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Park Home – Your Questions Answered

What you need to know when buying a park home to live in

Park homes

Helpful video guide to buying a park home, holiday caravan or lodge.

Watch our video that highlights some of the things to consider if you are thinking of buying a park home, holiday caravan or lodge.

Produced by the Holiday and Residential Parks Association (HARPA), it takes you through the legal differences between buying a park home or holiday caravan, and which agreement you should have in place in order to protect you.

 

The park home lifestyle

Many thousands of people across the UK enjoy the many lifestyle benefits of living in a park home on a residential park.

However, buying a new home is a big financial commitment. Laws exist to protect buyers, but you must get the right legal documents in place, or you risk losing your money as well as your home.

The information below is designed to help you understand your rights and responsibilities when buying a park home to live in.

If you want to buy a holiday caravan or lodge to use for holidays please click here. If you are unsure about the difference between the two you can find more information here.

What legal documents do I need to live in a park home?

Under the Mobile Homes Act 1983 anyone buying a park home to live in must be given a contract called a “Written Statement”. This gives you the right to live in your park home on a licensed residential park.

How do I know if it’s a licensed residential park, rather than a holiday park?

The easiest way to be 100% sure is to check the park’s site licence with the park’s local authority. Check the website of the local council the park is located in for more information or a number to call about caravan site licences. If you do not find a reference to caravan site licences, speak to the Site Licensing or Environmental Health department.

What’s the difference between a holiday park and a residential park?

Holiday parks and residential parks are completely different.

Holiday parks are designed and built for holiday and leisure purposes.

Residential parks are designed and managed for people to live on them.

A holiday park will often have a “reception” where customers can contact the park’s team, as well as communal facilities like toilet and shower blocks, bars, cafĂ©s, a shop, children’s play areas, and a swimming pool etc.

A residential park rarely has such facilities and tends to look and feel more like a community or village because they are designed for living in, not holidays.

What is a mixed park?

A small number of parks are ‘mixed parks’, meaning they are licensed for both holiday and residential use. Mixed parks will usually have designated, separate areas for holidaymakers and homeowners.

A park’s local authority will be able to confirm if a park has a mixed park site licence.

NOTE: If you’re buying a residential park home on a mixed park, make sure that the pitch your home is sited on has residential planning permission. Don’t buy what you think is a residential park home sited on a pitch with holiday caravan planning permission if you are going to live there.

What do I need to look out for when buying a park home?

Buying a home is a big financial commitment. It’s important you understand exactly what you are getting for you money and your rights and responsibilities as an owner.

Here are some things to look for:

  1. The caravan seller or park owner should provide you with a contract called a Written Statement and a separate document called the Park Rules. Together these will set out the terms and conditions including:

It’s very important you read and understand the information contained in your Written Statement and the Park Rules before you commit to your purchase, or part with any money.

  1. Different parks have different terms and conditions and you need to find one that is right for you.

If you are unsure about anything, take independent legal advice from a solicitor – it will save you money in the long run.

Don’t go ahead with the purchase of a park home until you have seen the Written Statement and Park Rules you have read and understood them and are happy with the terms and conditions.

  1. Residential Parks require a residential park site licence and planning permission for residential use.

You can check the park’s site license and planning permission by contacting your local authority – this information is often available online.

  1. Mixed parks

If you’re buying a park home on a mixed park, it’s particularly important you check that the pitch your home is sited on has residential planning permission. You must avoid buying what you think is a residential park home sited on a pitch with holiday caravan planning permission if you are going to live there. You can check this by contacting the park’s local authority.

  1. Check your park home is built for living in.

Holiday caravans and park homes are built to different standards and a park homes should be built to a special British standard known as BS3632. This means it is suitable to live in all year round. However, you still need to ensure the park has the correct site licence and planning permission in place and that your agreement with the park allows you to make it your home. You can check the park’s site licence by contacting the park’s local authority.

Is buying a park home a good investment?

Buying a park home is usually more affordable than buying a bricks and mortar property. However, it’s probably better to think of your purchase as ‘buying into a lifestyle’, rather than an ‘investment’.

This is because the resale value of a park home is never set in stone and is based on many factors including:

It is important to remember that if you or your family sell your park home in the future, the new buyers will be required to pay a commission fee to the park – the details of which can be found in your Written Statement.

The reason why so many thousands of people choose to live in a park home on a residential park is because it often enables them to free up some money from the sale of their family home, while relocating to a beautiful location, surrounded by a community of like-minded people, with all the health and lifestyle benefits that brings.

How much should I expect to pay for a park home?

Prices vary up and down the country and, like conventional properties, location is a key factor influencing the cost, along with the age and type of park home you choose.

Is it worth buying a second hand park home?

Many people buy second-hand park homes. Similar to buying any other home, we recommend buyers conduct their purchase with the support of a solicitor. Also, that they employ a surveyor to assess the condition of the home. For information on other things to consider when buying a second hand park home please read the next question.

What’s the difference between buying a park home from a park, or buying it from a private seller?

In both cases, you are paying for two things:

  1. The physical park home.
  2. The right for you to occupy the pitch on which your park home is sited, subject to certain conditions.

Park homes come under the Mobile Homes Act 1983, so whoever you buy it from, you must ensure that an agreement called a Written Statement is in place with the park owner to ensure your legal rights are protected.

When you buy from a private seller, a statutory sales procedure must be followed. You can read about this procedure here – Selling or gifting a park home – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Finally, if you buy from a park, you will be protected by the consumer rights which apply to a business sale. For example, the park home must be of satisfactory quality. If you buy from a private seller then you will not have the same rights unless both parties agree.

What’s included in the price of a park home?

The price will usually include all of the carpets, furnishings like beds and sofas, large kitchen appliances such as a fridge, oven and hob and other basic equipment like bathroom fixtures and fittings.

If you’re buying a brand-new park home, you may be offered other features such as upgraded central heating and decking. Get all of the details in writing to ensure there are no surprises once you get the keys.

What else should I budget for?

If you are buying a new park home that isn’t already located on a park, check if you’ll need to pay for it to be transported to the park from the factory, sited on the pitch, and “commissioned” (connected to the utilities such as water, electricity and sewerage). Other costs to consider will be the annual pitch fee (what you pay for the right to occupy your pitch on the park), bills for utilities such as water, gas and electricity, plus council tax and insurance. Again, make sure you get details of all of the relevant additional costs in writing to ensure there are no surprises later.

We would also recommend seeking independent legal advice.

Where is the best place to buy a park home?

That really depends on what you are looking for. Something close to family and friends or somewhere new you have always wanted to move to?

How can I tell if the park is right for me?

Visit several residential parks to get a feel for what they are like and maybe ask the park owner to introduce you to some homeowners for an informal chat.

Will the park be open all year round?

Yes, it is your home and you can live on a residential park all year round. Check with the park’s local authority that it has a residential site licence and the correct planning permission.

 

Holiday and Residential Parks Association (HARPA), Chichester House, 6 Pullman Court, Great Western Road, Gloucester GL1 3ND

June 2026