Unlike ‘bricks and mortar’ properties, a mobile park home is normally a self-contained house that can be moved in either one or two sections. In law, they come under the definition of a ‘caravan’, but the style of modern homes is a long way beyond the stereotypical view and most park homes are professionally made with the intention of standing for many years.
There is a fundamental difference when you buy a mobile park home, in that most are sold without any ownership of the land on which they are sited. This is very important, as it is not generally possible to record an entry with the Land Registry to prove the right of occupation.
As part of the agreement to be on the land, residential park homes are issued with an agreement and an important part of that is the “Written Statement”. This is in some ways similar to a lease, but it is so much more than that. It sets out the rights that you have as the occupier of the home and can usually be passed on to another person.
Many sites also have Park Rules and these supplement the Written Statement. By law, the Council for the area must publish the park rules that are in force on their website, so it is easy to check what you are agreeing to with these.
Before you buy a mobile park home, it is sensible to know exactly what the agreement says. We strongly recommend that you do not pay any deposit until you know exactly what you are buying, tempting though it might be to pay something to ensure that the home is not sold to someone else.