A parallax image

How to keep a caravan with limited space at home

Posted by Gav Grayston.
First Published Jan 2017; updated May 2023.

Being first-time caravanners, we had no idea about caravan storage. If you don't either, then read this.


Not having had a caravan before, we soon had to work out where to put it! This opened up a whole load of questions and took us to the world of caravan storage...

Caravan Storage

Many people who have space on their driveway will keep their caravan there. After all, it makes packing your van and hitting the road much easier.

However, not all of us have space at our homes for a caravan.


Farm with a Barn

Many years ago, when we investigated what it would cost to get a caravan, we found some caravan storage at a farm not far outside our town.

Farm Caravan Storage

If I recall, access was restricted to certain hours, plus we would have to provide sufficient notice before collecting it. Not great when that spontaneous desire to get away strikes!

It didn’t appear the most flexible of schemes

It didn’t appear the most flexible of schemes.

A caravan is also a considerable investment for a family, and you will want to know it is being kept safe.

Back then, we decided not to go down the caravan route and stick with tent camping. But now we’ve been challenged to spend a year with a caravan, the world of caravan storage was thrust back upon us!


Where we store 'Casper the Caravan'

Fortunately, the world of caravan storage has moved on since we first looked at it man years ago.

Casper's Resting Place

Very close to where we live is Salop Leisure, who have a fantastic caravan and motorhome storage facility, very different to the ‘farm with a barn’ option we looked at years ago.

  • Secure access with CCTV and alarms.
  • Members get a security token that allows them to come and go. It’s not 24-hour access, and if you are in late at night past the cut-off, you will trigger the alarms.
  • A large tarmac area with lots of space for caravans and motorhomes, plus a few grass spots.
  • Wash and vac facilities.

Plus, if you need to get anything, such as last-minute accessories or replacement items, there’s the on-site shop in the main Salop Leisure building, along with a very good coffee shop (plus toilets!).

I was told this was a ‘Gold’ level storage. So what does that mean?

Putting the caravan into storage

Different levels of Caravan Storage

The Caravan Storage Site Owners Association, or CaSSOA, is an organisation set-up to help minimise caravan theft from storage sites.

They accredit sites in one of three levels.

Bronze Level Caravan Storage – Meets the basic level of security, which includes a secure perimeter and lockable gates.

Silver Level Caravan Storage – Additional security is at these storage sites, such as CCTV and monitoring of who enters and leaves the sites.

Gold Level Caravan Storage – The highest level of storage security.


Caravan Storage and Insurance Premiums

According to the CaSSOA website, you might be able to get a discount on your caravan insurance when using a CaSSOA storage site.

Lots of Caravans

storing at home, could attract a higher premium

The Club Care motorhome insurance scheme was quoting up to 10% discount for using a CaSSOA Gold Award storage site. For caravan storage, up to 20% discount on a CaSSOA Gold site.

Whereas storing at home, could attract a higher premium depending on the reported crime level statistics where you live.


Finding Caravan Storage

A quick Google search will find plenty of places offering caravan storage.

You can search for storage on the CaSSOA website, where it will tell you if the site has Bronze, Silver, or Gold level storage.

There are also other schemes around.

For example, you could store your caravan over winter at some Camping and Caravanning Club sites, and some of these sites offer a towing service if you don’t want to get your caravan in and out of storage.

You can also get Caravan Storage at the Caravan Club sites

Leave the storage

Here are some useful links if you are looking for caravan storage: