Legal
Park home living – the legal issues
This will help you understand the terms which are used in the legal agreement you will sign.
What do I need to know about park home living?
A park home must be built for permanent residential occupation. Look for the BS3632 NPHC Approved badge.
Owning a park home is different from owning a house; the land on which your home is sited is not yours. Under the Mobile Homes Act, this unique legal tenure gives you specific rights, which are contained in the Written Statement (see below) to use of the park owner’s land for the duration of the agreement between the two of you.
Where are park homes found?
A park home should be sited on a ‘protected park’ – one that gives you the legal protection under the Mobile Homes Act 1983. Check the park’s Site Licence conditions and if in doubt contact the appropriate Local Authority for advice on this. For a list of parks in membership of the National Park Homes Council, click here
Before you buy:
If you are buying a new park home from the park, the park owner must provide you with a formal agreement, called the Written Statement. You must receive this 28 days in advance of the proposed purchase. It will allow you to check all the details and raise any queries you may have. NPHC recommends you take this to a solicitor.
If you purchase a used home as a ‘private sale’ from the present home owner, ask the seller for the Written Statement in advance. Allow plenty of time to get it checked.
The park owner has to give consent to you becoming a resident on his park, whether you buy from directly from him/her or from the present occupier. This consent cannot, however, be unreasonably withheld. If you are buying from the present home owner, you must get this consent before you commit.
Click here to read about new Legal Documents (2006/2007 onwards in England and Wales).
