10% Petition Page

UPDATE 10% CHARGE

Monday 28th May 2018

The Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

HAS SENT THIS EMAIL TO THE PRIME MINISTER. HOUSING MINISTER. EVERY MP AND DCLG

Dear Member of Parliament

Please do not ignore the email below. It is of the utmost importance to thousands of Park Home Owners who need you to act now and demand that Westminster is not left again in the wake of the Welsh Government.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Westminster and a variety of Housing Ministers have ignored the 10% Commission Charge for too long. Please assert your position as a Member of Parliament and demand that park home owners in England are treated fairly and NOT THE SUBJECT OF UNJUST DISCRIMINATION.

WELSH HOUSING MINISTER DECLARES

PHASED REDUCTION TO

PARK HOMES 10% COMMISSION CHARGE

WHY DOES WESTMINSTER CONTINUE TO IGNORE

ENGLISH CAMPAIGNERS

AND THE WILL OF MPs as quoted in HANSARD

(park homes debate 30th October 2014)

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this House calls on the Government to set up a review of the current fee of up to 10 per cent of the sale price of a park home payable to the park home site owner.

….…………………………..

WRITTEN STATEMENT

BY

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT

TITLE

Publication of Summary of Responses to Consultation: The Park Home Commission Rate

DATE

24 May 2018

BY

Rebecca Evans AM, Minister for Housing and Regeneration

I am pleased to announce the publication of the summary of responses to the consultation on the commission rate payable on the sale of a park home. I have also published the independent review of financial information from site owners.

There is a clear and consistent divide between the views of residents and park owners, with most residents supporting the reduction or abolition of the commission paid, whilst all site owners wish to see it retained at the current maximum rate of 10%.

The summary outlines the next steps following this extensive exercise. Following consideration of the views and evidence presented, I am setting out my intention to begin a phased reduction of the commission rate over a period of time.

I also intend to take forward a range of proposals designed to support good management in the sector and to ensure that those buying and selling park homes have access to clear, consistent information to support their decision making.

I will make an oral statement in due course.

The summary of responses and financial review are available here: https://beta.gov.wales/park-homes-commission-rate

…………………………….

Over the last five years supporters of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign have worked tirelessly, attended rallies in London, delivered petitions to Downing Street, had meetings with MPs (many of whom have been in complete agreement that a change is needed to the 10% Commission Charge that is paid to the site owner when a home is sold,) written countless letters to Ministers and MPs BUT STILL FIND THEMSELVES TRAPPED IN THEIR HOMES.

WHY? Because after giving the site owner 10% of their equity from the sale of their home they can only afford something inferior to what they already have and if they need to sell to go into CARE the loss of 10% of their equity seriously curtails the amount and quality of care they can afford.

As said earlier; enough is enough. The outcome of the Review of the Mobile Homes Act (which has intentionally left out the 10% Commission Charge is promised for the Autumn. Your action to demand the Independent Review of the 10% Commission Charge is needed now because this subject WILL NOT GO AWAY.

Yours Sincerely

Sonia McColl OBE

Founder of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign and Park-HELP-Line

www.parkhomeownersjusticecampaign.co.uk

Tuesday 13th February 2018

UPDATE ON THE 10% COMMISSION CHARGE

Your submissions for PART 2 of the Consultation Review must be in by

16th February 2018

THE EMAIL BELOW

RELATES TO THE ANECDOTAL STATISTICS OF SITE OWNERS REVENUE IN REGARD TO THE 10% COMMISSION CHARGE.

To keep all members of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign informed

Please find below, copy of an email I have sent to the Prime Minister, Minister Dominic Raab, DCLG, Lord Best, Sir Peter Bottomley and others who hold privilege

Due to the nature of the anecdotal statistics of site owner's revenue in regard to the 10% Commission Charge; only those with parliamentary privilege can receive them. The statistics name the site owners and their parks and under no circumstances can they be published in the public domain.

They have been compiled from information received from Park Home Owners in England. Their objective is to dispel the myth that site owners need the 10% Commission Charge to sustain their businesses.

Many residents have written to the consultation regarding the need for the 10% Commission Charge to be addressed in the coming review.

The sole purpose of these statistics is to add weight to the pending Consultation Review of the Mobile Homes Act 2013 and bring about the Independent and Transparent Review (with sight of the site owners accounting) that the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign has called for; notwithstanding the ignored will of MPs who unanimously called for it in their debate of the 30th October 2014. They may not be used for any other purpose. I have had many requests for copies of our anecdotal statistics but I hope you will understand that I am unable to oblige.

Therefore, the statistics that we have produced were sent to all Westminster MPs yesterday but have been removed from this email.

Sonia

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Dear Minister

Please find below an email with anecdotal statistics that has been sent to all MPs and my apology if you have received it twice.

I sincerely hope and respectfully ask that you will find time in your busy schedule to look at the information supplied; information that I have also included in my submission from the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign to Part 2 of the Consultation Review of the Mobile Homes Act 2013 (as amended.)

Yours Sincerely

Sonia McColl

Sonia McColl OBE

Founder of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign and Park-HELP-Line

www.parkhomeownersjusticecampaign.co.uk

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THE LETTER BELOW HAS BEEN SENT TO ALL MPs

PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THIS EMAIL. IT IS NOT SPAM OR JUNK MAIL, BUT AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT THAT COMES FROM:

The Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

It includes important anecdotal information in response to the pending REVIEW OF THE MOBILE HOMES ACT 2013 (as amended) where submissions end on the 16th February 2018.

Dear Member of Parliament

Thank you for taking the time to read this email. May I respectfully ask you to please look over and act upon the attached anecdotal statistics that give insight into the Site Owners financial income in relation to the 10% Commission Charge that Residents have to pay from the sale of their park homes.

Site Owners consider this charge to be an essential income stream for their businesses; however, it effectively traps Residents in their homes because after parting with 10% of their equity they can only purchase something inferior to what they already have. It seriously curtails the quality of care that can be afford if the resident needs to sell to move into care and takes no account what-so-ever of monies spent on the home and improvements to it. In addition, it includes the profit that the Site Owner made at the time of the original sale and effectively gives the Site Owner 10% interest on his own profit every time the home is sold - and the list goes on.

Many of you will have Park Home Sites in your constituency and the information to form these anecdotal statistics has been gathered from Park Home Residents in England - many of whom fear retribution.

Copies are being sent to all MPs and have already been sent to various Ministers and all Members of the APPG for Park Homes. Therefore please accept my apology if you are receiving this twice.

Yours Sincerely

Sonia McColl

Sonia McColl OBE

Founder of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign and Park-HELP-Line.

www.parkhomeownersjusticecampaign.co.uk

Saturday 20th January 2018

10% Commission, RPI to CPI

and Part 2 of Consultation Review

Dear Justice Campaign Member

As promise, here is hopefully a little help for those who have contacted me and are unsure of what to write in Park 2 of the consultation review.

10% Commission Charge

This email contains important information if you wish to see a change in the 10% commission charge.  This information has not been made easily available to residents, but you will see below that the 10% Commission will be considered when reviewing the responses to the consultation.  Therefore if you want a separate consultation on the 10% Commission Charge it is important that you make reference to it – or – if you have already sent in your submission, that you send in a separate letter calling for a review of the commission charge.    A sample letter that you may wish to use is laid out at the bottom of this email.

I have also received many calls concerning Part 2 of the consultation from residents who are finding it a little hard to answer all the questions.  That is perfectly understandable as many questions would be impossible for residents to answer and could only be answered by Local Authorities or residents who have been directly involved with a local authority over certain situations and can voice an opinion.

If it will help you, I have listed the questions below that would probably be impossible for a resident to answer who has not been involved with their local authority.   They are:  Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, Q6, Q7, Q8,  (These are local authority questions)  If you have not been directly involved with a local authority may I suggest that you answer each with (I have no information to answer this question.)

Section B contractual Arrangements in Sale of Mobile Homes.

If you have bought or sold a home you may be able to answer  Q9, Q10, Q ll.

If you have gifted or been gifted a home you may be able to answer Q12.

Questions Q 13, Q14, Q 15, Q 16, Q 17, Q18 are questions that you might have an answer to, but if not simply state (unable to answer that question.)

Q 19 regarding RPI to CPI is an important question to answer.  This is the only opportunity

          you will get to have your pitch fee review reduced from  RPI to CPI.

You may wish to tell them that:

1.      The majority of parks only accept retired residents, and most are of pensionable age.

2.      The state pension rises by CPI.  Therefore, residents disposable income reduces and many struggle.

3.      It is grossly unfair and discriminatory that park home residents in Wales enjoy a CPI increase to their pitch fee whilst residents in England are forced to use the RPI index.

Q 20   Site owners will certainly say that their business will be affected.  Keeping RPI is not

            sustainable for pensioners living on a static and reducing income.  If no change is made the

            industry will suffer as less people will wish to buy into it and residents will look to the state to

            meet pitch fees.

Section C  Fit and Proper Person Control.

You will all have your own thoughts on this section.

Q 26, Q27, Q 29, Q30 could be questions for which you have no answer.

10% Commission Charge.

You will be aware that as members of our Justice Campaign, together we have rallied for an Independent and Transparent Review of the 10% Commission Charge with sight of the site owners audited accounts.]

Following our Rally in 2014, MPs debated the need for an Independent Review on the 30^th October 2014.  The result of that debate and the unanimous will of the MPs was as quoted in HANSARD. Question put and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this House calls on the Government to set up a review of the current fee of up to 10 per cent of the sale price of a park home payable to the park home site owner.

The will of MPs was ignored and after the subject was brought up at an APPG meeting on Wednesday 13^th September 2017.  It was quoted in the minutes that:

The Chairman asked when the APPG would know whether the Minister would take on board a further review of commission. Mr Skeoch said that this was not in the scope of Part 2 of the review of the Mobile Homes Act 2013, but Ministers were aware that there was a call for a review of commission and that would be considered when reviewing the responses. If there was anything to be done on commission, there would be a separate consultation.

Whilst this statement has not been hidden it has also not been widely publicised and I am sure they are hoping that as no opportunity has been given in Part 2 of the consultation to speak about the 10% commission, residents will not raise it and the problem of the will of MPs being ignored as quoted in Hansard will go away.  Clearly, if you want the Independent and Transparent Review that we have been campaigning for, it is down to residents to make a separate additional submission to Part 2 of the review.  If you have already sent your review, please send another separate submission on the 10% commission charge to the address at the bottom of this email:

This will be your last chance to raise the 10% and a sample letter that you may wish to use is laid out below.

Your Name and address.

Date

Re: Additional submission to Part 2 of the Consultation Review.

Call for a review of the 10% Commission Charge

At the Sale of Park Homes debate on 30^th October 2014; MPs debating the need for an Independent and Transparent Review of the 10% Commission Charge unanimously voted as shown in the exert from HANSARD below

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this House calls on the Government to set up a review of the current fee of up to 10 per cent of the sale price of a park home payable to the park home site owner.

At the APPG meeting on Wednesday 13^th September 2017.  It was quoted in the minutes that:

“The Chairman asked when the APPG would know whether the Minister would take on board a further review of commission. Mr Skeoch said that this was not in the scope of Part 2 of the review of the Mobile Homes Act 2013, but Ministers were aware that there was a call for a review of commission and that would be considered when reviewing the responses. If there was anything to be done on commission, there would be a separate consultation. “

As a Park Home Resident, when you review the responses to Part 2 of the review of the Mobile Homes Act 2013; I now make it known to you that I want Government to honour the will of MPs at the 30^th October 2014 debate and to set up an Independent and transparent review (that includes sight of site owners accounting) of the current fee of up to 10 per cent of the sale price of a park home payable to the park home site owner.  I understand that the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign has sent anecdotal evidence of the site owners income to Ministers and that copies will be sent to every MP.  As Mr. Skeoch has said this will be considered when reviewing the responses; I inform you that I want the call for a review of the 10% commission to be considered when reviewing the responses; this to be followed by a separate consultation.

