Residential mobile home site licensing: information for residents

Introduction

This leaflet makes permanent mobile home residents in Scotland aware of the recent changes to the licensing of Residential Mobile Home (Park Home) sites. The changes to the law place new duties on the site owner and the local authority, who assess new site licence applications and issue site licences.

The new system provides local authorities with a range of new powers to ensure the site you live on meets modern standards and protects residents' rights while enabling businesses to continue to remain viable.

No action is needed by residents. This leaflet is provided to make you aware of these changes.

The new licensing system:

• introduces a 5-year licence period (the previous system allowed a licence to last indefinitely);
• gives local authorities a range of powers to help them effectively issue, manage, and revoke site licences;
• introduces a requirement that a site licence holder (and anyone directly managing a site) is a fit and proper person;
• creates an effective process for site owners and site licence applicants to appeal against decisions by the local authority.

Anyone operating a site without a permanent residential mobile home site licence can be fined up to £50,000.

The new licensing regime started on 1 May 2017. From that day onwards any new site owner or a person managing a site on their behalf, requires a licence under the new scheme using the new regulations. The law provides a 2-year transition period, which means existing licence holders must have applied for a new licence by 30th April 2019. This is a new application process, so site owners are urged to make early contact with the local authority site licensing team in the local authority area their site is located. The mobile home site licensing teams usually sit within the local authority's Environmental Health Department (see FAQ number 6).

The Scottish Government is working closely with local authorities to raise awareness about the new system. We have also published guidance for local authorities and further information for residents and site owners on our website: /policies/homeowners/mobile-homes/