the highest earning rental classification - and when not using it themselves, they could potentially earn a significant income from it.
A £10,000 deposit was put down and the remainder was financed.
However, soon after they got the keys, the pair realised a veranda would be needed for the safety of Lisa's father, who suffers from COPD.
After finding a reputable contractor, who would do the job for £6,000, the couple claim to have been informed by Seal Bay that they were only allowed to use a 'park approved' contractor to the tune of £11,000.
Lisa said: 'We were also contractually bound to buy our gas bottles directly from the park at £105 per bottle. Elsewhere, the same bottle costs around £80.
'Electricity similarly has to be purchased from the park in fixed blocks with no transparency or control.
'We were not allowed to install cheaper, green options like solar panels.'
To help recover some costs, the pair tried to rent out the caravan but soon discovered that their supposed 'platinum' mobile home was actually 'gold plus' - meaning less rental rate and booking volume.
And when they did get renters in, their energy bills surged.
To add insult to injury, they were then hit with an increase in ground rent - despite allegedly being told that fees had remained consistent for years.
In 2023, another salesperson suggested upgrading to a caravan they could rent out more easily - and for more money - costing a further £25,000.
Lisa said: 'We were promised the new unit would generate £20,000 plus in annual rental income.
'[Obviously, we were] hesitant after our previous experiences but we felt like we had no other options.
'We were desperate.'
But, there was a hidden cost - it needed a larger pitch, increasing their ground rent from £6,500 to £7,500 per year.
There was also no path across the wet grass and to have one fitted, it would cost £899 for nine flat stones using the park's approved contractor.
Lisa and Robert, who works in IT and baggage handling at an airport, claim the slabs were already in place, but were removed for the caravan, meaning they had to pay to put them back.
The final straw came when they tried to sell the caravan back to the park, who could only offer them £24,100 - an 80 per cent loss.
Lisa added: 'Our grandson loved the caravan holidays we did have and we tried so hard to make it work.
'But the costs are just unworkable.
'When we did manage to rent out the caravan, the park held onto the money for months and there was little left over after the bills.
'We lose money every month.
'Other people who sold back to the park have told us that their caravans went straight back on the market for full value.
'We looked into selling privately but Seal Bay told us that if we didn't sell to them, then they would charge the new owners an extra £500 a year in ground rent - effectively making private sales impossible.
'Overall, we were given drastically unrealistic expectations around costs and rental income.'
Greg Wilson, CEO of European Consumer Claims (ECC), said: 'Sadly, the Colvin-Jones' experience are by no means unique.
'Misleading sales presentations are totally unacceptable when life changing amounts of money are involved.
'Inflated, hidden and monopolistic costs are reported right across the industry, and we at ECC are leading a nationwide call for the government to introduce legislation to protect people like Lisa and Robert.'
Jack Irvine, who represents Seal Bay Resort park, said: 'I would stress that Seal Bay as a matter of company policy tries to treat all clients in a fair and honest manner and the allegations are totally alien to everything we do.'
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