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How to Rent an RV to Live In: The Essential Guide!

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If you want, or need, to live in an RV full-time but you don’t want to purchase one, consider renting one instead. That’s right –

You can rent an RV to live in. Some RVs are available to rent by the month or long-term.

You just have to know how and where you can do it.  I can help you find campers for rent in your area that you can live in.

In disaster areas or where many people need accommodations frequently, the need for temporary housing is often solved by utilizing RVs. I have even had friends live in an RV for a year on their own property while building a house.

Whatever your reason is for looking at renting an RV to live in, I’ll help you do it.

Note: Many RV owners on a peer-to-peer platform such as RVEzy, Outdoorsy and RVshare offer a long-term rental option. Depending on your contract, you can still receive many of the benefits that short-term rentals offer, such as insurance and road assistance.

While this can be a fun way to try a new way of living for a while, you should know a few things before you decide to rent and live in an RV.

Can You Rent an RV to Live In?

An RV may be a good (or only) option for temporary housing. So naturally, you may be curious if you can rent an RV to live in.

You can rent an RV to live in either monthly or by a long-term rental. The best place to find a long-term RV rental is on Outdoorsy or RVEzy. RV dealerships do not rent RVs long-term.

It may be challenging to find long-term RV rentals, but it is possible.

Renting an RV for temporary housing if you were displaced by a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or flood, is possible through several large RV rental companies and peer-to-peer networks.

Where Can You Rent an RV to Live In

A travel trailer permanently set up on an RV campsite
If you need to rent an RV to live in for an extended period, make sure you’re looking in the right places.

Finding an RV to live in depends on the reason that you need temporary housing. If you have been displaced by a natural disaster, many companies have relief set up and will rent out a camper to live in. If you want to rent for another reason, you will have less options to choose from.

Some companies have special programs for people that have been displaced by a natural disaster. RVs are also used for relief efforts and setting up offices. RVs have been used for temporary housing during the pandemic for frontline workers.

The usual places to find long-term RV rentals are on peer-to-peer RV rental companies like Outdoorsy and RVezy.

If you want to know more about Outdoorsy and RVshare to better decide on where to rent from for a long term, here’s one of our articles to guide you with that – The Showdown: Outdoorsy vs RVshare for Renting an RV (Who You Should Rent From).

Renting an RV from your peers is similar to renting a vacation home on Airbnb. These services allow you to talk to the RV’s private owner to settle on the terms and length of your rental.  This way, you can talk directly to the owner about the extended rental period.

How Much Does It Cost to Live in an RV?

Rental prices of an RV depend on a variety of factors like the type of RV, age of RV, location, season, competition, and even your negotiation skills.

The biggest factor when determining rental cost is really the type and age of an RV, so here’s a breakdown of the possible cost of renting an RV to live in.

Monthly RV Rental Cost

TYPE OF RVCOST PER DAYCOST PER MONTHCOST PER YEAR
Class A Motorhome$175 to $275$5,250 to $8,250$63,000 to $99,000
Class B Motorhome$100 to $200$3,000 to $6,000$36,000 to $72,000
Class C Motorhome$150 to $200$4,500 to $6,000$54,000 to $72,000
Toy Hauler$100 to $200$3,000 to $6,000$36,000 to $72,000
Fifth Wheel$60 to $150$1,800 to $4,500$21,600 to $54,000
Travel Trailer$50 to $125$1,300 to $3,750$15,600 to $45,000
Pop-up Camper$50 to $150$1,300 to $4,500$15,600 to $54,000
The cost of renting an RV Long Term based on Outdoorsy

You can see that the cost of renting a camper for more than a couple of months will quickly add up and approach the cost of buying an RV. However, buying an RV can be stressful and full of hidden problems. Then, once you no longer need to live in it, you have the added burden of having to sell it.

Read what I think here: 17 Undeniable Reasons not to Buy an RV

You may also come to find that the type of RV you want to buy is not available at the time you need one. Buying an RV is not a last-minute decision and requires weeks to months of planning and research.

Once you find an RV you’d like to rent long-term, your negotiation skills may come into play.  Since you are talking to a peer, how you negotiate the price can really be a big factor.  Learn to talk to the owner properly to have the chance of getting a better price.

If you want to learn more about ways to get cheaper rent for an RV, you can read our article about it – 9 Foolproof Ways to Rent a Cheap RV in 2023 (+Coupons).

Aside from the rental fees, it’s important to remember that there may be additional fees if you are going to travel or stay on campsites. A few examples of these fees include gas, campsite fees, electricity, and wifi – but that’s not even close to all of what you should expect.

What about Insurance for Living in an RV?

When living in an RV you will need rental insurance to cover the RV and any accidents that might happen while people are inside. You might be able to get a rider for your homeowner’s insurance or separate stand-alone insurance.

Roamly is an RV insurance created by RV owners to give you the most coverage for the cheapest price. A great place to start is by getting a quote in less than a minute at Roamly.

If you will be renting from Outdoorsy or RVezy, both have rental insurance coverage.

You’ll automatically get up to $1 million in insurance protection when you rent through these peer-to-peer rental companies.

It is important that you read through these plans when you plan on renting from them.  Knowing their claims will help you know your rights whenever certain accidents happen during your rent duration.

Benefits of Long-Term RV Rental

Living in an RV long-term does have its benefits!

