Park Home Owners Club

In October 2011, the Park Home Owners Justice Campaign, supported by park home insurance provider, Towergate Insurance, presented full copies of the findings of its first nationally-distributed questionnaire on the abuse and problems faced by park home owners to Downing Street.

In addition, and because they have parliamentary privilege, full copies of the statistics (which include the names of all parks reported as having unscrupulous park owners - many of whom were described as aggressive, violent and dishonest) were presented to Lord Graham of Edmonton and every MP in Parliament along with a letter from the Justice Campaign requesting them to call for an adjournment debate to discuss further measures to protect park home owners.

The Campaign followed this with a request to its members, asking them to copy a standard-format letter and write to their own MPs, reinforcing the debate call. In response, thousands of park home owners from almost every county in the UK have informed the Campaign they've sent the letter to their MP.

Due to the secure nature of their work, full copies of the statistics were also sent to every Chief Constable's Office in the country for information purposes, plus IPHAS (Independent Park Homes Advisory Service) and NAPHR (National Association of Park Home Residents) to support their ongoing work within the All Party Parliamentary Group.

Data protection law prevents the full statistics from being reported further - but all local authorities and the national press will be presented with a reduced amount of information that does not compromise the privacy of the individuals who responded to the survey. It has also been made available to Park Home Resident Associations.

The statistics, compiled following feedback from thousands of UK park home owners, reveal the main issues to be; lack of maintenance (despite this cost being included within the pitch fee), sale blocking, electric, water and sewage issues, plus bullying, intimidation and harassment. The statistics also show there are a significant number of unscrupulous park owners, contradicting the commonly-held belief that they are a small minority.

Founded by park home resident, Sonia McColl, the Justice Campaign is lobbying for changes to park home legislation in order to; protect residents against site owner intimidation, abolish the ‘Approval of the Buyer' by the park owner in the selling process (or an agreed alternative in the office of a Solicitor or Tribunal), introduce a ‘Fit and Proper' person test for all park owners and their managers, a complete reform of the Mobile Homes Act 1983 and a further review of the 10% commission charge.

What started in January 2010 with a petition from 10,000 park home owners wanting to stop site owners blocking sales at the ‘Approved Buyer' stage has now grown into a nationwide campaign with; a second reading of the Sale Blocking Bill in November 2011, calls for a Parliamentary Debate on further protecting park home owners, input to Government-backed Consumer Focus Wales research and increasing media support.

In a recent update to members, Sonia thanked all those involved with the Campaign and vowed to continue lobbying for justice and fairness for park home owners.

Speaking on behalf of the campaign sponsor Towergate Insurance, Park Home Account Director Paul Baker said; "We've been delighted to support Sonia's Campaign which, without doubt, has galvanised and inspired park home residents all over the country and considerably raised awareness amongst MPs. She is to be congratulated on her incredible commitment.

"We shall continue to support the Campaign going forward and invite Sonia to speak at the series of regional road shows we are planning for 2012."

For futher details of the Justice Campaign, visit www.parkhomeownersjusticecampaign.co.uk or phone 01929 553110.

For insurance advice and news on future events visit www.towergateinsurance.co.uk or www.parkhomeownersclub.co.uk or phone 0844 346 0423.