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Caravans: Should You Buy Or Rent?

Should you buy your caravan, or rent one as required?  Caravanning is a popular pastime in Australia, particularly with retirees.  If you plan to sell your house and hit the open roads when you retire, you’re probably going to want to use the money to buy a decent caravan or motorhome.  However, if your caravanning plans are less ambitious, to buy or to rent is a relevant question.

Whether you buy or rent your caravan really depends on what you use it for, and how often you use it.  Particularly the latter.  There’s probably no point in buying one if it’s going to spend almost its entire life parked on your front lawn going nowhere.  At the end of the day, caravans need to be licensed, insured, and maintained.  Add storage costs if you have nowhere to keep it at home.

Buying A Caravan – Why You Would Do It

Let’s look at some reasons why you’d consider buying your own caravan instead of renting one.

You Do A Lot Of Caravanning

This is probably the biggest reason for buying one.  Hire costs mount up quickly.  It can cost between $60 and $350 a DAY to hire a caravan, campervan, camper trailer, or motorhome in WA depending on size and type.  (Source: Campify)

If you’re planning on selling your house and doing some travelling when you retire, it makes sense to invest the proceeds in a comfortable motorhome.  That way you’re not tied to any one particular place, and can up stakes whenever the mood strikes.

Which leads us nicely to another reason for buying rather than renting…

Spontaneity And Convenience

When you don’t have ties, it’s nice to be able to just head off into the wide blue yonder whenever you feel like it.  Become a grey nomad.  Owning your own caravan, or motorhome, makes that possible.

When you do, there’s no shopping around to try and find one to rent, then having to go pick it up.  And drop it off when you get back.  You don’t have to worry about getting caught up in snap lockdowns when you’re on the other side of the country in a rental that you’re hiring on a daily (weekly / monthly basis).

You Can Truly Make It Your Home, Or Your Second Home

If you do a lot of caravanning, your caravan is in effect your second home.  Your home away from home.  In which case, it makes perfect sense to buy your own.  That way you’re the only ones using it.  From a health perspective, that has a lot to recommend it.

You can also set it up the way you like it.  Customise to suit.  Add those personal touches that truly make a home a home.  And…

Keep Your Caravanning Gear In It

If you own your caravan, you can keep it packed ready to go at a moment’s notice.  Just add food, the kids, pets, and off you go.

You Can Hire It Out

Need help to pay it off?  Consider renting it out when you’re not using it.  Of course this means other people are using it so if avoiding that is one of your reasons for buying your own, cross this one off your list.

Buying A Caravan – The Downsides

As with every good set of pros, there are also the cons.  Buying your own caravan does have a few.

You Need A Legal Towing Vehicle

If you’ve done a lot of country driving you will have come across caravans and trailers swaying all over the road.  When you finally manage to pass safely, you often find part of the problem is the towing vehicle.

Having an inadequate towing vehicle is not only dangerous but also illegal.  In fact, there are a whole host of legalities to factor into the equation when it comes to towing vehicles.  This article explains it all very nicely but in a nutshell; whatever you plan to tow your caravan with must be fit for purpose.  Unfortunately the economical, lightweight family sedan probably isn’t going to cut it, so that means buying a vehicle that will.  Add its registration, insurance, maintenance, servicing ….

You May Need To Do A Lot Of Research To Find The Right Caravan

If you’ve ever been to a caravan and camping show you will appreciate the depth of choice you have.  Or perhaps you won’t…  Whilst having a lot options is good, having too many can sometimes make it a lot harder to choose.

You May Restrict Your Caravanning Options

Once you’ve bought your caravan, you may also be somewhat limited in what you can do with it.  If you’ve bought a nice luxury unit for example that was never meant to go off-road, you can’t suddenly decide to go bush bashing – AKA 4WD’ing – with it instead.  Well, theoretically you could but you’ll probably find you void your insurance doing so…

Caravans Lose Value

Just like your car starts depreciating in value the second you turn the key and drive it out of the showroom, your caravan does too.  If you plan on keeping it forever, that’s probably not a problem but if you want to turn it over in a few years and upgrade, it is worth remembering.

Owning A Caravan Comes With Ongoing Costs

Registration, insurance, maintenance, servicing and potentially storage fees – when you own a caravan these fees are your responsibility.  If you’re hardly using it, are they worth it?

