Secure Caravan Storage - Our Survey Process

CaSSOA Accreditation – Our stamp of Approval for Secure Caravan Storage 

All our caravan storage sites have been comprehensively surveyed by an independent surveyor to give you peace of mind that your caravan will be stored safely.

We know how important your caravan is to you, so we take the necessary steps to ensure that our sites are upholding our standards and keeping your vehicle as secure as possible.

CaSSOA offers three levels of accreditation for storage site owners; Bronze, Silver and Gold, with awards based on a number of factors including security features and on-site facilities. Accreditation is based on a mandatory survey which is required every 5 years to ensure that standards are being maintained.

Our experienced risk surveyor will visit each site personally to check site security (perimeter fencing, access control, exit/entry system, CCTV, alarms, fire protection) and on-site facilities. Each category will attract points, and the more points received, the higher the award level attained.

Don’t take the risk of storing your caravan at an uncertified site. CaSSOA sites are committed to maintaining secure storage standards and actively working towards our pledge to reduce caravan theft.

Click here to find a CaSSOA accredited storage site near you and have the assurance that the site has been independently assessed and meets the benchmark standards required for secure storage that stands out from the rest.

Summer Caravan Care

With summer approaching and the weather improving it’s more than likely that you’ll be wanting to spend more time out and about in your caravan or motorhome.

If your vehicle has been in storage over the winter months, or just not in use for a month or two, there are some important maintenance checks that ought to be carried out before departing for your next trip. The last thing you’d want is to be left without electricity because a quick equipment check was skipped before you left.

Basic checks

A few basic checks carried out prior to departure can help to ensure a trouble free getaway:

Tyres 

Make sure that tyres on both your caravan and tow car are at the correct pressure, and that they are not cracked or damaged. Under inflated tyres can lead to poor vehicle handling and also require more fuel to maintain the same speed.

Battery

Some older models are prone to power leak so it’s best to double check your battery is fully charged.

Smoke Alarm & carbon monoxide detector

Check that these are working and replace if necessary.

Breakaway cable & fastenings

A visual check will ensure that both are working correctly. It is also worthwhile checking the leads and pulls that are used to tow your caravan to check for any damage that could potentials weaken the connection during your journey.

Door & window latches

Check to ensure that seals have not deteriorated whilst in storage and that latches are fully operational.

Jockey wheel & handbrake

Test to make sure that both are functioning properly. Check for corrosion, wear and tear and corrosion.

Internal appliances

Check that gas and electrical connections are working properly, and that the fridge, cooker and heater all work.

Electrics

Check that brake lights, indicators, reverse lights, parking lights and side lights are all working, clean and free from mud and grime.

These checks needn't be time consuming and may ensure you can enjoy your holiday without any surprises! All that’s left to do is make sure your caravan insurance is up to date, stock up with food and water and enjoy your getaway!

Caravan Scams

Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a caravan, don’t fall foul of pesky fraudsters. Here’s our roundup of some frequent caravan scams.

Scams when selling a caravan

• You receive either an email or phone call from someone saying they’re from a finance company. They claim that they have potential buyers who have already been cleared for credit on the caravan and are ready to buythe caravan. They then go on to say that they can put you in touch with this buyer but only at a cost which is payable immediately. This is usually around £70-80. Needless to say that these buyers don’t exist and in giving your card details, the scammers can then use your information at a later date for fraudulent purchases.

• You receive an email from the fraudster claiming to be someone interested in buying your caravan. They agree to buy the caravan and ask for a home address they can send a cheque to. They will also tell you that they are planning to ship the caravan abroad and that the shipping company will collect the caravan. You receive a cheque which is an amount significantly more than the price which was agreed. Following this, the ‘buyer’ will send an email apologising for the cheque mistake, explaining that the amount included payment for the shipping company. They ask you to bank the cheque anyway, but electronically transfer the amount meant for the shipping company. Having transferred the money, their cheque doesn’t clear and you are out of pocket. The lesson here is that you should never release any money or your caravan until any payments have cleared into your bank account.

