Councils net new powers as Mobile Homes Act 2013 comes into force

A new licensing regime for park home sites that comes into force this week will give local authorities greater power to enforce breaches and make it easier to prosecute site owners who harass residents, ministers have claimed.

The Department for Communities and Local Government said the reformed regime introduced by the Mobile Homes Act 2013 would “ensure local authorities are properly funded for exercising their powers and have sufficient tools for enforcement action”.

Other changes include:

• a new regime for selling and purchasing park homes. This excludes the need to seek the approval of the site owner;
• the banning of certain site rules. All remaining rules are to be re-made in consultation with residents, “to prevent site rules being used inappropriately to block sales etc”;
• reform to the pitch fee review process “to ensure greater transparency and reduce the opportunity for exploitation”; and
• changes to the criminal law (relating to park homes) to make harassment easier to prove and to create an offence of providing false information when a home is sold.

A new national helpline, run by the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE), will also be launched this week.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said the new rules would give residents the protection they needed from unscrupulous site owners.

He added: “For many, a park home lifestyle is a peaceful retirement ideal, but it only takes a few dishonest site owners to blight the industry by preying on vulnerable residents and neglecting their duty of care.

“That’s why we’ve now called time on the crooks, giving residents the rights they need and protecting them in law. I would urge any park home resident wanting to know more to call the LEASE helpline from this week, to get the advice they need.”

There are approximately 85,000 owner occupied mobile homes on 2,000 sites in England.