Park (mobile) homes
Renting a park home
You have a rent contract if you pay rent to a landlord. It does not have to be in writing.
If you do not have a written contract
You should be able to stay for a year from the date you moved in even if you do not have anything in writing.
If you have a written contract
A written contract should say how long you can live in your home.
During this time your landlord can still ask you to leave if:
- your contract says they can ask you to leave with 4 weeks’ notice
- you break the rules (‘terms’) of your contract and it says the owner can ask you to leave as a result
When your contract ends
Your landlord can ask you to leave as long as they give you 4 weeks’ notice. If you do not leave the owner can ask the court for an ‘eviction order’ which forces you to leave.
If your landlord tries to evict you
If your landlord tries to evict you (force you to leave), you’ll have more rights to stay if you live on a ‘protected site’.
A protected site is a mobile home park which has planning permission to have residents living there throughout the year. A holiday park is not a protected site.
Your right to stay also depends on:
- what your rental contract says
- whether your home is counted as a ‘dwelling house’, which means you have rights from tenancy laws
To be a dwelling house your park home must be:
- your permanent residence – where you live most or all of the time
- connected to mains electricity or water
- unmovable or so large that it cannot be moved in one piece, for example you cannot drive it or tow it away yourself
Types of tenancy
The type of tenancy you have depends on the date you moved in and started paying rent. You will have:
- a regulated tenancy if you moved in and started paying rent before 15 January 1989
- an assured or assured shorthold tenancy if you moved in and started paying rent on or after 15 January 1989
Getting advice
Tenancy rights can be complicated and depend on your situation. You should get legal advice if you think your landlord is treating you unfairly.
You can also contact Citizens Advice, the Leasehold Advisory Service or charities such as Shelter or Age UK if you have questions.
Community Legal Advice helpline
0845 345 4 345
Leasehold Advisory Service
020 7832 2525
Shelter housing advice helpline
0808 800 4444
Age UK advice helpline
0800 169 6565