Tim Lemon, Author at DerbyMotorhomes

Here is a selection of some motorhome FAQs that we often receive here at Derby Motorhomes. Of course, if you have any questions or queries relating to your motorhome or buying one, please do not hesitate to get in touch!

Will I be able to drive a motorhome on a standard licence?

The answer in many cases is yes – but that might depend to some extent on the specific motorhome you want to drive (specifically its weight) and also the date you passed your driving test.

The current driving licence requirements are clearly set out on the government website or complete the brief online questionnaire to find out what vehicles you can drive.

How easy are motorhomes to drive?

Modern, new, or well-maintained motorhomes are very easy to drive. If you can drive a car, then you should be immediately at home behind the wheel of this type of vehicle too.

Nevertheless, your motorhome is going to be bigger than the family car, so you might need to take a little extra care and practice with manoeuvres such as reversing and parking.

Even better, you might want to consider signing up for one of the motorhome driving courses organised either by the Caravan and Motorhome Club or the Camping and Caravanning Club.

Can I take my motorhome abroad to wherever I like?

There’s no technical obstacle to taking your motorhome to any foreign country you choose – provided you’re willing to abide by that country’s rules, of course.

Countries in the European Union should pose no issue whatsoever. You can also take your motorhome to the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey. Because of the limited space on the islands, though, you need to camp only at authorised sites and arrange a special permit in advance – either through the site at which you have booked your stay or directly to the relevant authorities on either island.

You’ll need to ensure that you have appropriate motorhome insurance cover for the countries you’re visiting or transiting. While there may be no physical barriers to your target destinations due to the motorhome itself, some insurance providers may exclude certain destinations outside of the EU that are perceived to be too high a risk.

Is it better to buy a motorhome for cash or take out finance?

We cannot provide financial advice about the way you choose to use your personal finances.

What we can say is that there are several funding options that may be open to you including Hire Purchase (HP). Some of these will be subject to your overall financial status – and we’d be more than happy to outline those motorhome finance options for you.

There are arguments for and against using cash savings as opposed to finance. If you’re uncertain as to the best way of financing the purchase of a motorhome given your particular personal circumstances, you may wish to do further independent research on the subject or consult an independent financial advisor.

Can I park up overnight in lay-bys?

Strictly speaking, this is likely to be contrary to local by-laws. Most such spaces are under the control of a local authority and typically they’ll prohibit overnight parking.

In purely practical terms, though, the rules and by-laws may be very difficult to monitor and enforce, particularly in very rural areas – so, you might be tempted to take your chances.

Remember, too, that your insurance policy might explicitly forbid overnight stops anywhere other than on an appropriately licenced and regulated campsite.

Is there a best-practice driving code for motorhomes?

There is nothing enshrined in law as such – although you might turn up some good and helpful guides, including those recommended by the Caravan and Motorhome Club or the Camping and Caravan Club on the driving courses we have already mentioned.

How often do I need to empty the WC?

Questions on this subject are also regularly – usually somewhat shyly – raised in motorhome FAQs forums!

The answer, of course, depends on two factors:

the capacity of your WC’s storage; and
how often you use it.

If you’d like to ask, there are some rough guidelines we can provide. In passing, we’d just say that emptying the WC in modern motorhomes is typically fast, easy, and hygienic.

Setting off on your first journey in your new motorhome is an exciting event.

Even if you’ve owned one for some time the travel restrictions during the recent pandemic mean that it might have been a while since you’ve ventured on an outing of any duration.

So, if you’re preparing for that first trip as the proud new owner of a motorhome, or returning to the pleasures of your second home on wheels, here are a few travel tips from us here at Derby Motorhomes that you might find useful before setting off.

Practice your driving in advance

Practice makes perfect – it might be a truism but is no less relevant to learning or relearning your driving skills behind the wheel of a motorhome.

These vehicles are typically easy to drive but tight manoeuvring, reversing, and parking, will all benefit from a little more practice.

For the complete novice or someone wanting a thorough refresher course, the Caravan and Motorhome Club runs a range of practical tuition packages. Failing any such formal approach, even a few hours on a quiet Sunday in an empty local car park will be better than having to learn everything as you go along on your first outing of the year.

