Stephen Gilbert MP writes… Park home residents must be looked after properly (Twickenham & Richmond Liberal Democrats)

Stephen Gilbert MP writes… Park home residents must be looked after properly

January 13, 2012 10:10 AM

gilbert • [Jan 11] Stephen Gilbert writes: FOR us all, the home we live in is one of the most important factors in how we live our lives. Whether it be a house, a flat, shared accommodation, or - as it is for almost a quarter of a million people in the UK - a 'Park Home'.

Park Homes are modern, bungalow-style residential properties usually sited on private estates. The park home industry is a billion pound business. There are over two thousand park home sites within the UK, primarily but not exclusively centred in rural areas like my constituency in Cornwall.

. . The last government promised to act and so has the Coalition, but so far we've seen little movement. In the absence of government action, I tabled a 10 Minute Rule Bill yesterday which proposes a two-stage process to better regulate this industry: local authorities would be responsible for issuing the "site licence" and monitoring it, which would cover such matters as the site's suitability, amenities and services and a national licensing body would ensure site owners are "fit and proper".

The national "fit and proper person" test would mean that bad behaviour by site owners in one place would bar them from owning a park home anywhere. This is, by no means, a complete solution to all of the problems that the owners of these homes experience. We also have to tackle the monopoly that site owners have over utility provision, and the often unfair increases in 'pitch fees'. My Liberal Democrat colleague Annette Brooke has done some outstanding work on this issue in the past and I will continue to work with her and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Park Homes to lobby the Government to introduce the proposals in this Bill and the other important suggestions that are being made.

Park homes are an important part of the housing mix and meet a real need - we need to make sure though that the regulatory regime properly looks after park home residents.

• Stephen Gilbert MP writes… Park home residents must be looked after properly [LDV Jan 11]

• Park Homes (Site Owner Licensing) - debate in Parliament Jan 10