Residential Mobile Homes in Scotland

Executive Summary

Introduction

1 The Scottish Government commissioned this research to provide an up-to-date picture on the use of mobile homes as dwellings in Scotland. This research examines the nature of the mobile home sector in Scotland, and aims to inform how policy can be shaped in the future.

Context

2 There were two main groups of mobile homes in Scotland that needed to be considered by the research. The first concerned residents who lived in park homes on licensed sites, who were covered by a number of different Acts. Secondly, a characteristic of mobile home living in Scotland was the number of people who live in individual caravans and mobile homes on unlicensed sites, or sites that were exempt from licensing. There was a concern that these latter residents, especially those who rent their homes, had very limited protection under the law with regard to security of tenure and the condition of their homes. The report used the term 'park home' to describe mobile homes on licensed sites. Isolated units, not located on licensed sites, were described as 'individual mobile homes'. The universal term 'mobile homes' was used to describe all mobile homes in Scotland.

3 The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 amends a number of sections of the Mobile Homes Act 1983. The intention of the new Act is to extend the protection for people who occupy a mobile home and let a stance from a site operator. The Scottish Government (2006a) noted that the previous legislation could leave some mobile home owners in a vulnerable position, so the Act aims to rebalance the rights of mobile home and site owners on issues around tenancy conditions, security of occupation, and the selling of mobile homes.

Aims and Objectives

4 The aims of the research were to:

• Identify the number, location and composition (including number of units, tenure and service provision) of licensed mobile homes sites throughout Scotland;
• Where possible, identify unlicensed sites and quantify the extent of isolated single units, which may be exempt from licensing;
• Explore the reasons why people are living in mobile homes and their length of residence, looking at factors that have led them into the sector, their previous housing history and their aspirations for the future, particularly their ability to access affordable housing;
• Explore the nature and extent of any issues and problems experienced by residents of mobile homes in connection with their occupation and use of the home;
• Consider the extent to which any problems identified are addressed by the existing and recently implemented legislation.

Methods

5 Three sources of data were used to derive an estimate of the number and location of residential mobile homes in Scotland, including an analysis of 2001 Census data, a postal survey of local authorities requesting information on caravans/mobile homes in their area (see Appendix one for a copy of the survey), and finally, data on the location of sites and numbers of pitches were identified from directories and websites.

6 A case study approach was used to investigate the incidence of individual mobile homes. Localities within the three case study authorities of Argyll and Bute, Highland and Midlothian were identified, and a more detailed investigation of these areas was conducted. Three sources of data were used to quantify the number of individual mobile homes within these localities, including the 2001 Census, the Valuation Roll and information drawn from local informants within the case study areas.

7 Semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with fifty residents of mobile homes. These interviews included forty residents living in park homes on licensed park home sites, and also ten residents of individual mobile homes, outwith licensed sites. The research aimed to draw upon the views and experiences of a wide range of residents of mobile homes. In relation to park homes on licensed sites, respondents included people who lived on sites listed in the Residential Home Parks Directory, issued by the British Holiday and Home Parks Association. Respondents were also drawn from members of the National Association of Park Home Residents. The latter respondents were perhaps more likely to have experienced some difficulty with their park home or site owner. The fifty residents included in this research cannot be taken as a representative sample of all mobile home residents in Scotland. Instead, the qualitative analysis allows the experiences and views of the respondents to illustrate a range of issues about living in mobile homes.

Findings

The number of residential mobile homes in Scotland

8 The local authority survey identified a total of 4,121 residential mobile homes. This total included sites licensed for residential use, residential units on mixed sites with holiday pitches as well, individual residential mobile homes used by staff on sites licensed for holiday use, and an estimate of individual units within authorities. However, it should be noted that few respondents to the local authority survey felt in a position to estimate the number of single units within their areas. Therefore, the total of 4,121 represents an underestimate of the total number of residential mobile homes in Scotland.

9 The tenure profile of mobile homes in Scotland was quite distinctive compared with England and Wales. A far greater proportion of residents rented caravans, mobile homes and other temporary structures from private landlords in Scotland compared with other countries within the United Kingdom. Thirty four per cent of mobile home residents in Scotland rented a caravan, mobile home or other temporary structure from a private landlord compared with 18 per cent in England and Wales. A proportion of these tenants lived on licensed sites, but many were also living in individual units, including accommodation that was tied with employment or provided for seasonal workers.

10 Future demographic trends in Scotland potentially suggest a growing demand for park home living. Given the popularity of park homes amongst older people, it would seem reasonable to infer an increased demand for this type of accommodation.

11 The 2001 Census showed that caravans, mobile homes and other temporary structures were playing a particular role in the housing system in terms of providing accommodation for older people, and also for people with a long term limiting illness. Thus, mobile homes were a more important form of accommodation for potentially vulnerable households than the general population. However, the conclusions need to be mindful of making any inferences about cause and effect with respect to illness and mobile home occupation. It was not possible to arrive at a firm conclusion in this research about the health implications of different sub-sectors of mobile home living, and further work would be necessary to update the findings of previous studies.

