WYLDECREST CROSS-COUNTY SALES BLOCKING
- Apr 17
- 2 min read
Under the Mobile Homes Act 2013, park home sale blocking became illegal.
Homeowners no longer needed site owner approval for buyers, whilst "pre-commencement" rules forcing sales back to site owners were rendered unenforceable. It also became a criminal offence for site owners to interfere with sales, provide misleading information, or enforce banned rules.
However, there are other forms of sales blocking as Wyldecrest and some others have discovered
As most of us know very well, the site owner remains responsible for maintaining the site's infrastructure, ensuring compliance with safety regulations, and providing essential services like water, electricity, and waste management. They must also ensure that the site is safe, secure, and well-maintained for residents and that all legal obligations under the Mobile Homes Act are met. Therefore, a site owners refusal to meet their legal obligations to maintain the site while trying to sell your property can be considered an interference with the sale (by reducing the value or deterring buyers) and a breach of their legal obligations to the home-owner,
Here`s how a site owners failure to maintain the property affects the sale:
Reduced Value/Attractiveness: Obvious disrepair, makes the park home property or properties less attractive to potential buyers, directly hindering a successful sale.
Failed Sale Completion: Buyers may pull out if there are site repair and maintenance issues that the site owner has failed to fix.
Breach of contract. Home-owners are entitled to "quiet enjoyment" and a safe, habitable environment. A site owner that neglects repairs can be held liable for breaching the Written Statement under the terms of the Mobile Homes Act
Actions You Can Take:
Document Everything: Take dated photographs/ videos , keep copies of all communication, and send written requests for repairs.
Report to Council: If the landlord fails to act, report them to the local authority's Environmental Health department, as they can serve enforcement notices to compel repairs.
If you can obtain written evidence from a prospective buyer that they`ve walked away from a purchase due only to the poor condition of the site, so much the better
Report the site owner to Trading Standards for unfair practices, which they must investigate
As a last resort, take the site owner to a Tribunal for breach of contract - but before doing so, seek legal advice from a solicitor familiar with Park Home law. If there are number of homes that can`t sell for the same reason, then ask the solicitor about joining together with other home-owners and sharing the costs.
At the very least, remember this point when you`re opposing a pitch fee increase