Indie Campers looking to match supply with demand

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Online marketplace Indie Campers is hoping to bridge the gap between the current demand for leisure vehicles and supply in private hands.

Last summer it launched its peer-to-peer rental platform in Europe and the US, and is now set to bring it to the UK.

Dubbed the Airbnb for campervans, it’s designed to make it as easy as possible for those not using their leisure vehicles to rent them out for profit.

As staycations are more popular than ever but new and used motorhomes and caravans are in short supply to buy, this could represent a good opportunity for those wishing to embrace a touring holiday.

In the first six months of the platform launching in Europe, Indie Campers received in excess of 20,000 booking requests.

The company has been around for nine years, renting out its own fleet of 3,000 campervans, so this latest initiative extends its presence in the market.

Working in a similar way to Airbnb, Indie Campers’ marketplace allows owners to create an account and list their leisure vehicle in a straightforward process.

Owners then have full control over who they rent their beloved vehicle to, with all payments being processed from Indie Campers’ secure booking system.

The company believes owners could make up to £29,000 a year with the system, but income could be more modest for those who wish to enjoy the vehicle themselves between rentals.

This can be done easily, as owners are able to block out their own holiday times to prevent bookings interfering with their own plans.

Owners decide how much to charge in rental fees and can update these on the platform to reflect changes in the industry, such as demand.

Liability insurance, theft protection, comprehensive insurance and roadside assistance are automatically added to each booking, taking away the hassle for both parties.

Pierre Everling, vice president of marketplace at Indie Campers, said: “The demand for RV travel in the UK is booming. We have experienced an increase of searches of more than 60 per cent on our UK platform since last year.

“For the past few months, we have been working hard to make this demand available to private campervan owners in the market. We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Riverside [Insurance] and the official launch of our peer-to-peer marketplace in the UK.”

Requirements for owners to join the platform include an ID and primary insurance policy certificate, with this information enabling a contract to be created.

Indie Campers currently operates in 15 European countries, including Germany, Spain and Iceland, with depots in more than 50 cities to make picking up and returning a leisure vehicle as convenient as possible.

Riverside Insurance specialises in low-cost car hire excess insurance, which it has been providing to customers since 2007.

How will motorhome shortages and price rises affect you?

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The coronavirus pandemic and an increased interest in staycations has led to a huge surge in demand for motorhomes and caravans. Coupled with supply chain issues, this means getting your hands on a leisure vehicle has become more difficult, let alone finding one at a reasonable price.

Now, Shane Malpass, director of We Buy Any Motorcaravan, has used his experience in the industry to predict what the year to come may look like. He explores the causes of the current issues and what we can expect in the future.

The shortage of new motorhomes

Addressing the problem of shortages of new leisure vehicles, Mr Malpass said there are a number of contributing factors:

  • Semiconductors are in short supply and they are an integral part of anything new and electronic, including the tech found in motorhomes.
  • Wood has been hard to get hold of, meaning manufacturers haven’t been able to build internal cabinets.
  • Power shortages in east Asia have led to staff working shorter weeks and therefore completing fewer vital components.

Mr Malpass used Swift as an example of how these factors have impacted models. He said the Swift Command unit has been switched out of the manufacturer’s lower-priced models in favour of a simpler alternative without a screen, as there aren’t enough components to go around.

Motorhome price rises for 2022

The cost of buying a new motorhome has risen, with Mr Malpass saying you can now expect to pay £10,000 more for the Swift Escape than would be expected. Models from the likes of Bailey are retailing at around £6,000 more than predicted, and high-spec motorhomes aimed at the German market are £15,000 or more over the recommended retail price.

Mr Malpass said: “There are still floods of first-time buyers onto the market, which is incredible for the industry. All we need now is some of the campsites to invest to the standard the newbies will demand, plus more opening up to meet the demand.”

Availability of used motorhomes and caravans

Used motorhome and caravan dealers are very low on stock, with some that usually offer 20, 30 or 40 to choose from now only displaying two or three. Mr Malpass said a large chain that has 13 branches is reporting just 38 used leisure vehicles available across all of its dealerships. This situation is unlikely to change while new leisure vehicles are in short supply.

With so few used motorhomes becoming available, anyone who can secure one should expect to pay a premium for it. First-time buyers will find bargains are virtually impossible to secure in 2022 and prices are expected to continue to rise in subsequent years, with only a small depreciation over time forecast.

Mr Malpass’ advice to anyone looking to purchase a motorhome is to buy right away. He warns that as models are getting snapped up so quickly, there’s not an opportunity to think too long about making a decision. Anyone who dithers is likely to find a motorhome they’ve looked at has already been sold and the next one to come along will be more expensive.