Individual residential mobile homes on unlicensed sites

12 The individual mobile homes not located on licensed sites were playing very diverse roles, with some respondents noting that living in a mobile home was a temporary measure, either whilst they built their bricks and mortar homes, or whilst they looked for other accommodation. For other respondents, living in a mobile home was viewed as a permanent, and more than satisfactory, solution to their housing needs. However, an underlying theme running through these interviews was the lack of an alternative affordable solution to housing needs in the remote and rural areas where these people lived. The number of households living in individual units in remote and rural areas is likely to be strongly indicative of stress in the housing market of these areas and a strong argument for not only the targeted development of permanent affordable housing, but also more flexible solutions to meeting the housing needs of these areas. In particular, there is an urgent need to focus attention on locations where enforcement notices may be served to remove mobile homes.

Residents' views on living in mobile homes

13 The majority of respondents were very satisfied with living in mobile homes, although this feeling was not universal. Positive aspects of living in mobile homes included:

• More affordable accommodation, not just in terms of buying a home, but also maintenance, running costs and less housework
• An opportunity to live in very attractive locations that would otherwise be unaffordable
• Living in a neighbourhood with like minded individuals, often with a strong sense of community
• A safe environment, mostly free from anti-social behaviour
• Accommodation that was accessible and readily adapted to suit a resident's needs.

Negative factors associated with mobile homes included:

• Vulnerability to bad weather
• Expensiveness to heat
• Living in caravans that were not intended for permanent residential occupation
• Living in park homes could be affected by poor relations with the park owner.

14 The 2001 Census revealed that people who live in caravans, mobile homes and other temporary structures were far less likely than the general population to have central heating. Further, the research showed that fuel poverty was a very significant issue for some residents. Nineteen respondents (out of a total of fifty) stated that they were paying ten per cent or more of their incomes on fuel. This problem was exacerbated by the severe adverse weather that could affect some localities in Scotland where residents were either living in park homes or in individual units.

Renting mobile homes

15 The research identified a number of issues with regard to people who rent their homes from private landlords. One factor was the availability of adequate heating: mobile homes rented from private landlords tended to have low levels of central heating compared with the general population, or compared with people who owned their mobile homes. Another factor was a low level of awareness of the legislation available with regard to security of tenure. However, other commentators have highlighted that there may be a question mark over the security of tenure available to some people living in mobile homes, depending on whether or not their home can be defined as a dwelling (Shelter, 2005). This latter issue is perhaps more likely to affect people living in caravans not intended for residential occupation, compared with park homes located on licensed sites. One further issue was related to mobile homes occupied by seasonal workers. It is difficult for local authorities to monitor standards of accommodation since these forms of mobile home are exempt from licensing under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, but are also not included as part of landlord registration.

16 The situation with regard to people who rent their mobile homes from private landlords - especially those who live outwith licensed park home sites - requires some clarification, as there is the danger that this group may fall between two stools with regard to protection under the current legislation in Scotland. The root of this issue appears to be how this group of people are viewed in policy terms: tenants who rent mobile homes from private landlords do not appear to be covered by recent developments in the rest of the privately rented sector in Scotland. However, neither does this group of tenants benefit from the recent changes in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 with regard to mobile homes either (or from the Mobile Homes Act 1983).

Living in park homes on licensed sites

17 Although it was evident that most respondents were satisfied with their site and the way in which it was managed, there were strong concerns about the management of a small number of sites across Scotland. These difficulties included:

• Site owners and/or managers requiring homes to be sold through them, or blocking sales altogether
• Damage to personal property
• Allegations of harassment, intimidation and threatening behaviour
• Increases in pitch fees at an unacceptable level
• Inadequate supply of electricity to park homes
• Poor maintenance of sites
• Claiming over the legally permitted rate of commission on the sale of park homes.

18 Whilst it is important to have the necessary legislation in place to ensure adequate protection for park home residents on licensed sites, one of the themes running through the interviews with a number of respondents to the research was that enforcement was the key. The potentially vulnerable nature of a high proportion of people who live in the mobile home sector means that there is a greater onus on statutory agencies to ensure that the intended outcomes of legislation are both monitored and enforced. Therefore, an important area for future attention might be an evaluation of the means that are currently available to enforce the legislation pertaining to park homes, including an assessment of the need for stronger penalties to deter unscrupulous behaviour by a small number of site owners.

19 The evidence from the interviews with park home residents suggested a degree of turnover within the sector- with a number of respondents stating that they intended to move. A number of respondents who had been seeking to move identified specific difficulties that they had experienced in relation to the commission rate, such as being asked to pay more than the legally permitted 10 per cent commission rate

20 There were allegations of mis-selling on a couple of parks, where households were under the impression that they could occupy their home all year round, when in fact they were moving onto a pitch with a license for holiday use only. Households seeking to acquire a mobile home to live in for part of the year, or permanently, need to be aware of the potential pitfalls involved in the occupation of holiday pitches, to try and reduce the possibility of misunderstandings between residents, park owners and local authorities. However, households also need to be alert to the potential for actions by unscrupulous park owners.

21 Finally, there remains a suspicion that without the necessary enforcement available to back current legislation, the small number of unscrupulous park home owners identified in this research may well feel able to evade their responsibilities with relative impunity, continuing to taint a sector that is otherwise performing a valuable role in helping to meet housing needs in Scotland.