Safe winter motorhome storage

Nothing is as simple as it seems. So, for £50 to £100 a year, you could leave your 'van in a friendly farmer’s yard. Decent value? Yes. But this won’t gain you any insurance discounts and an empty farmyard miles from civilisation is probably an easier target than your driveway.

Google can aid the motorhome crook in his endeavours, so use all the security devices you can get your hands on.  

Remember, anyone just chasing appliances and gadgets can get into your motorhome in a matter of seconds.

Either way, never underestimate the cheek of the motorcaravan thief. A storage site may be right for you – check what security options are on offer.

Google Earth – a thief’s best friend?

Google Earth and Google Street View are genius. This satellite and Smart Car-based technology lets you view almost any part of the earth’s surface in minute detail and even drop down onto pretty much any street in Britain or beyond.

Both facilities can be great when planning a caravanning trip, previewing routes and even picking a pitch, but now motorhome thieves are using the technology too, for much darker deeds. 

We tried it in our local area and took just five minutes to locate three easy motorhome targets on driveways or even the street! Try it in your village, town or city.

That leaves bespoke motorcaravan and caravan storage sites. The better facilities feature security fencing and lighting, CCTV, controlled entry and exit, 24-hour staffing, as well as a large number of other services to make ownership more convenient.

Anyone can set up a storage facility, but one way to aid your choice and avoid falling foul of scammers is to pick one that is rated by the industry body, the Caravan Storage Site Owners Association (CaSSOA). This organisation is 10 years old and works with a number of top insurance companies to increase security levels and lower the insurance premiums for motorcaravanners who store their 'vans on an approved site.

CaSSOA has about 500 member storage sites around the UK, and grades them for the security they provide in three levels: bronze, silver and gold. Interestingly, some sites won’t store brands that are most associated with the travelling community

No facility can claim to be 100% secure, but by choosing a highly-rated CaSSOA site you will be minimising the chances of anything untoward happening to your motorhome and giving yourself peace of mind.

This should be reflected in cheaper insurance premiums each year, which will go some way to covering the cost of storage.