 

Photo credit: Pixabay/MemoryCatcher

Video: The CAMC’s Nick Lomas talks to JB Gill

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Nick Lomas, director general of the Caravan and Motorhome Club (CAMC), speaks to JB Gill, who is a famous face and ambassador for the Club. They discuss planting cherry trees and birch trees at a Club site as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy to mark 70 years on the throne.

Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show kicks off tomorrow

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After being disrupted by the pandemic, the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show returns to the NEC in Birmingham this week.

Running from February 22nd to 27th, the hotly anticipated event is sold out and there’ll be no tickets available on the door.

Luckily, representatives from CaravanTimes are on site to bring you the latest news from the show, which is the highlight of the leisure vehicle year.

Stretching across five halls of the extensive venue, visitors will get the chance to view over 750 new models of caravans, motorhomes and campervans for 2022.

That means you’ll be able to step inside the latest offerings from the likes of Adria, Bailey, Coachman and Elddis before other enthusiasts.

There’ll also be holiday homes, folding caravans and trailer tents on display for those looking for something a little out of the ordinary.

Among the many benefits of attending the show is a chance to meet leading manufacturers and dealers to pose your pressing questions.

There’ll be experts from across the industry offering tips and advice on all sides of the leisure vehicle lifestyle, from purchasing a van to accessories and even where to hit the road.

Chat to the people who run some of the UK’s best holiday parks and campsites to get inspiration for your next holiday.

The NEC has even had an indoor pool built, giving you the chance to have a go at some of the sports popular with caravanners, including paddleboarding and kayaking.

Two of the UK’s most well-established names in the business – the Caravan and Motorhome Club, and the Camping and Caravanning Club – will be giving guidance on towing and manoeuvring your vehicle.

Dan Cartwright of CaravanTimes has had a sneak preview of the show, as he’s been there during the setup.

He said: “The Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show is set to be bigger and better than ever this year and it’s fantastic to be back.

“There are so many interesting technologies on show in the latest models of motorhomes, with some even able to accommodate motorbikes.

“What’s also exciting to see are the new family van conversions that can happily sleep a family of four, as well as transporting things like bicycles. All of this in a six to seven-metre leisure vehicle is impressive.”

Campervan converter’s informative videos gain 1M YouTube hits

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An East Lothian-based campervan converter has racked up over a million hits on YouTube for its informative videos.

Not only does Jerba Campervans convert many VW vans into leisure vehicles for its customers every year, it also helps others carry out works themselves.

The 14-strong team uploads tutorials to YouTube, sharing tips, tricks, product reviews and workshop videos to its 5,000 subscribers across the world.

More than 56,000 hours of content has been watched on Jerba’s channel, with viewers as far away from its North Berwick base as Thailand and Mexico.

Domhnall Dodds has had three campervans from Jerba and is a regular viewer of the employee-owned company’s YouTube content.

He said: “When deciding what features we wanted for our second van, the YouTube channel came in really handy. We were thinking about getting a diesel hob, which we hadn’t had before so it was great to be able to refer to the videos to see how it worked ahead of buying.”

“The personal rapport Jerba has with its customers has, in my experience, always been second to none, and the YouTube channel, with its informative and helpful videos is an extension of that service.”

Founded in 2005, Jerba is a specialist at converting VW Transporter T6.1 models and has been officially recognised as such by Volkswagen.

All of its conversions feature a unique pop-up roof, which the Scottish company gained a patent for in 2015.

Anyone keen to try a Jerba conversion can hire one directly from the business, with bookings now live for dates from March 1st.

Hires begin and end on a Friday and are charged at £950 per week. North Berwick is located in the south of Scotland and represents a convenient place from which to explore the rest of the country.

Nick’s News – Trailer training, South West Coastal 300, and the Murvi Morello

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Nick HardingNick’s News – Nick Harding is an expert in all things motorhomes, caravans and camping. Each week, Nick explores products, locations, holiday ideas and essential community information on our behalf – It’s a Hard-ing Life for Nick, but here is what he found this week.

My week

It’s time to take a break from my weekly column, so this will be the last edition of Nick’s News for a little while. I’ll be using my freedom wisely as I’ve certainly got a packed year ahead of me in terms of touring at home and, hopefully, abroad.

Meanwhile, it’s been lovely sharing news and views with you. Happy touring for 2022 and hopefully we’ll meet again later in the year.

In the news

Trailer training – it’s in the pipeline

Although our lawmakers have decreed it’s now OK for anyone with a full driving licence to tow any kind of trailer, including caravans up to 3,500kg in weight, vehicle allowing, without needing to earn any other qualification, it is now proposing safe towing schemes.

Developments include a debut for the National Council for Accredited Trailer Training, an agency which will include a number of towing organisations, overseen by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the Department for Transport (DfT).

