Mobile home residents
Pitch development
You can develop your pitch, subject to getting full written consent from your site owner.
You will need to get formal planning permission for any structural development to ensure that you do not break site licence conditions.
Park management issues
Day-to-day management of parks lies with site licence holders. Medway Council will not discuss park management with residents. If you have any issue with the management of your park, you'll first need to bring this to the attention of the park owner for resolution.
Residents' associations
We welcome residents setting up a ‘qualifying residents' association' to represent home owners in the mobile home park where they live.
The site owner has a duty to consult with the association on any proposed changes to the operation and management of their site.
Mobile Homes Act 1983
If you own your mobile home and permanently live in it as your only residence you are protected by the Mobile Homes Act 1983. This act gives you the right to have a written agreement which sets out both the site owner's and your responsibilities in respect of the occupation of your home. The agreement should contain the name and address of the site owner, a description of the pitch to which the agreement relates together with 'implied' and 'express' terms.
Express terms vary from park to park and will cover:
- pitch fees
- service charges
- maintenance responsibilities for the site and mobile homes.
Fire kills: protect your caravan or mobile home
Kent Fire and Rescue Service, on behalf of the Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority, is the enforcing authority, under Article 25 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 legislation.
They state:
"It is the duty of the 'responsible person' to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons are exposed, for the purpose of identifying the general fire precautions needed to comply with the requirements of the above legislation. A competent person should carry out the risk assessment. Where any doubt exists, or the assessment identifies areas for concern, it may be appropriate to employ the services of a suitably qualified consultant."
The significant findings of the risk assessment must be recorded if:
- 5 or more people are employed
- a licence under an enactment is in force, or
- an alterations notice requiring this is in force.
To remain valid, the risk assessment will need to be regularly reviewed and revised.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) safe storage and use
LPG is a convenient source of fuel for cooking and heating. You should follow the LPG safety guidance to stay safe.
Useful links
View the British Park Homes and Park Homes Association park homes frequently asked questions.
Download the Age UK park homes factsheet.