Somerset park home resident calls for legal change

Park home owners have to pay 10% percent commission to the landowners when they sell their property

A park-home resident has called for the scrapping of an "unfair" law allowing landowners to claim 10 per cent commission on the resale of the home.

David Iles from Bridgwater in Somerset is part of a group fighting the ruling and a letter signed by 33,000 people has been given to No.10 Downing Street.

The government is investigating the effects of removing the commission.

Mr Iles said if you buy a new Ford car, when you sell it, you do not have to give Ford 10 per cent of what you made.

"Take it [the landowner's commission] away... it's not fair on older people," he added.

The campaign has received support from senior MP Sir Peter Bottomley (left). David Iles (right) was there to hand the letter to Number 10

Joining him in delivering the letter to Downing Street was Sonia McColl from the Park Home Owners Justice Campaign.

"It leaves them [residents] in a position whereby if they want to move on, they can only buy something of a lesser value.

"Being elderly, a lot of them, it seriously curtails the amount of nursing home fees that they can afford," she said.

In response to the campaign, the British Holiday & Home Parks Association said: "If the commission element is abolished, park owners would have to consider how to change their business model in order for it to remain viable."

"This would in most cases translate into higher pitch fees, putting affordability pressure on many residents."