Yours Sincerely.

I hope this is helpful to those who have asked for help - and if you all agree may I ask you to please send the letter before the 16^th February 2018 to:

Park Homes Team,

Better Rented & Leasehold Sector Division,

DCLG, 3rd Floor (NE), Fry Building,

2 Marsham Street,

London SW1P 4DF

Tuesday 24th October 2017

10% Commission charge

THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS WHO QUESTIONED THE BH & HPA

AS THE SECRETARIAT OF THE APPG FOR PARK HOMES.

THE DRAFT MINUTES OF THE MEETING ARE LISTED BELOW

WITH A LIST OF THE MPs WHO HAVE REGISTERED THEIR INTEREST.

AND AS YOU WILL SEE YOUR SUPPORT OF THE 10% ISSUE

HAS MADE SURE THIS COMMISSION CHARGE HAS NOT BEEN

PUSHED UNDER THE CARPET

THE CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE TO RESIDENTS IS:

DO NOT GIVE UP.

AND OF COURSE WE WILL CONTINUE THE FIGHT.

DRAFT

ALL-PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP ON PARK HOMES

The minutes of the inaugural meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Park Homes which took place in Room U, Portcullis House, Westminster on Wednesday 13 September 2017, commencing 9.30am.

PRESENT: Christopher Chope OBE, MP (convenor and Chairman) Peter Aldous MP Richard Benyon MP Sir Peter Bottomley MP Chris Davies MP Lee Rowley MP Martin Whitfield MP

The Lord Teverson

Helen Gilfedder, representing Stephen Barclay MP Alex Denvir, representing Roberta Blackman-Woods MP

Connor Power, CLG Robert Skeoch, CLG William Tandoh, CLG

Victor Davey, Silver Lakes Ibraheem Dulmeer, Lease Richard Hand, Lease Paul Holland, SODC&VWHDC Mervyn Kohler, AgeUK Ros Pritchard OBE, British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) Anne Webb, volunteer

APOLOGIES: Steve Brine MP, Mark Menzies MP, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Michael Tomlinson MP, Baroness Scott of Needham

Alicia Dunne, Brian Doick, Lisa Osborn, Sonia McColl, Alan Savory

1. Approval of Minutes

The meeting APPROVED of the minutes of the last meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Park Homes which took place in Committee Room 12, Westminster on Monday, 13 March 2017, commencing at 16.30.

2. APPG on Park Homes

a) Name

The meeting AGREED to re-register the group with the name: ‘All-Party Parliamentary Group on Park Homes’.

b) Statement of Purpose

The meeting AGREED the statement of purpose of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Park Homes was to:

‘Bring together parliamentarians, park homeowners and industry representatives to discuss issues of common interest including legislation and its enforcement to eliminate abuse and disadvantage.’

c) Members

Parliamentarians

The meeting noted parliamentarians who had expressed interest in participation in the work of the group. Mrs Pritchard confirmed that the Membership List was kept up-to-date and that all Parliamentarians who had attended meetings, requested membership and/or responded to the Group’s calling notices of meetings were included.

Stakeholders

The meeting noted the policy that had been adopted in the previous Parliament in respect of requests received from individual park homeowners and park owners to attend meetings of the APPG. Each had been informed that individual stakeholders may be represented at meetings of the APPG by their constituency MP and/or through their national representative organisation. For homeowners, national representative organisations which were invited to attend meetings of the APPG included IPHAS, NAPHR and the Park Home Owners Justice Campaign; for park owners, these included BH&HPA and the NCC. The meeting AGREED this policy should continue to apply. Sir Peter Bottomley noted that it might be possible to organise an open meeting from time to time. d) Election of Officers

The meeting ELECTED officers to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Park Homes as follows:

Chair - Christopher Chope OBE, MP (Conservative)

Vice-Chairs - Peter Aldous MP (Conservative) Nick Thomas-Symonds MP (Labour)) Martin Whitfield (Labour)

Honorary Treasurers Sir Peter Bottomley MP (Conservative) Chris Davies MP (Conservative)

e) Public Enquiry Point

The meeting AGREED that Mrs Pritchard should serve as the public enquiry point.

Secretary’s note: a specific email address for public enquiries to the group has been set up – APPG@bhhpa.org.uk

f) Website

The meeting considered concerns expressed by the Park Home Owners Justice Campaign that the Group’s webpage should be hosted by an independent body. Mrs Pritchard reported that a dedicated webpage for the Group had been published atwww.parkhome.org.uk/APPG following the request of Steve Brine MP at the inaugural meeting in the previous parliament. This provided the APPG’s statement of purpose, contact details and elected officers and was used to publish minutes of the Group’s meetings. She said there was no requirement for the Group to publish a webpage and offered to take it down since there were concerns.

However, the meeting applauded the transparency of publishing minutes of the Group’s meetings online and AGREED that the webpage should continue as previously.

g) Secretariat

It was noted that Ms Webb had volunteered to serve as minuting secretary for the Group, a role she had also undertaken for previous APPGs following her retirement as Editor of ‘Park Home Magazine’. The meeting expressed thanks to Ms Webb for her time and gratefully AGREED that she should continue in this voluntary work.

h) Re-registration

The meeting AGREED that Mr Chope MP should complete and return the Group’s Registration Form to the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner.

3. Update from the CLG Park Homes team

Mr Skeoch reported that part 1 of the call for evidence had been published and responses were currently being considered, the results would be published shortly, along with Part 2 of the Call for Evidence which would be a general review of the Mobile Homes Act 2013. It was hoped that it would be published before the end of the calendar year.

The Chairman asked when the APPG would know whether the Minister would take on board a further review of commission. Mr Skeoch said that this was not in the scope of Part 2 of the review of the Mobile Homes Act 2013, but Ministers were aware that there was a call for a review of commission and that would be considered when reviewing the responses. If there was anything to be done on commission, there would be a separate consultation.

He noted commission had been looked at to see if it was reasonable and the DCLG Select Committee considered that it was. The Department understood the feelings of those who had to pay this fee but there was also the question of economic viability.

Mrs Pritchard said that the BH&HPA employed surveyors in Wales to calculate the maintenance costs that would be required for parks in the coming decade who found that, without commission, the small park businesses were likely to go to the wall. She noted that it would be inappropriate to have laws which differed by size of business.

Mr Skeoch said this is the challenge that the English government had to deal with. The Welsh government was now looking at it and finding the same problem – that it would have an impact on smaller businesses. There was also the concern that removing one source of income would necessitate a change to other sources.

Mr Davey commented that if no-one moved off a site, the owner did not get any commission money. Therefore, it was an incentive for the park owner to get people to move off the site.

Mrs Pritchard responded by saying that calculations have been made averaging over a 10-year period and these showed that commission was a necessary income stream. Mr Davey said that there were three homes for sale on his park and when these are sold the park owner will have received £45,000 for doing nothing.

The Chairman commented that the enthusiasm with which Mr Davey put over his point was reflected in the fact that many people had signed the Justice Campaign’s petition calling for a review of the commission rate. He added that one of the reasons for commission amounts being so high was that the value of park homes had increased. Under current legislation, the 10% was a maximum but it was the figure that was invariably used. So, whether the businesses were large or small, they were maximising their income on the disposal of a park home. That was why residents were asking for the commission rate to be looked at again.

The Chairman said there was some evidence that the larger site-owning organisations were picking off the smaller ones and sometimes the owners of those large companies were not very desirable.

Mr Skeoch said that Ministers would be looking at this issue to see if they needed to have another review, adding that it would not be part of the proposed Call for Evidence. He noted that the Housing Minister had a tremendous workload but hoped that he would come to address an APPG meeting at some future stage. The matter was important for residents and the industry and there was a need to get it right. He added that the other factor which had to be considered was that pitch fees were regulated. They could only go up or down by inflation. If a decision was taken to do away with commission, there might have to be different regulation of pitch fees which could lead to situations where residents could not afford to pay them and remain on the park. It would be important to ensure that if one income stream was lost there wasn’t abuse elsewhere.

The Chairman said that there might be scope for Mr Davey’s point to be looked at again and not merely to respond by saying that it had been dealt with in the past. Mr Skeoch said it was looked at during the previous consultation in 2007. The industry wanted no change. Residents were divided: some felt theirs was a home for life so weren’t concerned about the 10%; others said it was important to remove it but they didn’t want to pay more in pitch fees.

Mr Skeoch said he realised this was a current issue but it would not be part of the Call for Evidence. He said that if there was to be research into the economics of the industry he would be recommending that it should be undertaken by an independent body, but that would be a decision for the Minister.

Mr Davies MP commented that the commission issue would not go away. Park homes that were once selling for £100,000 were now £220,000 and this has had a knock-on effect on the commission paid to the site owner. He asked how much notice the Department would take of the research being carried out in Wales. Mr Skeoch replied that his Department would look at it but what the Welsh Government decided would be only for Wales.

Mr Davey said that his home was worth £150,000. It was in Chichester where property prices were high. Should the time come when he wanted to sell his home, he would have trouble finding alternative accommodation at a price he could afford and the £15,000 he had paid in commission to the park owner could make a lot of difference to where he could live. He added that if, for example, he had owned a leasehold flat, he wouldn’t have had to pay the leaseholder a fee when he left that property.

The Chairman responded, saying that the law was as it was at the moment. The consequences of making a change to commission could result in changes elsewhere. For example, he asked whether the law would be changed retrospectively.

Mr Davey said that he had written to the Prime Minister about the 10% commission and received a response from the then Housing Minister that stated that when moving to a park home residents signed contracts saying that they would pay commission when they disposed of their homes.

4. Any Other Business

Responding to a question on energy efficiency in park homes, Mr Tandoh said that the Department worked with BEIS. The Chairman said that they had tried without success to get the Minister for Energy to attend a meeting of the APPG. It was noted that it was vital to ensure that all park homes were properly heated and energy efficient. Mr Skeoch added that the new Housing Minister was very aware of the park homes industry and had some park homes in his own constituency. He was committed to stopping abuses in the sector.

The Chairman asked the DCLG representatives when they thought the Minister might be persuaded to attend an APPG meeting. Mr Skeoch said that if the Minister received an invitation he would certainly recommend that he should attend.

Considering harassment, Mr Benyon MP noted that at the last APPG meeting the then Housing Minister, Gavin Barwell had said that he was interested to know whether the failure of the local authorities to take action was due to lack of will or lack of resources. He thought it was a combination of both. He asked if there was any plan to improve resource allocation to local authorities so that they could take action, adding that there was a great deal of harassment on parks. Mr Skeoch confirmed the issue was being considered in the round across all housing sectors. He noted that harassment came down to the fact that the park home law was complicated and difficult to enforce.

Mr Holland said that in South Oxfordshire people reported harassment issues but getting evidence was very difficult as residents would not come forward. Mr Skeoch added that local authorities could not take enforcement action without witnesses, noting the need for evidence and that lack of it was often due to residents being threatened and scared.

Mr Tandoh commented that enforcement of the mobile homes legislation was not simply about housing. It was also about health and safety on sites and those issues would be addressed in Part 2. Problems of enforcement would also be addressed in the Call for Evidence.

Mr Skeoch said there was also the matter of what constitutes harassment. Some residents regarded reminder letters about paying pitch fees as harassment. There were degrees of what constituted harassment and the law defined it effectively in the 1968 Act.

Returning to the 10% commission fee, Mr Davey asked if it would take an Act of Parliament to change the rate. The chairman said that although a park home owner may enter into a contract with the site owner under which a maximum 10% was payable on the sale of that park home, it was still a matter of private contract between the parties concerning the rate of commission to be paid. All Parliament had done was set a maximum on the commission rate.