Things could be in place as early as next month, it seems, with training opportunities aimed at newcomers as well as accomplished towers who just want to refresh their skills.

The training will be voluntary, but let’s hope anyone new to towing has the common sense to take even some basic tuition. There’s also more at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tow-a-trailer-with-a-car-safety-checks

Aire of Scotland? That’s brave

No sooner did I tell you about plans for overnight parking for motorhomes in Northumberland, then I heard about a similar initiative for the Dumfries and Galloway area of south-west Scotland.

Grants have been made available for local land owners to offer something akin to the aires you get throughout France, with each being authorised to offer up to five pitch spaces. Officially, the plan is to have 15 such aires offering pitches with electricity as well as the usual fresh and waste water amenities.

Plans for aires in the region also coincide with the announcement of a new driving and camping route, the South West Coastal 300. It just might make Dumfries and Galloway the place to visit this year or next! And if it attracts the same crowds as the North Coast 500, it’ll need considerably more aires in the future.

Motorhome for meInterior of the Murvi Morello

Murvi Morello – flying the flag for independent quality

It’s got a unique floorplan, but independent manufacturer Murvi can trace its Morello model right back to when the van conversion specialist started in 1980. It was based on Fiat’s Ducato then and, indeed, can still be specified as such. But I have to say the decision to also offer it on Ford’s Transit has given it a whole new lease of sophisticated life.

You’ll be hard pressed to avoid the many delights of the Transit in Limited trim level, as the specification is truly awesome so do check it out for yourselves. And that Morello floorplan – with its brilliant front lounge, L-shaped rear kitchen and offside corner washroom – is still pretty much unique to Murvi. As you can guess too, the design has been honed over the years, so it really works. And there’s top quality in the build as well.

Along with just a few other optional extras it takes you into the mid-£70,000s, but that seems to be the price you pay for such a premium product these days. Is the business still independent? The company sells direct from its manufacturing base in Ivybridge, near Plymouth in Devon.

Three good: Great lounge for space and comfort (plus views out) and overall build
Two bad: Not cheap and only sleeps two
Perfect for… Couples touring in style, comfort, practicality and quality
Also consider: Wellhouse Custom Lux-XL

Gadget envy

Stay cool, improve your view, save your pitch

WCI Ice Chest range from DometicCool, eh? Literally. Even if you already have a fridge in your leisure vehicle, you might just be tempted to add some extra cooler storage for drinks in the form of one of these. They’re the latest WCI Ice Chest range from Dometic – in a choice of three attractive colours – Ocean, Glow and Slate – and come in 13, 22 and 33-litre capacities.

If you’ve noticed scratches on your vehicle’s glass windows as we come out of winter, you can blame a combination of the wintry weather conditions and over-enthusiastic use of your windscreen scraper. You can get rid of them by using the Quixx System Glass Scratch Remover. It’s a two-part process that includes a diamond polish and a finisher.

Multi-functionality is the key to the quick-erect Instant Utility Tent from Quest. Pitch it yourself in under two minutes – it uses what Quest calls a “zero tension frame system” – ie it’s a simple act of folding it out and extending the legs – and it can be used for storage, or as a toilet tent or even for showering in. Or simply use it to reserve your pitch when you’re out for the day.

Safety checks to perform on caravans after winter storage

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It’s an exciting prospect to start thinking about taking your touring caravan out of winter storage and prepping it for the coming season.

There’s all sorts of tasks that need to be completed before taking to the open road in your leisure vehicle, with everything from giving it a good spring clean to restocking the cupboards on your to do list.

It’s also vital not to overlook safety checks, with caravan and motorhome dealership Salop Leisure reminding owners to ensure they’re safe before undertaking any holidays.

Andrew Davis, assistant aftersales manager at Salop Leisure, said: “If a touring caravan has been stored in the same place for a long time and not been moved occasionally, it’s possible that the tyres will bulge and then crack when inflated.

“In addition, over the years, the company has come across a range of common problems relating to the storage of touring caravans, including issues with the leisure batteries and spiders and other insects blocking gas and water pipes.”

He added that such issues could be even more pronounced this spring, as some owners have barely used their caravans during the pandemic, making checks all the more important.

Preparing for the new season well in advance, getting your caravan serviced and ticking off everything on this checklist should help to ensure a safe and happy holiday.

  • Check your brakes haven’t seized
  • Grease the hitch, hand brake and brake override
  • Check your tyres’ tread depth
  • Look for any cracks or splits in your tyres
  • Check tyre pressures
  • Inspect your road lights, including the bulbs and lenses
  • Ascertain the condition of your gas system, including the hose that connects to the bottle
  • Reconnect the battery after cleaning the contacts and then test it works
  • Reconnect the water system and sterilise it