Renting A Caravan – Why You Would Do It

And now for some reasons why renting makes more sense than buying.

You Don’t Do A Lot Of Caravanning

As with buying a caravan, this is probably the reason that makes the most sense for renting one.  If you only go on a caravan trip once or twice a year, owning your own caravan doesn’t add up financially.  It could set you back anywhere from $7,000 for a 2nd hand caravan (OK so not a biggie but remember the other costs!), to $400,000+ for a new high-end motorhome.  Incidentally, the cost of motorhomes is rising a lot faster than caravans!

Even if you can afford to purchase it outright, it still comes with all those extra costs (registration, insurance, service, maintenance etc).  If you have to take out a loan to buy it, it makes even less sense to buy one!

You Can Pick The Right Caravan To Suit What You’re Doing

Renting a caravan means you can choose the right one for the job.  Going 4WD’ing this time?  Not a problem.  Just hire one designed to do that.

You Only Pay For The Time You’re Using The Caravan So No Overheads

A rental caravan only costs you money for as long as you’re renting it.  As soon as you take it back, your financial responsibilities end (so long as you haven’t damaged it).  Its registration, insurance, and upkeep are not your responsibility.  You also don’t have to find somewhere to keep it, or have it taking up space on your driveway or in your garage.

You Can Try Before You Buy

If you are considering buying a caravan, renting is a good way to dip your toe in the water.  See which brands, styles, and layouts you prefer.  What type best suits your caravanning adventures.  Decide if you even like caravanning come to that.  That way, you’re more than a match for pushy sales people who just want to sell you the most expensive caravan in their inventory.

You Don’t Have To Own A Towing Vehicle

Just hire one when you want to tow a caravan.  The advantage with this is that, like the caravan, you can make sure it’s right for the job at hand.

Renting A Caravan – The Downsides

Renting a caravan can be inconvenient too.

Less Spontaneity And Convenience

Renting a caravan usually means pre-booking, which implies a certain amount of planning has to take place first.  That’s the opposite of spontaneous.  Then you have to load it with your gear (and take it all out again before you return it).  Anyone who’s ever packed a car to go on holidays can attest to the fact that unloading it again when you get back is probably the worst part of the holiday.  Unfortunately it’s part of the deal with a rental caravan.

It’s A Mobile Hotel Room Not Your Own Second Home

Your rental caravan will come to you in well-used condition.  You don’t know who has been there before you.  And whilst the owner has a duty of care to make sure they hire it out in a clean and useable condition, that’s still not the same as knowing exactly who’s been sleeping in that bed before you…

You also have no control over its service or maintenance history.

Pick Up And Drop Off Locations May Be Limited Outside Metro Areas

If you’re in the country, deciding to rent a caravan will likely mean a trip to your nearest metropolis to pick it up.  And another trip to drop it off.  Even in suburbia you may have to drive for a bit to pick up and drop off your caravan (and possibly your hire vehicle as well).

The Costs May Stack Up If You Get Stuck Somewhere

If you were driving a rental caravan somewhere in Australia when Covid lockdowns struck, you were hopefully able to come to some type of emergency arrangements with its owner regarding rental fees!  When you own your own caravan, it doesn’t really matter if you get stuck somewhere.  With a rental, it could wind up being a much more expensive trip than you anticipated!

Points To Consider About Owning, Or Renting, A Caravan

Buying vs renting a caravan each has its own pros and cons.  Which suits you the best depends on how often you plan to use it, and your intended uses for it.  Either way, rent or buy, there’s a lot more to towing a caravan than simply hooking it up and driving off.  For more information about towing safety and regulations in WA, check the Road Safety Commission website.

 

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Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

1.1 Count Limited and its related bodies corporate (collectively ‘Count’, ‘we’, ‘us’, ‘our’) respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your privacy. We understand the importance you attach to information that identifies you (your ‘personal information’) and we want to help you protect it.

1.2 We are bound by, and committed to supporting, applicable privacy legislation including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This Privacy Policy (‘Policy’) explains how we collect, hold, use, and disclose your personal information that we may obtain when you submit information to us in person, by mail or email, or by visiting our website.


