Barrister and mediator Ibraheem Dulmeer, of Park Homes Law – www.parkhomeslaw.com – tackles some important questions relating to pitch fees on residential parks…

Q: What is the pitch fee?
Ibraheem says: A ‘pitch fee’ (sometimes called a ground rent), is a charge levied by a site owner and required to be paid by a park home resident. The pitch fee provides the right for a park home resident to station their park home on the pitch, located on the park site.

Q: How are pitch fees determined?
Ibraheem says: The starting ‘pitch fee’ is usually detailed in your written statement. Each park home site will have individual pitch fees specific to their site and/or individual park home pitch. There are no set parameters for pitch fees to be set, resulting in costs varying from site to site, and even differing within sites between neighbours.

The written statement is the contract between the site owner and park home resident. The written statement will also provide information on when the pitch fee will be payable (e.g. weekly or monthly) and when the pitch fee will be reviewed (e.g. January each year).

Q: Are utility charges included within pitch fees?
Ibraheem says: The pitch fee can include utility charges, but only if it is explicitly stated within the written statement.

If you are unclear after having carefully reviewed the terms of the written statement, it is advisable to seek specialist legal advice to clarify your position.

Ibraheem has been involved in cases where the written statement is not entirely clear, so it is important to clarify matters at the outset.

Q: What is a pitch fee review?
Ibraheem says: The pitch fee can be changed under a review process.

Q: How does the pitch fee review take place?
Ibraheem says: Guidelines are in place for the site owner to follow to conduct a review and to propose changes to the pitch fee. It is important to be aware that changes can only take place if the following terms are satisfied:
1. Generally, the site owner must give you 28 days’ notice in writing.
2. The site owner has served notice, informing park home residents of the change. This is commonly referred to as the pitch fee review notice; and,
3. The site owner simultaneously serves a pitch fee review form to all residents.

Q: How often can a pitch fee review take place?
Ibraheem says: A pitch fee can be reviewed or changed annually on, or after, the date stated for the previous review in the written statement. This means it cannot take place more than once a year.|

 

If you are unsure about your legal position in any park home matter, please get in touch and obtain specific legal advice. Ibraheem Dulmeer is a barrister and mediator at Normanton Chambers, 218 Strand, London, WC2R 1AT. 

Ibraheem may accept instructions directly without requiring a solicitor, as a public access barrister on any park home matter. This means you may instruct him directly.

For a free quote, he can be contacted by telephone on:
07939 259 924 by email at
info@ibraheemdulmeer.com

You can also contact him using his website: www.parkhomeslaw.com

The information provided in this article serves as useful guidance. Please note that this is not intended to be comprehensive and should not be relied on in substitution for specific legal advice. If in doubt, you could seek specific advice from Ibraheem Dulmeer. This material should not be replicated without the author’s consent. Ibraheem Dulmeer © 2023

Read the full article in the February 2023 issue of Park Home & Holiday Living