Don’t make your first trip an epic one

For similar reasons, break yourself in gradually when it comes to travelling any distance. It can take a little time to become fully familiar with your motorhome – particularly if you have no previous experience.

That might mean that a fairly local first trip, over perhaps a weekend, might be an excellent shakedown of your motorhome. You’ll learn a lot from it too and it’ll help prepare you for longer duration and longer-distance journeys.

Plan your route and remember you’re driving a motorhome

Picture the narrowest, twisty lanes you can imagine and just know that some very rural back roads are simply unsuitable for motorhomes.

In some cases, they may carry explicit prohibitions for commercial vehicles and motorhomes due to their size – but not all do. Make sure you’ve researched the route thoroughly and, until your experience levels have increased, avoid marginal or what might be considered challenging roads for larger vehicles.

Brush up on your driving codes for motorhomes

Be prepared for the fact that some other road users will seem to take exception to your driving a motorhome on the roads at all. If you are dawdling along – well below the maximum speed limit – on a single carriageway with no safe overtaking options, you’re certain to raise the frustration levels of other motorists. Motorhomes which block both carriageways whilst engaging in a doomed attempt to overtake a lorry or another motorhome on the inside lane whilst going uphill will be an even greater frustration.

Frustration on the road can be dangerous for everyone.

So, brush up on basic courteous driving techniques, as they apply specifically to motorhomes, then use them at all times.

Have you booked your site?

Mention of frustrations and there’s probably nothing worse than turning up at your destination only to find nowhere to park up for the night.

During the bank holidays and the peak summer holiday months, in particular, don’t just turn up in the hope you’ll be OK but spend that minute or two making a simple phone call to be sure of your pitch for the night.

Don’t forget your toolkit

You won’t be needing it for your suitably serviced motorhome, of course, but a toolkit could still earn its keep on any expedition into the wide world out there.

Since you’re about to experience the great outdoors, there might be dozens of times when you’ll wish you had a screwdriver to tighten that BBQ leg or an adjustable spanner to budge that tight nut on your bike rack.

A few basic tools will have proved their weight in gold.

Take all your manuals and appliance guides with you

Operating the cooker in your motorhome or its heating system isn’t exactly rocket science.

Still, the embarrassment of admitting you can’t work out how to do something as simple as switching on the power or coupling the gas is best avoided. Your manuals might help you get right to the business of enjoying yourself just that little bit faster.

Read your owner’s manual thoroughly and before departure

This will contain volumes of helpful tips, so it’s important to read through it at your leisure.

In it, you’re likely to find some advice about basic pre-departure vehicle checklists. Some of those might be obvious, such as checking tyre pressures but others less so – such as weight distributions and loading.

Be sure to run through the checklist carefully and rigorously before you leave.

Take a good torch

Finally, remember that some of the campsites you’ll be visiting will be very well lit – others may be less so – with more of that “back to nature” atmosphere about them.

A torch is likely to be invaluable.

The British public has confirmed its love affair with the staycation. 53% declared their intention of taking a holiday in the UK in 2022, said the website Pass the Keys on the 28^th of January 2022.

For those who are looking for a mobile yet affordable, self-contained. and self-catering staycation, a motorhome represents the ideal choice – and that’s why sales of these leisure vehicles have grown by 15% since the lifting of pandemic restrictions, said a story in the Caravan Times on the 20^th of December 2021.

There are any number of benefits attractions in motorhoming – and they are by no means restricted to staycations within the UK – but here are just some of those that appeal to our customers here at Derby Motorhomes:

The freedom to explore

Britain is a nation of explorers and every one of us is likely to have some inner yearning for the freedom of the open road and the sense of adventure to follow it wherever it leads;
motorhomes provide just that release – with a vehicle that may be nimble enough to manoeuvre even the most winding or narrow roads at home or abroad;

Home from home

but for all that adventure and exploration, you don’t need to sacrifice the creature comforts of home;
modern motorhomes are built to such a high standard that you have everything you need – the fridge, oven, flushing toilet, running water, and every manner of home comfort – right down to the proverbial kitchen sink;

