When buying a park home, it can be tempting to place your trust in whoever speaks with the greatest confidence, whether that is the estate agent selling the home or a well-meaning individual offering advice in a Facebook group or online forum. Some may even suggest that buying a park home is no different from buying a car. In my view, that comparison is fundamentally misguided. Unlike purchasing a car, buying a residential park home involves a distinct statutory framework, contractual rights and obligations, site licensing requirements and potentially significant restrictions affecting how the home may be occupied, used and eventually sold.
Unless that person is a qualified lawyer, there are strict limits on what they can do for you. No matter how helpful they seem, they are not allowed to give you legal advice. Moreover, if you rely on the wrong advice, it could cost you dearly - sometimes thousands of pounds to put things right (if at all possible).
I have seen this time and again in my legal practice, which predominantly involves litigation. People often approach me only after problems have arisen, by which point resolving those difficulties can be considerably more complicated and costly than obtaining appropriate legal advice at the outset. Unfortunately, many of these disputes could have been avoided altogether.
What the Law Says About Estate Agents
Under the Legal Services Act 2007, certain work is reserved for qualified legal professionals, such as barristers, solicitors and legal executives.
Estate agents can: give you basic information, such as how to make an offer or when searches are usually done.
They cannot: explain your legal rights or check the meaning of terms in your agreement, for example.
Takeaway point: If you let an unqualified person handle these things, you could face serious legal or financial trouble later. For example, I've even seen cases where buyers ended up paying the seller's commission fee - something that should never have happened.
For agents, they could be opening themselves up to a claim against them, without even realising it!
Beware of Strangers Online Offering ‘Legal Advice’
In recent years, Facebook groups, online forums, and community pages for park home owners have exploded in popularity. These are a great way to exchange stories, recommend professionals (such as myself) and give practical advice.
While these spaces can be useful for sharing experiences, they also carry a serious risk: people offering what looks and sounds like legal advice - without having any legal qualifications at all.
Often, these individuals are well-meaning, but they may base their comments on personal opinion, outdated information, or their own experience, which may not apply to your situation.
If someone online has never trained in law, never handled a park home transaction professionally, and cannot be held accountable for the accuracy of their statements, you may be gambling with your future.
Takeaway point: You wouldn’t let just anyone carry out an operation on you — so why take chances with one of the biggest financial decisions of your life?
Why It Matters in Park Home Purchases?
Park home agreements are governed by various pieces of Legislation, which carry specific rights and protections. An estate agent or an unqualified stranger online, who is unfamiliar with these regulations might inadvertently mislead you, even with the best intentions.
I have seen cases where buyers relied on advice from Estate Agents or from strangers online and later discovered:
• They misunderstood their pitch agreement
• They were unaware of site rules or charges
• They had waived important rights without realising
By then, it’s usually too late to fix the problem, and they may have trouble when they or their family want to sell the park home.
The considered approach
Always get advice from qualified lawyer experienced in park home law before you sign anything or paying a deposit.
This isn’t just a box-ticking exercise - it’s your protection against costly mistakes that could affect your finances and your home life for years.
Note that a Tribunal said:
“It is for the purchasers of [Park] Homes through their legal representatives to check in advance of the sale such matters as the pitch fees having been paid up to date, ensuring that there are no breaches of the Written Agreement or Site Rules which may affect them when they take up occupation…”
Takeaway Point: Know the limits, protect your rights, and make sure you obtain independent legal advice for your purchase. It is that simple.
This article was first published on the Park Home Living Blog