Resident in New Park, Bovey Tracey, met with their local MP today to discuss the Government’s review into park home legislation. Central Devon MP Mel Stride has a long history of fighting for improved rights for mobile park home residents and he was a key contributor to the Mobile Homes Act 2013 which provided park home residents with better protection against pitch fee increases, made it more difficult for owners to disrupt the sale of properties and gave local authorities greater powers to compel landlords to carry out essential works and fine them if they fail to do so. Five years on, the Government is reviewing the Act and consulting on whether it is having the desired effect.
Mel said:
“The majority of park home sites, such as New Park, are well run but there have too many instances in my constituency and around the country where park home residents have been treated very badly by unscrupulous site owners. Problems have included everything from intimidation and the contravention of basic health and safety to unjustified pitch fee increases and the interference in the sale of a property so that the site owner can purchase it at below market value. I am very proud that The Mobile Home Act 2013 significantly improved the rights of park home residents but it is right that the impact of the legislation is reviewed to ensure it is working, particularly regarding to enforcement by local authorities. It was good to get feedback from the New Park Residents Association Chairman Colin Back and other local residents on this.”
There are more than a dozen mobile park homes in Mel’s constituency which are home to more than a thousand residents. These include Pathfinder Village in Tedburn St Mary, Oaklands Park in Okehampton, Dartbridge Manor in Buckfastleigh and Ashburton Park.