2. How do we collect and hold personal information about you?

2.1 We collect personal information from you in a variety of methods. Examples of how we collect personal information include: 

  • Through communications between you and our representatives or your adviser or accountant;
  • Your use of our website;
  • Completing application forms in relation to products and services;
  • Other avenues, where required to meet regulatory requirements and comply with the law;
  • When you apply for employment with us;
  • Through marketing activities which request information from you, such as surveys.

2.2 Because our products and services are often offered by intermediaries such as financial planners, solicitors, or accountants, we may collect personal information about you from these third parties.

2.3 You can deal with us anonymously or by pseudonym unless it is impractical for us to deal with you where you have not identified yourself or have used a pseudonym. We require certain personal information to provide you with services and information. If you do not provide us with certain personal information, we may not be able to provide you with access to those services or respond to your request for information.

2.4 We will only collect personal information from you where it is reasonably necessary for us to provide our services to you or to perform our functions or activities.

2.5 We will only collect sensitive information from you with your consent, except in permitted general situations which include:

  • The collection of the information is required or authorised by or under an Australian law or a court/tribunal order;
  • The collection is necessary to address a threat to an individual’s life, health, or safety; and
  • Permitted health situations.

2.6 We may hold your information electronically or physically and have in place appropriate data and physical security measures and protocols to protect that information from loss or from disclosure not contemplated by this Policy.


3. What type of personal information do we collect?

3.1 The type of personal information we may collect from you includes (but is not limited to):

  • Names, address, email, phone numbers, and job titles;
  • Information in identification documents such as your passport or driver’s licence;
  • Tax file numbers (TFNs) and other identification numbers such as Medicare number;
  • Date of birth and gender;
  • Financial information;
  • Details of superannuation and insurance arrangements;
  • Sensitive information (with your consent), such as health information or membership details of professional or trade associations or political parties;
  • Bank account details, shareholdings, and details of investments;
  • Educational qualifications, employment history, and salary;
  • Visa or work permit status;
  • Personal information about your spouse and dependants.


4. How do we use your personal information?

4.1 We will use the information you supply for the purpose of providing you with the service(s) agreed under our engagement and related services, such as accounting or business advisory services, or to meet obligations we may have at law, including in relation to health and safety.

4.2 We may also use the information we collect for our internal business and management processes (for example, accounting or auditing purposes), monitoring and improving our website, keeping you informed about our services and company news, and for any other purposes that would be reasonably expected by you and to allow us to comply with our obligations under the law.

4.3 We may also use personal information we have collected from you for the purpose of marketing our services. If you do not want to receive marketing material from us, you can unsubscribe by contacting us as detailed below:

  • For electronic communications, you can click on the unsubscribe function in the communication;
  • For hard copy communications, you can email us using the details in the ‘How to contact us’ section of our website informing us that you wish to unsubscribe http://www.count.au/Contact-Us.


5. How do we disclose your personal information?

5.1 Your personal information will only be disclosed:

  • To our employees, contractors, consultants, dealers, agents, or advisors as required to provide our services to you or for related purposes;
  • To suppliers and service providers (for example, accounting or auditing service providers or our website hosting service providers) in connection with our provision of services to you;
  • Where you have consented to the disclosure;
  • Where required or authorised to do so under an Australian law, court or tribunal order, or other governmental or regulatory body or agency;
  • In permitted health situations;
  • If we believe that the use or disclosure of the information is reasonably necessary for enforcement-related activities conducted by, or on behalf of, an enforcement body; or
  • In connection with an actual or proposed sale, reorganisation, or transfer of all or part of our business, including as set out in clause 16.1.

5.2 We may use, store, process, or back-up your personal information on servers that are located overseas (including through third-party service providers). The privacy laws in other countries might not be the same as in Australia. However, where we provide your personal information to third parties overseas, we will take such steps as are reasonable to ensure that your information is handled and stored in accordance with Australian privacy laws and this Policy. Currently, we use outsourced service providers in the Philippines, India, and Serbia.


6. Access to your personal information

6.1 You can request us to provide you with access to personal information we hold about you by sending us an email: privacy@count.au (no spam please) or writing to us at Level 1, 45 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

6.2 We may allow an inspection of your personal information in person, or provide copies or a summary of relevant documents, depending on what is the most appropriate in the circumstances. Any charge we make for providing access will be reasonable and will not apply to lodging a request for access. Your request to access your personal information will be dealt with in a reasonable time.