Everything to hand

in a motorhome, everything is to hand;
there are no hotel bookings to be made and no restaurant tables to be reserved – still less the need to find a family-friendly eating place if you have the kids in tow;

The great outdoors

whenever you are holidaying in a motorhome, the great outdoors is ever-present;
all the fresh air you could need, all the natural wonders of the world, are right on your doorstep – providing a welcome and healthy getaway from the city-centred hotels you might otherwise be staying in;
the UK has some amazing countryside – some of it is off the beaten track and well away from the hectic hustle and bustle of daily life;
when you’re feeling confident to make those forays onto the European continent once again, your motorhome will open still more doors to an even greater outdoors;

Encounters with the unexpected

motorhomes give you the chance to ditch any rigorously planned itinerary and, instead, grant you the freedom to explore whatever you encounter along the way;
free of the constraints to meet hotel booking-in and checking-out times, feel free to expect the unexpected and awaken once again that sense of exploration, adventure, and wonder;

Social occasions

neither is motorhoming a solitary affair;
motorhomes make ideal family getaways in which you can enjoy some quality time;
membership of a club also links you to an even wider social network of like-minded souls – the Caravan Club, which claims more than a million members, changed its name just a couple of years ago to the still more inclusive Caravan and Motorhome Club;

Pet-friendly

how many holidays have meant the anxiety and pain of separation from your pets;
with a motorhoming holiday, you’ll avoid any such pain or heartbreak since your pets can come along too;
an increasing number of campsites are dog-friendly these days – and recognise that your four-legged companions are as likely to enjoy a holiday just as much as you do;

Economise

your bank balance is likely to be one of the major constraints on your taking more holidays and weekend breaks – hotel rooms and dining out every day make many of those trips prohibitively expensive;
once you’ve made that initial investment in buying a motorhome, on the other hand, your holidays and breaks in the future are likely to prove a fraction of the cost.

These are just a few of the benefits our customers have told us about. Set about purchasing – or upgrading – your motorhome now, and you’re almost certain to discover a lot more.

Many of the questions we’re often asked here at Derby Motorhomes are about the financing options for buying a motorhome.

With the strict proviso that we are in no way qualified financial advisers, we’re happy to share with you some of our observations on the subject of motorhome finance. Our aim is simply to highlight – in the broadest possible terms – some of the options that you may be able to choose from when buying a new motorhome.

Using your own cash

A lot of buyers use their own cash – especially in circumstances where they have taken a lump sum out of a pension fund, have inherited money from a relative’s estate, or come into a similar windfall.

In many respects, paying by cash is intuitively attractive. It means you won’t be paying interest charges to a lender, and neither will you need to convince someone else that you can afford the money you are spending. It is your decision and yours alone.

However, you may need to keep in mind that some advisers might argue that spending your own cash is not always an optimum solution. If you spend a substantial sum of money on your motorhome from your own cash reserves, then by definition, that money isn’t available for you to use for other purchases.

True, you could always sell your motorhome in future to get a percentage of your cash back but that can take a little time and while you’re going through the sales process, your funds aren’t available to you.

Hire Purchase

You are almost certain to be familiar enough with the concept of Hire Purchase (HP) that it needs no further explanation.

In brief outline, suffice it to say, that all is required from you is to find a sum of your own cash to contribute towards the cost of the vehicle by way of a “deposit”. The Hire Purchase provider will then fund the balance and purchase the vehicle for you to use as its registered keeper.

You will then pay a monthly repayment of the outstanding sum, over some years, until such time as you have paid off the balance. During that period of time, the vehicle legally remains the property of the HP provider and you must not sell it without their advance written permission.

The advantage of HP is that the vehicle is being purchased, in large part, with somebody else’s money, meaning you keep your capital reserves for something like an emergency. Of course, you will need to show – by way of relevant credit checks – that you are financially able to maintain the repayments.

Use our motorhome HP finance calculator for an idea of figures here.

Personal loans

You could go to a finance company or bank and ask them to advance you a sum of money which you can then spend on buying the new motorhome of your choice.

You will then need to repay the loan, of course, over an agreed period of time or term.