Scams when buying a caravan

• You are looking to buy a caravan and browsing internet adverts. You settle upon an ad that you like the look of at an absolutely amazing price. You don’t want to miss out on this great deal and contact the seller who tells you that they have already had a lot of interest and a number of viewings arranged. They tell you that if you are willing to pay a deposit over the phone by credit/debit card, they will reserve the caravan for you. Little do you know that the caravan you want to buy does not exist, and the advert you’ve seen is just photos from an old advert. Not only do you lose the deposit you’ve paid over the phone, but your details can then be used on bigger fraudulent purchases.
• You see an online advert for an amazing deal on a caravan you just can’t miss out on. When you contact the seller, they advise that they are away on holiday/business at the moment, but you can still purchase the caravan using the website you’ve seen the advert on as an intermediary. You will then receive and invoice, claiming to be from the website and you will be told that your payment will be held by them until you’ve viewed the caravan when the seller returns from their trip. Upon receiving the invoice, you make payment – unknowingly sending your money directly to fraudster for a caravan that doesn’t exist. Caravan advert websites don’t offer this ‘holding’ service and the bank details on the invoice are for the fraudster who will now disappear with your money.
• After browsing online, you come across an amazing deal and contact the seller of the caravan for more information. You arrange a viewing but the seller wants to make sure that you are serious about making the purchase, and to prove your ability to pay ask you to transfer the funds to a friend or family member via Moneygram then send them the receipt as proof. In sending the receipt, you will be sending the fraudster all the information they need to get hold of that money.
• You find an amazing, not to be missed deal for a caravan on eBay and get in touch with the seller for more information. Given that you can absolutely not miss out on this caravan you agree a price and the seller says that they will deliver the caravan to you after you have made payment to them via PayPal. When you’ve made payment, they will immediately withdraw the money and you will never hear from them again.
Whilst eBay and PayPal have increased their security and instances like these are less frequent, there are still many highly skilled fraudsters who will have no problem in getting past security and identity checks.
The lesson behind all of these scams is that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Always buy from a reputable source, and never pay for anything upfront.
Many thanks to Josh Garrod for initially highlighting these scams on . More info can be found here 

Why Choose a CaSSOA Caravan Storage Site?

Why choose a CaSSOA accredited site for your caravan?

Excellent levels of security: A CaSSOA site gives you total peace of mind by minimising security risks to your caravan with features like full perimeter fencing, lockable gates, CCTV and monitored entry and exit of the site.

All our members have achieved their CaSSOA accreditation by way of an individual site survey and have been awarded either Gold, Silver or Bronze status dependent upon the security features in place at the site.

We offer 3 levels of accreditation for storage site owners: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Awards are accredited on a points earned basis, with Gold being the highest award that can be achieved. CaSSOA accreditation is based on the assessment of a number of factors. These include site security (perimeter fencing, access control, exit/entry system, CCTV, alarms, fire protection) and on-site facilities.

Accreditation is based on points, and assessed by an independent risk surveyor. Each category will attract points, and the more points received, the higher the award level attained.

The Bronze accreditation is our entry level award. To achieve a bronze award, the site must meet our minimum security requirements, including perimeter protection and lockable gates. Most sites start here and quickly work their way up with the advice and guidance of our independent appointed surveyor.

The Silver accreditation is a step up in security, as well as having the standard security measures in place, a silver accredited site has enhanced security in place such as CCTV and monitored entry and exit of the site.

The Gold accreditation is the highest award which can be achieved, with these sites providing the highest levels of security. Over 50% of our current members have obtained a Gold accreditation.

Insurance premium discounts: Due to our commitment to reducing caravan thefts, many insurance companies will offer a discounted premium for secure CaSSOA storage. CaSSOA’s parent company, AmTrust Europe Limited, will offer you a discount on your caravan insurance premium of up to 20% for storing your caravan at one of our accredited sites.

UK wide coverage: With over 500 members nationwide, we have a wide range of accredited sites to choose from, so you won’t have to travel far to find your nearest site.

You can find CaSSOA registered sites in your local area using our Find a CaSSOA Site page.

Keeping your Caravan Safe

In recent years the level of reported thefts of touring caravans has reduced substantially, however that is of little consequence to those who become a victim of this type of crime. As a caravan owner it is important to make sure that you do all that you can to protect the security of your caravan, which after all for many is a substantial investment. Tim Booth, from the Caravan Safety & Security Group has some useful advice.

