Buying and Selling a Park Home: What the Law Actually Says

Park homes are a genuine specialism — and one many firms quietly avoid. The legal framework is different from an ordinary house purchase: you're not buying land, you're buying the home itself plus the right to keep it on a pitch under a site agreement. Getting that agreement right is where the real work lies.

The Legal Framework: The Mobile Homes Act 1983

Residential park homes on protected sites in England and Wales are governed by the Mobile Homes Act 1983 (as amended by the 2013 Act). The centrepiece is the written statement — the document that sets out your agreement with the site owner, including the pitch fee, the park rules, what the utilities arrangements are, and the implied terms the law guarantees (such as security of tenure and the right to sell).

Reviewing that written statement carefully is the single most important part of a park home purchase.

The Pitch Fee

You pay the site owner a pitch fee for the right to keep your home on its pitch. It can only be reviewed once a year, and the site owner has to serve a prescribed notice and review form at least 28 days before the review date. If you don't agree with a proposed increase, either side can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) — and the existing fee stays in place until the Tribunal decides.

The 10% Commission

When a park home is sold, the site owner is entitled to a commission of up to 10% of the sale price. In practice the buyer pays the seller 90% and holds back 10% to pay the site owner. (The commission doesn't apply when you buy a new or second-hand home directly from the site owner.) A Government review of the 10% charge was under way through early 2026, but the rule remains in force.

Selling: How the Assignment Works

For agreements that began on or after 6 May 2013, a seller can assign the site agreement to a buyer without needing the site owner's consent. In outline:

• The seller gives the buyer the written statement, the park rules and the charges information.
• Buyer and seller sign the assignment form to transfer the pitch agreement.
• The buyer sends a notice of assignment to the site owner within 7 days, and pays the 10% commission within 7 days of getting the site owner's bank details.

For older agreements (before 6 May 2013), the site owner must approve the buyer and can only refuse on reasonable grounds — so the start date in the written statement matters.

How Bonsai Law Can Help

Park home transactions turn on documents most people never see in an ordinary house sale — the written statement, the park rules, the assignment. We handle them properly, explain the pitch fee and commission position clearly, and make sure your right to sell and security of tenure are protected. If you're buying or selling a park home, get in touch — it's an area we know well.