The Chairman concluded by saying that residents wanted the law changed, the Government was currently considering housing legislation and park homes might come up within this. His message to residents was not to give up.

5. Date and venue of next meeting

It was AGREED that the Chairman would write to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, asking that he join a meeting of the APPG following Government’s publication of Part 2 of the review of the Mobile Homes Act 2013.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.30am

Please see the list below of the MPs who have registered their interest in The APPG for Park Home.

If your MPs name is not there, perhaps you would like to ask them to join and represent you.

*Updated as of 22 September 2017*
*Parliamentarians*
Adam Afriyie MP
Peter Aldous MP
Lucy Allan MP (represented by Chantelle de Villiers)
Stephen Barclay MP (represented by Helena Gilfedder)
Sir Henry Bellingham MP
Richard Benyon MP
Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods MP (represented by Alex Denvir)
Sir Peter Bottomley MP
Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw MP
Steve Brine MP
Maria Caulfield MP (represented by Rory Tanner)
Christopher Chope OBE, MP
Chris Davies MP
Steve Double MP (represented by Anne Double)
Rebecca Harris MP
Damian Hinds MP (represented by John Hildred)
Nigel Huddleston MP
Rt Hon Sir Greg Knight MP
Jeremy Lefroy MP
Rt Hon Dr Julian Lewis MP
Ian C. Lucas MP
Layla Moran MP (assistant Paul Edgeworth)
Mark Menzies MP
Caroline Nokes MP
Lee Rowley MP
Nick Thomas-Symonds MP
Michael Tomlinson MP (represented by Simon Gibson)
Martin Whitfield MP
Sammy Wilson MP
Dr Sarah Wollaston MP
The Lord Best OBE DL
Baroness Maddock
Baroness Scott of Needham Market
The Lord Teverson
Homeowners’ representatives:
National Association of Park Home Residents	Mr Brian Doick MBE
Independent Park Home Advisory Service	Mr Alan Savory MBE
*Homeowners’ campaigns:*
Park Home Owners for Justice Campaign	Mrs Sonia McColl OBE
AgeUK	Mr Mervyn Kohler
AgeUK	Ms Sue Linge
*Industry representatives:*
BH&HPA	Mrs Ros Pritchard OBE
NCC	Ms Alicia Dunne
*Government and agencies:*
Communities & Local Government	Mr William Tandoh
Communities & Local Government	Mr Mark Nicholas
Communities & Local Government	Mr Connor Power
Communities & Local Government	Mr Robert Skeoch
Lease	Mr Ibraheem Dulmeer
Lease	Richard Hand
Lease	Ms Manjit Rai

*Local Authority representatives:*
Local Government Association	Hillary Tanner
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health	Bob Mayho
Representative to Park Homes Working Group	Ms Lisa Osborn
Representative to Park Homes Working Group	Mr Paul Holland

Minuting (volunteer)	Anne Webb

Friday 6th October 2017

BBC INSIDE OUT PROGRAMME

TO INCLUDE THE 10% COMMISSION CHARGE.

The Inside Out Programme will be broadcast on BBC1 in the North East and Cumbria at 7.30pm on Monday 9^th October

Those living outside the North East and Cumbria can watch the programme in the UK as it is broadcast on the following platforms:

Sky Channel 955

Freesat Channel 956

It will also be available on the iPlayer for 28 days from around 8pm on Monday 9^th October which can easily be found via this site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0071mnc

There will also be local radio versions – on BBC Newcastle and BBC Tees Breakfast Shows on Monday.

Friday 22nd September 2017

NEWS ON THE 10% ISSUE

WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND

I am pleased to report that the

BBC

Inside Out Programme

are covering the 10% Commission Charge

which is due to be shown in October 2017.

Following on from our successful Rally in March of this year, on Wednesday 20th September, on behalf of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

I took part (with a lady who is trying to sell a home) in a two hour interview regarding the 10% Commission Charge. A campaign that our JUSTICE Campaign is leading to bring about an Independent and Transparent Review of this Charge to include sight of the site owners accounts.

Also interviewed were an eminent MP, Park Owner and the BH & HPA who represent the industry.

Our JUSTICE Campaign is grateful to the BBC for televising this very important subject that leaves many

Park Home Residents TRAPPED in their homes.

I AM TOLD THAT THE PROGRAMME

WILL BE AVAILABLE

ON BBC I PLAYER, SKY AND VIRGIN DURING OCTOBER.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO WATCH THIS PAGE AND I WILL PUBLISH

THE EXACT TIME AND DATE AS SOON AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE.

Thursday 21st July 2017

Vale residents asked for views in park home consultation

Friday 24th March 2017

FOLLOWING ON FROM THE THREE NATIONS RALLY

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT MAKE SIGNIFICANT AND POSITIVE STEPS

TOWARDS A SETTLEMENT OF THE 10% COMMISSION CHARGE.

WHEN ARE WESTMINSTER AND SCOTLAND GOING TO FOLLOW?

STATEMENT
BY
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT

TITLE Park Homes Commission Rate – Next Steps
DATE 21 March 2017
BY Carl Sargeant AM, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children

I wish to update Members on my plans for addressing ongoing concerns about the Park Homes industry in Wales following publication last autumn of the research into the economics of the sector. You will recall we commissioned Public and Corporate Economic Consultants to undertake this review, and I am grateful to them for completing the largest and most comprehensive review of the sector ever in Wales.

Their report made 4 recommendations to the Welsh Government.

It clearly identified a need to raise current residents’ awareness of contractual obligations and to ensure that future residents are clear on these matters before entering into contracts.

It also recommended that we consider how poor practice could be better identified and addressed.

I accept both of these recommendations in principle and will be inviting colleagues and key stakeholders to work with us to implement them including developing materials setting out the very best practice and promoting greater transparency for residents and site owners.

In addition, the report highlighted concerns around energy costs and suggested further consideration be given to initiatives to reduce them. Work has already taken place to prevent site owners from charging more than their cost price for energy and I am happy to look at how we might encourage site owners to seek out the most cost effective energy deals on the market.

It is however the report’s recommendation in relation to commission currently payable to the site owner at the time of sale, which causes me most concern and on which I will be focusing today.

Before I do so, it is worth reflecting on what more has been done to protect park home residents here in Wales, than in other parts of the UK.

All park homes sites in Wales have had to apply for a new licence and site managers have had to pass a fit and proper person test. Neither England nor Scotland have gone this far. We have consistently sought to help park home residents - for example site owners can no longer veto sales and residents must be consulted on any changes to site rules. In addition, Qualifying Residents Associations must be recognised in a balanced way - and this will continue to be the case.

Turning back to the commission rate, the consultants’ report rightly highlights the fact this is a complex issue with the potential for significant consequences.

The consultants faced a number of challenges in compiling their report. In spite of the fact that over half the total number of park operators engaged in the research, only a quarter of the operators provided detailed financial information. This is disappointing and means it is difficult to understand fully the economics of the industry at present and the precise implications of making any change to the commission rate.

By the same token, neither am I convinced, in the absence of a complete and reliable picture of the industry’s economics, that a case has been made to maintain the status quo.

Indeed, I have received very strong representations suggesting there may be good reason to reduce or even abolish the commission rate. Clearly, I must base my final decision on the best possible evidence. I would therefore like to invite the park home owners to let me have the evidence which they believe would justify leaving things as they are. Given the paucity of information submitted to the consultants it would be particularly useful to have financial evidence drawn from site owners’ business accounts and other relevant sources.

The options I will consider will include reducing or even abolishing the Commission Rate, which at the current time, I am minded to do, but I will not comment further at this stage as I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the forthcoming public consultation exercise.

The report suggests many park home sites are operating either at a loss or at only a small surplus. This reinforces the need for meaningful financial information because as well as being fair to residents, in particular in being able to access homes for themselves, we need to ensure we do not inadvertently impact on the long term viability of the park home sector in Wales, which generally comprises sites smaller than their English counterparts.

My portfolio priorities are wellbeing and economic prosperity. It goes without question therefore, that I am anxious to ensure that we strike a balance between the sustainability of the sector and the interests of residents.

This will require detailed assessment of the business case for change but I am confident we can conduct this exercise with the full engagement of site owners and park home residents.

I will now seek to engage with all those concerned, through representative bodies for both residents and site owners and through further public engagement and consultation. I want to give everyone, on all sides of the debate, fair and equal chance to have their say, put forward their evidence, and contribute to the debate. I do not believe that the evidence I have seen to date points to the desirability of leaving things as they are. I sincerely hope all interested parties will take advantage of the opportunity we will now provide to submit further information and scrutinise the evidence available in greater detail.

I intend to commence engagement immediately and will be engaging with the bodies representing both residents and site owners. The consultation responses will be published as soon as is practicable.

I am hopeful this engagement will provide greater clarity about the issues and enable me to take a balanced view on next steps regarding on the commission rate. In the meantime, my officials will press ahead with developing best practice guidance and addressing the other recommendations of the report.

Thursday 23rd March 2017

URGENT UPDATE AND IMPORTANT LETTER

AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS CORRESPONDENCE

TO PLEASE SEND TO THE MINISTER AND YOU MP

REGARDING THE 10%

1. INSIDENT IN LONDON YESTERDAY

2. ECO FUNDING FOR NEW BOILERS

3. POSITIVE NEWS ON 10% FOR YOU TO ACT UPON.

Firstly our very sincere sympathy must go to all those who suffered in London yesterday. The Sun certainly did shine on us as this was to be the day our Rally went to London but was changed as Prime Ministers Questions would have interfered with it.

INSIDENT IN LONDON YESTERDAY

Due to the diligence of the man who runs our Justice Campaign Web Site and his foresight to take a photograph, today I have spoken to and been requested to send to the Metropolitan Police a photograph of the car (untaxed) that pulled up on unauthorised ground by our Rally. I have also informed them that I have been informed by residents and stewards at the event that a man and one or two of his sons had infiltrated our party and this car was something to do with them. Certainly, some of you thought it was a site owner in disguise. If so, he will now be picked up for having an untaxed vehicle. However, after yesterdays terrible events it could be something more sinister and the Police are grateful for the photo image. So many thanks to our Web Site man who always prefers to remain anonymous.

ECO FUNDING THAT YOU CAN NOW GET IF ELIGABLE

Very recently, like many other residents, I received a telephone call from the ECO funding company offering free boilers. I telephoned them to find out if this would be available to park home residents and was told that it was not because we did not own the land and DCLG wanted the transaction to be concluded within six weeks, which was not possible as site owners very often held up the proceedings or refused tradesmen to enter the site. At a very recent APPG meeting in London, I brought this up. The Chairman took it very seriously and said on several occasions that it would be reported to the Energy Minister.

Now you will see from the letter below that from April 1st if you are on Pension Credit and qualify you can apply for a new Oil or LPG boiler. So now is the time for you to apply to the contact details at the base of the letter.

Subject: Energy Alliance Partnership

Due to recent changes in the criteria for ECO based funding, there is great news for Park home owners and we’d like to be the first to promote this to your members.

Some residents may have previously looked into available funding (through the Government backed ECO Scheme) to upgrade through the ECO scheme and couldn’t proceed as the amount of funding available for Park Homes was minimal and normally meant a large customer contribution for works such as replacement boilers or external wall insulation.

Changes to the criteria are happening from April 1^st 2017 which means that over 1 million more homes will now be eligible for funding, and in many cases this will cover the entire cost of the works. Not only this, but the benefits criteria has also been widened allowing many more people to qualify for the insulation and heating upgrades.

If you haven’t already heard of Energy Alliance, our experience, knowledge and professionalism means that we are ideally placed with the resources to consistently deliver ECO based funding to the households that need it most, under the changing criteria of the scheme. ECO is a government backed scheme that is funded by the larger energy suppliers to decrease carbon emissions through better insulated homes and lower heating bills. We have worked alongside the likes of Npower, SSE and EDF since we founded in 2010, and have an impeccable record in delivering this type of scheme.

