After nearly four years of discussion and consultation the Scottish Government are due to bring forward a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) this autumn which will fundamentally change the relationship between park home residents and site owners.
Mike Larkman and Jim Haluch will attend what probably will be the final meeting of the Government’s consultation group in early August where the final draft of the SSI is expected to be unveiled. The changes will affect the Written Agreement between owners and residents and are expected to be far reaching.
If the Scottish Government follows the lead of the UK Parliamentary Select Committee‘s recommendations, park owners will no longer have any say in the sale of park homes on their site. The matter of commission is still unclear but a strong lobby has been mounted for its abolition in Scotland. Other matters which will be reinforced are the automatic recognition of and a requirement to consult residents associations, inclusion of sewage charges in pitch fees and a provision to reduce pitch fees where proper maintenance is not carried out.
The Scottish Government has also brought forward a strong consultation on the licensing of park homes for inclusion in a Housing Bill shortly coming to Parliament. This consultation and your part in it, is dealt with in Tthe next news item.
31 July 2012
NEW LEGISLATION DRAWS NEARER
