Mobile Homes

Lord McKenzie of Luton Excerpts

Wednesday 27th October 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hanham]

My Lords, I agree entirely with my noble friend that mobile homes are largely occupied by elderly people. These homes do not have a huge initial capital value but, by the time their owners come to sell them, they are probably the only asset that they have. It is the Government’s intention to amend the Mobile Homes Act 1983 to change the appeal procedure by tenants or residents from the county court, which is expensive and slow, to the residential property tribunal, which is cheap. In fact, I do not think that it costs anything and it can be very quick and easy to use. It is absolutely essential that these owners, who are very vulnerable, have the speediest possible access to the law.

[Lord McKenzie of Luton]

My Lords, in view of the very serious examples raised by my noble friend Lord Graham, will the Minister also now commit to taking forward proposals which were under way but not completed by the previous Government to strengthen local authority licensing powers to encompass, in particular, a fit-and-proper-person regime for site operators?

[Baroness Hanham]

My Lords, I am aware that there was quite a lot of legislation for mobile homes which was ready to go at the last election. As I said, we are committed under a statutory instrument, which is now waiting to come to the House, to make some changes to the law to ensure better regulation.