We also promote a ‘refer a friend’ incentive that would give your association (or chosen charity /community project) a referral fee for every fully installed Oil boiler which has originated through yourselves.

In order to qualify for a replacement Oil or LPG boilers, certain benefit eligibility is required. (eg: pension credit, income support or child/ working tax credit etc). Our team is in place to take any applicants through the criteria and establish what the tenant is eligible for and to take the application to the next stage if applicable.

You can also visit our websites on www.energy-alliance.co.uk or visit www.acrobat.uk.com for additional background details and I look forward to speaking to you in due course.

I look forward to speaking to you

Yours sincerely

Peter Comer
Energy Services Advisor
T: 0161 654 3640 Ext: 1142
E: peter.comer@acrobat.uk.com

Registered office: Unit 9 Rhodes Business Park, Silburn Way, Middleton, M24 4NE Company number: 07332318

The information in this electronic mail message is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful. It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this internet electronic mail message by anyone else is unauthorized. The sender believes that this E-mail and any attachments were free of any virus, worm, trojan horse, and/or malicious code when sent. This message and its attachments could have been infected during transmission. By reading the message and opening any attachments, the recipient accepts full responsibility for taking protective and remedial action about viruses and other defects. The sender's employer is not liable for any loss or damage arising in any way from this message or its attachments. Any views expressed in this email are not necessarily those of Acrobat Carbon Services Limited.

POSITIVE NEWS FOLLOWING OUR THREE NATIONS RALLY

A little while ago, our friends in Wales managed to get a review of the 10% commission charge. It was called the PACEC Report. I was sent a copy of the findings of that report by our Welsh friends and asked to comment on it. It was very clear from the outset that the report had been based largely on the honesty of site owners as they had been asked to simply fill in a form and basically they could write whatever they wished. Therefore, the report provided no evidential proof of the site owners certified income and this was actually referred to in that report by the researchers. As you know, since 2014 when we had our Government Debate, our Justice Campaign has been asking for an Independent and Transparent Report with sight of site owners certified audited accounts as this is the only way to prove conclusively the validity of the site owners statements on income strands.

In my comments to our Welsh friends, ON BEHALF OF OUR JUSTICE CAMPAIGN I alerted them to the lack of evidential proof that their report was based upon and they have since spoken at length with their representatives about it.

The Welsh Government works differently to that at Westminster and Scotland - but that does not alter the fact that this is what we are calling for at our Three Nations Rally.

At our Meeting in Westminster on Tuesday, those present agreed to do whatever it took to push our case forward. I sent this ( statement by the Welsh Government ) to the Housing Minister Gavin Barwell MP last night and also copied it to Natascha Engel MP.

May I ask you all today to please copy the letter and Statement by the Welsh Government that is set out below. Sign it and send it to your constituency MP and to the Housing Minister. If you send by email, your constituency MP's address will be on the parliament home page under "They work for you" and the Ministers email address is: gavin.barwell.mp@parliament.uk

If you can not send by email. Please post to your own MP and to the Minister Gavin Barwell MP at House of Commons, London, SW1A OAA

Dear (please insert your MP's name here)

I am a member of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign that organised the Three Nations Rally to challenge the 10% Commission Charge in London on the 21st March 2017.

Following the PACEC report that has recently been released in Wales on the 10% Commission Charge I have copied below a STATEMENT BY THE WELSH GOVERNMENT. You will see from the statement that they are seriously reconsidering the REDUCTION OR ABOLISHMENT of the 10% Commission charge.

As our JUSTICE Campaign was requested by our Welsh Counterparts to comment on the PACEC report and alerted them to the fact that their report contained no evidential proof of the site owners certified income - and - that the information provided by site owners was given on a form which they were required to fill in; meaning quite simply that they could write whatever they wished. Therefore, this report was based on the site owners honesty!!! a fact that was also recognised by the researchers.

Therefore, I would respectfully request that you as my constituency MP presses our Government to look again at the evidential proof of this income strand to site owners - for which they do absolutely nothing - and trigger an Independent and transparent review/investigation by government that includes sight of the site owners certified accounts. Something that MP's unanimously voted for at the park homes debate on 30th October 2014 - but was effectively swept under the carpet by passing to a working group that was made up of apposing sides.

Yours Sincerely

-------------------------------------------

IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE TODAY. PLEASE HELP BY SENDING THE LETTER AND STATEMENT BY THE WELSH GOVERNMENT TO YOUR MP and THE HOUSING MINISTER. Please request a reply and let me know what it is.

Best Wishes and thank you

Sonia

Wednesday 22nd March 2017

Three Nations Rally (London)

Well, they say the

SUN SHINES ON THE RIGHTEOUS

and it certainly did.

You were all a sight to behold with your wonderful banners and you made your mark on London, the MP's in attendance at our Meeting and proved that the door was now well and truly open for us to challenge the 10% Commission charge and RPI to CPI.

TV and Radio covered our Rally, speaking to many residents. They also spoke to the BH & HPA

and as expected I am told the same old scaremongering line that

THE PITCH FEES WILL INCREASE IF THE 10% IS REDUCED

was put forward by them.

HOW STRANGE THAT TITLED MP's IN ATTENDANCE THOUGHT THE 10% SHOULD BE ABOLISHED

AND RPI CHANGED TO CPI

And lets not forget that it is the MP's and not the BH & HPA who make decisions

and only those Parliamentarians can bring in a STATUTORY INSTRUMENT to change the 10% Commission Charge.

I will write to all on the Campaign Data Base with the way forward

and a full write up will appear shortly with an array of your wonderful rally pictures.

Thank you all for your support. I am told that it took a long time to get hundreds of you through security as this was the first time a lobby had every taken place in Portcullis House. All involved did there best under extreme circumstances and I hope all that came managed to get into the building; that it was not too stressful and that you all had a safe journey home.

AGAIN, YOU WERE ALL MAGNIFICENT AND SHOWED THEM ALL THAT WE MEAN BUSINESS.

Saturday 18th March 2017

Information to all those Justice Campaign Supporters who are not able to attend our Three Nations Rally In London on 21st March to challenge the 10% commission charge and change your pitch fee increase from RPI to CPI'

Thank you all for the support you have given to our campaign and for the petitions that you have signed and to our friends across the borders in Wales and Scotland.

On Tuesday 21st March, hundreds of residents will attend at Downing Street when the petition is handed in. I have already received photographs of the wonderful banners that residents have made and will be carrying through London on their way to the meeting in Portcullis House where they can air their views on the 10% and RPI to CPI.

ITV central are attending the rally and have also filmed residents in their homes. I am hoping that ITV will also send this report to their other regional TV stations.

BBC Inside Out will be at the rally. They will be filming it to show at their end of season session of Inside Out Programmes.

Many other radio stations, and news agencies have also been informed.

IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO. PLEASE INFORM YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATION.

On Monday of last week, I was at a meeting with the Housing Minister who said that he was not intending to review the 10% Commission Charge. I was able to put to him that the previous Minister had side stepped the review that was listed in Hansard as unanimously voted for by MP's at the October 2014 debate and instead pushed to a working group (of which I was a part.) That working group contained (among others) Industry Trade Body representatives which ensured that no recommendation for a review of the 10% commission charge could ever or would ever come to a unanimous conclusion to recommend a review of the 10% charge. Hence it was a problem that was conveniently side stepped. The will of the MP's was ignored and it was pushed under the carpet.

Hansard. 30th October 2014 Park Homes Debate

MPs debated the following motion:

"That this House calls on the Government to set up a review of the current fee of up to 10 per cent of the sale price of a park home payable to the park home site owner."

The motion was agreed to without division.

THE MINISTER HAS NOW AGREED TO RE-CONSIDER.

The meeting at our rally will give residents the chance to air their views and lobby their constituency MP.

Even though you are not able to attend our rally and meeting, you can still be of tremendous help. Please email or write to your MP and ask them to raise a question in the house as to why the unanimous vote of MP's for a review of the 10% commission charge as quoted in Hansard with regard to the Park Homes Debate held in parliament on 30th October 2014 was ignored and passed to a working group of apposing sides (effectively swept under the carpet.)

Your MP is elected by you and is supposed to work for you. Admittedly, if your MP is a Minister or holds some special office, he\she will not be able to do this - but it does no harm to make them aware and all general MP's can speak out.

Directly after the rally is the time to do this and I will also be asking my constituency MP to speak out.

This will be our last chance to get these changes for a very long time. From a positive point of view, we already have a lot of MP's on side and others that are swaying. THIS IS THE TIME THAT WE MUST STRIKE AGAIN TOGETHER to get the changes that we want.

Together, we have done it before and we can do it again if you will help. We must keep the momentum going - if not it will simply die a death (which is what the industry wants) and lie forever under the carpet.

After the rally, I will post updates and photos on the Justice Campaign web site and post text updates to all members.

Best Wishes

Sonia

Friday 17th March 2017

The Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

FINAL UPDATE

THREE NATIONS RALLY 21st March 2017. change of details.

PLEASE SEE THE NEW DETAILS BELOW FOR THOSE RESIDENTS WHO ARE ATTENDING THE RALLY IN THE ENCLOSURE OPPOSITE DOWNING STREET AND WALKING IN THE PROCESSION.

TIMINGS AND DETAILS FOR TUESDAY 21st March

11AM I will be at the black gated enclosure opposite the gates to Downing Street to meet

you as you arrive. The Stewards will be wearing yellow hi viz jackets. As BBC and

ITV will be there at some point to film the rally, please be there with your banners by

11.30am (earlier if possible.)

Please don't wait to show your banners until you get there. We need to get as much

attention as possible so please have them on view as you walk to Downing Street.

You will need to stay in the Downing Street enclosure area until 12. 10pm. The TV crew may

ask you to speak. If they do, obviously you will tell them what you think about the 10% and

the RPI to CPI increase to the pitch fee - but it would be helpful if we could all sing from the

same hymn sheet and also mention that the 10% traps you in your homes and curtails the

amount and quality of care that your can afford (should you need it.)

At approximately12.10p the four Stewards will ask you to move off on the walk to

PORTCULLIS HOUSE. Portcullis House is part of the parliamentary complex and is just

opposite to the Palace of Westminster. In fact it is a shorter walk to this venue. Please keep

on the pavement but make yourselves heard and wave your banners as the TV will be filming

you. The Stewards will be in charge of the procession and there to help you at all times.

When you get to the main steps in front of the glass entrance to PORTCULLIS HOUSE, the

SECURITY there will be expecting you and you will go through airport type security. They will

help any residents in wheelchairs or people with special access needs to get to the ATTLEE

SUITE that has been booked until 3.00pm. It will be wise to get to Portcullis House as quickly

as you can to maximise the time we have for the meeting.

We are a very large party and there will not be seats for everyone. We are a party of 250 and

there will only be 150 seats. Under normal circumstances we would not be allowed to have this

many in one room, however, I have told them you are good natured people who will not cause

havoc and they have agreed that those who can not sit may stand around the edges of this

conference room where you will all be able to have your say. May I ask you to please let the

less able have the seats. THE MEETING WILL BE CHAIRED BY CHRISTOPHER CHOPE OBE MP.

Westminster are aware that you have travelled a long way and that you will not have had much

opportunity to eat. Therefore, they have agreed that you can bring a bottled soft drink and

sandwiches or a snack that you will be allowed to eat in the Attlee Suite conference room.

YOU WILL ALSO BE PERMITTED TO TAKE PHOTOS IN THE ATTLEE SUITE.

In addition, we also have the BOOTHROYD ROOM booked from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. If you have

already asked your MP to meet you on the 21st, please email them with the new venue (THE

ATTLEE room. in Portcullis House.) Please tell them to attend the meeting there

between between 2 and 3pm - or if they wish to meet with you privately, this can be

done in the BOOTHROYD ROOM in Portcullis House between 3 and 4pm. (For your convenience

both rooms are very near to each other.) Mr Chope's office will also be informing all MP's about

the change of venue.

