Why a park home?
As with many things in life getting the right information allowing you to make a possible life changing decision is essential.
Why do you think that moving to a park home is a good idea?
Do you know about living on a residential park? Where do you go to find out?
It is important to understand what park home Life all is about.
So, lets us start by looking at some basic pros and cons.
Pros.
You could release a significant amount of equity by selling your current home.
You could move to a location which otherwise would be financially prohibitive.
You might be attracted to the promise of low maintenance and running costs giving you more cash in your retirement.
You might be attracted to the thought of a brand-new home with all mod cons when compared to spending money on the refurbishment of your existing property.
You will certainly be advised that there is no need to involve solicitors and surveyors in the matter of your purchasing the new park home.
Cons.
You will live on a rented plot of land and be bound by the park owners site 'rules'.
The site must be licenced for residential use. Some park owners do not get a licence in which case you could lose your home.
You will have a space slightly larger all round than the base of the home.
There will be restrictions on the number of parking spaces you are allowed, what you can plant in your garden and the like.
Park owners are legally responsible for providing a safe and well maintained quiet environment for their residents; no more , no less. Often they will be minimal in this. Sometimes they will simply not do what they are supposed to do.
You will not be able to get a mortgage on your park Home.
The park home is unlikely to increase in value and is more likely to decrease significantly.
If you wish to sell the park home in the future, you will have to give 10% of the selling price to the park owner.
You will need to ensure your park home is maintained to a standard set by the Park owner otherwise risking termination of your agreement to station the home on the pitch.
The general park facilities are managed by the park owner and you may have little or no say in how this is done.
You may be unlucky enough to have a park owner who is shall we say indifferent to the needs of the residents.
You might be forced to buy your water and gas from the park owner where you have little recourse to the normal emergency measures put in place by the utility’s companies.
The park owner under the circumstances where there is a problem with the base on which it sits can move your home from its pitch to another. Very trick, risky and obviously inconvenient.
You are at the mercy of the park owner. See below.
Park owners.
Park owners seem to fall into three main categories.
Those who understand their legal and moral obligations providing well managed parks. These are in the minority.
Those who seem unable to understand their legal and moral obligations and fail to provide the basic amenities and make life difficult for the residents.
Those who understand only too well their legal and moral obligations but choose to disregard these in favour of maximising profits to the detriment of the residents. These are all too frequent.
It pays to try to find out I which category the owner of your prospective park falls into. A look at the tribunal website at LEASE might reveal if any legal cases have been brought against them!
Where to find information.
There are many sources of information and most often prospective residents will head for the park owners Website which will of course be aimed at selling the park and the homes. One might logically assume that this is the best source of information. Many of the important aspects affecting a park homeowner however are not mentioned. This is true also of many of the magazines and other web sites which, wishing to attract advertising from park owners, park home manufacturers and other services, avoid some of the issues which might take detract from the benefits of park home ownership. Finally, you may come across the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA); his is an organisation which exists to support the park owners.
The best sources.
The Park. Visit your prospective park and walk around it unaccompanied. Is it well maintained and tidy? Is it spacious and nicely laid out? Ask for a copy of the 'rules' and to see the licence.
Park residents. Never be reticent to talk to residents on a park that you are interested in. This is the best source for information about living on a park. Be guarded if residents seem unwilling to talk to you about the park and the owners as this might indicate a poor relationship or deeper issues exist.
Park homeowners’ associations. Many parks have formal owners’ associations led by a committee made up of park residents and talking to these folk will identify many more aspects of the park. Once again ask the searching questions about the park owners and gauge how freely the information is forthcoming. There are a number of national associations which are run by park Home residents and which are readily accessible on the internet NAPHR, IPHAS and PHRAA are but three. These organisations exist because the Park Home industry is so poorly regulated and so many residents have found themselves at the mercy of UPO's (unscrupulous Park Owners).
Chartered Surveyors. One such knowledgeable and most professional company is DCB.
Beware though, there are many other surveyors without the knowledge of park Homes to be of any real assistance and there are those that specifically act for park owners!
Local authority. A residential park must be licensed by the local authority for all year-round occupancy otherwise the park would be classed as a holiday site and cannot offer year-round occupation. If a site is licensed this should be lodged with the local authority in whose area it is located; it should also be displayed on the 'mandatory' park notice board. If you cannot find a record of a residential licence, then you should not contemplate buying a park home on the site without contacting the licensing authority.
Mobile Homes act. The park owners and park homeowners are covered by the Mobile Homes act which contains elements protecting the park homeowner but places obligations upon both parties to maintain a safe and harmonious environment.
You are entitled to a written statement from the park owner which clearly states what your entitlement as a resident is. Even so there are, due the poor way in which legislation about residential parks is managed, many instances of park owners disregarding the legislation and misleading residents with dire consequences. Some residents find that after they have paid for their homes and moved in that the park is not licensed and that they are not entitled to year-round occupation. Some have even lost their homes or have been forced to sell them for a pittance.
Mobile Home manufacturers. Mobile Home manufacturers do understand what is needed for a home to be sited and maintained in good order. Yes, the manufacturers vary too in the way they perform. Most will fall over backwards to assist you in you purchase. Some will seem less keen to assist you once you have moved in.
BS3632:2015. Probably the least attractive source of information is the residential park home British standard. While not glamourous it does contain all the requirements a home manufacturer shall comply with. Many do not follow the specification or at least some seem to use their own interpretation or simply do not understand the relevance of some requirements.
The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE). Provide free advice on the law relating to park homes. They have a helpline and a range of online guides. Lease
On a more positive note. Certainly, in the case many parks fellow inmates are like minded and supportive; more so than you might find on an average housing development. Having said that, whilst you will find your plot will be near your neighbours, there is a respect for those who simply want the quite life too.
You will need to keep your home and plot neat and tidy and depending on the park rules, developing a garden will certainly contribute to the pleasure to be gained from a brand new all mod cons home though it is unlikely you will be allowed to cultivate vegetables or the like. Any such developments will probably need to be sanctioned by the park owner.
Longer term. Keep in mind that assuming you are retiring to your new home as most do, look ahead to perhaps a time when you are less physically mobile or you decide to hand in your driving licence. Will your home still be comfortable and suitable? Could you manoeuvre a wheelchair in your home? Will the bathroom still be usable? Will the location of the park allow you to access the local shops and amenities? Will the idyllic hillside location off the local Bus route still appeal?
