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Park Home Owners
28 April 2026
Lead MP
James Naish
Rushcliffe
Lab
Responding Minister
Matthew Pennycook
Tags
Standards & Ethics
Word Count: 14339
Other Contributors: 24
At a Glance
James Naish raised concerns about park home owners in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I ask the government to consider stronger protections at [2D [K at the point of sale, review local authorities' resources for enforcing sit [3D [K site standards, work with Ofgem on utility charging transparency, and confi [5D [K confirm willingness to reform the current commission arrangements after the [3D [K the call for evidence.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
I am concerned about the issues faced by park and mo [2D [K mobile home residents in my constituency, including maintenance and site st [2D [K standards, transparency of pitch fees and charges, enforcement gaps, utilit [6D [K utilities pricing, and the 10% sales commission. Residents report poor upke [4D [K upkeep, damaged roads, high fees for unclear services, threats of eviction, [9D [K eviction, and difficulties with utility bills. The 10% sales commission is [K seen as disproportionately high, with a home sold in 2026 generating a £16, [4D [K £16,000 commission compared to £1,200 in 1983.
Alison Hume
Lab
Scarborough and Whitby
Ms. Alison Hume highlighted the exploitation of park [4D [K park home owners, particularly retirees, through mis-selling practices by s [1D [K site owners. She cited an example of her constituent Dennis who was misled [K about residency rights on a holiday park, faced harassment to vacate, and s [1D [K suffered financial losses. Ms. Hume also mentioned that 80% of UK mobile ho [2D [K home owners are over 65 years old and many suffer similar issues leading to [2D [K to mental health problems and even suicides.
Andrew Pakes
Lab Co-op
Peterborough
Andrew Pakes highlighted the power imbalance between [7D [K between park home owners and site owners, noting that some sites exploit re [2D [K residents' relatives by buying homes cheaply after deaths and reselling the [3D [K them at a huge profit. He cited an example where a £25,000 home was sold fo [2D [K for £85,000 shortly after a resident's death. Pakes also criticized the 10% [3D [K 10% commission made by site owners on sales and raised concerns about poor [K maintenance despite increasing fees charged to residents.
Cat Smith
Lab
Lancaster and Wyre
The constituent of Cat Smith discussed problems with [4D [K with Havenlyn residential park, including bullying, intimidation, and rules [5D [K rules being changed without consultation. She asked the Minister to empower [7D [K empower local authorities to better regulate and enforce regulations.
Chris Coghlan
Lib Dem
Dorking and Horley
Mr. Chris Coghlan intervened, agreeing with Alison H [1D [K Hume's concerns about the exploitative practices of site owners who pressur [7D [K pressure park home residents to sell their homes for a 10% commission.
Christchurch
The hon. Member for York Outer praised the Mobile Ho [2D [K Homes (Pitch Fees) Act 2023, which changed pitch fee maximums from RPI to C [1D [K CPI. He called for action on complex ownership issues and urged the Governm [7D [K Government to protect park home owners from rogue operators. When the Minister visited the APPG on park homes, he [2D [K he heard from Nat Slade about urgent action needed regarding complex owners [6D [K ownership structures. This issue was first promised attention in 2017 and M [1D [K Mr Chope asked where this stands on the Minister's agenda.
Clive Jones
Lib Dem
Wokingham
Mr. Clive Jones supported the debate, stating that p [1D [K park home residents face unfair financial penalties when selling their home [4D [K homes, including a mandatory 10% charge to site owners. He argued for endin [5D [K ending this charge and ensuring fair treatment similar to other homeowners. [11D [K homeowners.
Esther McVey
Con
Tatton
McVey referenced a petition signed by 165 residents [K for changing pitch fee increases from retail price inflation to consumer pr [2D [K price inflation and asked the Minister about the current call for evidence [K on reforming the 10% commission charge.
Gagan Mohindra
Con
South West Hertfordshire
Mohindra highlighted the range of complaints and con [3D [K concerns from park home residents in South West Hertfordshire, particularly [12D [K particularly about exploitative site operators. He stressed the need for th [2D [K the Government to continue its inquiry into reducing the 10% commission cha [3D [K charged by site owners during the purchase of park homes, which is especial [8D [K especially damaging to elderly residents lacking excess capital.
Gregory Campbell
DUP
East Londonderry
Mr. Campbell intervened to highlight the need for a [K balance between park home owners and site owners in Northern Ireland, parti [5D [K particularly in his constituency.
Helen Morgan
Lib Dem
North Shropshire
Morgan agreed with Law's point about sales commissio [9D [K commission charges, questioning whether another consultation is necessary w [1D [K when the 2022 consultation concluded there was no justification for them. S [1D [K She urged a fixed timeline for action.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Jim Shannon highlighted issues faced by park home ow [2D [K owners in Northern Ireland, noting that residents often find themselves cau [3D [K caught between Westminster legislation and its implementation locally. He r [1D [K raised concerns about the 10% exit fee, energy costs for off-grid residents [9D [K residents, and site licensing enforcement. Shannon requested parity across [K the UK on these issues.