YOU CAN NOT EAT FOOD OR TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE BOOTHROYD ROOM

Toilet facilities are available either side of the Attlee Suite in Portcullis House.

FOR THOSE RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT ATTENDING THE RALLY AND PROCESSION FROM DOWNING STREET - BUT ARE GOING STRAIGHT TO WESTMINSTER HALL.

When you arrive in London, please go (as previously arranged) to the Cromwell Road entrance

and go through security. Once inside Westminster Hall you will be able to get refreshments in

the Jubilee Café and toilet facilities if needed are near by.

Please let the Visitors Service Desk know that you are there when you arrive in Westminster

Hall. It is located at the front of Westminster Hall and arrangements have been made for your

escort to collect you from there at approximately 12. 30. Due to the rules of Westminster you

can only use the underground passageway from Westminster Hall that will lead directly into

Portcullis House if accompanied by a pass holder. You escort will be a pass holder but he will

only be allowed to take 6 people through at any one time. While you are waiting to be escorted

through, please wait together in Westminster Hall and your escort will do this in relays. When

you reach Portcullis House, your will be shown to the ATTLEE suite and assistance will be given

to anyone who needs it.

If you have arranged to lobby your MP or have asked them to attend the meeting; please inform

them of the change of venue. May I suggest that if you wish to meet with your MP privately and

also attend the meeting in the Attlee suite - that you ask your MP to meet you in the BOOTHROYD

ROOM (which is located very close to the ATTLEE SUITE) between 3 and 4pm.

Banners You will not be allowed to take your banners into PORCULLIS House and anyone

wearing fancy dress or tee shirts will have to remove them. If your banner can be dismantled

easily and folded enough to be put into a carrier bag, you will be able to take it inside. At the

time of writing, I am trying to get someone to stay outside with the banners as they can not be left

unattended. A PA at Westminster has offered to this but will not know until Monday if he can be

excused his normal duties. I will email you all again on Monday when I have the answer

There are 2 male, 2 female and 2 disabled toilets on the 1st floor of Portcullis House. One of

each is directly next to the Attlee Suite.

If you have any problems or are unsure of anything, please don't worry, just email me and I will do

my best to help. If you need to contact me on the day, please ring my mobile 07775600672.

This has been a terrific headache for the last week and without the help of Natascha Engel MP, her

PA, Black Rod and the Seargent of Arms, we would not have these amazing rooms for our

meeting - and we continue to be so lucky that Westminster continues to go out of its way to help

us.

TUESDAY 21st March is OUR DAY and your opportunity to have your final say. TOGETHER WE

HAVE COME A VERY LONG WAY and we must do our best to make Westminster listen to us

again. I have spoken directly to the Housing Minister and he is totally aware of what we want and

why. Other MP's (who are onside have also spoken to him in depth about the 10% issue.)

After our meeting and gathering on the 21st - it will be down to Government to decide upon the

Independent and Transparent Review (with sight of the site owners accounts)that we are asking

for. After the meeting, I will be asking my constituency MP to bring the matter up in the house and

ask questions.

We have been promised a lot of media attention and I have checked the long range weather which

is pm light showers and about 12 degrees in London on the 21st.

Thank you all for your support. Best Wishes. Safe Journey and I look forward to seeing you in

London and hope that you will enjoy your day.

Sonia

PARK HOME RESIDENTS FROM STAFFORDSHIRE

GET READY FOR THE LONDON RALLY ON 21st March

Wednesday 15th March 2017

SOME OF OUR WELSH PARK HOME FRIENDS PREPARING FOR THE RALLY IN WALES.

They have an interview on Monday with BBC Wales who will attend the rally and the pictures below will be run in an article on Friday in The County Times (Radnorshire edition)

Tuesday 14th March 2017

Dear Justice Campaign Supporter.

Many thanks to all those who emailed Jon Cuthill from the BBC Inside Out programme with our press release. Your work paid off and they are sending a camera crew to our rally on the 21st March, but we need to do more. This is our last chance to get things changed and we need lots of media coverage. If you do nothing else this week, will you please help by sending the email below to:

uknewsplan@bbc.co.uk south.today@bbc.co.uk news@channel4.com centralnews@itv.com newswatch@bbc.co.uk emt@bbc.co.uk

yourlondon@bbc.co.uk nwt@bbc.co.uk pointswest@bbc.co.uk

If you have had banners made, please take photos with your banners and send to your local press and also speak to your local Radio Stations.

I spoke to the Minister in London yesterday and have invited him to our meeting and certain MP's are working very hard for us. IF WE ALL PULL TOGETHER I FEEL SURE THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, so if you can spare a few moments today, please send the email below to all those email addresses above by BCC (then you will only need to send it once.)

I will have to write to you all again very shortly as other arrangements are being made at Westminster. As soon as I have the details I will get back to you.

ONLY FIVE DAYS TO GO SO LETS SHOW THEM THAT TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND WILL NOT BE IGNORED.

Best Wishes Sonia

Dear Sirs

ANGRY PENSIONERS FROM THE SOUTH, NORTH, EAST AND WEST OF OUR COUNTRY TRAVEL TO LONDON, CARDIFF AND SCOTLAND on the 21st March to challenge the government and continue the fight for their rights after a previous debate in the Commons; when all MP's unanimously called for this appalling outdated and inequitable 10% commission charge to be reviewed, only to find that the Minister of the day side stepped the issue and effectively swept it under the carpet.

The protest challenge to the government comes from Park Home Owners who are trapped by this charge if they want to sell their homes. If needing to go into care, this charge also seriously affects the amount and quality of care they can afford. The present Housing Minister Gavin Barwell MP has been invited to address the meeting following the Rally in the Palace of Westminster when elderly Home Owners will again voice their grievance and ask for justice.

Elderly Home Owners (some in wheelchairs) will be arriving in London on the 21st March from all parts of the UK armed with Banners depicting their plight.

Please can you cover this story, rally and the presentation of the petition to Downing Street that affects thousands of elderly vulnerable people who are being ripped off.

Full details and timings in the Press Release below.

The Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

President: Lord Graham of Edmonton. Vice President: Natascha Engel MP and Deputy Speaker

Founder: Sonia McColl OBE

Press Release.

The THREE NATIONS PROTEST RALLY (England, Scotland and Wales)

Organised by Sonia McColl OBE, founder of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

At 11.30am on the 21st March 2017, hundreds of retired park home owners will PROTEST outside of Downing Street when their petition to challenge the 10% commission charge paid to site owners on the sale of a park home is delivered to number 10 at 12 noon. Conservative MP for Christchurch, Christopher Chope OBE who is also the Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Park Homes will accompany Sonia McColl and Park Home Owners for the presentation.

At 12.15, protesting banner waving retired park home owners from every part of our country will march (some in wheelchairs) to the Palace of Westminster to attend a meeting from 2pm to 4pm. Every MP with park homes in their constituency has today been invited to this meeting by Christopher Chope MP who is chairing the meeting supported by Sonia McColl and Vice President of the JUSTICE Campaign Natascha Engel who is the MP for North East Derbyshire and Deputy Speaker.

250 Pensioner park home owners on static incomes that increase by CPI will attend this meeting and voice their views to MP's on the 10% Commission Charge (that TRAPS them in their homes) and call for their ground rent increase to change from RPI to CPI. A CPI increase is already enjoyed by(Park home owners in Wales.

Simultaneously to the London Protest; under the banner of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign, park home owners in Wales and Scotland will protest and attend Committee Room meetings in Cardiff and The Scottish Parliament.

Background

In 2014 the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign - who initiated the need to stop "Sale Blocking" by site owners which ultimately brought about the New Mobile Homes Act 2013 (as amended) - delivered its first petition for an Independent Transparent Review of the 10% Commission Charge to Downing Street. A Commons debate led by Dame Annette Brooke OBE took place on 30th October 2014. MP's voted unanimously for an Independent and Transparent Review of the Charge.

HANSARD QUOTED. " Question put and agreed to - Resolved "That this House calls on the Government to set up a review of the current fee of up to 10% of the sale price of a park home."

The Minister side stepped the issue saying: "He would be very happy for the working group, under its own auspices to consider a wider review of the issues that were raised today" when putting forward recommendations for the 2017 review of the new legislation.

This was not what MP's had unanimously requested. Sonia McColl. founder of the JUSTICE Campaign was invited to be a member of that Working Group. Although she tabled the 10% issue, it was largely ignored. Why? because the Industries trade bodies, as members of that group were never going to recommend the Independent Transparent Review that all the debating MP's had requested. Therefore no agreement was ever or could have ever been reached. The subject -effectively side stepped by the Minister - disposed of an awkward problem.

A change of Government ensued and all that MP's and thousands of park home owners had worked for on the 10% issue would be effectively buried - but the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign and its Park-help-Line continued to receive distressing calls from Residents who felt TRAPPED in their homes because after giving 10% of their equity from the sale of their homes; they could only afford to move into a cheaper home of inferior quality. Park home ownership is generally for the retired person; those who need to sell their home to move into care are also seriously limited to the amount and quality of care they can afford. The Campaign was urged by residents to continue the 10% fight against this outdated and inequitable charge.

Many Site Owners live in mansions, drive luxury cars, fly helicopters and are prominent in the "Rich List." Cash strapped residents watch on TV as a certain site owner who owns in excess of 40 parks flaunts his luxury mansion, expensive cars and purports to have a 250 million pound fortune while still requiring 10% of home owners equity when they sell their homes - and he is not alone. There are many just like him and even the smallest site owner is a millionaire in land value.

The Industry states the 10% Commission Fee is a necessary income strand for the site owners business, without which businesses would flounder.

Residents challenge this statement and demand proof of the likely business failure. Site owners do absolutely nothing for the 10% that home owners are forced to pay them when they sell their home. The average Park Home will sell for two hundred thousand pounds - that produces a gift to the park owner of twenty thousand pounds. On the initial sale of the average home, site owners will make at least 60.000 pounds profit. When the home is sold they receive 10% of their own profit.

PENSIONER Park Home Owners demand PROOF THAT MILLIONAIRS NEED their equity to prevent their businesses from failing. They want an Independent and Transparent Review of the 10% charge that includes sight of the site owners certified audited accounts. Only a thorough investigation by Government will provide proof that site owners such as the millionaire with a two hundred and fifty million pound fortune will suffer without 10% of the pensioners equity.

No previous review has ever done a thorough independent inspection that looked at certified proof of accounting; At a recent PACEC review in Wales, site owners were provided with a form and asked to fill it in. Therefore, that report was part based on the site owners honesty!!! as they could write exactly what they liked with no given proof. A fact referred to by researchers of that report.

Our petition signed by park home owners from over 1000 parks demands an Independent, Transparent Review of the 10% Commission Charge with sight of the site owners certified accounting - along with a change from RPI to CPI on the annual increase to the pitch fee.

Sadly, because I have heard that Site Owners have threatened to pull their advertising from certain industry magazines if they publish our protest rally, they will not report fully on this subject.

This is an affront to the elderly Park Home Owner who is being ripped of by an Industry that wants to paint a very different glossy picture of park home living.

That is why the Park Home Owners of England, Scotland and Wales need the help of the media. So may I respectfully ask you to please give our THREE NATIONS PROTEST RALLY as much coverage as you can so this important issue can not be pushed under the carpet again.

ENDS

Contact: Sonia McColl OBE Organiser and Founder of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

Tel: 01929 553110 email: sonia.mccoll.phojc@gmail.com

Web site: www.parkhomeownersjusticecampaign.co.uk

Friday 3rd March 2017

lease send any published stories and photos of your groups that are going to our

Three Nations Rally to the Justice Campaign for posting on this page.

