‘Overnight difference’
Natascha Engel, MP for North East Derbyshire, believed that the legislation had made an ‘overnight difference’ but she felt that the big issue was still the 10 per cent commission.
In response, Annette Brooke said that Sonia McColl who heads up the Park Home Owners’ Justice Campaign, had collected signatures from some 30,000 park home residents from 956 parks across the UK and that the petition will be presented to the Government in July. Mrs Brooke said that she accepted that site owners are entitled to a reasonable return on capital, but she did not know in detail the justification for particular levels of commission. Given the strength of feeling from park home residents, she felt it was right to put their views forward and to examine how their concerns about being over-charged for the level of service received might be addressed. She thought the answer might lie in more transparency and accountability. Those who had signed the petition are calling for a proper debate on the fairness of the commission payment – they argue that previous inquiries into the charge have been biased and heavily reliant on information provided by park operators, rather than home owners.
Let us know what you think about the issues raised here at. Email us: phhc.ed@kelsey.co.uk
To read more about this isue pick up the July 2014 issue of Park Homes and Holiday Caravan
For more advice subscribe to Park Homes and Holiday Caravan