There are quite a number of benefits of long-term RV rental and choosing to live in an RV.  Here are some of these:

Lower Rent Cost – Since you will be renting the RV for a longer-term, RV owners usually give a lower cost than the per-night rate advertised.

Lower Travel Cost – Renting an RV for the long term and traveling with it will also cost you less since you already have your transportation and accommodation covered.  You no longer have to worry about booking hotel rooms or rental cars, or hiring the services of a travel agency.

Less Home Maintenance Work – Since the floor space of an RV is relatively smaller than that of a usual home, home maintenance work needed is also less.  Even if you are just renting, maintaining the RV is still very important, and good for you, there’s just a little space to clean up.

Bring your home while you travel – You can bring your home along with you as you travel.  Since you are renting for a long term, you can go on adventures while bringing the comforts of your home and without the worry of having extra baggage.

Enjoy the outdoors more – Since the space in an RV is limited, this will make you want to spend more of your time outdoors.  Living in an RV will allow you the freedom to travel more, visiting different places and enjoying more time in the great outdoors.

Things That You Need to Consider Before Renting an RV to Live In

Living Space

It is important to consider how much RV space you need.  Are you traveling alone, with your partner, or with your family? Do you have pets that you intend to bring with you?

This will dictate the type and size of RV that you would want to rent.  You would of course want to be accommodated in the RV you will be living in as comfortably as possible, making this very important.

How You Like to Travel

If you are renting an RV for a long term because you will be traveling, your traveling preference is an important consideration.

If you want to travel light, you might want to rent a smaller RV. On the other hand, if traveling in a bigger vehicle is not a problem, you can rent something a bit larger with extra space, such as a fifth-wheel with a pop-out or a toy hauler with its own garage.

Budget

Your budget is also an important consideration when choosing an RV to rent.  The amount of RV rentals differs greatly, so knowing your budget is important.

You can see from the chart above the rental rate can vary from $1,300 a month to $9,000 a month.

Luxury Level

You should also consider the level of luxury that you want before renting an RV to live in.  This is essential for you to be comfortable with the RV you will be living in.

Very luxurious RVs can offer you so many amenities such as Class A motorhomes.  If you do not want nor need luxurious RVs, you can opt to rent a Class B or Class C motorhome.

How Much You Have for a Deposit

Like many other rental companies, security deposits may also be required when renting an RV.  It is important that you ask about how much the owner will request for a deposit, and when you will be able to get back the security deposit after your rental duration.

Available Power Source

The power source is an important consideration for this will give life to your RV.  It is important to know if you will be relying only on batteries and shore power, or if a generator will be provided for you. You’ll need to consider the appliances you plan on using (refrigerator, microwave, air conditioner, etc.) and how they are powered.

Before traveling, it is also important to check whether your destination or campground will be able to provide shore power so you can be more prepared.

Rules on Pets

If you have a pet and want to live and travel with it, it is important to consider whether the RV you will be renting allows pets.   There are some RV owners who do not allow pets on RV, so it’s important to ask about this if you want to bring your pet with you. There may be size or breed restrictions as well.

If you still have some questions in mind that you want to answer before renting an RV, you can read my list of must-ask questions:

You need to read these Q&A’s before renting and avoid a nightmare situation – 17 Key Questions to Ask Before Renting an RV for Your Family Vacation.

Insurance Coverage

For a long-term situation, insurance coverage is critical!! You want to make sure you are covered to live in the RV just like if you were in a stick-and-bricks home. RVs can be easily damaged due to weather or other accidents.

Roamly is an RV insurance created by RV owners to give you the most coverage for the cheapest price. A great place to start is a quote in less than a minute at Roamly. If you will be renting from Outdoorsy or RVezy, both have rental insurance coverage. You’ll automatically get up to $1 million in insurance protection when you rent through these peer-to-peer rental companies.

Tips for Living in an RV

Know your priorities

Living in an RV sometimes means living in a smaller space – that’s why knowing your priorities is a necessity.  Bringing unnecessary items with you will only take up limited space in your RV, which will not be helpful.

Staying organized

It is important to have things organized, especially if you’re living in a small space.  Having a place for everything is nice, as are having all the fun gadgets companies sell for RV travel. However, when you can, try to find creative ways to make your stuff multipurpose to reduce clutter.

Plan ahead

This is most important if you are going to travel and go on an adventure.  Having a plan for locations, dates, meals and the like is very essential.  Traveling without any plan can really be exhausting and can destroy the vibes.  Instead of enjoying the adventure, it may cause problems if you do not plan ahead.

Final Thoughts

The thought of living in an RV can be very intimidating and challenging at first; that’s why it is important to research as much as you can about it before diving in.

Look into your needs and what you’ll want in order to feel comfortable in your new RV home.  Once you have everything settled and prepared, you’ll have a smoother transition finding an RV you can rent to live in.

If you still want to head out to a destination or stay in one place, my Etsy Store has planners and journals to get you prepared for your next camping trip.

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    Shauna Kocman founder Family Travel Fever
    Shauna Kocman founder of Family Travel Fever

    Hi, I’m Shauna – Welcome to Family Travel Fever.  We are a large family, that was bitten by the travel bug!  I take the kids by myself because I don’t mind flying or driving solo with my crew to discover the coolest places.

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