Things to consider when buying a park home

Park home ownership is unique and varies from owning a bricks and mortar property. Physically not attached to the ground, the homeowner buys the bungalow style property, but not the land it’s situated on.

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The land belongs to the park site owner and they must have a site licence and planning permission from the local authority. The license will state whether the site is for holiday purposes, fully residential such as http://www.parkhomelife.com/our-parks/orchard-park-homes-gloucester-gloucestershire/ or if it offers both types of residency.

In rural areas such as Gloucestershire park homes offer a rural lifestyle with all the benefits of a modern development. Consider the following when making your purchase:

Residency

Check if your property can be lived in as a permanent abode. Some park homes agreements state that they can only be lived in for a limited period of the year. Occupation in breach of the licence conditions can be subject to serious repercussions from the local authority. Holiday homes are also not protected by park homes legislation, therefore such occupiers do not have the same rights or recourse in law as those on permanent residential sites and do not have the same security of tenure.

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Legalities

Examine the pitch agreement and site licence carefully. The site licence should be on display in full visibility, for instance on the noticeboard at the park’s office. The local authority also keep a register of site licences which are available for the public to consult.

You must enter into a Written Statement which sets out the express terms of your agreement to live in a park home on that site. These terms must be available prior to signing and occupation, they include pitch fee/ground rent increases, the occupier’s duty to keep his home in a sound state of repair and communal parts being kept in a tidy and clean condition by the site owner.

When buying a new park home directly from the site owner you have the opportunity to negotiate specific terms, such as utility charges.

Surveys

When purchasing a home that has been previously owned, a survey report from a specialist park home surveyor will offer you peace of mind reporting on mobile home, base or pitch. Checks will be made of the inside, outside and underneath of the park home, providing details of any potential problems and issues, as well as how to resolve them.