Bournemouth Echo 9th March 2017

Wareham woman set to spearhead park home Downing Street protest - hundreds to attend

the Three Nations Protest Rally

BOURNEMOUTH ARK home campaigners led by Wareham woman Sonia McColl OBE are set to protest at Downing Street later this month.

Mrs McColl, who established The Park Home Owners Justice Campaign in a bid to champion park home owners' rights, will be handing in a petition challenging the ten per cent commission charge currently paid to site owners when park homes are sold.

She'll be joined by hundreds of park home owners from across the country, at what is being billed as the Three Nations Protest Rally. While the petition is handed in at Number 10, simultaneous protests are planned for the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament.

Mrs McColl explained: "Many site owners live in mansions, drive luxury cars, fly helicopters and are prominent in the 'rich list'.

"The industry states the ten per cent commission fee is a necessary income strand for the site owners' businesses, without which the business would flounder.

"Residents challenge this statement and demand proof of the likely business failure. Site owners do absolutely nothing for the ten per cent that home owners are forced to pay them when they sell their homes."

The Park Home Justice Campaign says average park homes will sell for £200,000, producing a gift to the site owner of £20,000.

Park home owners from all corners of the country are set to attend the London march, which will include a meeting in Westminster, to be chaired by Christchurch OBE MP - who is chairman of the all party parliamentary group for park homes.

Some 250 park home pensioners will also attend this meeting to voice their concerns to MPs.

Mrs McColl said: "The ten per cent commission charge traps owners in their homes."

The Three Nations Protest will taken place on March 21st in England, Wales and Scotland

Three Nations Rally Update

15 days to go

Please will you share this post and help with the jobs that are needed this week.

Hopefully you have all sent to your MP the Press Release and Standard Letter invitation to the Committee Meeting.

PLEASE. WE NEED AS MUCH ADVERTISING AS WE CAN GET

IS THERE A COMPUTER GENIUS OUT THERE WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO POST DETAILS

OF OUR THREE NATIONS RALLY ON ALL ONLINE MEDIA, SOCIAL AND TWITTER.

IF SO, PLEASE CONTACT Sonia at sonia.mccoll.phojc@gmail.com

I have already sent the Press Release below to all News Agencies, TV and Radio Stations

but it would help if you could also please send it to:

BBC News, ITV News, Channel 4, your local regional TV Stations and your local Radio Stations

If you are making banners to bring to the Rally on the 21st March: could you please take a photo of your group with your banners and send it to your local papers with a copy of the Press Release.

BBC 1 INSIDE OUT TONIGHT.

I have been told that Park Homes and their problems are being aired on Inside Out tonight at 7.30

and Brian Doick MBE of NAPHR will be speaking.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT, WE CAN ONLY DO THIS BY DOING IT TOGETHER AND

I WILL SEND YOU ALL A FURTHER UPDATE NEXT WEEK.

Sonia

COUNTDOWN to our THREE NATIONS RALLY

only 18 days to go

We now have two stewards who have answered the call. Thank you to them both

We now have a good photographer. Thank you.

Banners are being made by residents all over our country.

Our friends in Wales and Scotland are working hard on their rally's.

Sadly, for health reasons, Tony Turner will not be able to attend the presentation to Downing Street or the meeting in London - but I have asked him to write a short resume of his views that will be read at the Meeting. I know you will join me in wishing Tony a speedy recovery.

If you have not already done so, please forward the PRESS RELEASE below to all your local papers, regional TV, radio, face book and twitter feeds.

I have sent the Press Release to them all - BUT MUCH BETTER IF IT ALSO COMES FROM HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS.

We all need to sing from the same hymn sheet, so if interviewed, please tell them you feel trapped in your homes and why (its all written in the Press Release.) And that any care you may need is certainly curtailed by parting with 10% of your equity.

Every thing is in place now and we can let the whole country know of our plight if we pull together over the next 18 days and all do our bit (no matter how small) to get the media coverage we need.

Sorry to bombard you - but this is so important to us all and to keep it on the boil, I will update you every working day until the Rally with news and keep asking you to publicise it.

Thank you all for your support of our campaign

Sonia

The Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

President: Lord Graham of Edmonton. Vice President: Natascha Engel MP and Deputy Speaker

Founder: Sonia McColl OBE

Press Release.

The THREE NATIONS PROTEST RALLY (England, Scotland and Wales)

Organised by Sonia McColl OBE, founder of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

At 12.15, protesting banner waving retired park home owners from every part of our country will march (some in wheelchairs) to the Palace of Westminster to attend a meeting in Committee Room 10 from 2pm to 4pm. Every MP with park homes in their constituency has today been invited to this meeting by Christopher Chope MP who is chairing the meeting supported by Sonia McColl and Vice President of the JUSTICE Campaign Natascha Engel who is the MP for North East Derbyshire and Deputy Speaker.

250 Pensioner park home owners on static incomes that increase by CPI will attend this meeting and voice their views to MP's on the 10% Commission Charge (that TRAPS them in their homes) and call for their ground rent increase to change from RPI to CPI. A CPI increase is already enjoyed by(Park home owners in Wales.

Background

In 2014 the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign - who initiated the need to stop "Sale Blocking" by site owners which ultimately brought about the New Mobile Homes Act 2013 (as amended) - delivered its first petition for an Independent Transparent Review of the 10% Commission Charge to Downing Street. A Commons debate led by Dame Annette Brooke OBE took place on 30th October 2014. MP's voted unanimously for an Independent and Transparent Review of the Charge.

HANSARD QUOTED. " Question put and agreed to - Resolved "That this House calls on the Government to set up a review of the current fee of up to 10% of the sale price of a park home."

The Minister side stepped the issue saying: "He would be very happy for the working group, under its own auspices to consider a wider review of the issues that were raised today" when putting forward recommendations for the 2017 review of the new legislation.

This was not what MP's had unanimously requested. Sonia McColl. founder of the JUSTICE Campaign was invited to be a member of that Working Group. Although she tabled the 10% issue, it was largely ignored. Why? because the Industries trade bodies, as members of that group were never going to recommend the Independent Transparent Review that all the debating MP's had requested. Therefore no agreement was ever or could have ever been reached. The subject -effectively side stepped by the Minister - disposed of an awkward problem.

A change of Government ensued and all that MP's and thousands of park home owners had worked for on the 10% issue would be effectively buried - but the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign and its Park-help-Line continued to receive distressing calls from Residents who felt TRAPPED in their homes because after giving 10% of their equity from the sale of their homes; they could only afford to move into a cheaper home of inferior quality. Park home ownership is generally for the retired person; those who need to sell their home to move into care are also seriously limited to the amount and quality of care they can afford. The Campaign was urged by residents to continue the 10% fight against this outdated and inequitable charge.

The Industry states the 10% Commission Fee is a necessary income strand for the site owners business, without which businesses would flounder.

PENSIONER Park Home Owners demand PROOF THAT MILLIONAIRS NEED their equity to prevent their businesses from failing. They want an Independent and Transparent Review of the 10% charge that includes sight of the site owners certified audited accounts. Only a thorough investigation by Government will provide proof that site owners such as the millionaire with a two hundred and fifty million pound fortune will suffer without 10% of the pensioners equity.

This is an affront to the elderly Park Home Owner who is being ripped of by an Industry that wants to paint a very different glossy picture of park home living.

That is why the Park Home Owners of England, Scotland and Wales need the help of the media. So may I respectfully ask you to please give our THREE NATIONS PROTEST RALLY as much coverage as you can so this important issue can not be pushed under the carpet again.

The Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

President: Lord Graham of Edmonton. Vice President: Natascha Engel MP and Deputy Speaker

Founder: Sonia McColl OBE

THE COMMITTEE MEETING IN THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER IS NOW FULLY SUBSCRIBED AND ADMITTANCE WILL BE RESTRICTED

TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE NECESSARY IDENTIFICATION

Any Park Home Residents who still wish to come to London are very welcome to support us at the Rally.

If you should wish to attend the Rally's in Cardiff or Scotland - Please contact Sonia McColl who will put you in touch with

the Welsh and Scottish Co-ordinators.

Press Release.

The THREE NATIONS PROTEST RALLY (England, Scotland and Wales)

Organised by Sonia McColl OBE, founder of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

At 12.15, protesting banner waving retired park home owners from every part of our country will march (some in wheelchairs) to the Palace of Westminster to attend a meeting in Committee Room 10 from 2pm to 4pm. Every MP with park homes in their constituency has today been invited to this meeting by Christopher Chope MP who is chairing the meeting supported by Sonia McColl and Vice President of the JUSTICE Campaign Natascha Engel who is the MP for North East Derbyshire and Deputy Speaker.

Pensioner park home owners on static incomes that increase by CPI will attend this meeting and voice their views to MP's on the 10% Commission Charge (that TRAPS them in their homes) and call for their ground rent increase to change from RPI to CPI. A CPI increase is already enjoyed by(Park home owners in Wales.

Background

HANSARD QUOTED. " Question put and agreed to - Resolved "That this House calls on the Government to set up a review of the current fee of up to 10% of the sale price of a park home."

The Industry states the 10% Commission Fee is a necessary income strand for the site owners business, without which businesses would flounder.

This is an affront to the elderly Park Home Owner who is being ripped of by an Industry that wants to paint a very different glossy picture of park home living.

ENDS

Wednesday 15th February 2017

OUR THREE NATIONS RALLY

to challenge the 10% Commission Charge and RPI to CPI increase to the pitch fee.

organised by

The Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign

and running simultaneously in England, Scotland and Wales

with the valued help of Welsh and Scottish Co-ordinators.

IMPORTANT UPDATE

Whilst we welcome and sincerely hope many more Residents will be prepared to join us

and support our London Rally on the 21st March;

due to such a massive response to this Rally from residents in every part of the country

ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETING IN THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

- THAT WILL FOLLOW THE RALLY - IS NOW FULLY SUBSCRIBED

AND NO FURTHER PLACES ARE AVAILABLE

IN THE VERY LARGE COMMITTEE ROOM THAT HAS BEEN BOOKED.

IT IS WONDERFUL THAT HUNDREDS OF PARK HOME RESIDENTS ARE

PREPARED TO MAKE THE LONG JOURNEY TO LONDON BUT SADLY ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT CAN

BE ACCOMMODATED AND IT HAS HAD TO BE DONE ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS.

BECAUSE OF THIS, ENTRY TO THE MEETING WILL HAVE TO BE STRICTLY LIMITED

TO THOSE ATTENDEES WHO ARE WEARING THE AUTHORISED NECESSARY IDENTIFICATION

and the Official Rally Security Stewards will be at the door of the Meeting Room

to make sure that only those attendees who have pre-booked their place - gain entry.

The JUSTICE Campaign's official identification will be sent in due course to those attendees

who have already provided their details to

the JUSTICE Campaign and received acknowledgement of their place at the meeting.

As stated above, the Committee Room is now FULLY SUBSCRIBED and some of you may have to stand.

(If this should happen, may I request that you please give priority seating to those less able.)

There are a large number of steps to climb before we get to the Committee Room.

If you are wearing the official identification and have difficulty walking, climbing stairs or are using a wheelchair;

please go to the Visitor's desk in Westminster Hall when you arrive at the Palace of Westminster.

They will then arrange for you to be taken safely to the Committee Room Meeting by the most convenient route.

Thank you all for your amazing support as we challenge the 10% issue. This is going to be the biggest rally that we have organised and your opportunity to have your say on the 10% issue and RPI to CPI. Sadly, these are the only two problem areas that can be discussed at the meeting - but together we will do all that we can to get the changes that we want. If you need any further help please contact me at sonia.mccoll.phojc@gmail.com

and I will do my best to assist. In due course, I will write personally to all those who are attending the meeting.

