park homes policy forum
site owner
Who is the park owner, is it an local individual or a multi site commercial investor?
Why does this matter?
Are they a fit and proper person?
Do they have a good reputation?
Ask the other residents about them.
key information on this page
1 written statement
2 basic contract terms
3 'in perpetuity'
4 utilities
5 park rules
what is the role of the site owner?
here are the essentials when you are considering buying a park home, click the buttons to read more and find valuable insight and links to official information
the essentials when buying any residential park home
Tony`s message
``People who live in Park Homes usually own them outright, paid for through down-sizing from bricks and mortar . They pay their own incurred costs and for the services provided under the terms of their contracts. However, far too often these are serially breached, as more and more sites fall into the dirty hands of bullying, greed-driven egocentric con-artists, largely unchallenged by the protective services - including the invisible police. This is not only nowhere near good enough – it damages the ethical traders and the lives and retirements of the very people who built this once admired country – nowadays witnessing those contributions being handed over to gluttonous criminals and unwelcome invaders.
When and where we can, and however big or small our efforts - we must all fight back .``
BUYING & SELLING - TIM EXPLAINS....
ENGAGING A SOLICITOR WHEN BUYING OR SELLING IS YOUR VITAL INSURANCE POLICY
Thanks to our always recommended solicitor, Tim Selley for his contribution. Tim `s a Partner at WBW Solicitors. He joined the firm in 2022 as part of a merger with Crosse + Crosse Solicitors, with whom he had worked for since 1982.
Tim has a high level of experience in many different areas, including park home issues, Landlord and Tenant matters, breach of contract claims, will and inheritance disputes, “undue influence” cases, and also contract disputes.
Tim has a particular interest in acting for park homeowners and residents associations; work that he has all over the country. He was appointed Specialist Advisor for the “Communities and Local Government” Select Committee of MPs for its enquiry and report into the reform of park home law.
HERE`S WHAT TIM HAS TO SAY....
When selling or buying a park home, should you get a solicitor whether in relation to an existing home to be sold on, or buying a brand new one from a site owner?
Despite the Government’s “strong advice” to take advice from a solicitor or other professional, clients asking me about this often say how they have been told they should not. Comments I here regularly include things like: - You don’t need a solicitor; it’s only a park home. - You don’t need one as it’s just like buying and selling a car. - Paying for a solicitor is a waste of money - Our agreement has been drawn up by lawyers anyway, so you don’t need to spend money on one. Yes, it is true you do not have to have a solicitor but there surely are good reasons for you to do so. Perhaps most importantly, it is quite likely you will for a purchase be using a very large part of your available money buying what is going to be your only home.
Yes, many sales do not give rise to problems but from acting not just on sales and purchase but also cases where things have gone wrong, there are many possible problems that can come about which can be relevant and indeed present real problems for home owners, even to the extent of losing their home and money.
Some wide ranging examples from cases I have handled: include whether homes comply with a range of requirements the law creates as to the likes of mobility, issues with extensions from the original home. Many of these issues are just not known about by many people.
Others that might arise on the site such as fire safety linked site licence spacing from other homes and structures - The nature of the “site owner’s” own interest in the land of the site. If this is not as freehold owner this might have a big impact on rights a homeowner might have to keep a home on the site. - Arising more these days, site owners’ agreement terms putting more and more obligations (including costs ) on homeowners than have been so in the past.
Following the correct process. I have come across cases where after a sale, the site owner has argued non-compliance and taken action to try to end the home agreement. I also once had a case where on a sale the estate agent told the seller to serve a notice of proposed sale that the site owner objected to and issued a tribunal case. The buyer in that case pulled out as a result, but in fact , no notice was needed and so the problem could have been avoided.
So, yes things may seem simple and yes things may well not give rise to any problems, but that is not always so. Homes come as well with responsibility for repair and as such as well getting a survey before buying is sensible move. A surveyor seeing the home can as well look into some of the potential problems as I mentioned and as such help on those matters too. If taking advice however, a number of solicitors/ surveyors or other professional advisors are not experienced in “mobile homes act law” so do ask before instructing to check they have that experience.