Park Owners Can Increase Fees Without Your Consent—Here’s How!

Park owners play a crucial role in maintaining the community, ensuring a safe and comfortable environment for all residents. Their responsibilities include general maintenance, repairs, and providing essential services. However, if they plan improvements, they must follow specific legal requirements. Understanding these rules can help you protect your rights and respond appropriately to any changes.

Responsibilities of Park Owners

Park owners are legally responsible for maintaining the park and ensuring it remains in good condition. Their key responsibilities include:

1. Maintaining Common Areas

• Park owners must keep shared spaces, such as paths, roads, and green areas, in good condition.
• These areas should be safe, well-lit, and free from hazards.

2. Repairing the Home Base

• The ‘base’ is the ground area where your park home sits.
• If it becomes damaged or unstable, the park owner must repair it to maintain the home’s stability.

3. Maintaining Essential Services

• If the park owner provides utilities like sewerage, water, or electricity, they are responsible for keeping them in working order.
• Any disruptions or failures in these services should be fixed promptly.

Park Improvements: Rules and Your Rights

Park owners may decide to make improvements to the park, but they must follow certain rules to ensure fairness.

1. Giving Notice Before Improvements

If the park owner plans to make any changes or upgrades, they must:

• Provide at least 28 days’ written notice before starting the improvements.
• Inform residents about the proposed changes and how they can provide feedback.

2. Impact on Pitch Fees

• The park owner must tell you if the improvements will affect your pitch fee (the amount you pay for your plot of land).
• If the improvements lead to increased costs, residents have the right to question or challenge them.

3. Proceeding with Improvements Despite Disagreement

• Even if most residents disagree with the improvements, the park owner can still go ahead with the changes.
• In some cases, they may pass the costs onto residents by increasing pitch fees.

4. Challenging Unfair Costs

• If you believe the park owner is unfairly increasing fees due to unnecessary improvements, you can apply to a tribunal to dispute the charges.
• The Leasehold Advisory Service can offer guidance on how to challenge unfair costs or decisions.

Park owners have essential responsibilities to maintain common areas, repair home bases, and provide necessary services. When making improvements, they must give residents advance notice and inform them about potential cost impacts. While they can proceed with upgrades even if residents disagree, there are legal ways to challenge unfair fee increases. Understanding these rights helps residents ensure they are treated fairly while living in a park home.

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