Once again, you will need to find some form of deposit. You will also again typically be assessed in terms of your creditworthiness and ability to financially meet the loan repayment commitment you are entering into.

Loans offer the advantage of giving you a degree of freedom over where you purchase your vehicle, and they may increase your negotiating position a little with a seller or dealership (as to them you will effectively be a cash buyer).

On the downside, certainly, bank loans are perhaps not always as readily available for luxury or non-essential expenditure as might once have been the case.

Personal Contract Purchase (PCP)

In recent years, the market in motor sales has been dominated by personal contract purchase (PCP) arrangements. Inevitably, perhaps, this financing option is widely gaining ground for the purchase of motorhomes.

One of the attractions of the PCP is that you visit the dealer or franchise holder, choose your motorhome, put down a deposit, agree the monthly repayment schedule, sign the papers, and drive away in your new motorhome.

It might seem similar to HP but differs in crucial respects.

Your monthly repayments are reduced and rolled over until the final “balloon” payment, which you can pay so that the vehicle becomes yours outright.

Alternatively, you can hand back the motorhome, with nothing further to pay. But if you have built up an equity in the vehicle – because it has maintained its value better than expected, for instance – you can arrange its sale and put down the released equity as a deposit on the purchase of a new motorhome.

Summary

At Derby Motorhomes we work with a number of motorhome finance specialists to find you what we consider is the most suitable finance solution for your next motorhome. Why not contact us today to see how we can help?

If you are looking to buy a motorhome, you might well be overwhelmed by the sheer choice of makes and models.

But there is one manufacturer you certainly don’t want to pass by – and that is the renowned Auto-Sleepers brand. Some of the following frequently asked questions might help to explain why.

Why buy an Auto-Sleepers motorhome?

The British manufacturer has established an enviable reputation as one of the finest builders of van conversion and coachbuilt motorhomes.

That reputation is not without good cause since it has been confirmed by motorhome owners themselves. In the Owner Satisfaction Awards granted by readers of Practical Motorhome – and announced on the 21^st of January 2022 – Auto-Sleepers stole the gold medal for Best Motorhome Manufacturer.

Co-organisers of the 2022 awards, the Camping and Caravanning Club, confirmed that coachbuilt motorhomes – on which Auto-Sleepers have consistently built their reputation – remain the most popular kind of vehicle, accounting for 55.7% of all new motorhomes purchased.

New for 2022 was Auto-Sleepers Ford Air Camper – which immediately walked away with the year’s Motorhome & Campervan Design Award from the Caravan and Motorhome Club for campervans under 5m in length.

The company has over 60 years’ experience not only in the manufacture of coachbuilt motorhomes but also van conversions and campervans. Whatever style you choose, you can be assured of an innovative and imaginative focus on every aspect of their design and interiors that take full advantage of every inch of space.

What powers an Auto-Sleeper?

Auto-Sleepers typically come with a choice of powertrains:

Peugeot

fitted to both its van conversions and coachbuilt models, many Auto-Sleepers are powered by Peugeot’s proven 160bhp turbodiesel Euro 6 engine; or
if you prefer the option of an automatic transmission, you have the choice of the 130bhp/150bhp Fiat Ducato Comfort-Matic engine;

Mercedes

Mercedes coachbuilt models are fitted with the German brand’s 163bhp Next Generation Euro 6.2 turbodiesel 163bhp engine; and
with the option of that powertrain’s 7-speed fully automatic gearbox; and

Ford Air Camper

0-litre Ford EcoBlue (170 PS) engine;
6-speed manual gearbox – or optional automatic transmission.

How extensive is the Auto-Sleeper range?

Not only is there an extensive range of Auto-Sleepers from which to choose but new models and updated versions of current favourites are launched each year.

Presently, for example, there are eight different Peugeot campervans, seven Peugeot coachbuilts, two Peugeot AL-KO coachbuilts, five coachbuilt, Mercedes-powered motorhomes, and the newly launched Ford Air Camper.

Which Auto-Sleeper is for me?