AS SAID PREVIOUSLY, EVEN THOUGH THE MEETING IS FULLY SUBSCRIBED,

WE WOULD ALL LOVE TO SEE AS MANY OF YOU AS POSSIBLE IN LONDON TO SUPPORT US AT THE RALLY.

Thank you all once again and I look forward to seeing you in London.

Sonia

Sunday 22nd January 2017

Latest Update on

THE THREE NATIONS RALLY

Challenge the 10% Commission Charge and RPI to CPI

Dear JUSTICE Campaign Supporter

Please find below the latest update for The Three Nations Rally.

Firstly, thank you to the many residents who offered their services to help me with research that was needed to help our Three Nations Rally. So many people offered to help and I am pleased to say that the research work is now well on the way to being completed; long before its deadline.

As you can imagine, the co-ordination of the Three Nations Rally and Committee Meetings set to run concurrently in England, Wales and Scotland on the 21st March is immense and I am grateful to the Residents who have agreed to be in charge of Rally Security in London. Those who have organised coaches and the various organisations who have helped to advertise the Three Nations Rally.

Our JUSTICE campaign crosses borders and there is definitely no divide. Regardless of whether you reside in Scotland, Wales or England, we are all Park Home Owners. We all want justice and to live our retirement years in peace. To date, forty thousand residents are now standing with our JUSTICE Campaign and have now signed the petition to challenge the 10%.

By standing together we are strong and we will have our voices heard and acknowledged by MP's at the Three Nations Rally Committee Meetings that will take place in England, Wales and Scotland on the 21st March 2017. It is at these meetings that our JUSTICE campaign has arranged for residents to have their say as we challenge the outdated and inequitable 10% Commission Charge that steals our equity and leaves us TRAPPED in our homes - or - worse still, unable to afford the care we made need in nursing homes. Not only am I grateful for the help of the hard working Welsh and Scottish Co-ordinators who are working with me and doing a first rate job in organising their part of the Three Nations Rally - but it is lovely to have made new friends who all have the same objective.

Our THREE NATIONS RALLY (WHICH IS A FIRST) has received a truly amazing response from Park Home Owners in England, Scotland and Wales. Whilst It has been set up to challenge the 10% Commission Charge in all three nations; in England it also calls for the annual increase in Pitch Fees to be changed from RPI TO CPI (which is the figure your pensions increase by) a figure that is already enjoyed by our fellow Park Home Owners in Wales.

PLEASE NOTE: The Rally timings and details of the day have now been sent out.

DUE TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO ATTEND THE THREE NATIONS RALLY; ONLY THE MANY PARK HOME OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY TOLD

ME THEY ARE COMING TO LONDON FOR THE RALLY AND HAVE BOOKED THEIR PLACES AT THE MEETING TO BE HELD IN THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER HAVE

RECEIVED A FURTHER SEPARATE PERSONAL EMAIL FROM THE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN CONTAINING THE TIMINGS AND DETAILS OF THE DAY.

THE NAMES OF THOSE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN LOGGED AND ENTRANCE TO THE MEETING WILL BE LIMITED TO THOSE NAMED ON THE LIST.

SOME RESIDENTS WHO ARE COMING TO LONDON BY COACH OR IN A LARGE PARTY WILL NOT HAVE RECEIVED THEIR PERSONAL EMAIL. PLEASE DON'T WORRY IF

YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE RESIDENTS - BECAUSE YOUR ORGANISER HAS RECEIVED ALL DETAILS AND WILL BE DISTRIBUTING IT TO ALL RESIDENTS IN THEIR

PARTY. IF FOR ANY REASON YOU HAVE BOOKED YOUR PLACE AND NOT RECEIVED YOUR DETAILS BY FEBRUARY 1ST - PLEASE EMAIL ME AT

sonia.mccoll.phojc@gmail.com AND I WILL SEND THE DETAILS TO YOU.

Our JUSTICE Campaign has never done things by half. If we try to do something, we tackle it in a positive way. The Three Nations Rally promises to be the biggest rally that our JUSTICE Campaign has organised. Every MP ( all 650 of them) and many Peers are being made aware of it and invited to the Committee Meeting. There are other things being organised that could also be very beneficial to park home residents and we are so lucky that we have the ear of good MP's.

TOGETHER, following the request of so many residents to try to do something about the 10%; we, and the MP's who are supporting us have done the very best we can to bring about a change to the 10% charge. We were told when we began the fight to stop "Sale Blocking" that we were wasting our time. I could not promise you a victory then and I can not promise that we will change the 10% - but we succeeded with our fight to stop sale blocking and together we are giving the 10% challenge our best effort. As they say "NOTHING VENTURED - NOTHING GAINED" so in England, Wales and Scotland, together, we will raise the roof and give it our best shot.

COACH FROM STAFFORD

The numbers for the coach from Stafford have already been calculated in the final figures that can be accommodated. As there are two places left on the coach; If you live in the vicinity and wish to book your place on board; please contact thistlejohn@freeuk.com by the LATEST 31st January 2017. NO BOOKINGS CAN BE TAKEN AFTER THAT DATE.

COACH FROM DEVON AND CORNWALL

The numbers for the coach from Devon/Cornwall have also been calculated in the final figures. As there are still a few places available on this coach - if you live in Devon or Cornwall and wish to join it for the trip to London you will need to contact edsnail@hotmail.com by THE LATEST 31st January 2017. NO BOOKINGS CAN BE TAKEN AFTER THAT DATE.

If there are any Welsh or Scottish Residents who have not received information about the rally's in Wales and Scotland; please email me at sonia.mccoll.phojc@gmail.com and I will put your in touch with your Welsh or Scottish co-ordinator.

Thank you all for your support and we will do our best to deliver.

Sonia

TRANSPORT HELP FOR RESIDENTS

ATTENDING THE 10% COMMISSION RALLY IN LONDON ON

21st March 2017

(Full details can be found on the 10% page of our JUSTICE Campaign web site at www.parkhomeownersjusticecampaign.co.uk)

Thank you to all park home residents who have already informed me that they will be coming to London for our Rally and meeting in the Palace of Westminster on 21st March 2017. In due course I will be writing to you all with further updates. However, my purpose of writing today is to inform that a coach is coming to London from the Stafford area and there are places on board for any resident who wishes to attend the rally and resides in the vicinity of the Midlands.

If you or your neighbours reside in those areas and wish to attend and support the 10% Commission rally; please contact me and I will put you in touch with the person who is taking the bookings. The cost is low as this coach has been sponsored by:

Paul Baker of Paul Baker Insurance Services and Ann Barradine of Community Warmth.

Our Justice Campaign is very grateful to both Paul and Ann for their sponsorship that will allow many residents to travel to London in relative comfort and we are currently looking to get additional sponsorship from other sources to bring coaches from all parts of our country. I will of course keep you informed if this becomes viable.

If you live in the vicinity of the Midlands and wish to come to the 10% Rally by coach, please email sonia.mccoll.phojc@gmail.com as soon as possible.

Best wishes and thank you to all

Sonia

Tuesday 15th November 2016

Dear Justice Campaign Member

Following our success in the stopping of “ Sale Blocking” on 26^th March 2013, many of you asked if the JUSTICE Campaign could try to do something about the outdated and inequitable 10% charge that we or our next of kin have to pay when our homes are sold.

I promised that we would try and would give it our best shot.

NOW, WITH YOUR HELP

IT IS TIME FOR US TO MOVE ON THE 10% COMMISSION CHARGE ISSUE.

The paper and online petition is now closed and I thank the many thousands who have sent in their petitions that will of course be added to the 31,000 plus that we delivered to Downing Street in 2014.

I apologise for the silence from your JUSTICE Campaign on this subject over the past few months. However, during that time - and due to the fact that my previous MP, Dame Annette Brooke OBE is no longer in Government, I have been negotiating and meeting with MP’s in London to plan the way forward – because if we are to have any chance of success we need help from behind the doors at Westminster.

I am pleased to say that Natascha Engel MP who is also the Vice President of our JUSTICE Campaign has been of tremendous help and the date for the presentation of the petition to Downing Street that will be combined with a further rally of park home residents in London and followed later that day with a meeting in one of the large Committee Rooms in the Palace of Westminster has now be formalised. A lot more has been planned but to publish the content at this point in time would only warn the industry of what we are doing and we cannot afford for them to scupper our plans before they have been put into place. However, I will inform you all as soon as I can because your help will also be needed.

Scare-mongering

There has been much scare-mongering by the industry that if the 10% is changed an increase to the pitch fee would be added. This is of course rubbish because if an independent transparent review finds after examining the park owners audited accounts that without the 10% of your equity their businesses will go bankrupt, then the 10% will remain.

If not, and that report proves that it is not the necessary income stream that they purport it to be; no MP is going to say that any reduction must be added to your pitch fee. You only have to read the unanimous decision from MP’s at the October 2014 debate (that we brought about) to see how disgusted they were with the 10% charge – but sadly a new Government followed and we have to re-educate them.

If you have any doubts, (JUST THINK OF ALFIE BEST WHO BY HIS OWN ADMISSION HAS MADE A 250 million fortune) and still collects 10% of residents equity when their park homes are sold. In addition, there are many more just like him who own multiple parks and a lot of single park owners who at the very least are millionaires in land value alone. So there is a lot to be exposed and we have a lot to fight for.

I hear from many of you that because of the 10% you feel trapped in your homes and cannot sell because after parting with 10% of your equity you could only afford to move to a home of inferior quality. In addition, many of you worry that with the loss of 10% of your equity you would not be able to afford adequate nursing or care home fees. Obviously this topic is of great importance and:-

TRANSPARENCY is key.

If you have read the recent independent review that was brought about by our friends across the border you will see a copy of a survey form that park owners were given to fill in regarding their accounts. Basically they could write whatever they chose and there was no guarantee that what they had written was correct because as far as I could see, no audited accounts were examined - so it was down to their honesty!! Here in England, we are asking that the certified audited accounts of park owners are examined by an independent body.

I am printing below the details of our important day in London and hope that as many of you as possible will attend (as you have done before) with your banners and the good humour that you have always shown. I know that not everyone will be able to attend but I must stress that if we don’t have a good number of people present – WE WILL HAVE NO CHANCE OF PURSUADING MP’s AT WESTMINSTER TO LISTEN TO US and the opportunity to try to change the 10% will be gone for many years to come.

Arrangements have been made and I would ask all JUSTICE Campaign members (who are able) to please do all that they can to attend the next event in 2017 which is on the run-up to the promised 2017 review. I have listed the initial details below and it would be wonderful if you could again attend the rally outside of Downing Street with your amazing banners and then accompany us to The Palace of Westminster where a Committee Room has been booked and as is your democratic right, you will be invited to put your point before the MP’s who have been invited to attend.

From previous experience we know that this works. We have the necessary backing from inside Westminster NOW IT IS UP TO US TO AGAIN SHOW OUR COLOURS IN THE RESPECTFUL AND DIGNIFIED WAY THAT WE ALWAYS USE – Because nothing will happen if we do not make the effort.

DETAILS OF THE DAY

Tuesday 21^st March 2017 is the date for your diaries.

Please arrive by 11.30am with your banners at the black enclosure opposite the entrance to Downing Street. I will be there to meet you.

The presentation of our petition to No. 10 Downing Street will take place at 12.noon.

Following the presentation we will all walk on the pavements (WITH BANNERS HELD HIGH) the short distance to the Palace of Westminster.

When we arrive at the Palace we will all go through (airport type security.) You will not be able to take your banners into the palace but they can usually be left (tidily stacked) with the Police outside for you to collect when you come out.

Once inside the Palace, there might be time for a quick coffee or tea in the Jubilee Café located from inside Westminster Hall - or if you prefer, bring some lunch with you and I am sure you can find a time to have a quick drink outside at some point in time.

At 1.30pm we will need to make our way to Committee Room 10. This is a large ornate committee room that will hold a lot of people.

Our Vice President Natascha Engel MP will chair the meeting.

