Mobile Home

[Maydup]

Can a person with enough space in their garden, buy and install a mobile home, connect it to the utilities and rent it out? Or are there any permissions needed?

[ummmm]

If I remember correctly planning permission is required.

[Maydup]

Local family have done this and very openly looking for tenants. It doesn't seem quite right to me. But then again none of my business really, does it bother me? Can't decide

[ummmm]

I think it's the change of use and council tax rules that make the difference.

My mum lives in a park home but she has to leave for four weeks a year (as does everyone else) and this is a designated park home where park fees are paid.

A caravan is still a dwelling. Years ago I rented a room out in my house and was told if I charged over X amount HMRC had to be informed as its income.

Let's hope they don't cause you any problems....

[Old_Geezer]

I think it is probably being done illegally, will affect the neighbourhood, and thus should bother you.

[Maydup]

OK Step 1 - Is it possible to check online whether or not they have planning? They have had the mobile some years, (over 10) having used it themselves when they did their house up so may well have got planning then.

[murraymints]

using it themselves and renting out are very different situations...report to housing dept at council if it bothers you

[murraymints]

planning notices are usually published in local press !

[Dogsbody2]

Phone the planning department of your local council to ask about the planning situation.

When one does a house up (and moves out temporarily) it is usually possible to have temporary planning permission granted to enable this. It generally lasts for 2 years. They may or may not have done this at the time.

If the structure has then remained in place for more than 4 years without challenge, it has probably gained a permanent right to exist. Again the planning department will be interested to learn about this situation and can advise. The householder can then 'regularise' the situation by applying for a Certificate of Lawfulness, which cannot normally be refused by the planning department.

Creating a separate dwelling (for rental purposes) may be regarded as yet another step and it may be possible for the planners to stop him doing that, even if they now can't prevent the annexe. It is not a change of use because the whole of the site was and is still classified as dwelling house (Class C3), but there are issues such as access and parking for a separate dwelling.

If the planners decide it has simply gone on too long and can't be demolished, there may still be issues with Building Control (in that it may not be of a standard to be used for habitable accommodation).

Finally if he clears all of those hurdles, if he insists on using it as separate accommodation it needs to be rated for Council Tax.

[EDDIE51]

Using a mobile home as a permanent dwelling needs planning permission just as building another house would. Once built it has to pay council tax as any other house does.
There are 2 types of mobile home parks, those that are designated as residential and those that are used as holiday homes that do not have residential status.
Ummm's Mum must be in one of the latter category other wise she would be able to live there all year round.
I am not sure how a person living permanently in a 'holiday home' stands in law, I have a feeling they may be officially classed as 'homeless' or 'of no fixed abode' as they have to move out for 4 week as year. Ummm all park home sites charge fees, residential or non residential, paying fees does not make it a permanent home.

[ummmm]

Eddie - as far a I'm aware the fact they don't live on site permanently means they are not eligible for council tax (although I'd rather pay the council tax and stay put)

I know all sites charge fees but these aren't classed as holiday homes as there are tight restrictions on renting them out so you can't recoup the fees through rental.

[Dogsbody2]

A person living permanently in a holiday home is in breach of the planning condition imposed when it was originally granted - 'holiday homes' that have been granted specific consent always have some sort of limit of occupation.

But that isn't what this is - this has no planning consent whatsoever (from what Maydup says). The fact that it is 'mobile' (i.e. can be removed whole) is somewhat irrelevant - it still is of a size that it requires consent because it will be too large or wrongly positioned (or both) to be a permitted development.

However what I said about 4 years still stands; the planners will not be able to enforce its removal.

[EDDIE51]

Ummm I was worried that as they do not live there permanently they may legally be regarded as of 'No fixed abode' which is going to cause problems sooner or later.

[ummmm]

It doesn't seem to be a problem, Eddie. It's the address she gives. It's only a small park where the majority of the residents use as their main home. I suppose leaving for a month is not much different than going on holiday for a month.