Your choice of motorhome, of course, is a highly personal one and depends on how you intend to use it, the number of passengers you may need to accommodate (and the number of berths for them to sleep in), and the interior space and layout you are likely to need.

You might want a motorhome that you – and a partner perhaps – are likely to use mainly for touring and for exploring the highways and byways of new and unfamiliar places. In the way of many adventures, these may lead you along narrow, winding lanes one minute and through the congestion of busy city streets the next. That is when you are likely to want a smaller, more manoeuvrable motorhome.

If you want a luxurious second home on wheels that you are likely to use as your more permanent base on holidays and short breaks, then a larger motorhome might be the order of the day.

Where can I buy an Auto-Sleeper?

There are main dealers who specialise in this make of motorhome and have the experience and expertise to guide you through the decision-making process – and may also offer the competitively-priced finance packages you may need.

Choose one of these leading dealers with extensive showrooms and exhibition halls to allow you to get up close and personal with the models that suit your tastes and preferences.

Although a brand new motorhome is expensive to buy, you will be pleased to discover that it holds its price well and you’re likely to get a good price for it when it’s time to sell. It is estimated that the average vehicle will have retained around 70% of its value after three years. Contrast this with the 50% or so valuation of your new car after three years, according to WeBuyAnyCar.com.

If you invested in a high-end motorhome, such as an Auto-Sleeper, it is even more likely to have held its value.

With such a combination of positive factors, your motorhome can become a prime subject for part-exchange whenever you decide it’s time to renew. So, here are some frequently asked questions on just that subject.

How can I be sure of getting a fair price?

A motorhome part exchange is intended to represent a fair deal for you, for the dealer who accepts it in part exchange, and for any customer looking eventually to buy it.

Although motorhomes typically hold their price well and depreciate at a slower rate than many other vehicles, they do depreciate over time. This needs to be taken into account when managing your expectations for the price you are offered by the dealer.

The more information – and the more accurate information – you can provide the dealer, the fairer the valuation is likely to be. And the fairer the valuation, of course, the better the price you might expect to be offered.

What determines the valuation?

In addition to your contact details – and in advance of the dealer’s inspection of the vehicle – there are several details on which any valuation is likely to be based, including:

the make and model of your motorhome – and as previously mentioned, the more reputable the marque, such as Auto-Sleeper, the more impressed any dealer is likely to be;

the registration number, age, and mileage of the vehicle;

whether it is diesel or petrol, the engine capacity, and the type of transmission (manual or automatic);

whether you have a full mechanical and habitation service history;

the overall condition of the motorhome – some indication of whether it is clean, average, or below average;

whether smoking has been allowed in the vehicle; and

whether your pets have travelled or slept in your motorhome.

Are the extras fitted into my motorhome also taken into account in any part-exchange valuation?

Extras, such as onboard entertainment systems or fitted appliances, may enhance the part exchange value of your motorhome.

To help ensure that you are receiving top price in part exchange, therefore, give as full a picture as possible of all the extras fitted, when they were fitted, by whom, and the individual service histories if these are available.

Once again, the more detail you offer, the greater the financial consideration is likely to be.

What if I’m dissatisfied with the part exchange price I’m offered?

With the best will in the world – on the part of both parties – there is always the chance that you consider the price you are offered for your motorhome to be underrated.

In those circumstances, there is nothing to stop you from arranging a private sale – and taking on the potential hassle and inconvenience of arranging viewings, allowing test drives, and negotiating a price.

If you manage to find a buyer, it is entirely possible that that person, too, is also interested in making a part exchange. If you put them in touch with the dealer from whom you are planning to buy your new motorhome, you might find that you have made two new friends – your buyer and the dealer from whom you are planning to buy.

Your motorhome gives you the freedom of the open road. And the less you need to spend along the way, the further you make your money stretch, the further you can travel, and the more you get to enjoy the adventures as you go.

So, here are a few tips and suggestions for making your money go further – so you can spend it on those things that make a holiday so truly memorable.

Go off-peak

If you are able to travel outside of the holiday periods, you’ll typically find that the roads will be quieter, but pitches, ferries and the Eurotunnel may also be cheaper:

if you’re after peace and quiet at your campsite, off-peak bookings are likely to involve fewer families with children;

the weather remains reasonably warm and dry during the so-called “shoulder months” of May and September;

you’ll probably pay less for your pitch – and have a greater choice and availability; and

many campsites remain open the whole year-round.

