If you’re thinking of purchasing a park home, it’s important to understand that some of the ownership rules differ from bricks and mortar houses or apartment properties.

Your rights and responsibilities, and those of the park owner, are set out in the 1983 Mobile Homes Act, which was last updated in 2015.

Each park has its own local rules, and these will be laid out in the documents you receive when purchasing your new home.

For example, Gloucester park homes for sale can be found at sites such as http://www.parkhomelife.com/, and you’ll have 28 days to examine the contract containing the regulations.

Requirements

The park owner’s obligations are laid out in the agreement that the occupiers sign when taking over the property. The home owner must also comply with any requirements specified in the agreement.

The pitch fee, which is rent for the land the home stands on, can be subject to annual review, but the resident must receive 28 days’ notice of any proposed change via a specific form. If the new fee is not agreed by the owner of the park home, the site owner can appeal to a tribunal.

Residents are free to sell their homes and the site owner does not have a right to approve this, although the purchaser must conform to the site rules on residents.

Repairs

Park owners have responsibility for ground maintenance in common areas, and for services provided to individual plots. They may also enter the property without notice to carry out essential repairs or read service meters between 9am and 6pm, or at any time to carry out emergency repairs, giving as much notice as possible. For any other reason, they must give 14 days’ notice.

Should any changes be proposed to the park, residents must receive 28 days’ notice and be allowed to make observations. They must also be informed if this will impact on the pitch fee.

Meanwhile, residents must keep their homes in good repair and maintain any fences and outbuildings on the plot.

In the case of a dispute, a home owner cannot be evicted without a court order, nor be harassed to the point where they feel obliged to sell. They also do not need to give notice of a sale.

A tribunal is available to settle any disputes.