Legislation needs to be strengthened to protect vulnerable Park Home owners - Kirsty Williams

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 20th Oct 2009

Speaking ahead of today's debate on Park Homes, Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats will call on the Welsh Government to strengthen the legislation to ensure that park home owners, particularly vulnerable older people, are not taken advantage of by park owners.

Kirsty Williams has been lobbying the Welsh government since before 2005 to increase the rights of park home owners all across Wales and will today urge the Welsh government to ensure that park owners meet 'a fit and proper person' criteria to protect park home owners from unscrupulous park owners and call for the establishment of a tribunal mechanism for dealing with disputes between home owner and site owners without going to the courts.

Kirsty said:

"While clearly not all park owners are rogue and unscrupulous, there is a continuous stream of worrying complaints from park home residents against some of the unreasonable conditions placed upon them by owners, particularly when trying to sell their homes. This is worrying as many of those living in park homes are financially vulnerable and elderly, who have put their life savings into their park home.

"There are many park home owners currently in Wales and their rights and livelihoods need to be taken into account but currently the protection is heavily weighted in favour of the park owners and away from the residents. Homeowners have the appropriate rights so why shouldn't park home owners have the same?

"We are slowly moving towards improved rights for park home residents but further action is still needed on issues such as dispute resolution, to ensure that the numbers of vulnerable and elderly residents currently taken advantage of by rogue park home owners have greater legal political protection."

END

Item 8: Debate on Park Homes (60 mins) [Park home is the preferred name for a residential mobile home]

NDM4302 Carwyn Jones (Bridgend)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises that Park Homes provide a valuable contribution to meeting housing need in Wales; and

2. Agrees the importance of effective management and licensing for both residents and site operators.

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Alun Cairns (South Wales West)

Add new point at end of motion:

Calls upon the Welsh Assembly Government to consider bringing forward proposals, including legislation where appropriate, to secure improvements in the effective management and licencing of caravan parks.

Amendment 2 - Alun Cairns (South Wales West)

Add new point at end of motion:

Recognises that some similarities exist between Park Home accommodation and that provided by caravan holiday home parks.

Amendment 3 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls for the Welsh Assembly Government to find ways of ensuring that site owners meet 'fit and proper person' criteria.

Amendment 4 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Recognises the important role that tenants' associations can play in representing home owners' and tenants' views to site owners.

Amendment 5 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls for the establishment of a tribunals mechanism for dealing with disputes between home owners and site owners which does not require use of the courts.