A number of touring caravans have recently been reported as having been stolen in the Derbyshire area. Many of these were from storage that was being provided at farm locations.

The most important consideration when seeking to protect your caravan is to make sure that you meet the standards required by your insurer – you do not have to insure a caravan but of course if you decide to then there will always be policy conditions. Most insurers require you to fit a hitch lock and wheel clamp – but you have to consider whether this is enough.

A caravan stored at an ‘informal’ farm location is often vulnerable as any offender can spend time defeating security devices that you have fitted. So, you need to consider the storage site security. 

• How easy is it for you to collect your caravan? 
• Is there security in place?
• Is the storage area a fenced and gated area? 
• How often have you been ‘challenged’ when collecting your own caravan – or do you have to arrange collection with the storage provider?

If it is very straightforward for you to drive in and collect your caravan, if it is then the same applies to someone seeking to steal your caravan.

How often do you check your caravan? Many operators provide storage, but there is no check of your property once it is parked there – does the storage agreement include checks by the operator? – If not then you need to make regular visits (some of the caravans stolen have not been seen by their owners for a number of months).

If your caravan has an alarm system then make sure that it works – alarms will serve to both deter offenders and attract attention – but if the caravan is in the middle of nowhere then it is unlikely that there would be any response to such an activation.

If your caravan has an after theft recovery device fitted then make sure that you have paid the subscription for the monitoring (many insurers provide a benefit for using these devices – but failure to pay the subscription may leave your insurance invalid).

Some systems can only be activated once the caravan has been stolen – so this may be some considerable time after the event – so the value of such a product may not be as good as you may want to see. There are pro-active devices available – again these offer a benefit with many insurers – the real benefit here is that, if the alarm is linked to a monitoring device, then the alarm activation will be reported to you, and then action can be taken to investigate what is wrong – these systems can also provide live updates of the caravan’s location, enabling an early recovery in the event of a theft (these recoveries on some occasions have been within the hour – so your caravan and the contents are still together).

If you leave ‘caravan’ equipment in your caravan when it is stored then it is a good idea to mark this with your postcode. Not only does this protect your property when you are using the caravan on a site, but it also provides permanent identification of this property should any offender seek to sell, or dispose of the contents of the caravan, after the theft.

A permanent marker pen is ideal for this – one that leaves a mark that you can see, not the ‘hidden’ UV marker. You may also mark the inside of your caravan with the last six numbers of its VIN – its unique identification mark found on the windows. Repeating this mark inside cupboards / lockers within the caravan can help to identify it if the offender works to remove the identification provided by the manufacturer.

Registering your caravan with the CRiS scheme (the UK Central Registration Identification Scheme) can also help the Police to identify your caravan. This is a register of keepers and in the event of a theft then previous keepers can provide information to officers about unique features of the caravan that you previously owned. Introduced back in 1992 the scheme can now provide you with covert identification tags that can be hidden around the caravan. These electronic tags can be read by a special reader that is available to Police officers – so even if the manufacturer’s identification marks have been removed the caravan can still be identified.

To locate secure storage site for your caravan or motorhome, click here.

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Caravan Service Checklist

Whilst MOT style testing for caravans and is not mandatory, it’s always worthwhile taking a few minutes to carry out some simple checks on your caravan to make sure it’s safe and road worthy, and ready for your next trip away.

Taking good care of your caravan throughout the year will help to reduce the likelihood of potential problems – have a look at our blog post about preparing your caravan for winter.

Regular maintenance of electrics, water systems, body work and the interior can ensure that your caravan stays in the best possible condition for as long as possible.

Some quick checks that you can perform yourself include:

• Tyre pressure & condition
• Wheel rims & wheel nut tightness
• Breakaway cable & clip condition
• Coupling head greasing or if stabiliser hitch head is fitted, check the friction pad wear.
• Condition of gas hoses and connections
• Ventilation & gas vents 
• Battery
• Road lights & connections
• 12N, 12S (7-pin) or 13-pin connection cables, plugs & sockets
• RCD cut-out test switch
• Water hoses and connections

Prior to any maintenance work remember to check your caravan handbook for any specific advice, and it may also be worth checking manufacturer advice for any additional equipment you may have had fitted.

