Hi Guys

I have done a search or three and hope that this post hasn't been done to death!

In a nutshell the good lady and I (plus two small pooches) are looking to start spending the winter months in southern Spain (Malaga?) for a regular escape each year. I wouldn't class this as moving there but as it will be for 3 to 4 months at a time, I wouldn't class it as holidays either other than the fact that we are not looking to work there unless we absolutely have to.

We own a static caravan in the UK (as well as a traditional residence) and we're looking to buy/long term rent something similar in a climate where we can be assured of warmer & dryer weather than the UK

Does anyone on here have experience of spending a few months at a time in a mobile home or static in Spain? Any tips or guidance appropriate to this would be very useful.

Many thanks BE

Hi and welcome Big Fella,

Winters can be a bit nippy in Spain, and things are bad enough in the poorly insulated houses that abound.

I have no idea what it would be like in a mobile home, but if you are used to wintering in the UK, it should be OK.

You can also buy this type of temperature indicator from most local hardware stores.

You can check the weather history here:
http://www.wunderground.com/history/...q_statename=NA

Thanks me me & johnnyone
The brass monkeys made me laugh. The wunderground link is one that I have previously used but forgotten about, so thanks for the reminder. Comparing temperatures between my home town and Malaga highlights why we're interested in trying this....
Today
10 vs 19
Tomorrow
11 vs 20
Thursday
10 vs 19
I could go on......... (and that's without taking actual hours of daylight and sunshine into consideration)

I live around 30km East of Malaga, 5km inland from the coast and not at high altitude. Since mid November temperatures have been rather colder than normal for this time of year - not so much in the daytime when it's mostly been bright and sunny (except Xmas Day which was awful), but at night especially. For the last 2 mornings it has been 4C outside when we've got up in the morning (however the forecast is for minimum night time temperatures to be back in double figures after today, hope it's right). Don't forget, when you are here for a while rather than just a 2 week holiday you do adjust quite quickly to the temperatures and what might sound really warm to you just comparing them on paper won't be that much better once you get used to them. The sudden drop in temperature once the sun goes down and it gets dark is very noticeable. However, you are right about the extra hours of daylight, I find it very depressing when I go back to visit family near Manchester now and it's dark by 4pm.

However, what we haven't had this year is much rain, which is good - what little we have had has tended to happen during the night. Not every year is like that, though, we did have a run of about 3 consecutive very wet and dreary winters before last year. I've only ever stayed in caravans on holiday as a child, but I imagine the noise of heavy rain on them must be horrendous - and when it rains here it really does come down in stair rods.

I suppose it might be easier to keep a relatively small space like a static caravan or park home warm than somewhere larger, though.

Thanks Lynn

Good point about calibration

All along the southern coast of Spain and Portugal you will see Campervans overwintering.

We have some friends who live in a static home on the coast in Mijas with no problems.

It doesn't take much to heat a small box even if the insulation isn't too thick, although it's probably better than the average Spanish house.

Good point. The camp site near to us empties of Spanish at the end of the season to be immediately replaced by north Europeans, mainly German.
Funny thing is you rarely see them in the town.

Thanks Fred
If you can, would you mind enquiring about their park and whether it's all owner occupiers or whether the park has rental units too?

Quite interested in 'try before you buy' if possible

We are seeing them on Sunday so I will ask them and get back to you.

Just a couple of things (and probably not answering the questions poised):-
1. The Cost. You can rent a good two bedroom apartment on the Costas over three or four months @ €500 per month. One bedroom accommodation is cheaper. Bearing in mind the current financial climate in Spain there is no difficulty in obtaining privately rented apartments/duplexes/houses.
2. Forget about getting work in Spain; you have little or no chance.
3. (I know I said a "couple") Temps in southern Spain will give some sunshine during hours of daylight mid Dec to mid Feb, but the nights are every bit as cold as in the UK.

Thanks Fred

Leper, thanks for the reply and info

I presumed, maybe wrongly, that having two small dogs would preclude us from renting a flat or apartment. In terms of work, we don't need or want to so my mentioning that in my original post was more about saying 'we would if we had to'............not sure I should have mentioned it at all now!

Temp in the Algarve two nights ago 1 degree c.
Hope the freeloading campervanners who infest the area froze ther whatsits off.

blinkin freezing up here in Pinoso... although to be fair, it's been like a spring day when the sun's out.. now it's nightfall, it's colllllddddd.. I have four dogs and never had any problems renting with them... most landlords are fine with dogs.. so I have found