park homes policy forum

 

Scams in mobile home (and holiday parks) are increasingly common, often involving mis-sold residency rights, fake rentals, or aggressive sales tactics that leave owners with significant financial losses.

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Here are the general warnings and common scams associated with mobile home parks:

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1. Mis-sold Residency (Holiday vs. Residential) 

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This is one of the most serious scams, where a "holiday" caravan is sold as a "residential" or year-round home.

• The Scam: Salespeople may falsely claim you can live in a holiday park 12 months a year, despite contracts stating otherwise.

• The Consequence: You may face immediate eviction by the local council for breaching planning laws.

 

 

Cold callers,

 

Cold callers can offer a range of home improvements; from tree and hedge cutting services to fascia and guttering work. Not infrequently, much ofthis work is over-priced or poor quality. ln some cases, the 'trader' causes more damage than they fix. Here are specific scams relating to park homes:

 

Chassis and Jack Stand Scams:

 

Callers will offer a free inspection of the underside of the park home. They will claim that

the chassis is rusted to a dangerous extent and needs to be painted. They may also claim

that jack stands which support the home are no longer safe and need replacing. You may

be shown photos which the trader claims to show the problem. ln many cases, this work is

unnecessary, and in some cases the trader will only replace a few of the stands or paint a

small section, to make it appear as though they have done the whole job.

 

Underfloor lnsulation Scams:

 

lf you are cold called by someone claiming that they will fit insulation to the underside of

the home, be wary. We have seen scams where the trader staples a small amount of foil

insulation to the area around the inspection hatch, whilst charging hundreds of pounds for

the entire job. Just as with the chassis painting scam, because the inspection hatch is at

low level, it can be difficult for the resident to properly inspect what has been done.

 

Top Tips:

 

Never agree to any work at the doorstep. Take time to think about what is being

offered. lf possible, seek other quotes or try to get a second opinion.

 

When agreeing a contract at home, you should be given a 14 day cooling off period in writing, allowing you time to consider and change your mind. Always be wary of someone who claims that they are able to start work immediately or tries to get you to sign a 'waiver' to allow them to get started.

 

lf you do agree to work, do not pay a large deposit up front, even if the trader claims it is for materials. Most genuine traders will have business accounts with local suppliers meaning that they don't have to pay for the materials immediately.

 

lf you are not happy with any work done, do not pay the full balance until you have taken further advice. Contact Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.

 

 

lf you are looking for a genuine trader then the Buy with Confidence scheme may have a business that you can trust. All the businesses within the scheme have been checked and vetted by Trading Standards Officers to ensure they are trustworthy. Visit www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk.

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