Motorhome breakdown cover

Spend a little to save a lot – that’s the secret to being prepared for emergencies and setbacks such as a vehicle breakdown. Spend a little on the appropriate breakdown cover and you could be saving yourself considerable expense if anything goes wrong.

If you’re touring, it’s a nightmare, of course, if you suffer a breakdown. If you’re touring in a motorhome the nightmare can only get worse because it’s not just your transport but also your overnight accommodation, cooking, and storage facilities.

So, don’t rely on whatever roadside DIY mechanical skills you think you might have picked up or the expense of unexpected recovery and vehicle repairs but invest in a policy that gives you peace of mind that you’ll keep on moving!

Planning

Motorhome breakdown insurance can certainly help you avoid major expenses if the vehicle breaks down – but a little forethought and planning can go still further than that.

By paying attention to the range and choice of campsites available you can choose those campsites that deliver everything you need – without it costing you an arm and a leg into the bargain.

The distinct advantage of your motorhome, of course, is that it is entirely self-contained. You do not have to rely on those more expensive sites offering 5-star amenities because all that you need is on your own four wheels.

The website Pitchup, for instance, markets its listings for motorhome sites in 2022 with prices that start as cheap as under a tenner anight.

Find cheap fuel

By signing up to an app such as PetrolPrices.com you will be able to find the cheapest petrol in your area – and, according to the website save up to nearly £500 a year on your super unleaded petrol.

For further fuel-saving economies and driving habits, you might want to take a look at the Money Saving Expert’s views of the 4^th of March 2022 on the subject.

Bikes aboard

Your motorhome is perfectly equipped for each overnight stay and getting from A to B is as simple as sitting behind the wheel. But why not get further enjoyment from the great outdoors by leaving the motorhome on its pitch for a day or two while you take to the roads, lanes, and trails on your bikes – saving the wear and tear on your vehicle and, of course, the cost of fuel.

If there is room inside your motorhome to store the bikes, all well and good, but practically any motorhome these days will easily take a safer and more secure exterior cycle-rack.

Getting to know your galley

Eating out for the duration of your holiday is likely to prove expensive, yet your motorhome comes equipped with a galley – and using it need not be a huge chore:

casseroles, grills, oatmeal, and cereals take little time to prepare and are unlikely to tax the skills of anyone at the galley for a great length of time;

if you are feeling a little more ambitious, the Camping and Caravanning Club has even come up with a few recipes that are especially suited to cooking on the galley of your motorhome;

even just hitting the local supermarket for cold drinks, sandwiches, snacks, and the like means you can save money you would have spent out at a café;

don’t splurge at Starbucks – make your own coffee in your RV and you’ll potentially save a small fortune.

Saving money while travelling in your motorhome doesn’t mean scrimping and going without, it only takes just a little forethought, preparation, and planning.

Apart from some of the more usual and expected questions about insurance for your motorhome, there are others that might seem relatively uncommon – but are no less important for all that.

Here are just two examples of the questions we are sometimes asked:

can I live in my motorhome full time and keep it insured?
what happens to my house insurance if I am away on extended motorhome trips?

In some ways, the questions might seem related – yet the issues they raise are certainly different.

Living permanently in your motorhome

It’s important to state at the outset, perhaps, that the overwhelming majority of motorhome insurance providers consider motorhomes to be vehicles you use occasionally for recreational purposes. It’s no coincidence, of course, that motorhomes are often referred to as “RVs” – quite simply, recreational vehicles.

Typical motorhome insurance policies will contain a clause that limits, in some form or another, just how much you can use your motorhome in a given year. That may be some months and that might be entirely satisfactory for the vast majority of motorhome owners. However, if you decide you want to spend your life on the road, it is likely to be inadequate for you.

There is no mystery behind the reasoning here.

Insurance providers use certain algorithms designed to calculate the risk of offering you cover. The facts they use to construct your risk profile include certain assumptions about your permanent address and how much time you will be living there for each year, as opposed to using your motorhome.