Joshua Reynolds
Lib Dem
Maidenhead
Reynolds highlighted the challenges faced by park ho [2D [K home owners, particularly older residents on fixed incomes. He criticised t [1D [K the lack of attention given to this group in housing discussions and the 10 [2D [K 10% commission taken from sale prices, which can be a significant financial [9D [K financial burden for those needing funds for care costs or downsizing. He a [1D [K also mentioned unscrupulous site owners who use intimidation to drive resid [5D [K residents off their pitches. Many park home residents in Maidenhead have expresse [8D [K expressed frustration that significant portions of the consultation are not [3D [K not relevant to them but rather to site owners. He asked for clarification [K on which questions the Minister expects residents to respond to.
Kevin Bonavia
Lab
Stevenage
Bonavia highlighted residents' fears about pitch fee [3D [K fee increases without proper explanations, called for better maintenance en [2D [K enforcement by local authorities, and urged the Minister to consider reduci [6D [K reducing or removing the 10% sales commission.
Luke Charters
Lab
York Outer
Residents of park homes in York and North Yorkshire [K face financial difficulties due to uncontrollable pitch fees. The 10% commi [5D [K commission charge on resale is unjust, as it requires sellers to hand over [K a significant portion of their home's value to the site owner.
Michelle Welsh
Lab
Sherwood Forest
Welsh raised concerns about residents' uncertainty o [1D [K over utility bills, stressed the lack of transparency in billing arrangemen [10D [K arrangements, and urged the Minister to introduce reforms for fairness and [K protection for park home owners.
Noah Law
Lab
St Austell and Newquay
Law thanked James Naish for raising issues like the [K 10% commission, a financial burden on residents during vulnerable times. He [2D [K He also pointed out the confusion caused by incorrect council tax bandings [K and site owners being charged council tax on empty pitches.
Paul Holmes
Con
Hamble Valley
He highlighted the importance of park homes in the n [1D [K national housing market, with about 159,000 people living in mobile or park [4D [K park homes across 1,800 sites. He emphasised the need for site owners to be [2D [K be fit and proper persons and raised concerns over energy costs faced by pa [2D [K park home residents who often do not have the freedom to choose their own e [1D [K energy supplier.
Peter Swallow
Lab
Bracknell
Swallow thanked Law for giving way and encouraged al [2D [K all park home residents to contribute to the call for evidence, aiming to a [1D [K abolish the 10% charge by building a robust evidence base.
Rachel Hopkins
Lab
Ms. Hopkins discussed the 10% sales commission and r [1D [K rising pitch fees, which she stated are major issues for many of her consti [6D [K constituents who reside in park homes. She provided a specific example wher [4D [K where a resident had to pay £28,000 to the site owner when selling their ho [2D [K home, describing it as 'for doing nothing'. Ms. Hopkins also mentioned conc [4D [K concerns about transparency and value for money regarding pitch fees.
Rebecca Smith
Con
South West Devon
Rebecca Smith addressed planning issues at Devon Oak [3D [K Oaks Park where the owner mis-sold properties on varying tenancy lengths, i [1D [K impacting residents when planning conditions are breached. She also discuss [7D [K discussed the challenge of high LPG fuel costs for park home owners and req [3D [K requested support equivalent to that provided to households using oil.
Roger Gale
Con
Herne Bay and Sandwich
The speaker emphasized the need for fit and proper p [1D [K persons legislation to be properly implemented, argued that local authoriti [9D [K authorities lack expertise in enforcing park home licensing laws, and sugge [5D [K suggested that addressing the 10% commission issue would affect business mo [2D [K models negatively.
Samantha Niblett
Lab
South Derbyshire
Samantha Niblett echoed Jim Shannon's concerns regar [5D [K regarding the 10% exit fee for park home owners and emphasised the need for [3D [K for Government action to address this issue.
Sarah Owen
Con
St Albans
She agrees with the need for reforms and supports th [2D [K the lead MP's points about maintenance issues, enforcement gaps, and the la [2D [K lack of transparency in pitch fees.
Stuart Anderson
Con
South Shropshire
Mr. Anderson highlighted the issue of a 10% sales co [2D [K commission on park homes in South Shropshire, which he argued is discrimina [10D [K discriminatory and traps residents into their homes due to financial penalt [6D [K penalties upon resale. He cited specific examples from Hollins Park and Hig [3D [K Highley Park Homes where owners feel unable to move out without significant [11D [K significant financial loss. Mr. Anderson also noted that pitch fees add an [K additional burden on park home owners.
Government Response
Matthew Pennycook
Government Response
The minister outlined the current legislative frame [5D [K framework governing park home sites, including the Caravan Sites and Contro [6D [K Control of Development Act 1960 and the Mobile Homes Act 2013. He acknowled [9D [K acknowledged that despite substantial enforcement powers granted to local a [1D [K authorities, there are challenges in their application. The minister also a [1D [K addressed the ongoing call for evidence regarding the commission payment, a [1D [K aiming to understand its rationale and impact before making informed policy [6D [K policy decisions. He committed to publishing a summary of responses by summ [4D [K summer and outlining final positions by year-end.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.