There will also be a lot of work to be done behind the scenes before Christmas and in due course I will be able to inform you of what is being done.

The Committee Room Meeting will last from 2 – 4pm. After the meeting, it will probably take the best part of 30 minutes to exit the Palace to make your way home. If anyone is wheelchair bound, I will need to know before hand so that access can be made available to them.

There will be media present and a lot of other things are being organised in the pipeline to make sure that we are heard and get the best possible coverage of the issues that we are seeking to change.

May I ask that you do not reply to this email – but instead, I would be grateful if you could please email me separately at sonia.mccoll.phojc@gmail.com (AS SOON AS POSSIBLE) to let me know the name of your park and how many people are willing to attend this important rally.

When I have the numbers I will contact you all again and send you a map and information of the day along with details of tube stations and parking for mini busses.

IF WE ARE TO GET A CHANCE TO CHANGE THIS OUTDATED AND INEQUITABLE CHARGE THEN WE MUST ACT NOW AND BRING AS MANY PARK HOME RESIDENTS TO LONDON AS POSSIBLE.

I CAN’T PROMISE YOU THAT WE WILL WIN – BUT I CAN DEFINITELY SAY THAT IF WE DON’T ALL MAKE A CONSOLIDATED EFFORT – NOTHING WILL CHANGE. I will do all that I can – if you will help me.

Please reply on a separate email me as soon as you can to: sonia.mccoll.phojc@gmail.com

Best Wishes to all and thank you for your support of the petition.

Sonia

Arrangements have been put in place to present

our 10% Commission charge Petition which includes are request for RPI to be changed to CPI

to No. 10 Downing Street

on 17th October 2016.

UPDATE ON THE 10% Commission Charge

Dear supporters of our JUSTICE Campaign.

As promised I can now give you a full update. Due to Brexit and the appointments of a new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Housing Minister, I have had to take parliamentary advice on the best way forward for our Campaign.

I and those MP’s who are supporting us know only too well how important this campaign is to so many Park Home Residents and it is therefore very important that we get the timings of events absolutely right if we are to try to obtain the best possible outcome for our cause and get an “Independent Transparent Review with sight of the park owner’s accounting” as this is the only way that we can hope to bring about a change to the 10% Commission Charge and have nothing added to the pitch fee.

Therefore, after meeting and having discussions yesterday with MP’s we have decided that it will be of greater benefit to Park Home Residents if we cancel the 17^th October 2016 date for the presentation of the Petition to Downing Street; the Rally and Meeting in the Palace of Westminster and reschedule it for the Spring of 2017 – the year in which a review of the new legislation is due to take place.

Following the appointment of the new Housing Minister, much ground work has to be done behind the scenes. This is not unusual, all this work had to be done to obtain an end to “sale blocking.” Many of you will remember the “early day motions”, “Petition to the House” and questions to propel our quest that had to be put forward by back benchers at Prime Minister’s Questions and so much more.

You will also be aware that petitions alone are not enough. We as residents need support and help if we are to have any chance to win our cause and there is only one way to go if we are to succeed. We must have the back up from MP’s at Westminster because it is only their voice that can be heard in the chamber.

Luckily we have growing support and yesterday I spoke at length with an MP who is help us regarding the strategy and arrangements to move our 10% Campaign forward in the most progressive way and we are lucky because along with two MP’s arrangements are being made for me to have informal meetings at Westminster with those best placed to help us. This will be done before Christmas.

As a review of the current legislation is due to take place in 2017 and following the appointment of the new Minister; it was felt by those at Westminster that the springtime will certainly be the best and most strategic time for the Park Home Residents of our country to again show their presence at Westminster and to present out petition to Downing Street. You have all made a tremendous effort at previous rallies. As banner waving pensioners who enjoyed the day, had fun but also conducted ourselves in a very respectful and dignified way – you got your message across and I know this was noticed by those who count and it greatly helped our cause.

The new date in the Spring of 2017 for the presentation of the Petition has got to be arranged with the Downing Street Office along with Police permission for our rally and the booking of a committee room in the Palace of Westminster.

This is already underway and I hope to have the dates in place and will let you have all the information that is needed by the end of September/early October so that we can plan our next day in London.

Many of you from all parts of our country have already contacted me and pledged your support at our rally and I hope you will understand that because this letter will be posted on our JUSTICE Campaign web site it could be seen by some who would prefer that the 10% Commission Charge was buried and never mentioned again. Therefore, much information and many names are best not mentioned if we want to succeed – but I can assure you that we are all doing our very best to bring about an end or a reduction to this outdated and inequitable charge. WE WILL go to Westminster in the Spring and don’t forget that we are also trying to get the RPI increase on your pitch fee reduced to CPI, which is already enjoyed by our friends in Wales.

As the JUSTICE Campaign does not charge for membership, we cannot afford to advertise so, with the exception of the JUSTICE Campaign web site, the only person who has published our petition form on their web site is Paul Baker and you can either download a petition form from his web site at www.pbinsurance.co.uk – or – please contact me at sonia.mccoll.phojc@gmail.com and I will be pleased to send you a form.

Thank you to all who have sent in petition forms and the closing date for the paper petition is 31^st August 2016.

These arrangements have been approved by the Police and Relevant Offices

and a rally of Park Home Residents is planned to coincide with the presentation.

A Committee Room has been booked within the

Palace of Westminster to seat 100 park home residents and will be chaired

by the Vice Chair of our JUSTICE Campaign

Natascha Engel MP & deputy speaker of the house.

It is planned that you will be able to have your say

on the 10% Commission Charge and RPI to CPI before the MP's that are present.

It had been my intention to write this week to all on our JUSTICE Campaign Data Base

with an invitation for them to join us in London on that day - with their banners

(because it has been shown in the past that TOGETHER we can bring about change.

BREXIT

Whilst the plans above remain in place,

I think it would be wise to wait for a short period before sending invitations.

At the present time there is much uncertainty at Westminster

and we certainly do not want our Campaign swamped with any elections of

Prime Ministers or indeed Governments.

I will be taking advice from the MP's who are supporting us so

PLEASE CONTINUE TO SEND YOUR COMPLETED PETITION FORMS

and we will either deliver them as planned

we will wait until it is the best possible time for us to achieve a result.

EITHER WAY, I WILL CONTACT YOU ALL AS SOON AS WE ALL KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.

Monday 13th June 2016

Thursday 18th June 2015

If you agree that the Minister has not answered the question, please tick the NO box at the end of this piece.

Mobile Homes: Sales

Department for Communities and Local Government written question – answered on 15th June 2015.

Damian GreenConservative, Ashford

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will undertake an immediate review of the effect of the 10 per cent commission charge on the sale of park home properties; and if he will make a statement.

Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 15 June 2015, cW)

Brandon LewisMinister of State (Communities and Local Government)

Following a recommendation from the Communities and Local Government Select Committee in 2012 that the right of site owners to receive up to 10% commission from the sale of a home should remain in place, the Government has no plans to carry out an immediate review of the commission payable on the sale of a park home.

Does this answer the above question?

Yes 0 people think so

No 2 people think not

Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.

Sonia McColl OBE

Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign
7 Silent Woman Park
Coldharbour
Wareham
Dorset
BH20 7PE
Tel: 01929 553110

Thursday 28th May 2015

THE EXCELLENT LETTER BELOW (says what many park home residents know to

be true) AND HAS BEEN

SUBMITTED TO THE NEW WORKING GROUP.

THE NEW LEGISLATION IS BEGINNING TO

WORK - BUT AS THE LETTER SHOWS,

THERE IS STILL MUCH MORE TO DO.

GOVERNMENT MUST LISTEN TO THE PARK HOME RESIDENTS OF OUR COUNTRY -

BECAUSE WHILE THEY WAIT TO SEE HOW THINGS" BED IN" UPO'S ARE FIVE STEPS AHEAD AND HAVE WORKED OUT HOW THEY CAN BEAT THE

SYSTEM.

To whom

this may concern,

Unless parliamentarians address the one issue that blights our lives,we will forever have a continuous programme of denial,pretending that tinkering with a corrupt

system, will alter things for the better,

PLEASE ADDRESS THE MAIN CONCERN FOR ALL PARK HOME RESIDENTS.

Southern Irish Gypsies/Travellers have infiltrated this industry,these individuals who have spent their entire lives ripping off pensioners,now see an opportunity to

legally teal from us,these horse traders, who have been mentioned many times in Hansard, have prospered at the expense of our elderly residents, mainly due to the courts/police and local government, adopting the attitude now known as the ROTHERHAM SYNDROME,bury your head in the sand, and pretend the problem does not exist.

Recently passed legislation has started to make inroads into the abuses perpetrated by this low life,you could further help by either abolishing the discriminatory 10% re-sale tax, or by adopting a compromise solution, which would still give the site owner 10% unearned income, but this would be based on the difference between purchase price and selling price e.g.,.

Purchase £140.000..

Selling £150.000 = £10,000 profit, 10% based on this figure = £1000.00 not £15,000

that the present system demands to be paid, before we can sell our home.

If the poor site owners protest that they will end up selling the Big Issue,simply refer them to the glossy brochures available from their companies, stating that financially, park home ownership, will

match the increase in property prices enjoyed by bricks and mortar,impossible to argue against your own sales documentation.

THE NAME OF THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN SUPPLIED TO THE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN

10th February 2015

UPDATE ON THE NEW WORKING GROUP MEETING TODAY. (10/2/15)

I am informed that the meeting set up for the new Working Group took place today (10/2/15) with officials, the Minister and four MP's (two could not attend.)

The meeting agreed the future composition and the terms of reference. I can confirm that the 10% is mentioned in the terms of reference.

The evidence compiled from that which was sent to me by so many residents was handed out along with the Name & Shame List of rogue park owners and I can confirm that all residents details were redacted by me before the information was provided to this group.

It was agreed that a further meeting will be called in March that will look at calling evidence. This meeting will have a wider membership that will include our Justice Campaign.

So it is happening and we continue to make headway. The evidence you have supplied has greatly helped towards this and thanks must go to all who supplied it.

This is all that I can say at this point - but we are on our way again. There are MP's who are willing to investigate and we must keep the ball rolling.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

INQUIRY INTO PARK HOMES

The first 60 submissions to the Inquiry have now been published on their Web Site. Further submissions will be added daily until they are all published.

If you wish to read them, go to the Communities and Local Government Committee.

This is the direct link below.

TITLE	Publication of Summary of Responses to Consultation: The Park Home Commission Rate
DATE	24 May 2018
BY	Rebecca Evans AM, Minister for Housing and Regeneration

Good Parks-Bad Parks (how do we know?)

10% Petition Page

Monday 28th May 2018

BY

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT

Tuesday 13th February 2018

Saturday 20th January 2018

Tuesday 24th October 2017

Friday 6th October 2017

Friday 22nd September 2017

Thursday 21st July 2017

Friday 24th March 2017

Thursday 23rd March 2017

Wednesday 22nd March 2017

Saturday 18th March 2017

Friday 17th March 2017

PARK HOME RESIDENTS FROM STAFFORDSHIRE GET READY FOR THE LONDON RALLY ON 21st March

Wednesday 15th March 2017

Tuesday 14th March 2017

Friday 3rd March 2017

Wareham woman set to spearhead park home Downing Street protest - hundreds to attend

the Three Nations Protest Rally

Wednesday 15th February 2017

Sunday 22nd January 2017

Tuesday 15th November 2016

Monday 13th June 2016

Thursday 18th June 2015

If you agree that the Minister has not answered the question, please tick the NO box at the end of this piece.

Mobile Homes: Sales

Damian GreenConservative, Ashford

Brandon LewisMinister of State (Communities and Local Government)

Does this answer the above question?

Thursday 28th May 2015

PARK HOME RESIDENTS FROM STAFFORDSHIRE

GET READY FOR THE LONDON RALLY ON 21st March