Residential Mobile Homes in Scotland - Scottish Government

lower incomes were gradually being squeezed out of even this approach. This agency noted
that in recent years land prices had increased dramatically. This view was echoed by one of
the respondents in an individual mobile home living in a remote rural area,
“Prices are going up to two hundred thousand. They’ve just gone silly. Even
the price of land – an idea would have been to maybe rent a piece of land, and
then maybe buy the land and from there to progress to building your own
house. That was kind of my idea. But even the land prices have rocketed.
You’re looking at maybe eighty thousand for a plot, so now you’re really
getting priced out. So I’ve got stuck with renting” (renter).
Condition of the dwellings
3.33 The diversity of the characteristics of the sector are encapsulated in the impact of
mobile homes on health. Chapter Two highlighted that households reporting a long term
limiting illness were over represented in mobile homes. Some of the respondents, as noted
earlier in this chapter, had made a positive choice to move to a park home because of their
impairments or poor health. In these cases, park homes offered a solution in terms of
improved accessibility around the home and neighbourhood, as well as a home that could be
readily adapted to suit an individual’s needs. However, previous research has also
highlighted that mobile homes themselves may contribute to poor health (Laing and Lindsay,
1980). The research by Laing and Lindsay (1980) noted evidence from the then Badenoch
and Strathspey District Council that GP’s in that area highlighted that mobile homes were
unsuitable for prolonged residential use particularly where young people were involved. This
point was reiterated by a respondent in the current research, who noted that her mother had
had to move out of her mobile home for health reasons on the advice of her GP.
Condensation
3.34 The majority of respondents in both park homes and individual mobile homes did not
report any problems with condensation. However, nine respondents in park homes described
the presence of condensation in their homes, although it was evident that there was
considerable variation in the extent to which condensation occurred or was considered a
difficulty by these latter respondents. For some of these respondents, condensation was a
very minor issue,
“The walls are very thin. I wouldn’t say I have a problem with it – just
occasionally in the winter” (owner; rents a stance).
3.35 Two respondents in park homes noted that condensation had been a problem when
they had first moved in, but that it had subsequently been sorted out by having double glazing
put in. However, for other people, condensation was an ongoing issue that affected the
quality of their lives,
“I have had problems with condensation. It can be bad. The bedroom is the
most problem place, and in my wardrobes, I have problems with my clothes
and bags” (owner; rents a stance).
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