6.3 Note that we need not provide access to personal information if a request is frivolous, or where to provide access would pose a threat to health or public safety, unreasonable interference with another person’s privacy, or be a breach of the law. If we refuse access, we will provide you with reasons for doing so.


7. Accuracy and correction

7.1 To enable us to keep our records properly, please notify us if you believe that any information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date and we will take reasonable steps, in the circumstances, to ensure that it is corrected. You can notify us by sending us an email: privacy@count.au (no spam please) or writing to us at Level 1, 45 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000.


8. Our security procedures

8.1 We take your privacy and the privacy of our associated entities and their clients very seriously. We will take reasonable steps in the circumstances to protect any personal information you provide to us from misuse, interference, or loss and unauthorised access, modification, and disclosure.

8.2 We will also deidentify and destroy the personal information we hold about you once our legal obligations cease. Our security procedures are reviewed from time to time and we update them when relevant.

8.3 Please be aware that the transmission of data over the internet is never guaranteed to be completely secure. It is possible that third parties not under our control may be able to access or intercept transmissions or private communications without our permission or knowledge. We take all reasonable steps, in the circumstances, to protect your personal information. However, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us. Such transmissions are done at your own risk.


9. Data breach notification

9.1 We are required to give notice to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and affected individuals of an “eligible data breach”. This means that if we hold personal information about you, and there is unauthorised access to or disclosure of your personal information, and if you, as the “affected individual” would be likely to suffer serious harm from this access or disclosure, we must notify both you and the OAIC.

9.2 “Serious harm” could include identity theft, threats to physical safety, economic and financial harm, harm to reputation, embarrassment, discrimination, or harassment. The test is whether a “reasonable person” would expect you to suffer serious harm.

9.3 If you are likely to suffer serious harm from a data breach, we will notify you of:

  • The nature of the eligible data breach (i.e., how the information was accessed or disclosed);
  • The type of information that was accessed or disclosed;
  • The steps that we have taken to control or reduce the harm, and those that we plan to take;
  • Any assistance we can offer you, such as arranging for credit monitoring;
  • Anything that we can suggest you can do to assist yourself or mitigate the harm;
  • Whether the breach has also been notified to the OAIC;
  • How you can contact us for information or to complain; and
  • How to make a complaint with the OAIC.

9.4 We will notify you using the same method that we usually use to communicate with you. If it is not practicable for us to notify you personally, we will publish the notification on our website.

9.5 There are some circumstances in which we do not have to notify you of a data breach. These include:

  • Where we have taken remedial action before any serious harm has been caused by the breach;
  • If you have been notified of the breach by another entity;
  • If notification would be inconsistent with Commonwealth secrecy laws; or
  • Where the OAIC declares that notification does not have to be given.

9.6 Depending on the nature of the breach and the harm, we may voluntarily inform other third parties such as the police or other regulators or professional bodies.


10. Identifiers

10.1 We will not adopt as our own any government identifiers you may provide to us such as TFNs and will not store these identifiers on any information.


11. Links to other sites

11.1 We may provide links to other sites for you to access. You should be aware that these other sites are not subject to this Policy or our privacy standards and procedures. You will need to contact them directly to ascertain their privacy standards.


12. Cookies

12.1 Our website may deposit “cookies” on a visitor’s computer. Cookies are pieces of information that a website transfers to an individual’s hard drive for record-keeping purposes. Cookies are only sent back to the website that deposited them when a visitor returns to that site.

12.2 Cookies make it easier for you by saving your preferences while you are at our site. We never save personal identifiable information in cookies. Most web browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. You can, however, reset your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent.


13. Changes to our Privacy Policy

13.1 From time to time, we may vary this Policy for any reason. We will publish any changes on this website.

13.2 By continuing to use our website and continuing to provide us with your information, you confirm your acceptance of these changes.


14. Complaints resolution

14.1 We are committed to providing a fair and responsible system for the handling of complaints from parties whose personal information we hold. If you have any concerns regarding the way we have handled your privacy, please send us an email at privacy@count.au or write to us at Level 1, 45 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000. We will address any concerns you have through our complaints handling process and we will inform you of the outcome of your complaint within a reasonable timeframe.

14.2 If after receiving our response, you still consider that your privacy complaint has not been resolved, you may refer your concerns to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au.