It is highly recommended that a comprehensive caravan service is carried out on a yearly basis. This will not only ensure your safety, but could potentially expose problems which if left, could be dangerous and could result in costly repairs in the long run.

A service, which should be carried out by a qualified engineer, should cover the following:

• Hitch head coupling
• Chassis
• Bodywork
• Damp test
• Tyres
• Brakes 
• Suspension
• Handbrake
• Road electrics & Appliance electrics
• Gas system & appliances
• Water system & Toilet

If you store your caravan at an accredited storage site, there may be a regular service engineer who visits. Alternatively, visit www.approvedworkshops.co.uk to find an Approved Workshop in your area.

Read this on our website. 

Protect your Caravan with CRiS

CRiS (the Central Registration and Identification Scheme) is the National Register for caravan owners in the UK working towards preventing and detecting caravan related crime.

Established in 1992 by the The National Caravan Council, CRiS provides registration documents similar to the DVLA for motor vehicles and maintains information relating to the history of the caravan.

A CRiS check will:

• show if a caravan has ever been written off by an insurance company,
• show if a caravan is subject to any outstanding finance,
• provide details of the current registered keeper, and detail how many owners there have been in the past,
• confirm the make, model and age of a caravan.

All new caravans will be given a unique 17 digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is recorded onto an electronic tag and embedded into the bodywork of the caravan, and etched onto the windows. It will also be recorded in the Touring Caravan Registration Document which is kept by the registered keeper of the caravan.

If you are buying a new caravan, the dealer will register the van and you will receive a CRiS certificate shortly after. If you already own, or are considering buying a caravan which was manufactured prior to 1992 when CRiS was established, and therefore does not have a VIN, you can apply for it to be CRiS registered.

If you are looking to buy a used caravan, the CRiS number is really useful in preventing you from purchasing a stolen caravan, or one which has finance outstanding on it. Simply call CRiS with the number which has been etched onto the windows (or stamped on the chassis), and for a small fee they will make sure that the number matches the caravan make and model on their register. It is also advisable to ask the seller for their CRiS registration documents.
Whilst it is highly recommended that you do carry out a full check, you can decode the CRiS number yourself.

Here’s a quick guide:

Say your CRiS number is SGET000EX9AVA5009: 

• The first two characters represent the country of manufacture. SG = United Kingdom
• Second character is the make of the caravan. E = Elddis
• Third character represents the number of axles. T = twin axel (s=single)
• The next three digits are for optional manufacturers data, like the caravan model.
• The eighth & ninth digits show the make of the caravan. EX = Explorer (known as Elddis)
• The tenth digit is the year of manufacture. 9 = 2009
• The final digits are the caravan’s serial number = AVA5009

Please note that the caravan build seasons runs from 1st September to 31st August. This means that a caravan which was built between 1st September 2010 and 31st August 2011 will have a manufacture year code as B for 2011.

For reference, here is complete list of VIN codes: 

Manufacturer codes:

AB = ABI 

AD = Adria 

AV = Avondale

BE = Bessacarr (later built by Swift so will use the SW code)

BU = Buccaneer (later built by Explorer Group so will have code EX)

BY = Bailey 

CL = Carlight 

CM = Coachman 

CP = Compass (could have EX code as were built by Explorer Group) 

CS = Cosalt (later Abbey’s were built by Swift and so will use SW code) 

CU = Sprite (later Sprite’s were built by Swift and so will use SW code) 

EL = Elddis (may carry the EX code, as Explorer Group re-branded to Elidds)

EX = Explorer Group (now known as Elddis) 

FL = Fleetwood 

LU = Lunar 

SW = Swift Group 

Build year codes:

N = 1992 P = 1993 R = 1994 S = 1995 T = 1996 V = 1997 W = 1998 X = 1999 Y = 2000 

1 = 2001 2 = 2002 3 = 2003 4 = 2004 5 = 2005 6 = 2006 7 = 2007 8 = 2008 9 = 2009 

A = 2010 B = 2011 C = 2012 D = 2013 E = 2014

If you’re struggling to decode your CRiS number, here’s a tool that will automatically do it for you:http://www.caravanvindecoder.com/

For more information about CRiS, visit https://www.cris.co.uk/secure

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