If you plan to be on the road all the time, in effect you don’t have a permanent address and that is going to cause many insurance providers a degree of conceptual difficulty in terms of offering you cover.

It may be possible to obtain specialist cover if you do decide to spend your life on the road but the key message here is to avoid simply selling up and driving off in your motorhome on the assumption that your existing motorhome insurance will be valid. It may not be!

How much time can you spend in your motorhome before it impacts your home insurance?

At first sight, this is also a question related to spending longer periods of time in your motorhome – but it raises quite different issues that have no direct impact on your motorhome insurance.

The challenges here arise from the fact that your existing standard home insurance almost certainly contains a clause limiting how long – counted in consecutive days and nights – you can leave your property unoccupied before your insurance is at risk.

That period of time is usually somewhere between 30 and 45 consecutive days.

If you wish to go off and spend extended time on the road discovering the world in your motorhome, you will typically need to remember that you may need to contact your home insurance provider about your plans and consider whether you must arrange specialist unoccupied property insurance. This will extend a policy to cover your property for longer periods when you are not in residence.

Disclosure

A key message that emerges from our consideration of both these questions relates to the importance of disclosure to your insurance company. Put another way, you must make sure that your motorhome insurer and any broker involved are both kept fully informed when there is any change at all in your circumstances (those that existed when the cover commenced) – and that includes a decision to live for a time in your motorhome or to leave your home temporarily unoccupied for longer than a month or so.

Most insurance providers will try to be as flexible and as helpful as they can in order to help you to enjoy your motorhome to the fullest possible extent.

Your motorhome is likely to prove great for enjoying the great outdoors, but don’t assume that it’s suitable only for trips into the wild and remote countryside.

On the contrary, many people love the versatility of a motorhome for exploring some of the fascinating and beautiful cities here in the UK – and in Europe, too.

Here are a few ideas from the team here at Derby Motorhomes about motorhome city breaks in the UK you might wish to think about.

Edinburgh

The historic capital of Scotland commonly features in any top-three listing of the most attractive cities in the UK.

The city is simply packed with things to do and see as well as having the additional benefit of being surrounded by some beautiful countryside to the south and north. Some of the coastal towns around the Firth of Forth are also well worth exploring if – however unlikely that’s going to be – you grow bored with Edinburgh’s attractions.

You might indeed struggle to find a campsite for your motorhome in the city centre itself, but there are plenty in surrounding areas that are serviced by good public transport links.

Do note that like many cities, Edinburgh now has major traffic restriction measures in place – so, you’ll want to make best use of the several park and ride schemes available.

York

With its Roman, Viking, Anglo-Saxon, and medieval past still very much in evidence, York is clearly an ancient city of northern England.

The cathedral is the focal point of the town but there are simply stacks of other attractions – notably, the medieval Shambles, the Jorvik Viking Centre, and the historic, largely intact, city walls themselves.

You can also take in the North Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire coastline for some stunning scenery during day trips out from the city.

Stratford upon Avon

In the peak holiday season of July and August, this charming, but small, town can become a little packed with tourists. However, at other times of the year, it is much more manageable with space and room to wander around and about the wealth of historic buildings – many associated with one of the fathers of English literature, Shakespeare himself.

In the surrounding countryside, you’ll also find other Midland towns that are more than worth a visit including Warwick, Leamington Spa, and Kenilworth.

Manchester

Now, it’s perfectly true that Manchester doesn’t often score highly in terms of the picturesque quality of its city centre but that shouldn’t detract from its many attractions. The website Trip Savvy ranks Manchester in third place among the top twenty of UK cities for international visitors.

Here in the northwest’s powerhouse, there are some major galleries and museums – not to mention a vibrant and very trendy commercial life on display in the centre of the city.

The city is also well positioned to explore some of the industrial museums and heritage of towns in Lancashire to the north and Cheshire to the south.

Canterbury

The ancient city of Canterbury boasts some of the country’s finest medieval architecture, including one of its oldest cathedrals, and its place in literary history thanks to the Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer at the close of the 14^th century.

