Park Homes

[Barsel]

I've been pondering on moving to a residential Park Home. Do you know anyone who lives/lived in one and what they thought about it?

[Cloverjo]

I know someone who lived in one. She had to move out for one month a year as it was classed as a holiday home. I was later surprised to learn that she owns two brick flats which she rented out, so the park home must have been ok.

[hc4361]

I know people who love living in their park homes but I also know one couple who hated it and moved out after two years.

I think the more sociable you are, the better you will enjoy park home life.

[albaqwerty]

cor, having search-engined, there's a lot of them. Any idea which bit of the country you wish to relocate to?

Have a couple of mates who had log-cabin but they were only allowed to stay there 48 weeks of the year so please be careful on your selection x

[ummmm]

Yes...my mum lives in one in Wells-next-the-Sea. She loves it.

It's really nice as well. Kitchen/diner, living room, two bedrooms, shower room and en-suite toilet to the main bedroom. Really nicely decorated as well.

Wells is a lovely part of the country.

[Barsel]

I'm looking for one in Cheshire. I might just go and visit a few to get the low-down but wondered if any abers or friends really liked it. I like the idea of it being for people over 50/55 as it will probably be nice and quiet and usually the surrounding area is countrified.

[Barsel]

Thanks ummmm. Sounds good.

[ummmm]

The site my mum lives on is mainly retired people but there isn't any restrictions on visitors.

[hc4361]

Make sure that you understand all the annual fees and charges and the Site Rules before signing anything, Barsel.

If you do find a site that interests you, look on Facebook or google to see if there is a residents page - that should give you an insight in to any concerns.

[Barsel]

Thanks hc, will do.

[murraymints]

as hc says check out if you can stay all year..site fees utilities etc.. you may find yourself tied to a high rate provider..also any resale conditions if you don't stay..sometimes you are obliged to sell back to site at very much lower than expected price.. good idea to speak to residents to get the low down as it were...

[EDDIE51]

As some on here have found, a lot of Park Homes are actually only registered as holiday lets. This means you have to move out for one or two months each year and it can never be classed as your permanent residence. You need to check that the Park Home is registered as a residential site and not just as a holiday let site. There are other problems, as you can never be classed as a permanent resident you have no security of tenure and can be thrown out without notice.

[ummmm]

Eddie - so someone who buys their park home outright can just be evicted?

[EDDIE51]

^ Yes if they have bought a home on a holiday let site, they will never get security of tenure. They may well be entitled to compensation for the loss of the home but they will not be entitled to a place to live. They have only bought the actual home not the rights to the site it is on.

[hc4361]

The site owner has to apply to the county court or appropriate tribunal to terminate the contract and evict the occupier, ummmm.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236493/Consolidated_implied_terms_in_park_home_pitch_agreements.pdf

[hc4361]

Eddie, the question is not about a holiday home on a holiday park.

[EcclesCake]

Can't beat a post of utter bottox, whilst pleading superior knoaledge

[ladybirder]

A relative of mine has just bought one in Dorset and it's beautiful. It is on a Holiday site though and not a Residential site so she has to move out every Jan/feb time. You can have a dog there as well and it has a swimming pool and club house. Suits her but wouldn't suit me.

[hc4361]

Security of tenure
Security of tenure means how easy or difficult it is to evict you from your pitch, meaning you would have to sell the home or move it elsewhere.
You have the right to keep your home on the site you occupy indefinitely or for as long as the site owner’s planning permission or their right to the land lasts. If there is a time limit, the site owner must include this information in the written statement.
You can bring an agreement to an end at any point by giving four weeks’ notice
The site owner can only bring the agreement to an end by applying to
the county court.

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Factsheets/FS71_Park_Homes_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true

[Peter Pedant]

// Make sure that you understand all the annual fees and charges and the Site Rules before signing anything, Barsel. //

quite a lot of case law on this - make sure you know what the charges are and what they will or can hike to
and whether they can hike the charges and then close the facilities and shrug their shoulders
and who pays for renewing things like roads

[EDDIE51]

Yes I know, but some unscrupulous park home owners sell homes on holiday let sites as residential. Two of the first three answers mention having to move out for part of the year, so those people are in a holiday let . I told Barsel to check that the site is correctly registered as a residential site, I hope it is and if so the problems I mention do not exist.
Unfortunately a lot of people have bought Park Homes assuming they were classed as residential only to get a nasty shock!