Mobile Homes

Lord Graham of Edmonton Excerpts

Wednesday 27th October 2010 Lords Chamber

Asked By

[Lord Graham of Edmonton]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that mobile home owners are able to sell their properties at the market rate.

[Lord Graham of Edmonton]

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper and in doing so declare an interest as the secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Mobile Homes.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Hanham)]

My Lords, the Mobile Homes Act 1983 makes statutory provision to enable mobile home owners to sell their homes subject to the buyer being approved by the site owner. Where approval is not forthcoming, the resident seller has a right to apply to the county court to seek its approval in the stead of the site owner.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Graham of Edmonton]

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for that reply, but I am sure that she has been told by her department of the case in Bromsgrove where the site owners harried vulnerable and distressed people to sell their homes cheaper than they were worth. Thanks to the good services of the Mercia police force, they were brought to court. They had deliberately burnt down two mobile homes. As a consequence, seven men were sent to prison for a total of 64 years. I realise that that is an extreme case, but will the Minister recognise that details of many other cases have been sent by me and others to the department, and it would be very nice if she could give me an assurance that resolution of this problem is high on her very busy agenda?

[Baroness Hanham]

My Lords, we are very well aware that there are some mobile home site owners who are not kind, efficient or businesslike. The matter referred to by the noble Lord, Lord Graham, is of course an extreme example of what is happening. Some site owners are making it extraordinarily difficult for mobile home owners to sell, by refusing permission or by making it very difficult for them. We are aware of this and will make efforts to do something about it.