The city makes a natural base for exploring the county of Kent – aptly called the Garden of England, with some stunning countryside and a breath-taking coastline just a short drive away.

Top tips for exploring city centres

Don’t forget that, particularly during the holiday season, good campsites close to city centres can be snapped up very quickly by eager motorhome owners. So, make sure that you book in advance to secure the pitch you’re after for that city break in your motorhome.

If you can, take some personal transport with you like bicycles. It’ll make it much easier for you to get around and you’ll be less likely to run into some of the traffic congestion that, however much you try to avoid it, can be a fact of life with areas surrounding major conurbations.

It might also be highly advisable to seek sites that are located within very easy reach of good public transport services into the city. Not all cities are necessarily equally well equipped in terms of the transport infrastructure, so a little internet research will be essential.

Wherever you choose for your city break, it’s probably always a good idea to avoid, driving your motorhome into the city centre. You might get lucky, but you won’t want to lose a lot of your precious exploring time simply driving around one-way systems while trying to find a car park suitable for motorhomes.

Above all, though, remember to have fun!

Here is a very brief guide to the basic principles of motorhome security.

A tale of two halves

Security considerations fall into two broad categories:

systems designed to reduce the chances of your motorhome being stolen; and

measures that are aimed at helping to reduce unauthorised entry and the subsequent theft of the contents, fixtures, or fittings of your vehicle.

Reducing the risks of vehicle theft

Typically, your motorhome will come with some forms of integrated security from the point of manufacture.

The first and most obvious of those is usually whatever system the manufacturer uses to stop the unauthorised ignition of the engine. Even in today’s technologically advanced age, a physical key remains the most often used device. But there are also increasing numbers of electronic security systems in place, and these require some form of contact technology or a PIN number to be inserted.

Motorhomes often come with professional-quality steering locks and other forms of immobiliser.

Even so, thieves are nothing if not imaginative and innovative – so, may be able to work around some of these proprietary security systems. Vehicle thefts increased by more than 50% in the past six years, according to a report by AutoCar magazine back in 2020.

That’s why it might be worth investing in extra security measures – and a guide published by the Camping and Caravanning Club details some of the most common of these, such as:

additional steering locks and security devices;

wheel clamps;

intruder, movement, and other alarms;

tracking devices of one form or another; and

professional quality anti-entry locks on things such as all doors, windows and even skylights (crooks have been known to use very small children to gain entrance to vehicles and properties through tiny openings).

Internal security

Your basic objective here is to stop unauthorised parties from gaining entry to your motorhome.

A secondary objective is that of making it too difficult or too risky for burglars to steal the contents.

Your motorhome may come with decent quality security locks on its doors and windows, but these can sometimes be enhanced and upgraded or supplemented for a relatively modest additional cost.

You might want to consider other measures, such as:

security marking some of your more valuable internal fixtures and fittings – that may not stop them being stolen but it will mean that you can identify them, should they ever be picked up by the authorities;

it’s always sensible not to leave valuable possessions in your motorhome when you are away from it – but in situations where you have no other option, it might be sensible to purchase a strong internal security safe that can be bolted securely into the vehicle;

fitting alarms can also prove to be a powerful disincentive to many of the more opportunistic burglars;

today it’s also possible to get high-quality and hidden video systems that can film intruders and notify you directly to your smartphone in many cases live-streaming the video to you – once again this might not physically stop a break-in, but it may be a major disincentive and could also prove to be useful evidence for an eventual prosecution.

Insurance issues

When it comes to insurance cover for your motorhome, there are two further security-related aspects – and the opportunity to save money on the premiums you pay if you upgrade the vehicle’s security:

some policies may actually require you to take certain specific security steps by way of protecting against the theft of your vehicle or its contents – an example might be limitations about where you leave your motorhome unattended – so, it’s always a good idea to read your policy carefully and make sure you comply with all its conditions, including those touching on the minimum security requirements;

more positively, some policies might offer attractive discounts if you take certain security measures – and might go some way towards offsetting part of any costs involved in upgrading your protection.

All these points are worth thinking about and, of course, we’d be pleased to discuss them further with you.

Author: Tim Lemon